Baby Mockingbird

A couple of years ago I was eating lunch out on the patio with my husband (then my boyfriend) when a mockingbird baby came out of nowhere and fell between some chair legs in the corner of the yard.  He was flapping around pretty hard but was pretty stuck, so I moved the chair so he could get out, and then went inside to watch as his parents came and made regular food drops until he got old enough to fly.  This is the first baby mocker I’ve seen in the yard since then, and I just happened to be in the bedroom when he decided to hop up my tomato plant next to the window. 

I know this isn’t the most well-composed shot I’ve taken (it’s also taken through a window screen), but I had to share.  This little guy was making a ton of noise calling for his lunch, and his parents kept telling him to shush, with that “chuzz, chuzz” noise they make.  When I came to the window, actually, both his parents were unhappy with me – flapping their wings and staring at me making lots of noise.  But I couldn’t help it – he’s just so cute! 

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Not Quite Nature: San Diego Zoo

These two are my favorite of all the photos I’ve ever taken of animals; they’re from a zoo trip three years back (wow – I feel old!).  The first is of a baby giraffe, munching on some food.  I took this from a moving tram, zoomed in all the way.  It might not be the clearest picture in the world, but what it lacks in technique it makes up in personality!

The second photo is of a blue parrot.  I honestly can’t remember if this was taken in one of the aviaries or at one of the various places around the zoo where they have perches.  But I like the expression on his face!

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