lookit what i got...

...a northern flicker

no kidding! can you just believe? there i was... after having roamed around the lake - played with the geese... thought i had my blip - 'cuz i'd caught a droplet of water on the tip of a beak with a goose i'd been hanging with... when i heard a rustling under a tree... with the sun - and the shade - and i didn't have my glasses on - and squirrels were running around my feet thinking i had food - well... who quite knows what might be under a tree, right? this particular lake is known to have vagrants lurking about - one of the last times i was there a man was yelling at the trees after all - but i figured what the heck... squirrels were with me - so i moved forth... saw a flash of white, then red - lifted my camera hoping for the best... out popped what i thought was a bird so i snapped, just once was all i got before it swooped low in front of me - away in the air...

i was left thinking... "that was a flicker - no it wasn't - yes, it was..." looking at what i shot - it was too dark so i figured, nope - nada.... but lookit! it is a flicker - a northern one... with it's little brownish gray head - that cute red moustache so unmistakeable... how cool is that? especially when i'm not much of a small bird photographer - to be blessed with a photo like this - i'm jumping out of my skin with glee - it's quite the big deal for me... maybe not so much for others - perhaps some of you will think this isn't all that great - not as spectacular as some bird shots on blip you've seen... but for me? it ranks up there as very special - a treasured day- god given - to be able to actually have it in focus... not blow it... when it's the only opportunity i had - one shot - what joy - it's made for...

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happy day.....