And Nestlings Arose Toward the Sun
In dedication to the tranquil May
It’s much easier to stand this all when there is more sun. In any view: length of daylight, clouds absence, or higher air temperature. May is nice for me in this sense; moreover, I have a lot of ideas for photos. But at the same time, Facebook reminded me that five years ago, I traveled to Kyrgyzstan in these days. Pleasant memories can be painful.
My articles aren’t complete without cats’ photos, so here is a cat:
And let’s move on because I met many more different animals. I tried to take photos of frogs with blown cheeks.
Not exactly what I expected. But some Kama sutra happened also.
This is another species of frog that lives in forests. It doesn’t croak but quacks like a bird.
A ladybug or something similar:
A large copper:
A giant grasshopper looks at you skeptically, reminding you that it should not be confused with the locust:
But my main achievements were birds again. It’s rare to meet a barn swallow in the city. Mostly, I see swallows with white chests.
A curious jay:
A goldfinch was exploring the area.
I was lucky to meet this gentleman. Previously, I saw kestrels under the roof of a 9-story building, but this one was outside the city in its natural environment. It even posed for me for a few seconds.
More often, it’s possible to see them in flight. It justifies their Ukrainian title, boryviter (who fights with the wind). It kept on airflow and looked for prey in the grass.
A common whitethroat. One more “lifer,” how it’s fashionable to say among birdwatchers.
In the bird’s world, May is the month of the new generation. It’s not always noticeable: sometimes, nestlings look like adults, but you can pay attention to how awkwardly they fly. Or parents fly around them and feed them despite the kids being bigger than their parents.
I met this “teenager” magpie just in our yard. Then, I was glad that cats are rare here. Its plumage is still incomplete, but it is already severe and self-sufficient. It’s well-visible how everything is organically arranged in nature. It’s just a magpie, but what a complex and perfect creature. And so many such creatures die now together with people because of Russian attacks.
Tiny ducklings are totally lovely.
Just look at these fluffy butts.
A male duck is beautiful and carefree: he has done his business.
Great crested grebe nestlings are striped, which helps them mask on water. This family was very far from me for good photos, but you can notice one kid was riding on the mom’s back.
A European pied flycatcher occupied a birdhouse and carried some prey every minute for freeloaders sitting inside.
Like great crested grebes, swans keep their distance in nature. But in this case, I had the opportunity to visit a pair living on a tiny pond in Central Park.
This year, they gave birth to only one nestling. While the mother fruitlessly sat on the rest of the eggs, the kid confidently explored the world under the protection of its father.
“Aren’t you accidentally taking our photos, sir?”
It would be unfair not to show a few frames of my city with all this nature.
I caught trams with lupine blossom. Although, later, I was told that it was salvia.
But anyway, spring mainly draws to nature, sun, and flowers.
And to endless spaces outside the city. If I catch the moment, soon I’ll take a photo of this field in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
A cloudless sky allowed us to watch the moon.
And in itself, it is much more interesting than in cold months.
One time, I probably saw some hint about the U.S. elections.
The sun went down later and later, slowly moving toward one more war summer.
If you don’t want to miss out on my new stories, you can subscribe to updates on my blog. If you appreciate my photos or stories, you can buy me a coffee.
