Thursday, July 3, 2025

July

 July 2025



A momentary synced pose in the middle of a feeding session. Fledgling on left, dad on right, Red-bellied woodpeckers.
July 5.


First Monarch, yay! It's a lady but if she left any eggs I didn't find them.
Downy woodpecker sunbathing
July 2

This is from late June but I only just finished it: another Carolina Wren sequence.

Thursday, June 5, 2025

June

JUNE 2025 (Reverse chronological this time)
Note: If videos won't play full screen, you can always view (some of) them via my Youtube channel.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

May 2025

May 2025





May 1





May 2, Red-header woodpecker in slow-motion.
Shot with GoPro 11 Black at high speed but I don't think I'm getting the best results in either Pinnacle Pro 23 or Kdenlive. I wanted to capture what it looks like when flying away, which is usually how I see it. Youtube link (in case video doesn't work above).



Ma Bluebird hard at work on the second nest of the season.

May 10


May 9

May 19, Gray Catbird's meow.

My first ever AI* video. May 20 at Kent Lanes open mic. The audio is a bit fake too, I wasn't pleased with my playing and attempted to make it suck less by adding 2nd guitar the next day at home. 
*I used an online thing called DeeVid. I thought it did pretty well animating a static image.

U.S. Blues (No fake video or audio edits on this one)

May 22, male Red-bellied woodpecker. 
May 22, the lovely male Rose-breasted Grosbeak



May 24, I'm hoping this Red-headed woodpecker is delivering some suet to a youngster in a nest somewhere.
May 24 This female Baltimore Oriole was rapping on the kitchen window. I'm quite sure the message was "Hey! Grape Jelly, now!".
May 25, she's back at 7:30 in the morning.

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Spring 2025 (April)

Some photos I've posted recently on FB, for those who aren't on that odd virtual space.
I think these were all taken through the kitchen window except the asterisked ones.

First hummingbird of the season April 30

*Ma Bluebird "dive bombing" me when I got too close to her family April 28

Coopers hawk April 29

Just to prove it, there really were two at once.

April 29 the glorious Red-headed woodpecker arrived

House Finch in the Autumn Olive, April 27

Composite, April 27

Composite, April 27

I didn't know the flowers were nutritious

Catbird showing colourful undertail coverts, April 27



April 23

*Bluebirds. There were 6 eggs, possibly hatched yesterday or today April 18

One of my faves, the Field sparrow. Who could be meeker? April 22








Monday, October 17, 2022

Warblers

 WARBLERS


October 17 2022, Cape May warbler (female/immature)



Yes it's fuzzy, but you can see white tail markings not apparent in the still shots, further evidence of yellow rump too.

Thursday, October 13, 2022

October 2022 Homeowner's Disease

Thursday October 13


 First - a new load of limestone for the driveway.


Upper deck wall looking a bit ratty.

Well on the way.


Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Yet Another Sax Change Operation

October 27, 2021

I have two saxophones, an alto and a tenor. The tenor is newer (circa 1965) and has a feature that the 1923 Buescher alto lacks: left-pinky-pushing the Bb/B/C# key also activates the G# key. On the alto the G# key is completely independent.

The electronic Yamaha YDS-150 acts the same as the tenor.

All I had to do was add some bits and pieces to the G# key in the right places so the other keys would push it down. Sorry, no before-mod shots.


Step 1 - a bit of aluminium* scrap (gutter)
Step 2 - a bit of wood (like a popsicle-stick) glued to the aluminium

Step 3 (not shown) - a bit of cork glued to the wood was needed for the D# key.

*Google says: "The word was first proposed by Davy in the form alumium, and changed by him to aluminum; but was finally made aluminium to conform to the analogy of sodium, potassium, etc. ... And so we land today: with aluminum used by the English speakers of North America, and aluminium used everywhere else."


Above: two clips showing how the Evette Schaeffer tenor keys activate the G# key.
Below: a clip showing my modification allowing the same on the alto.
The discerning viewer will note how the last push takes a bit more effort, and that I'm not even using my pinky finger for the demonstration. 
I may undo the whole thing as I already have difficulty with pinky finger-strength. This mod is completely non-invasive and reversible. On the other hand, as of yet I don't spend much time on those lowest notes as they're hard to hit on that horn.

Lastly, one might ask why did I do this?
1: Because I have a neurosis about kluging things.
2: I think there are occasions when this fix would eliminate the need for the left pinky to move between Bb, B, or C# and the G# key. I discovered one such instance in a passage I was practicing on the tenor. My instructor said something like 'you found a hack'. That was before I noticed that the alto couldn't do the same.