My Squared-Circles

My Squared-Circles

If you visit often, you must have noticed the little photos on the sidebar.

Well, they are part of my Flickr photos.

Flickr is a photo sharing site that I've been with for the last few months.

There are goups on Flickr...groups you can join with specfic photo requirements. For example, birds, flowers, mothers, babies, frogs...you get the idea.

Well, one group is called Squared Circles.

The photos have to be perfect circles, cropped to perfect squares. I know, it sound a little silly or even unimportant, but it's fun. It is an outlet for creative expression.

Some of them are wonderful. You should take a look.

The picture above is just a set of my "squircles."

Here is the Flickr site.

My newest group is Field Guide to Birds. Photos can be submitted to the group if they show clear details of the birds and are labeled. It has taught me alot about bird identification and now all I want to do is take photos of birds.

check it out here

Juvenile Black-backed Gull and birding

Juvenile Gull

To see where this is flying: Fire Island Natioinal Seashore map

I posted some photos of birds on my Flickr site. I've become really involved in posting photos there...and so have neglectd this site. Sorry!

What I really like about Flickr is that there is a great deal of interaction with other people who have the same interests.

I posted some bird photos and realized that there are so many people interested in photographing birds. I know bird-watching is a bird sport.

There is one group on Flickr that identifies birds and catalogs them. What this has done for me, is now I want to know the names of all the birds I see.

To me, birds at the beach where either seagulls or terns or sandpipers.

Well, there is a lot more to it.

I now know the difference between the Herring Gull, Black-backed Gull and Ring-billed Gull.

To most people they all look the same.

I want to learn so much more.

I also want to be a better photographer. Some of these birders (people who bird-watch) take outstanding photos...jaw-dropping wow stuff!

Dioscoping is taking photos with a scope, like a telescope, with camera attached. The pictures come out so clear and the birds look like they are inches away instead of yards.

I've posted some birds here but you can see more at:

Alida's Photos at Flickr: Birds

After you see mine, check out the other bird photos.

Field Guide Bird Pool

Hope you enjoy the photos!

Herring Gull

Upper Brown's River, Sayville, NY

Upper Brown's River, Sayville, NY

It was high tide and we were able to take a boat ride up to the north end of the river. We ususally can't do that because the river is so shallow there. The best way to see this end of the river is with canoe or kyack, which many people do.

We haven't done that in the last few years. We have to buy another canoe.

I remember the first time we paddled up the river. It was January, but not very cold, and we had just moved into this house. Since it was winter, we did not have the big boat in the water yet, and we had just moved.

We bought the canoe, used, from a rental place on the Carmen's River, so the boat was pretty beat up. We didn't care, since we were determined to see our new neighborhood.

We felt like explorers finding a lost land.

As we paddled up the river the vegetation changed.

No more fragmities and more brush and weeds.

All of a sudden three very large Great Blue Heron flew out of the brush. It must have been their nesting area, parents and off-spring. I was in awe.

They looked so large, flying with their legs and feet trailing behind them. I felt like I had come across so pre-historic monsters. They looked like pterodactyl to me, from the dinosaur age.

We were very excited and happy to live in such a natural place.

Now we see them all the time. They fish in the pond and river near our home.

What a sight!

The two boys...

Connor on the beach... beautiful day.

Christian on the beach.

Eating snacks on a hot day. The boys were in our hot tub because we don't have a pool. We added cool water. They loved it.

Playing in our hot tub.

Blue claw crabs caught in our own backyard.

Grandkid's Visit

What a week this is going to be...the grandkids are visiting.

Two and six years old, Christian and Connor.

If you have kids, or ever had kids that age, you know what this is like. We can't keep up with them. And to make matters worse, we live on a river ... water, easy accessible in the backyard.

I'm a nervous wreck every time they go outside.

We are happy they're here though.

Great kids and fun. What else is there in life, really?

My husband's son is a good person too and so is his wife. They live in Buffalo, NY, so we don't see them too often.

I think she's a great mom. I never hear her yell. Well, if she yells in Buffalo, I can't hear her.

The little boys are growing up to be polite and respectful.

I'll try to post as many pictures as I possibly can between cooking and running after the children.

Take a look at them. Aren't they cute? Well, I'm the grandma (step-grandma, that is,) so I guess I think they're cute!

Connor

Grandpa and the boys...He's crazy about them. Connor is pretending to talk on the radio.

Christian

Photo Friday: One

One

One-of-a-kind Lighthouse

Photo Friday: August 19, 2005

This lighthouse is off Orient Point at the end of the North Fork of Fire Island in the Peconic Bay.

This is actually the Long Beach Bar (Bug) Light, marking the entrance to Peconic Bay.

One lighthouse to warn the ships of land ahead and shallow water.

Dan and the beautiful sky....We took our friends, Donna and Dan to the beach yesterday.(We call them Danna for short, but I don't think they know that.) It was a PERFECT day for the beach, a perfect day for anything you wanted to do outdoors. The air was cool, sun was hot and it was very clear at the beach. You know when the horizon gets that clear line against the sky? The ocean was fairly rough, but a perfect temperature for swimming and very clear and clean. Just another day on Long Island.

Gas Prices for Boating

Yep...your eyes are not wrong...gas for the boat...$3.25 a gallon and they hope for a tip.

You wonder how anyone can afford to go boating, but take a look at all the boats on the river. There are lots of boats out there!
(C) 2005 Alida

Wind, not gas...

Sailing on an empty bay...Sailboats use natural engergy, the wind.
(C) 2005 Alida

Osprey Nest

Osprey nest....empty.

On Long Island, these nests are built to help the osprey who have been classified as endangered. Many nests are occupied, but not this one.

I don't know why, but it has been empty for years.

There is another one right off the highway that is always occupied. I guess the cars don't scare the birds away, but they're not here... right on the river. I wonder....?
(C) 2005 Alida

Fireworks on Fire Island

Fireworks on the water at Davis Park this past weekend.
(C) 2005 Alida

Coecles Harbor Marina Overnight

Coecles Harbor Marina on Shelter Island.

This is where we docked overnight. It was wonderful. We had real showers in clean up-to-date bathrooms, and transportation to a good restaurant.

The pool was an added bonus.

For a map of Shelter Island, click here.

One of the many buoys that we passed on our way out east. The seagulls love it!

Photo Friday: Violet

Violet

Photo Friday: August 12, 2005

Loostrife is a plant that grows wild on Long Island.

It is considered an invasive species since it takes over the areas

of the native Long Island plants. Very pretty though!

Ponquogue Bridge

Ponquogue Bridge, old and new. The old portion was left so that it would be available for fishing. Many people use it for that, and for scuba diving. This is the bridge that takes you to the Hamptons.

Second Night.

Second night, sleeping on the boat. This is Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island.

White clouds on the Water

White clouds on the water. The water was calm and the scenery beautiful for the ride home.

Early Morning in the Peconic Bay

We slept here the first night and woke to a misty, hazy, beautiful morning.

Three Day Boat Trip

This is a photo of our friends on their boat, Spring Mischief taking a long trip out east for a few days...a mini-vacation. It's like camping, only on the water. That's why I haven't written. Anyway, my husband and I on our boat, along with our friends, Bobbe and Chico, took a 3 day boat trip out east to Shelter Island.

The weather was spectacular!

A Sailboat, the Water and Sky

Another night sailing on the bay...

Bayport Fire Department on the river, ready to help in case of emergency...

Photo Friday: Complexity

I just entered this Photo Friday challenge.

See my "complexity" here.

Tug boat and barge with cable on a large spool. I saw this on the bay yesterday. Workers were out there laying cable to...well, I don't know yp where. I would think, Fire Island. I am always amazed at how large projects like this get done, the men who do this work and the innovated thinking that has to take place for this to happen. Isn't it amazing?

on the Great South Bay

Theme Thursday: Green

Theme Thursday: Green

New growth, new life

The pinecones are still green...

Sand Dunes

Fire Island beach. Sand dunes protect the beach from erosion. "Please keep off the dunes" are signs that we often see.

The Wagon

The symbol for Fire Island. Why? There are no cars on Fire Island, except for emergency vehicles and wagons are needed to carry supplies. People leave their wagons at the ferry station, with a lock of course, so that they are ready when they get off the ferry.

Peace of mind...

I never tire of going to the beach...the sand, sun and soothing sound of the waves puts my mind at peace...a good book to read and the the world is wonderful.

I guess I can say that now because nothing is stressing my life.

All it takes is one phone call from one of my sons or siblings, with some problem, and the peace is shattered.

I take each day for what it is. What else can anyone do?

The beach at Fire Island