A Lucky Shot, Some Birds, and a Cat.

Let me start off with a picture I almost didn't get. I was in Shenandoah National Park when only the first five miles of Skyline Drive were open. A winter storm had made higher elevations icy and had also felled numerous trees, so only the portion from Front Royal to Dickey Ridge was clear, not uncommon in the winter. I saw some movement over one of the stone walls, just the ears of a couple of deer. I slowed down, opened the window and stopped. (No one was behind me because the park was basically deserted that afternoon.) I raised the camera just as this deer raised her head. I only clicked the shutter once before she disappeared. 

This lady cardinal was at one of my feeders this morning. How nice that she was lit by a sunbeam! I think the females are quite beautiful when the light brings out their colors.

The male cardinals are more famous because they are bright red. Usually you see one every time you see a female. They are devoted guardians.

Today is Caturday so here's a kitty picture. I filtered the background but not the cat, using a duplicate layer in Photoshop. (Layers are awesome once you get used to using them.)

This goldfinch posed nicely for me. Finches are easily bribed into being photographed. I keep a couple of feeders filled and they are in my yard all winter.

A housefinch and a junco are sharing a seed bell. I hope they ate their fill before a squirrel took over and decimated the seed.

There's another junco in the next picture.

And for today's finale, a Canada Goose. 

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather Be Birdin'.