Picture-A-Week 2021 - Week 52

[pierces]

Pictures taken between Monday, December 20 and Sunday, January 2.

 

Just a heads up to the PAW followers. Due to the fact that the days left over after all the weeks of the year are numbered have added up over the years, Week 52 of the 2021 Picture-A-Week project will run for 14 days from December 20 to January 2 to realign with standard week numbering. Obviously, more pictures are needed to celebrate "Leap Week"! 🙂

 

We have had a lot of photos submitted this year, so thanks for playing along and sharing the little bits of your lives captured in your photos. Let's keep it up when year eleven of this project starts on January 3, 2021!

 

Happy Shooting!

 

Rules: See above

That's it. This isn't a contest.

All photos taken this week are welcome (not just cruising).

Prizes will not be awarded. Discovering the joy of photography is the prize.

The idea is to get folks out using their cameras for more than vacations and toddler birthdays.

Post one. Post many. Up to you.

Have fun with your camera and share your fun with others!

[ski ww]

Yesterday morning was the winter solstice at 10:58, sun rise was at 07:48. In the picture at the summer solstice the sun rises at the far left over top of the hill and you can see how far the sun moves when it rises for the winter solstice. Not much to see, water was gray, sky was gray, temp -2C (28F)

 

[Docker123]

Having a nice stroll through the nature reserve on Thursday evening. Lo, what is that stripey reptile I spy laying halfway across the path 25m in front of me? I really don't want to tackle a tiger snake at this stage.

 

Trusty zoom extended to help determine which way I should go. Hmm, a sneaky, large blue tongue, with the debris behind it making it look much longer and more sinister.

 

 

 

 

[zackiedawg]

Having Christmas Eve off of work, as the 'observed' Christmas holiday, I took the opportunity having finished all my shopping to pop over to the wetlands for a few hours...

 

Lovely yellow throated warbler:

 

A log full of napping blue-winged teals:

 

A yawning alligator up on the levee:

 

Female belted kingfisher:

 

Trio of black-bellied whistling ducks flying past:

 

Juvenile ibis flying by:

[pierces]

Christmas was manic this year. It has been almost two years since we visited Dan and family in Texas and we were determined to make it happen. We also planned a small 4-day cruise to celebrate our 46th anniversary. On December 20, we hopped on the Navigator of the Seas in San Pedro and sailed away. Didn’t get off in either port and had a marvelous time doing as close to nothing as one can and still be breathing. Back home at about 10:30 AM on Christmas Eve. Wash clothes and repack. Awesome Christmas Eve at Kassi’s that evening and off to Houston on an 11:50 PM red-eye. Christmas Day in Houston! Texan Granddaughter Daisy and Santa Grimm pictured here wish y’all Merry Christmas! I’ll explain why there's a Week 52a & 52b next week.

 

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

 

 

 

 

Dave

[Docker123]

Beautiful day on 2 Jan. Forecast 28 (got hotter), clear skies, gentle breeze.

 

Around noon, these birds came flying along

 

 

 

[pierces]

Last week I said I would explain the Week 52a & 52b this year.* Since the days left over after all the weeks of the year are numbered have added up over the years, this is sort of a “leap week” for the Picture-A-Week project to bring the week numbering back in line with the standard calendar. Week 52b contained New Year's Eve and it found us with friends at our favorite little speakeasy celebrating the fact that once again, we got through another year without Jesus showing up and red-carding humanity (though He was probably tempted to make the call). This was the first time in many years that we have done anything at all for New Year’s and though we had fun. staying up until midnight holds far less attraction for us now than it did in our youth.

 

Toasting the Transition

 

 

 

Dave

 

* Though I explained in the thread header, this text is from the website and book text.

[tommui987]

2 hours ago, pierces said:

Last week I said I would explain the Week 52a & 52b this year.* Since the days left over after all the weeks of the year are numbered have added up over the years, this is sort of a “leap week” for the Picture-A-Week project to bring the week numbering back in line with the standard calendar. Week 52b contained New Year's Eve and it found us with friends at our favorite little speakeasy celebrating the fact that once again, we got through another year without Jesus showing up and red-carding humanity (though He was probably tempted to make the call). This was the first time in many years that we have done anything at all for New Year’s and though we had fun. staying up until midnight holds far less attraction for us now than it did in our youth.

 

Toasting the Transition

 

 

 

Dave

 

* Though I explained in the thread header, this text is from the website and book text.

 

[tommui987]

I’ll drink to that!
 

Happy New Year to one and all!

[zackiedawg]

Here are my 'Part B' photos for the Week 52 thread - with shots taken on 12/31/21 as my final shots of the year, and on 1/2/22 as my first shots of the new year...both days spent in the wetlands (the Saturday in between was spent taking down all my exterior Christmas lights and ornaments).

 

A green heron on the stalk for fish:

 

A migrating pine warbler, eating berries, bugs, etc to feed up for the rest of its trip across the Caribbean:

 

An osprey on the hunt, flying over the waters and looking for fish below:

 

And persistence pays off, as he scores a fish:

 

Flying low over the water, a double-crested cormorant heading back to its nest:

 

My final photo from 2021 was this eastern phoebe way out in the distance, sitting atop a branch at 600mm:

 

Let's kick off 2022 with a big scary bug!  Actually, it's not big at all - this orchard orbweaver is no larger than a quarter from leg-tip to leg-tip - I was just using the 100-400mm lens' excellent close focus ability to fill the frame with it:

 

This well camouflaged guy is usually well hidden and very difficult to find, but lately they've been hanging out in a trio in one particular patch of wetland, and don't seem to mind people getting within 15 feet of them - it's a Wilson's snipe:

 

Here's one of the other Wilson's snipe - he's a bit smaller than the other two, so likely a juvenile:

[boeckli]

Finally catching up to the rest of 2021 🙄