a surprise visitor...

...flew directly in front of me

so close i could have touched it - landing on the side of my patio today... nearly startled the life out of me - boo! but i kept my wits about me - lifted my camera and got off a couple of shots before he took off... how's that? i think we were both startled actually - in the other shot, he's looking at me - but i liked his profile here better...

i had been called out initially - investigating a singing ruckus between several birds on the lawn... this same singing has occurred now a few days in a row - the first time i've gone to see what the fuss is about though... the first time, too - i've seen a flicker in the area - high excitement abounds - leading to...

a

happy day.....