@Swede1952

Thanks, John. Rambling is a good word, but musing works as well. 😆👍

Thanks

"A snowy field stretches across the frame, bright and soft like sifted flour. In the foreground, five small birds cluster together in a tight, gentle huddle. Four are American Goldfinches, their muted yellow plumage and black-and-white wings glowing like sunbursts against the snow. Among them stands a single chipping sparrow, its brown and white feathers blending into the wintry palette, yet distinct in posture. A sixth bird—another sparrow—stands apart in the background to the right, solitary and watchful. Scattered seeds dot the snow, anchoring the birds’ quiet foraging. The scene is serene, high in contrast, and signed Swede’s Photographs in the bottom right corner." - Copilot with edits

Good morning. 🌨️❄️☃️

6 October 2025

Storm Door Dispatches

I’m about to drink a cup of coffee, ...

1/7

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #goldfinches #ChippingSparrows #snow #coffee #dogs #squirrels

Perched Between Worlds

On our walk this morning, I was hoping to spot the pair of red-tailed hawks I saw a while back—but no such luck. ...

1/2

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #thrush #EasternBluebird

"A juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) perches atop a white and black ceramic insulator mounted on a weathered wooden utility pole. Its plumage is a striking contrast of black and white—wings patterned like inked parchment, body compact and alert. The head, not yet crowned in adult crimson, is a muted brown, soft and earthy, signaling its in-between stage of becoming. The bird stands poised, a quiet sentinel balanced between nature and infrastructure. Behind it, the background blurs into gentle greens and browns, suggesting a wooded landscape beyond. The photograph bears the signature © Swede’s Photographs in the top left corner, anchoring the image in the sovereign archive." - Copilot with edits

Melanerpes Becoming

A while back, we stumbled upon a quietly shocking revelation: juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers don’t yet wear their crimson crowns. Instead, their heads are a rich chocolate brown—earthy, understated, and entirely unexpected. Here’s an image of one, emphasizing the surprise.

"A juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) perches on a slender branch, poised and alert. Its plumage is a speckled tapestry of brown and white, mottled like bark and snow. A bold white stripe runs from the base of its beak past the eye, giving its face a masked, ceremonial look. Atop its head, a small red patch glows like a seal of initiation—bright but not yet dominant. The wings are dark, etched with white markings, and the tail feathers are similarly dark with pale edges. The background is a soft blur of green, suggesting forest foliage, and it frames the bird in quiet reverence. The sapsucker’s posture is upright, its gaze sharp, as if listening to the pulse of the tree beneath its feet." - Microsoft Copilot

What is Yellow Belly Sap?

This is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius).

Explore more chic woodpecker photos by visiting my photo gallery.

swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #woodpecker #YellowBelliedSapsucker

"A cluster of tall, feathery plants rises from a lush green landscape, their plumes soft and airy like ceremonial fans. These are likely pampas grass, and their flowering tops shimmer in hues of pinkish-purple and warm brown—like faded rose petals caught in autumn light. The plumes sway gently, suspended above dense foliage that frames them in deep green. Each stalk stands upright, slender and proud, as if offering tribute to the changing season. The scene feels both wild and cultivated, a garden or meadow where nature performs its quiet rituals. In the bottom right corner, the photograph is signed © Swede’s Photographs, anchoring the image in a sovereign archive of observation." - Copilot

Good morning. 🫖☕😃

7 October 2025

The weather report I checked this morning said we can expect it to be partly sunny. I found that curious — why not partly cloudy? I appreciate the glass-half-full ...

1/8

#morning #weather #sun #human #homosapien #homoneanderthalensis #plants #photography

Through the Canopy

This morning, the usual backyard birds made their rounds—cardinals, chickadees, and the occasional blue jay. At one ...

1/4

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #SummerTanager

"A vivid red Northern Cardinal perches on the rim of a metallic birdbath, its body angled forward, head tilted down in quiet focus. The bird’s crest rises like a flame, and its black facial mask frames a bright orange beak—sharp, alert, and slightly parted. Its feathers blaze with rich crimson, fading into earthy browns along the wings and tail. Though the birdbath’s surface is not visible, the cardinal’s posture suggests a moment of pause or reflection, as if considering a sip or inspecting its own shadow. The basin’s edge is patterned and catches the light, adding texture to the scene. Behind the bird, the background blurs into soft greens and browns, placing the cardinal in a natural setting while keeping it as the focal witness. In the bottom left corner, the image is signed © Swede’s Photographs, anchoring it in the sovereign archive." - Copilot

The Cardinal’s Pause

"The image evokes a mythic threshold between day and night, where the forest becomes a silhouette choir of dark, jagged trees—each one a witness to the elemental drama unfolding above. The lower half of the scene is cloaked in deep shadow, the trees rendered as stark black cutouts against a sky ablaze. But this is no gentle sunset. Above, the sky roars with molten color—fiery oranges, reds, and ember-glow yellows ripple like a living tapestry of flame. The fire doesn’t flicker; it surges. It climbs in jagged tongues, curling and clawing upward, as if dusk itself were being devoured by a mythic blaze. The horizon is not a line but a rupture—where light and shadow wrestle in ceremonial upheaval. The atmosphere is thick with reddish-brown smoke or digital haze, giving the sky a bruised, apocalyptic tone. It’s unclear whether this is a real forest fire or a digitally conjured vision—but the emotional weight is unmistakable: dusk as reckoning, as transformation, as sovereign combustion. In the bottom right corner, a watermark reads “© Swede’s Photographs,” anchoring the image in authorship and artistic intent" - Microsoft Copilot

Dusk

This is a photograph of treetops at dusk. The trees are little more than silhouettes, but their edges blaze as if lit by fire. ...

1/4

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #abstract #trees #dusk #silouhettes #sky

"A gathering of anhinga birds slices through a sky thick with cloud and motion. Their silhouettes—long-necked, wings outstretched—glide and scatter like inked glyphs across a parchment of shifting weather. Each bird is mid-flight, suspended in a moment of sovereign grace, their bodies angled in various directions as if composing a silent score of movement. The sky itself is a layered scroll: patches of white cloud mingle with darker, storm-bruised formations, creating a dynamic backdrop that feels both heavy and alive. The light is diffuse, neither bright nor dim, casting no clear shadows but illuminating the birds just enough to make their outlines sharp against the sky’s textured canvas. There’s no horizon—only air and ascent. The birds do not flock in formation; they drift apart, each one claiming its own path through the clouded expanse. It’s a portrait of freedom, yes, but also of quiet defiance—anhinga as sovereign scribes of the sky, writing their own myth across the weather. In the bottom right corner, a watermark reads “© Swede’s Photographs,” anchoring the image in authorship and quiet reverence." - Copilot

Dark Sky

Charlie and I were outside a few years ago when a flock of anhinga swept into view. For a moment, they scattered—disorganized, as if caught in confusion or indecision. Then, just as suddenly, they reassembled and turned back, flying the way they came.

"A gathering of anhinga birds slices through a sky thick with cloud and motion. Their silhouettes—long-necked, wings outstretched—glide and scatter like inked glyphs across a parchment of shifting weather. Each bird is mid-flight, suspended in a moment of sovereign grace, their bodies angled in various directions as if composing a silent score of movement. The sky itself is a layered scroll: patches of white cloud mingle with darker, storm-bruised formations, creating a dynamic backdrop that feels both heavy and alive. The light is diffuse, neither bright nor dim, casting no clear shadows but illuminating the birds just enough to make their outlines sharp against the sky’s textured canvas. There’s no horizon—only air and ascent. The birds do not flock in formation; they drift apart, each one claiming its own path through the clouded expanse. It’s a portrait of freedom, yes, but also of quiet defiance—anhinga as sovereign scribes of the sky, writing their own myth across the weather. In the bottom right corner, a watermark reads “© Swede’s Photographs,” anchoring the image in authorship and quiet reverence." - Copilot

Dark Sky

Charlie and I were outside a few years ago when a flock of anhinga swept into view. For a moment, they scattered—disorganized, as if caught in confusion or indecision. Then, just as suddenly, they reassembled and turned back, flying the way they came.

The photographs I share here don’t appear as vivid as they do in my Pixel’s gallery. To make them load more easily, I reduce their size and slightly lower their quality. Take a look:

swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

4/4

The effect wasn’t exactly planned. I was fiddling with the light parameters—sliding levers, nudging contrast—and this emerged. It felt like a sovereign accident, so I kept it. Why not. ...

3/4

A bolt of light—like lightning or molten dusk—streaks across the frame from right to left, erupting and re-erupting in the taller, sparser trees on the left. Above it all, the sky smolders in shades of orangish black, thick with dusk’s residue. ...

2/4

"The image evokes a mythic threshold between day and night, where the forest becomes a silhouette choir of dark, jagged trees—each one a witness to the elemental drama unfolding above. The lower half of the scene is cloaked in deep shadow, the trees rendered as stark black cutouts against a sky ablaze. But this is no gentle sunset. Above, the sky roars with molten color—fiery oranges, reds, and ember-glow yellows ripple like a living tapestry of flame. The fire doesn’t flicker; it surges. It climbs in jagged tongues, curling and clawing upward, as if dusk itself were being devoured by a mythic blaze. The horizon is not a line but a rupture—where light and shadow wrestle in ceremonial upheaval. The atmosphere is thick with reddish-brown smoke or digital haze, giving the sky a bruised, apocalyptic tone. It’s unclear whether this is a real forest fire or a digitally conjured vision—but the emotional weight is unmistakable: dusk as reckoning, as transformation, as sovereign combustion. In the bottom right corner, a watermark reads “© Swede’s Photographs,” anchoring the image in authorship and artistic intent" - Microsoft Copilot

Dusk

This is a photograph of treetops at dusk. The trees are little more than silhouettes, but their edges blaze as if lit by fire. ...

1/4

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #abstract #trees #dusk #silouhettes #sky

"A vivid red Northern Cardinal perches on the rim of a metallic birdbath, its body angled forward, head tilted down in quiet focus. The bird’s crest rises like a flame, and its black facial mask frames a bright orange beak—sharp, alert, and slightly parted. Its feathers blaze with rich crimson, fading into earthy browns along the wings and tail. Though the birdbath’s surface is not visible, the cardinal’s posture suggests a moment of pause or reflection, as if considering a sip or inspecting its own shadow. The basin’s edge is patterned and catches the light, adding texture to the scene. Behind the bird, the background blurs into soft greens and browns, placing the cardinal in a natural setting while keeping it as the focal witness. In the bottom left corner, the image is signed © Swede’s Photographs, anchoring it in the sovereign archive." - Copilot

The Cardinal’s Pause

If you’re captivated by summer tanagers and other members of the Cardinalidae family—better known as the cardinal family—step into my photo gallery for a visual feast. Come take a look:

swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

4/4

shifted. Still, through a narrow gap in the forest canopy, I spotted a Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)—its red plumage glowing like a flame against the green, a quiet witness in the trees. ...

3/4

point, I was sure I heard a woodpecker nearby and kept craning my neck to peer up into the old oak. But the tapping turned out to be my chair, issuing a kind of cackling protest every time I ...

2/4

Through the Canopy

This morning, the usual backyard birds made their rounds—cardinals, chickadees, and the occasional blue jay. At one ...

1/4

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #SummerTanager

😊

Thanks, Clay

😊

👍

“Somewhere in our DNA must lie the key mutation... that makes us the sort of creature that could wipe out its nearest relative, then dig up its bones and reassemble its genome.” — Elizabeth Kolbert

8/8

Oh no! I’m running out of space and need to wrap this up. Homo neanderthalensis were human, just like Homo sapiens — different species, yes, but they interbred. So were they really that different, way back when? ...

7/8

claimed the object, which bore carvings, wasn’t created by humans. But when I read further, I discovered the carvings were made by Neanderthal people — which gave me pause 🤔. Wait a minute, weren’t Homo neanderthalensis human? Homo means “man,” you know. ...

6/8

snuffed out by the sun when it becomes a red giant in a mere 5 billion years or so.

Yes, it’s likely that humans won’t always be — but they will always be in our lifetimes 😜. I read a headline this morning about the discovery of a 57,000-year-old artifact. The headline ...

5/8

which are but a fraction of a second in the grand scheme of things. As far as humans go — or life on Earth, for that matter — the sun has always been. To be sure, Earth will cease to exist long before the sun does. Scientists predict that Earth will likely be ...

4/8