Week 15: Magenta ~ Delores

"Dad, Did You Bring the Camera?"

Spring is finally here so I set out for one of Tulsa's wonderful places for photography.  The Tulsa Garden Center has plants indoors and outdoors. Today's Project64: Out of The Box photograph was taken in a greenhouse at the Garden Center. While I was taking photographs with both my Olympus and my cell phone, I overheard a young man who was watching me take pictures ask "Dad, did you bring the camera?"  I had to chuckle inwardly when I heard the father reply, "No, that would have been a great idea!!"  

This is a Bird of Paradise. There were two or three of these beautiful plants in full regalia in the greenhouse I visited.  For this particular plant, my mobile phone camera gave me the truest color. 

The sun was really bright outside when I had a chance to visit the Garden Center so I stayed with indoor photographs. I also went to the Orchid Show in the main building and I will be posting some photograhs from the show soon.

To learn more about Project 64 and to see other submissions for Magenta , visit the official Project 64: Out of the Box blog (right click on the name to view their site). We would love for you to join the fun. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Another crayon "Out of the Box"

Delores

Saturday's Lunch Special

Catfish delivery! Strange though, when Hiram delivered this to the nest, Julia hid the catfish under the straw. I didn't see the babies or Julia eating on it at all. I guess she decided it would be saved for later! (Some may wonder how we know what's going on in the nest. Two of the photographers have a

wireless camera scanner that picks up on the frequency of the camera that is installed above the nest. This allows one to view exactly what is going on in the nest. I want a scanner so bad, but it's around $400. Guess I'll have to wait!)

Hiram bringing in a fish as Julia checks it out

Here's Hiram bringing in a catfish for dinner as Julia sits checking it out. Check out his wing span!

Sibling Rivalry!

Well, this was an interesting and rather lengthy fight between the two babies. And yes, the babies actually get into fights in the nest. Twice now, I've seen on the video two actual knock-outs in which the baby was hit so hard by his sibling, that he fell over knocked out cold and lifeless in the nest. With this particular fight, there were no knock-outs - just a lot of head butting and "beaking" going back and forth between the two babies. And what does Mom do during these fights? She just sits and watches. I've not seen her intervene not one time.

A baby peeking out. They're growing!

Fish guts - Yuck!

Yuck! You never know what nasty stuff you will see in their beak or talons!

Hiram hears about the puddle

After Julia was finished in the puddle, Hiram then flew over to the same puddle to perform for us. He splashed around in it, and at times he even looked like he was dancing! LOL

Julia taking wet leaves back to the nest

After Julia was done playing in the puddle, she left out of it with wet leaves in her talons and headed back to the nest. We weren't sure why, other than maybe that was her way of getting water back to the nest for the babies to drink.

Julia playing in a puddle

After a big rain earlier this week, we watched Julia drink from a puddle and then begin playing in it. I'm not sure if this was a way of taking a bath, but it looked more like she was playing and having fun to me.

Lunch has arrived!

Hiram frequented the "Lite" menu today from the looks of this small fish. Guess this was dessert since the main course was a pretty good sized turtle earlier today. And wouldn't you know, I wasn't there for that! I have been wanting a "turtle in the tallons" shot for a while now!

Here's Hiram surveying the land. Just leave your small dogs home if you come visit him! They may end up lunch! LOL

It's fishing time! Off Hiram goes back to the river!

Checking things out

While I waited on Hiram to fly back in with fish, this bubble bee decided he would fly up to my camera and check things out. Whew! Check out the wing span on this little guy! LOL

A juvenile

So, this is what they call a juvenile. Just what is a juvenile? I like to think of it as an American bald eagle that is in the teenage years. As you can see, the markings are very different than what we know as the American bald eagle. It takes approximately 5 years for the juvenile to get the white head and white tail feathers.