Tag: bird

Wordless Wednesday: A Dash of Dazzle

a goldfinch munching on lavender seed heads in Winter
a goldfinch eating lavender seed heads in Winter

Lavender has a lovely scent and it provides food for bees and other insects from Spring to late Summer. We leave the lavender stems after flowering so that Goldfinches can feed on the seed heads in Winter. It’s a delight to see these lovely birds in the garden at this time of year.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/6.3 – 1/60 s – ISO 800, f/6.5 – 1/80 s – ISO 1000 and f/6.5 – 1/50 s – ISO 800.

Wordless Wednesday

Word of the Day Challenge: Dazzling

Wordless Wednesday: Truly Tranquil

a female mallard duck on an overhanging branch above the water
a woodland pond surrounded by leafless trees

We are honoured and delighted that two new haiku in Dutch as well as a Dutch interpretation of Little Blue Flower have been included in the anthology Aan het Woord 2020 – de geur van geluid, edited by Ferre Denis, Maria de Bie and Nol Hovens, published by Haiku Kring Nederland and Haiku-centrum Vlaanderen. A big thank you to the editors for including my poems and creating this beautiful anthology.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and Happy Thanksgiving to our friends across the water,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5.6 – 1/160 s – ISO 800, f/5.6 – 1/125 s – ISO 800 and f/4 – 1/160 s – ISO 200.

Wordless Wednesday

Jez Braithwaite’s Water Water Everywhere #85

Your Daily Word Prompt: Tranquil

Silent Sunday: A Real Treat

close up of a wood pigeon feeding from a hand
close up of a head shot of wood pigeon feeding from a hand

This wood pigeon had been blown from its nest during a gale and was rescued and hand-reared by a local man until he was ready to be released back into the wild.

Seven years on, the wood pigeon still greets the man on his daily walk and stops for a chat and a treat.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5.6 – 1/640 s – ISO 400, f/5.6 – 1/500 s – ISO 400 and f/6.3 – 1/250 s – ISO 200.

Silent Sunday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #120: What A Treat!

Tanka: Morning Glory

a herring gull chick stretches one leg and wing

morning glory
a seagull chick stretches
one leg , one wing
on the unlit rooftop
where she will learn to fly

© Xenia Tran

a herring gull chick on a rooftop tilting her head at the camera

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5.6 – 1/160 s – ISO 100, f/5.6 – 1/400 s – ISO 200 and f/5.6 – 1/500 s – ISO 200.

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #153: Morning Glory

Bird Weekly Photo Challenge #12: Seagulls

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Posture

Haiku: A Small Fish

a grey heron stalking fish in a tidal lagoon

disappearing
in the heron’s mouth
a small fish

© Xenia Tran

a grey heron with a freshly caught fish in his mouth while wading through a tidal lagoon

It is a treat to see how patient herons are when using these trusted old methods to catch a new meal every day.

At the same I felt for the small fish and said a few prayers for him and his family.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.2 – 1/2000 s – ISO 100.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #99: Old and New

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: For Our Good

Silent Sunday: Simple Beauty

a male tufted duck swimming in a loch
close up shot of green leaves with raindrop pearls

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/4 – 1/200 s – ISO 100, f/2.8 – 1/100 s ISO 200 and f/4 – 1/160 s – ISO 100.

Silent Sunday

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #91: Simplicity

Haibun: Looking Up

a pair of mature herring gulls on a chimney against a blue sky

All along our coast we are blessed with friendly neighbours of the feathered kind. They pair for life, raise their chicks as a couple and community. There’s something special about the light in their eyes, traversing crystal sea or sky. The way they sit on chimney pots, watch over us, feels very reassuring.

looking up
spring equinox approaches
a spinning sun

© Xenia Tran

a mature seagull sitting on a chimney pot against a blue sky

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and hope you are keeping safe and well,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/6.3 – 1/800 s – ISO 200, f/6.3 – 1/1000 s – ISO 200 and f/5.6 – 1/1250 s – ISO 200.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Point Your Camera Upwards

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #130: Spring Equinox

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Something

Your Daily Word Prompt: Traverse

Haiku: Pied Wagtail

a pied wagtail striding out on the beach

pied wagtail
oh sweet little bird
busy, busy

© Xenia Tran

a pied wagtail striding out on the beach

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5.6 – 1/320 s – ISO 100, f/5.6 – 1/250 s – ISO 100 and f/5.6 – 1/400 s – ISO 100.

Kate’s Friday Fun Challenge: Feathered Friends

Your Daily Word Prompt: Resilient

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Action

Silent Sunday: Looking Lovely

Redshank

a redshank preening in the shallows by the sandbar
a redshank looking splendid in the sun after a good preen

Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday and a wonderful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/6.5 – 1/250 s – ISO 200 and f/6.5 – 1/200 s – ISO 200.

Silent Sunday

Sue’s Weekly Prompt Photo Challenge: Aesthetically Appealing

Word of the Day Challenge: Lovely

Haiku: Heavenly Portal

Lochan Mor

a male mallard duck pecking at the ice on a frozen loch

iced-up loch
so many rainbows
resting here

© Xenia Tran

a male mallard duck standing on a frozen loch

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/4 – 1/160 s – ISO 160, f/2.8 – 1/100 s – ISO 160 and f/2.8 – 1/100 s – ISO 200.

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Portal

Carpe Diem #1795: New Beginnings – Rainbow

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #107: Winter