With
the coming of frosty mornings it takes a little extra resolve to leave a warm
bed for an early morning walk.
Still,
I was up and on my way long before the sun decided to climb over the Grand Teton
Mountains along the Wyoming-Idaho border.
When
I walked along the path by the golf course near the airport my shadow was
wonderfully tall and long legged.
The
trees are putting on their fall foliage but haven’t dropped many leaves
yet.
Black
billed magpies are a common sight around here.
Usually they are spooked of cameras and are a challenge to photograph.
However,
I caught these two working on a duet of sorts.
Mostly magpies aren’t much for singing.
They give warning calls and the young ones create quite a racket when
they want to be fed.
I
think this may be a couple of parents celebrating their empty nest and a bit of
free time now that the kids have left home.
I
got in a few more photos before they spotted me and took off with a flash of
white wings and flit of long tail feathers.
When
I was a kid we had a jump rope rhyme about magpies.
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told,
Eight for a wish
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird
You must not miss.
O-U-T jump out!
Do
kids even jump rope on the playground anymore?
