Author: tygh

Redwing

Redwing by Tygh
Redwing, a photo by Tygh on Flickr.

I was out at Jackson Bottom today doing some birding and I happened to catch this blackbird near the path.

At the time I took the photo, I didn’t notice the red in feathers on his back. Once I got the picture home and put it up on my larger screen, the scalloped red pattern began to emerge.

I sometimes take these shots through my wife’s birding scope and it is really a matter of luck if the shot comes out. The subject really has to want his photo taken and be willing to sit long enough for me to fire off a half dozen pics. I basically ride the focus ring on the scope to compensate for what is going on with all the lenses.

Balcony of room 2807

The sliding door from my room on the 26th floor was supposed to be blocked, but it wasn't. Dizzying height.
The view from my hotel room
I stayed at the Hyatt Grand hotel near Union Square in downtown San Francisco the night before last. The sliding doors are large, but generally inoperable except that they open up to 4 inches to allow ventilation. The block that was supposed to hold my door in place was broken and so the safety controls were off for me. 
I could walk right up to the railing and as I did, my knees got weak. The tiny strip of concrete outside the door was sloped downward, away from the building. Standing there gave me the sensation that I was about to slip.
A fall from there would have been so unlikely – nearly impossible – short of climbing over the rail, but I held my breath in that place as the wind blew around my head.
It was a pretty view.

Outside In

Here’s an idea.

I’d like to have a wireless or blue tooth microphone that is linked to a small speaker which can be mounted on a wall or to an electrical outlet.

Next, the idea would be to take several of these and set them up so that the mic is outside the house and the speaker is under the nearest windowsill.

When they are all switched on, I could hear all the sounds from outside at the windows of my house. If the volume was high enough. I could hear the sounds from all angles.