Birding with buddies: Jan 1, 2009

The first day of 2009 dawned cold, a bit sleety, and not fit for a good bike ride. As an alternate a birding expedition was arranged -- Jan and Alan collected Mike and I for a walk through Panama Flats, Viaduct Flats, James Island pier, Island View Beach and Martindale flats .

I selected this picture to be the lead shot for my 2009 photo-journal for a few reasons: First, the picture was taken on New Year's Day -- almost the first picture of the year; Second, it has a sense of expectation about it -- full of possibilities.

These berries jumped out on a day that was grey and cloudy. With a lot of snow on the ground, they were a flash of colour that could not be ignored. They are from a Hawthorn tree. This small tree is not native to Victoria, but adds colour in both the winter (with berries) and in spring (with pink-red blossoms).

As the day was grubby, I was out with my "dirty day" lens -- my 50 mm 1.8 Canon. Not that this lens is particularly easy to use, but it is quite sharp, and I've found it versatile enough for some fairly close shots, as well as "portrait" style landscapes.

This image lets me see how each berry is enrobed in water. The temp was dropping, so I wouldn't be surprised if this covering didn't become a layer of ice.

I particularly like the drops of water hanging from some of the berries. They give the image a sense of expectation, like a stop-action. Also, some of these berries will, if all goes well, become new Hawthorn trees in the fullness of time. And, in the spring these trees will produce lovely blossoms, and then more berries, and so the circle goes. Fitting, don't you think, for the first day of a new year?