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Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Random Image

Random Image for the Day:

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Mountain Bluebird - Mt. Jefferson in the background

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Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Global Warming in Central Oregon?

I'm not a birder. Really. I'm not. I just happen to live in a house that looks at the world at mid-tree level - with very large windows. And since that's where birds tend to live, I see a lot of them. So I have a mild interest in them. Especially the colorful ones.

When I first moved to Central Oregon, I actually took an informal survey of bird species that would visit my feeders year-round. I counted something like 42. Over the past 3 years now, I've come to know them all pretty well. So I notice when there's suddendly a new species around. Mostly one that doesn't belong here.

This has been the case with two new species I've come across over the past couple of weeks. One was this Blackbacked Woodpecker:

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The Audubon Guide tells me that this uncommon woodpecker resides largely up North, in an area stretching from Western Alaska all the way over to the East Coast of Canada.

Then, two days ago, I saw a Redbreasted Sapsucker hanging around my feeder. It is supposed to live mainly in coastal areas, from BC down to California. Not in the High Desert of Oregon.

Now maybe those are just a couple of freak sightings - or maybe then again, they are not. Could it be that global warming has started to show its face by encouraging the redistribution of bird territories? I know it's completely hypothetical - but it's possible, isn't it?

Anyone with more info or a similarly unusual sighting, please leave a comment. I want to get to the bottom of this.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Confessions of an Architectural Junkie

Ok, I admit it - I have an unreasonable obsession with angles and lines. But in my chosen profession as architectural photographer, after all, angles and lines are everything. To me, it doesn't even matter if they're straight, curved, upsight down, crooked, wiggly - as long as they're exciting to look at.

Take this house, for example.

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A few weeks ago, I shot this residence for a local Bend architect.

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As even the untrained eye can see, the angles on this home are exquisite. The combinations of straight lines with leaned beams, cool glass with warm wood, tinted concrete with natural rock, are beautiful. And unlike 99% of homes here in the area, this one isn't elevated some 30 feet above ground to take advantage of the mountain views (which is does have in abundance) - rather, it is nestled into the ground to blend into the environment and shelter its occupants from the at times strong winds.

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And despite its sizable square footage, you never feel like you're in a very large home. It's always intimate, cozy, inviting.

Very cool.

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