I kid you not...I have been known to exaggerate or imagine that something is extraordinary when it is not.
But that's just the way I live life. I love to feel excited over every day things. And this is definitely NOT the ordinary sighting!
I watched the courtship dance of a male Northern Mockingbird and I was enthralled!
At first I wasn't sure what this crazy Mockingbird was doing.
But then I saw the female come into view and I knew....
I just knew, he was 'showing off'!
And I realized I was in the right place at the right time to see something extra ordinary and I would not even have to exaggerate.
During mating season the male mockingbird performs a courtship dance, leaping into the air while flapping their wings and singing. Can you believe it?
I love the surprises I witness in nature every time I walk down a trail.
And since I couldn't figure out which of these Red bellied Woodpecker photos I liked best, I made a mosaic out of them.
I saw these beautiful butterfly weeds in full bloom and stopped to marvel yet again.
Have you witnessed something amazing this week? Are you like me? Do you ever exaggerate?
I remember when I saw this bear and it got bigger in the telling....HERE. hahaha
Southern hugs, Diane 💜
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46 comments:
Like you, I look for the extraordinary in the "ordinary" every day, Diane. Your photos are marvelous, and yes, I have been fortunate enough to see a mockingbird's mating dance. Nature is full of surprises always. Blessings!
Wonderful photos! I would love to see the mockingbird dance!
Love. All the pictures! I'm like that too and often say " I'm EASILY amused!" Ha ha 😆 🤣. Nothing wrong with childlike wonder. I couldn't pick a woodpecker picture either, I love those mosaic things you make. STILL waaay to HOT here, how about there? 🔥 🥵 🔥 🔥 Ready for sweater weather
Is it exaggeration or just a very good description of what we're seeing, or what happened? I'm not sure but as writers, it behooves us to make our written reports as interesting as possible, right?!!
Like you, I would not be able to narrow it down to just one snapshot of the Red Bellied Woodpecker. And those images of the Butterfly Weeds in full bloom are stunning, especially as we approach autumn.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and photos with us!
That handsome mockingbird sure was showing off!!!
Aren't the ordinary things in life usually the most remarkable when we just stop and reflect on them? Diane, I really loved seeing your photos today. They are always remarkable, by the way!! And I haven't forgotten about getting up your way. September sounds good!! I'll be in touch.
I do know this, the most simple things in nature stop me all the time. I have an osprey hanging out in the tops of the oaks next door and I am in complete awe.
Oh how wonderful!! I've never seen the Mockingbird Mating Dance before! That's pretty amazing. I see the Sand Hill Cranes all the time doing their interesting hopping and jumping dances, but never a Mockingbird! Love it! And those are great photos of the Red Bellied Woodpecker! He/she is a stunning fellow/fella. And the butterfly weeds are so beautiful! I love this time of year going into September as the butterflies seem to really show up! Great pictures, and no need to exaggerate! They show off on their own quite well!
What a treat to see the mockingbirds!!! The middle picture of the woodpeckers is my favorite.
That is a lovely mosaic of the Red bellied Woodpecker.
You had some interesting sightings this week :)
All the best Jan
A little exaggeration makes for a good story. How cool that you got to witness that
Well that is very cool! What are the chances of getting to see something like that?? Have a great day. xoxo
Hello Diane,
It is great that you were able to photograph the courtship dance of a male Northern Mockingbird, this is truly special.
The first photo is really sharp.
The bear is also wonderful to encounter in the wild, we only see this in a zoo.
I wish you a lovely weekend.
All the best, Irma
...Diane, you need to spread your wings and fly!
Birds are amazing. I never get tired watching them.
I too believe in the ''Extraordinary' in the Ordinary ~ Miracles everywhere if we can see them ~ Wonderful series of nature photos ~ Wow! ~ Hugs ^_^
P'S ~ still praying for you my sweet friends ~ Hugs ^_^
https://anartistreflects.com
Hello Diane,
Great series on the Mockingbirds. I love the flowers and your Bear photo. Beautiful woodpecker mosaic, wonderful photos and post.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend!
How wonderful to see the Northern Mockingbird's mating dance, Diane! Great photos of him showing off.
Sadly we have been seeing many bears this summer in our area. So many have come down from the drought parched hills looking for food. It has been a rough year for wildlife this year.
Wow -- that would be absolutely fascinating. I loved every image and yes, sometimes exaggeration is needed! My big wow was today's serious thunderstorm. We didn't lose power but I'm sure someone did -- how could they not?
A very good human quality is to appreciate the little things. Love the Mockingbird series! Happy weekend!
/Irene
Thank you for sharing such hope, love, and beauty. If people would just stop spreading hate and divisions, they'd see God's presence in the world. Shalom, my friend!
Your pictures are very beautiful. The Red bellied Woodpecker looks so great, and the fact that you finally got to see the bear is absolutely fantastic.
I would call that extraordinary, Diane. What thrill it must have been to see the dance. stay well. Hugs.
No matter how good a picture, seeing the real thing does cast its spell. I think you're genuinely enthralled by nature, as am I. :)
I am happy to see your amazing experience. I have heard of birds doing mating dances but didn't realize the mockingbird did one. I would have been excited to see that too. I am glad you shared your three photos of the woodpecker. The bear must have been exciting too. Seeing amazing in the everyday things is the best kind of gift one can give to oneself. Lovely photos Diane!
I try to find the beauty and extra ordinary on every ordinary day. For me, it keeps me dreaming and sometimes I still feel the thrill I felt as a youngster seeing something through 'new' eyes. God bless you, Diane, I love your pictures, enthusiasm and even your exaggerations! xo Diana
I do like to tell a good story- so I may exaggerate at bit sometimes. I would be baffled seeing a bird behave like that. Now I know. Your photos are beautiful.
Amazing captures 😍
Wonderful photos. So glad you share them.
How great to see the mockingbirds courtship dance. One trip we watched brolgas in our north west do their fantastical dance. Wonderful to see! Have a great week and thankyou for visiting my blog this week.
To your post I would say, seeing extraordinary is in the eye of the beholder! You are like me, even the littlest of things out in nature bring us joy. Each day this week I have witnessed something amazing and I am not exaggerating!
Yes... I enjoyed reading very much again this week, dear Blogfriend. Greetings by Heidrun ❤️
You know I am an a lover of and thrilled by POO (perfectly ordinary objects) and I do have a tendency toward exaggerating.
This past summer my life had been so full of watching local wild life doing their ordinary things, from ducks and turtles, to watching mocking birds raise their babies. I laughed out loud all by myself when Beau got to close to the mockingbird nest, which they build on the ground in 3 foot tall grass, and the daddy mocking bird was diving at Beaus back and Beau did not even know. It was hysterical.
I loved watching two ducks, pulling seeds from the tall grass to eat and also making baby ducks while in the pool, watching the silly young duck lay her egg on the pool deck and walk off and leave it. Twice. AI told me to throw them in the garbage, they were oops eggs and a blog friend said Eat them. can you guess which one I did? EAT THEM? my grand ducks??
Great photos my dear friend.
The Red bellied woodpecker is our son Sam's favorite bird. :-)
xo
Hello! Your photos are always magnificent, my friend! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Have a cozy Sunday evening!
Great birdie photos.
Seeing the Mockingbird mating dance is indeed EXTRAORDINARY! Wow! And your collage of three photos is so lovely. I can see why it would have been difficult to choose just one.
Have a most extraordinary week!
You captured some terrific moments, Diane! Just being there to see such things is special. Managing to record an event is extraordinary.
I don't ever exaggerate. I do tend to remember big.
What a fun post, epic photos, just so much to see, thank mew so much for sharing! Happy Monday!!! 🐾✨😻✨🐾
I am very similar! I ger very excited over things that some may not even care or think about or notice. I get excited over moss, mushrooms, and all kinds of strange things when I am outdoors. I in general get excited about a fresh baked muffin or even a little dandelion. :)
I would love to hike with you!!!!
Dearest Diane,
I think you should be able to decide for yourself how extraordinary you find something or how big a bear seems to you! 😊 I think it's wonderful to be able to feel such joy as you do. Although: Observing the courtship dance of a mockingbird is by no means an everyday occurrence: I, for one, have never seen it before (or with any other bird – except on television, but that doesn't really count...). So: Keep enjoying the little everyday things – and keep an eye out for such special discoveries, too! The other nature photos you share are also beautiful to me – and you can be sure that for readers living far away (like myself), it's quite extraordinary to see, for example, a red-bellied woodpecker or butterfly weeds in full bloom. Enjoy these sights – and thank you for letting us enjoy them too 🥰.
Hugs and all the best from Austria 🤗
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2026/08/reisebericht-2025-hope-manchmal-ist.html
Oh Diane, you always make me smile with the way you turn everyday walks into extraordinary adventures!
That mockingbird dance sounds magical -- I’ve never seen it myself, but now I’ll be keeping my eyes open.
Your woodpecker mosaic is gorgeous, and those butterfly weeds look like they’re glowing.
Exaggeration or not, you capture the joy of nature so beautifully. 💜
I think getting excited over small things is extremely admirable. Don't ever lose that! So wonderful that you were able to witness something that special. Great photos.
-Soma
Cuanto me alegra, has tenido un gran avistamiento. Me encantó ver tu reportaje. Besos.
i'm so glad i did not miss this post!! i tend to "embellish" and i am actually famous for making stories more "interesting"!! i always say "don't let the truth get in the way of a good story"!! awesome images today...same boat for me also. there is something i love in every picture and need to share them all because i can never decide!! have a great sunday!!
I think there is something extraordinary and amazing all the time if we consider who great creation is. I hear woodpeckers all summer but I never see them!!
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