Incoming!!!

Couldn't resist another Western Bluebird shot from this morning. The chicks are still hanging around and getting fed by the parental units, but they are flying quite a bit on their own. Such a gift watching them so close.

Thanks for all your kind words on my post yesterday. We heard from Gene and Sherri's daughter tonight: Gene is in ICU and is heavily sedated, but they are cautiously optimistic. Jenn and I plan on visiting them this week. Life is crazy hard sometimes, yet beautiful still.

Hope your week is wonderful!

[Flydragon]

Stunning - this totally looks like a japanese painting!

[mimo]

I have no words! fav!

[Amy Spada]

Beautiful capture and post treatment... Perfect focus!

[LittleBlueWren]

Gorgeous, love how you have edited this, great timing! the wing is amazing.

[Janna Ellen]

mazing capture and editing - a typical Heather ;)!

[lorihiro]

Beautiful shot and the update on Gene sound good. Have a snap happy week!

[Wendy]

This is beautiful!! Amazing editing and love the tones!

[Nod]

This looks like Chinese art works..or something oriental! Love it, fav.

[Nadine]

The arty processing is what makes me love this. Fav!

[Ninjina (@marinda)]

very cool processing!

[LeenaH]

Except wonderful processing your timing in this photo is perfect!
Really beautiful result!! Fav to me. Thank you!

[alia_801]

Beautiful pic with fantastic timing! Amazing editing too. Glad to hear Gene is doing ok so far.

[Barb Smith]

Spectacular, Heather. It's like an Audubon drawing. Another wonderful work of art. Glad to hear the surfer is hanging in there. Hope his recovery continues.

[Graham Harcombe]

Love that moment when the wings are spread and the primaries fan out.

[Pepita Liang]

A great piece of art!!! Love the painterly processing a lot.

[Isis Weiss]

Love this action shot.....a great capture!

[Denise Escovino]

NO WAY!!! This is not a photo, this is a piece of art! GORGEOUS< Heather! The editing is absolutly PERFECT! Fav!

[Denise Escovino]

ps: Dad is ok, smiling as usual, doing some exams still. Thank you so much for asking, you're a sweetie!

[karlyh]

I agree.. to art. Amazing stuff Heather! I hope you're making the big bucks somewhere doing this kind of thing!

[stephanie dp]

this is awesome - looks like a japanese print or something. just amazing processing, capture.

[Zoe Ferrie]

Great shot, fingers crossed for the family you helped.

[aikimomm (phoebe)]

Oh that wingspread, that worm, that little open mouth. A truly remarkable capture, Heather. And then, of course, there's the stellar processing. A fav for me.

[robinwarner]

yes...exactly what i was thinking...it looks exactly like a japanese print

[Melissa]

Wow!! Fantastic!!!

[Paula Fontanini]

Amazing capture & processing Heather.....my first thought too was that it looks like an art print! Pure excellence!

Thanks so much for your kind comments and favs yesterday...you really did brighten my day and regarding your question on what I used for HDR??? I cheat, I don't do multiple exposures since I haven't figured that out yet....just playing around with different programs....mostly Nik color/HDR effects & Topaz lately! I feel like I'm cheating when I use them but I'm hopelessly addicted to the endless variations I can come up with using these tools.

[Nat Stuart Perks]

Great processing Heather!!!

[Heather (pixelchix)]

@bluemoon Ah, not cheating at all paula, I use topaz too, and lucis filter the same way sometimes. I was happy to see your beautiful pictures!

[ari fink]

this is so wonderful, i'm in love with this picture....keep up the good work!

[michael-ann]

Oh wow! This is fantastic. Such a beautiful photo. Excellent in every way.

[DAnna Lawson]

Gorgeous shot and processing! A fav for sure!

[Trina P Holub]

Oh my, the way you processed this it looks Victorian to me. This is beautiful!

[Robin]

What a brilliant and beautiful shot. Definite fav!

[Penny Milner]

OMG words are failing me! FAVE!

[Robert Velten]

Wow, incredible shot and processing. fav

[Vicki Durkin]

Beautiful shot!

[Tineke]

Cool shot and processing!!

[jinx (@jinximages)]

Lovely fine art image. Couldn't be more beautifully shot and processed.

[Beth]

Fantastic capture, the wings are just perfect and the subject, well just adorable!

[Louise & Ken]

This looks like an Audobon painting! Wow!

[Ariel Magyawe Jr.]

simply beautiful piece Heather..
your processing is always so beautiful!! :)

[june milner]

Superb.

[Anna Coffey]

this is absolutely amazing! I love how the background gives the whole photo the feel like it's a painting.

[Sarah Miller]

LOVE.THIS.SO.MUCH. Healing loving thoughts for your friend also....love this quote "Life is crazy hard sometimes, yet beautiful still." Finding beauty during the hardest times in life is what keeps us living...one foot in front of the other. Tons o' love from this part of our planet *heart*

[elephantgirl]

Wow. Amazing shot. Well timed too.

[KeithDavid]

love the textures, looks and feels like a painting

[Susan McIntyre]

This is wonderful. It ends up looking like an Audabon painting.

[Gail Reese]

wonderful image, I love the processing! def fav!

[Dee L.]

Wonderful catch.

[Sue Moran]

Wonderful shot! looks like an Audubon masterpiece!

[Mimi Ditchie]

Amazing and excellent capture. I totally agree with Sue above, like an Audubon masterpiece.

[Kate Williams]

not sure how I missed this one. I love this. A fav for me

[Margaret Tryon]

Amazing. Fav

[shanky]

wow this is very artistic and looks like painting, great shot a fav!

[Yoella Offir]

Wow. This is such a beauty. Amazing.

[kammy]

wow!! i cant believe ive missed it... its amazing!

[nicole]

so awesome, heather! love it!

[Ira]

Fav!!!

[Margaret Tryon]

Congratulations on making the top 20. Well deserved!

[Alecio]

Congratulations on the top 20, beautiful and well composed shot!

[Lacey Gautreau]

Oh my! I need a lesson from you, ma'am. You are so good.

[Marlene Chabot]

WOW - you take my breathe away with your photos. This looks like a National Audobon image! Stunning! A FAV!