Bird Question

On an early Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the living room working on a project when I heard a very loud noise. David had just left to go buy a newspaper and the noise I heard sounded like something large had hit the RV. When I say large, I mean large, at first I thought a car had hit the RV. I jumped up to look out a window to see what it was and what I saw was a bird the flew from the top of the RV over to the neighbors yard. I couldn't believe my eyes and wanted to take a picture of it. I was afraid it would fly away before I could grab my camera so I just looked at it for a minute or two. I was able to get my camera and take numerous photos of it thru the window. I then decided to go outside and see if I could get better pictures but as I walked out the door it flew up into a tree but I was able to get even more photos of it up in the tree. It was a large bird, a hawk is my best guess. It wasn't as large as an eagle or turkey but it was larger than most birds I see. Below are a couple of photos, one showing the front and the other showing the back side of the bird. Anyone know for sure what bird this is? Please let me know if you do. I have not seen it since.

From a distance the coloring was sort of like a cross between a robin and a bluejay although it was much larger than either of those birds. It was a pretty shade of blue grey with a reddish color breast. Notice the feet, they were large with talons.

The eyes appeared to be red. He stayed up in the tree for a very long time, keeping a keen eye on me the entire time. He was still there when I decided to go back inside. It was an awesome sight to see and totally unexpected.

The Post Office

I had to go by the post office today to mail a couple of things and decided to check our box while there. I wasn't expecting anything but the box was full and one of the things in it was a notice that we had a package to be picked up. I went inside and when it was my turn the fellow weighed the envelopes I was mailing and asked if I needed anything else. I said I only needed to pick up these packages. There were 2 different tracking numbers listed so I was fairly certain that meant 2 packages. The only package I was expecting was from Joey but didn't think it would be here this soon. The clerk came back shortly with a big Priority Mail box and scanned the delivery confirmation sticker saying I had picked it up. He handed me the box and I noticed it was not addressed to us and was the wrong PO box number. I told the guy this was not my package and told him my box number again. He looked at the notice then went back for my package. He handed it to me and I had to sign a couple of things saying I had picked it up since it was an international package etc... I started to walk away and realized he had only given me one of the packages and I knew there were supposed to be two. I turned around and the clerk had already started waiting on another lady but I told him there should have been 2 packages and that the notice I had received had 2 tracking numbers on it. He seemed annoyed but I didn't care, I wanted my packages! The lady he had started to wait on was not happy because she had left her grand daughter in the car and she was in a hurry. I appologized to her but told her what had happened, how he first gave me someone elses package then only one of the two I had. I am sure she didn't care. The man returned and handed me the other package. I left there wondering what would have happened to that second package had I not known to expect 2 or noticed that 2 tracking numbers were written on the notice. I know they are really busy at the post office this time of year but I think that particular clerk needed a break. Now someone else has a package that has already been scanned as picked up and it is sitting in the post office. Wonder if they will ever get it?

Wide Eyed

I went to have my annual eye exam yesterday and spent the rest of the day with very dilated pupils and not able to focus on anything. Had to wear my sunglasses anytime I stepped outside otherwise my eyes were so sensitive I couldn't open them at all. I am in the process of getting new contact lenses. I wear the gas permeable type and am going to be trying out the multi-focal ones. I am tired of having to use reading glasses all the time and now that they multi-focal contacts I am hoping this will be a good solution for me. They are supposed to arrive in about a week.

Do you think my pupils are big enough?

Venus, Jupiter and the Crescent Moon

A visual treat is located in the western sky tonight just after sunset. I think last night was the best viewing although we had a cloud cover here and I was not able to see anything. Tonight the sky was partly cloudy so in between clouds I did manage to get a few photos of this awesome sight. Unfortunately to get all three of them to show up the moon was over exposed. That's the crescent moon in the upper left corner of the picture, Venus in the middle and Jupiter on the right, forming a bright triangle in the dark sky. This occurance was last seen in the 1800's and won't be seen again until 2054 I believe. Glad the clouds broke tonight so I could see. Nice!