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Along the Natchez Trace

Friday, July 5, 2013

Big Blue Bird....

I really enjoy the birds...  there's just no end to their colors, feeding habits, calls....  I love it all.

Today I drove up to Granbury to the huge H.E.B. there...  (a wonderful grocery store) and saw this bird as I was approaching the store...

A Whirly-Bird!!!!


As nearly as I could tell this helicopter was either taking off or setting in place huge air conditioner units either onto or from a building that was below my line of vision.  

I pulled off on the shoulder to watch because I'm just nosy enough that I can't let a photo-op pass me by...  beside, I wanted to know what the heck was going on.

I really didn't learn the why and what of the matter...  but just loved watching the helicopter at work.

A few times in the past I've seen helicopters at work doing (somewhat) similar work...  years ago when I was in college, the forestry department was practicing taking on water from a pond, then circling around and dumping it back in the same pond.  Fun to watch...

Bill & I were in Churchill, Manitoba in 2004....  we were there to see polar bears.  While we were there a bear had wandered into town...  got captured and was put in the Polar Bear Pound (yeah, the same as a dogpound, but this sucker was HEAVY DUTY)...  and the next morning he was transported out...  by helicopter.  Same way as those air conditioners...  He was in some kind of baggie-like sling (no, we couldn't see him, he was enclosed), and being taken out to some remote area where he couldn't wreak havoc.  We did watch the helicopter fly off with him.

So... yeah, I saw a big blue bird today.....  maybe not a colorful as a painted bunting, but for a few minutes it was just as fascinating to watch.

That's All For Today!

10 comments:

  1. I'll bet that is an expensive service charge!!

    Mark

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  2. I was thinking it might be on a water run until I focused on the cargo. It's not a canvass tote, that's for sure. Does business in five states, though. Good capture.

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  3. On I-94 heading west out of the Twin Cities they are putting up huge high-line towers using helicopters.
    The project goes on for 38 miles paralleling the freeway. It's amazing to watch as the poles are lifted into place and workers secure crossbars to hold the wires. The project must be costing millions of dollars! There goes our electric bill again.

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  4. That was some trick maneuvering around all the wires! Wouldn't want that job!

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  5. That's what I was thinking. I'm sure he wasn't as close as it looks in the pictures but it looks like he's about to run into the wires. We watched a Coast Guard helicopter doing rescue training once, right over the water. They lowered a sling type device with a person on the end. It was interesting to watch.

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  6. I've watched them in action fighting fires and it is fascinating to see what good pilots these people are.

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  7. These pilots are amazing. In San Francisco, we had a spa installed on our back deck. We had a private drive leading to our house which was set behind other houses. No access. No they used a crane from the street and went over our neighbor's house dropping the 6-person spa into the exact position on the first try. They said if that wasn't possible they would "simply" helicopter it into place.

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  8. I'm nosy too! This year we had a forest fire nearby and I parked along side the highway watching three copters dipping into swimming pools. Takes a lot of training and talent to fly those things.

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  9. Your posts are always fun to read and to see what you're seeing. Always something different!

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  10. You two are having too much fun I think. I've wanted to see the polar bears. You saw one fly!

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