June 14, 2026 – Morning | Denham Springs, Louisiana – The Bird Garden | 82°F, warm and humid with soft morning light | The kind of morning that begins with coffee, quiet focus, and another step forward. Another morning, another version of our model being trained. Bit by bit, the pieces are coming together — refining detection, improving accuracy, and getting closer to something that could genuinely help monitor and protect the birds we love. The big change for version 3 is the incorporation of real research data pulled in through the OrniTrack Android app I built. The app connects directly to my Canon R100, and as I’m out taking pictures, it uses the AI model to identify birds while automatically tracking the GIS location of each encounter. Most of the data so far has come from my own backyard, our local patch. We’ve even added a new visitor — a Common Grackle — to the training set after one started showing up regularly. These small, steady improvements feel meaningful out here in the garden. #BirdsFlyAbove #BirdDetectionAI #MachineLearning #CitizenScientist

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 087 | Bluebird Chicks Fledging Day – First Clutch of 2026 The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | Five little miracles take flight. On Holy Saturday, at approximately 1 PM, all five bluebirds from our first clutch of 2026 took their first flights from the nest. A beautiful and emotional moment as they left the safety of the box and entered the world. 💙🪺 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/AxQxb Facebook → zurl.co/UNLDc Etsy → zurl.co/w9iSB #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdFledging #FledgingDay #Birdgarden2026 #FirstClutch

Well my world is not as exciting as Freddy from Germany right now, training AI models late into the night! 🤣

The Gallery | Episode 25 | Hatching Day 1: The Chicks Begin to Grow (2026) Birdgarden, Louisiana — March 2026. Hatching Day 1. The little bluebirds are already growing stronger — drying out, stretching tiny wings, and beginning to open their eyes while Dutchess and her mate keep the steady flow of food coming. The nest is no longer quiet… it is alive with new voices and new life. A signed print of this tender early growth moment is available if it speaks to your heart: → zurl.co/X1ADu Watch the full Cadeau de Lumière series → zurl.co/7dBhC Field journal stories → zurl.co/gMkdx #TheGallery #Birdgarden2026 #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusOne #NewLife #ClutchOne #GiftOfLight

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 086 | Bluebird Chicks Hatching Day 16 The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | Wings strong, almost ready to fly. The little bluebirds have grown so much by day 16 — wings noticeably stronger, bodies filling out, and showing clear signs they’re preparing to fledge soon. The nest is full of energy and anticipation. 💙 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/1fQin Facebook → zurl.co/RwCcW Etsy → zurl.co/afKGC #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusSixteen #Birdgarden2026

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 085 | Bluebird Chicks Hatching Day 15 The Bird Garden | 84°F, mostly sunny with scattered afternoon showers | Wings stretching, feathers filling out, almost ready to fly. These fledglings are starting to show signs of flight. Their feathers are coming in nicely. It will not be long now... Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/jjdyz Facebook → zurl.co/cyXh3 Etsy → zurl.co/tOUOv #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusFifteen #Birdgarden2026 #FledgingSoon

The Bird Garden | 84°F, mostly sunny with scattered afternoon showers | Wings stretching, feathers filling out, almost ready to fly. These fledglings are starting to show signs of flight. Their feathers are coming in nicely. It will not be long now... Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/2DTqi Facebook → zurl.co/kEMXp Etsy → zurl.co/aptei #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusFifteen #Birdgarden2026 #FledgingSoon

June 10, 2026 – Afternoon | Denham Springs, Louisiana – The Bird Garden | 90°F, hot and humid with a light breeze | The kind of peaceful afternoon that blends quiet observation with unexpected inspiration from faraway voices. I’ve been enjoying a relaxing stretch in the garden while monitoring the ongoing migration. At the same time, I’ve been reading the experiences of Europeans sharing their travels through our wonderful country on X. Some of those posts stirred memories of beautiful landscapes — the kind that make you pause and feel grateful for the natural wonders right here at home and across this land. #BirdsFlyAbove #BirdMigration #AmericanLandscapes #BirdGardenLife

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 042 Revisited | Bluebirds Learning a New Feeder The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | First tastes of the new feeder. A peaceful moment as our bluebirds cautiously discover and learn to use the new feeder in the Birdgarden — gentle curiosity and small victories in their daily routine. 💙 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/VeUWV Facebook → zurl.co/SgD8h Etsy → zurl.co/AQ4EQ #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #Bluebirds #NewFeeder #Revisited #Birdgarden2026

June 9, 2026 – Afternoon | Denham Springs, Louisiana – The Bird Garden | 88°F, warm and humid with afternoon sun | The kind of gentle afternoon that makes the bird garden feel like its own little world. This wonderful little Downy Woodpecker fledgling has moved into the backyard for now. He’s seen frequently feeding at the nut block, as long as he isn’t chased off by the larger woodpeckers. It’s such a joy to watch these young birds finding their place and learning the rhythms of the garden. #BirdsFlyAbove #DownyWoodpecker #Fledgling #BirdGardenLife

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 084 | Carolina Wren Sneaks into the Barn The Bird Garden | 86°F, partly cloudy with chance of afternoon thunderstorms | A tiny visitor explores the new barn feeder. A delightful little moment in the Birdgarden — a curious Carolina Wren sneaks into the new barn feeder, exploring with quick movements and bright energy. Watch this bold little explorer investigate the shaggy cows and hunt for a snack. 🪶 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/3Y6jh Facebook → zurl.co/PscOG Etsy → zurl.co/5QeSt #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #CarolinaWren #BarnFeeder #Birdgarden2026

June 8, 2026 – Afternoon | Denham Springs, Louisiana – The Bird Garden | 89°F, hot and humid with afternoon sun | The kind of afternoon that makes all the late nights, debugging, and quiet hope completely worth it. The research project has come a long way. We now have an alpha version of an Android app collecting GIS data on bird encounters, pulling from both the phone camera and a Canon camera. The model is working well at this point — 75.3% accuracy on version 2, with 7 species and 126 encounters logged so far. One possible title I am considering for a future article is: “Feasibility of a Context-Aware On-Device Android Pipeline for Real-Time Bird Detection Using YOLO26n.” It’s still early, but seeing the pieces come together is incredibly rewarding. #BirdsFlyAbove #CitizenScientist #BirdDetectionAI

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 083 | Bluebird Fledglings Make Their Way in the World The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | First flights, brave hearts, new beginnings. The bluebird chicks have left the nest — now comes the beautiful, clumsy, and courageous stage of learning to fly, forage, and find their place in the world. Watch these tiny adventurers take their first wobbly flights and explore the Birdgarden under their parents’ watchful eyes. 💙 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/tj9Ak Facebook → zurl.co/DR3yo Etsy → zurl.co/0gP7P #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdFledglings #FirstFlight #Birdgarden2026

The Gallery | Episode 24 | Day 18 of Incubation Becomes Day 1 of Hatchlings: The Eggs Hatch (2026) Day 18 of quiet incubation quietly became Day 1 of hatchlings. Tiny cracks appeared, eggs rocked, and new bluebird lives pushed into the world under Dutchess’s watchful care. The nest is now alive with fragile, hungry voices. This sacred moment is preserved as a signed fine-art print if it speaks to your heart: → zurl.co/Kd5El Watch the full Cadeau de Lumière series → zurl.co/f2Djp Field journal stories → zurl.co/EFBTS #TheGallery #Birdgarden2026 #BluebirdHatching #HatchlingsDay1 #NewLife #ClutchOne #GiftOfLight

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 082 | Bluebird Chicks Hatching Day 14 The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | Wings strong, eyes bright, ready for the big leap. The little bluebirds are reaching a thrilling stage on day 14 — wings flapping powerfully, bright curious eyes taking in the world, and growing confidence as they prepare to fledge from the nest any day now. 💙 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/wnBWB Facebook → zurl.co/JcV9E Etsy → zurl.co/XfOzt #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusFourteen #Birdgarden2026

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 014 Revisited | Black Bear in Little Pigeon River The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | A powerful visitor in the Smoky Mountains. One of our most memorable signed gifts returns. A peaceful yet majestic moment as a black bear wades through the Little Pigeon River in the Great Smoky Mountains — calm strength in the wild. 🐻 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/ufDZy Facebook → zurl.co/xevog Etsy → zurl.co/oSmMC #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BlackBear #SmokyMountains #Revisited #Birdgarden2026

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 081 | Bluebird Chicks Hatching Day 13 The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | Wings stronger, curiosity high, almost ready to fledge. The little bluebirds are reaching an exciting stage on day 13 — wings flapping with real power, bright curious eyes exploring everything, and growing confidence as they prepare for the big leap out of the nest. 💙 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/86T0M Facebook → zurl.co/uL289 Etsy → zurl.co/g4Q7V #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #BluebirdChicks #HatchingDayPlusThirteen #Birdgarden2026

The Gallery | Episode 22 | Bluebird Nest Construction Day 8 (2026) A slow, hands-on look at Day 8 of bluebird nest construction in the Birdgarden for the 2026 season. The nest is now fully refined — the cup is deep, soft, and perfectly lined with the final touches of feathers and fine grass. The pair rests nearby, the home complete and waiting under the gentle light. Signed prints available if one calls to you. Full signed gifts → Cadeau de Lumière Shorts playlist Etsy prints → zurl.co/Yxugk Stories → zurl.co/3XNnw #TheGallery #Episode22 #BluebirdNest #NestConstruction #Birdgarden #GiftOfLight

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 078 | Red-Headed Woodpecker Visits the Backyard for a Bite The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | A striking visitor stops by for a snack. A beautiful and unexpected guest arrived in the Birdgarden today — a vibrant Red-Headed Woodpecker pausing for a quick bite. Watch this bold and colorful visitor explore the feeders with confidence. 🪵❤️ Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/vGmA3 Facebook → zurl.co/9fDPQ Etsy → zurl.co/Wd2YJ #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #RedHeadedWoodpecker #WoodpeckerVisit #Birdgarden2026

Cadeau de Lumière Nº 080 | Mountain Stream Chill The Bird Garden | 67°F, stormy with lightning, thunder, and sideways rain | Gentle water, peaceful mountain calm. A soothing moment of pure relaxation — clear mountain stream water flowing over rocks with soft ambient sounds and gentle natural light. Perfect for unwinding and letting the day melt away. 🌊 Follow the Journey: X → zurl.co/2HNUZ Facebook → zurl.co/Nhqqy Etsy → zurl.co/yCzqc #CadeauDeLumière #GiftOfLight #MountainStream #NatureRelaxation #SmokyMountains #Birdgarden2026