Blessed Morning

I have been absolutely enamored all weekend with the activity in the preserve behind my home. I just can't stop watching. I have been waiting for the aviary return, and they are finally here. There have been at least four different types of birds wading together through the grasses and cypress trees. It has been delightful to watch them flutter and flap, pecking into the water for fish, and flying about from perch to perch. We even had a couple of new guests we've never seen before. I can't help but be inspired by the spectacular weather and the wonders of nature. I wish I had a real camera, not phone!

The wood stork seems to be the king of it all. He's the biggest of the bunch and the others seem to cower to him. He has tall stick-like legs like all the cartoons and drawings you see when you're a kid.

The egret is the most plentiful of the birds in our area. In fact, a few of them have been tiptoeing through my backyard for the past couple of weeks. When they stretch out their necks, they are long and graceful, a bit like a swan. Often you see them like this, with a beautiful s-curve and yellow beak.

This weekend, I have seen more blue herons in the preserve at one time, than I have ever seen before. I saw two little blue ones and a couple of bigger ones, possibly a great blue heron. The young ones seem less phased by observers, and they let me get pretty close. The big ones I have found, notice I'm approaching before any other bird does. It doesn't matter how slowly or quietly I move, they always turn away and go further back into the trees. I can see their wings flap and their activity back in the preserve, but the view is usually too obstructed for a good photo. These were beautiful.

I love these photos of a pair of ibises, especially the second one. They look as though they are checking out their own reflections, though it's much more likely they are looking for aquatic treats.

It's funny. When I took this photo, I was focusing on the birds. There is the one in the foreground, and several others further back. But after studying this photo, what I like about it most is the cypress tree (left) and its reflection in the water. The plant life is wildlife too; an important part of the preserve.

I love all the birds, but I have to admit the highlight of my day was running into these two visitors. I noticed some of the birds nearby were becoming a bit skittish at the sound of some activity in the wading water. They turned back toward the preserve and I glanced over thinking I'd see some fish, maybe a turtle. But to my surprise, I followed the activity in the water and these two popped their heads up and looked my way. Two otters quickly ducked back under the water and swam away. It was a wonderful sight! I feel so grateful to live where I live, and to have enjoyed this beautiful morning.