the wood duck drake floated past – an enameled brooch on the lake
wild birds
CategoryMemorial Day bird
in my tails and missing top hat
I watched human parade
step past
flags at half mast
wondered if humans knew
we birds too
appreciate
those still nursing wounds
some with minds aching
or gone Home
all trying to put war to rest
I blue-grey gnatcatcher
perched silent
while Memorial Day parade
passed by
mallard drake and hen
the mallard hen enjoyed a tall stretch in the sun
wood ducks
I watched this pair of wood ducks fly around me at the point where I stood. I missed the flight shots. By the time I got over the hill and stepped quietly around the willow trees they were already swimming away from the shoreline. The morning was quiet and the dust above the water caused a lot of sparkles in my lens and looked like silver motes in the photo.
great blue heron families: upstairs and downstairs
In the rookery tree, you can see two of the nests. The upper nest has 4 chicks waiting for the arrival of a parent and their breakfast; their interest is glued to the nest below them. The lower nest has a parent that is feeding its 4 young by regurgitating fish and letting the chicks grab its bill and a mouthful of food. Eventually the 4 downstairs chicks are fed and the family sets about grooming and exploring.
I have to wonder two things: with all the sharp bills, how are injuries avoided and how do 5 large birds not fall off the edge of the small nest. The bills and nest must work: we thankfully still have lots of the fascinating herons around to amaze us.
great blue heron families, upstairs and down
In the lower nest, the parent has arrived with food for the chicks. The chicks in the upper nest watch with interest while waiting for their own food arrival. See video of the downstairs chicks being fed at http://youtu.be/GDHLzUnB3LM