Great Blue Heron Preening

                                                 Not Sure What This Little Bugger Is

                                                           Spotted Sandpiper

   These photos were taken in the evening, with 15 mph winds, mostly cloudy, 88 degrees.  The humidity was high, and as I process these photos I am being serenaded by the sound of cicadas.  Great Blue Heron was perched on the ravages of Monday night's storms in the Southern Cove, which is filled very nearly to capacity.  Prior to seeing the heron, I watched fish jumping out of the water, grabbing bugs in the air.  All in all, it was a pleasant evening.  I stopped to talk with a gentleman that raises doves, and perhaps I can eventually get photos for you to peruse.  I hope that you are are safe and happy at home, listening to peaceful and sweet sounds, just like me, for nature is a precious commodity that we must all cherish.

                                                                   Great Egret

                                                              Great Blue Heron

                                                                    Mallard Hen

                                                                   Mallard Pair


   Last night at approximately 11 p.m., we had a severe thunderstorm with a short power outage and got nearly an inch of rain overnight.  Winds were very high, as evidenced by parts of trees that were down in the morning.  Boomer Lake had its share of tree damage, and one residence bordering the east side of the lake had a portion of a tree on top of the house, but no apparent roof damage.  Most of the storm took its toll on the southeast side of the lake.

Boomer Lake added quite a bit of water to its threshold, and at this point, I would say that any more rain will cause flooding conditions.

This evening's pictures were taken between 7 and 8 p.m. under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature at 88 degrees.  The heat index appeared to be higher.

Pictures from Last Half of May 2013

                                                 Canada Goslings "I've Got a Secret"

                                                                 Canada Gosling

                                                      Immature Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

                                                        Yellow-crowned Night Heron

                                                    Mallard Hen with her Fine Family

                                                     
                                                             Nesting Barn Swallow

                                                                     Marsh Rat

                                                      Nearby Pastoral Scene in Evening

                                                                  Young Horse



                          Male Blue-winged Teal

                                                               Mallard Ducklings

                                                         Fledged European Starlings

                                                               Mallard Duckling

                                                                          Ditto

                                                          Downy Woodpecker

                                                     Courting Scissor-tailed Flycatchers

                                                     Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Flight

                                                   Great Blue Heron and His Fish

                                                 
                                                    Northern Mockingbird Mantling

                                                                Brown Thrasher

   A number of good specimens were photographed during the last half of May, including a few fledglings.  Things weren't really even underway, due to a cooler two weeks in spring, which tended to slow things down a bit for summer avian activity.  Even though things were late, birds got a roaring start and kept it that way.

                                                           Red-winged Blackbird

                                                        Rare Showing of Cattle Egret

                                                          Dickcissel in Full Sun

  

                                                                           Ditto

                                             
                                                              Side View of Dickcissel

Out between 0800-1130 with 25 mph wind gusts, partly cloudy, 72-82 degrees.  This felt more like a nice fall day, than a heated summer one.  This is the first time this year that I have spotted the Cattle Egret, which is known to be in fields with cattle, not generally on the lake.  Today, Mr. Dickcissel was in full sun, and right in front of me, at one point.  Note the different viewings that he has provided, so if you see him, you will definitely know what you are observing.

Blackbird by The Beatles

                                                   Female American Goldfinch on Thistle

                                                         Northern Mockingbird

   Evening/15 mph wind/partly cloudy
I had been hoping to see if I could catch any members of the American Goldfinch clan out and about for about ten days now.  Unfortunately, I don't know which tree they are nesting in, but my friend from last year, this mockingbird, will surely advise me of such.  It pays to have friends in high places, know what I mean?

                                                            Great Egret in Flight

       
                                                                   Mallards

                                                                  Wild Flower

                                        Great Egret on Fishing Expedition, Northern Reaches

                                                         Dickcissel in Flight

                                                                   Dickcissel

                                                     Red Eared Sliders, Morning's Glow

                                                          Immature Brown Thrasher

A rare morning for me to be out, and there were some wonderful specimens out.  Today is partly cloudy, 72 degrees, 15 mph wind, and filled with life and beauty.  The charm today was with the Dickcissel, who cares not if I am in his space or not.  This bird is used to me, and with any luck, I can obtain some better in flight shots.  I managed two today, neither of which is any great shakes, but it is encouraging, as they are tough to capture in any kind of sunlight.  It must be their coloring.

                                                                   Dragonfly

                                                              Bee at Trumpet Flower

                                      Female Red-winged Blackbird at Montezuma Baldcyress
                                     

                                               
                                                  Grasshopper that Got Out of the Rain

   The first two photos were from last evening, and the latter were from today that I caught between raindrops.  If nothing else, it was much cooler today.

                                                             Immature House Finch

                                                             Great Egret Fishing

                                                          Great Egret in Flight

                                                                   Ditto

   The Young House Sparrow was from yesterday, with sweltering temperatures.  Today was only 88-89 degrees, so Great Egret allowed me an audience to capture him at what he does best.  This one is a male in breeding plumage, and a fine specimen, at that.  Happy hunting, Great Egret!