Butterflies Feeding on Rotten Peach

                                                               Marshgrass Seeding

                                                                Great Blue Heron

                                                        Ditto, Disturbed(Note Crest)

                                                         Six Eastern Kingbirds

                                                     Eastern Kingbird in Flight

                                                                  Ditto

                                                   Eastern Kingbird Landing on Tree

                                Eastern Kingbird Observing the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Landing

                                                    Both Eastern Kingbirds in Flight

                                                        Eastern Kingbird, Portrait

90's/partly cloudy/15 mph winds/evening

After quite a dry spell, there were plenty of photographic opportunities.  Today's stars are the Eastern Kingbirds, also known as the Tyrant Birds, as they tend to dispel any intruders from their kingdom.  The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is actually a Tyrant Bird, as well.

                                                           Last Night's Sunset

                                                          Roses at Last Light

                                                     Mallard and Reflection at First Light

                                                               Thistle Flowers

                                                               Tawny Emperor

                                                                   Cocoon

                                                                Spider Silk

                                                Canada Geese Coming in for Landing

                                                                     Dragonfly

A couple of photos from last night, then the remainder are from this morning.  Next week I get two full days off after two months, so perhaps better things are in store.  May the sun rise and set on you always.

                                                Grasshopper Perching on Wild Sunflower

                                                          Eastern Kingbirds Scatter

                                                    European Starling Reflecting Light

                                                 Eastern Kingbird Surveys His Subjects

                                                               Mallards at Sunset

                                                         Wild Sunflower Backlit

                                                    Three Mallards Just Before Sunset

                                                      Kiss of Night at Water Tower

Which is the most remarkable for you?  Sunrise or sunset?  The cool of morning, or the final heat of the waning light?  Are you a morning or a night person?

I can enjoy coffee and reflections of my day during either time, and honestly, this is a deep time of day for me.  It allows me to process the new day, or retrieve the events of the final aspects of my day.  In any event, sleep well, dream of beauty, and awaken refreshed for a new day with a cleansing breath in the light of the morn...

http://moonmagazine.org/deb-hirt-the-twentieth-hour-2013-09-01/

This is a link to a story that I had written while I was back home in Maine.  I have always been a big advocate of wildlife, and how it affects me.  Joy always seems to reach me through animals, especially birds.  I bring this to you as a former piece of my life...

This was published in Moon Magazine today.

Great Egrets

1700ish/10 mph winds/85 degrees/cloudy

Two Great Egrets were in this particular tree, four of which were in the general vicinity.  Here is an interesting capture when they both decided to depart the area.  Overall, it was a rather quiet time for birds, as it wasn't near feeding time.

                                          Great Blue Heron in Southern Cove, Nearly Sunset

                                                      Mallard Profile, Silhouetted

                                                   Sunset at Last, Today Draws to an End

2015 hrs./92 degrees/light and variable winds

The cicadas reach a crescendo the closer it gets to sunset, and the symphony rages.  In a cappella, the Eastern Kingbirds penetrate the forefront, as their part draws insects nearer to them.  They feast while they sing.  In the distance, the rays of the heat rise over the water, as Great Egret glides by, then changes its mind, coming from whence it once was.  The shadows over the water have an ethereal quality, and as I inhale, I see the generous beauty of what was given to me to view this mid evening.  Life is a precious commodity, for if we take it for granted, it will be swept away from us without a moment's notice.  Drink deeply of the summer's enchanting call, for it will soon be gone, to be greeted by the quiet stance of autumn. . .

                                                   Female Red-winged Blackbird Backlit

                                                                   Mallard

                                                                 Mallard Pair

                                                                      Great Egret

                                                                      Ditto

                                                                    Ditto

These are from last night and this morning, and this morning was considerably cooler than yesterday evening.  Great Egret's antics provided the icing on the cake this morning, and I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed taking them.