Global Yawning...

April 27, 2015 / Harry Selsor

Global Warming. Climate Change. Name it whatever suites you. It has been identified as the largest threat to humanity and biggest threat to the United States of America according to State level documents published. This appears to be the only State Department document that was not lost or deleted also. However, I don’t think this is the real issue. The real problem is Global Yawning.

Global Yawning used to just affect human beings. Now it has jumped the human to bird gap. Yes, the birds are being affected also. In a tree, while flying, while sitting on their nests. Global yawning is affecting the entire kingdom of the avian species. These photos below are just a few examples. What are the symptoms? Look at the birds. You can see it in their eyes. It is total indifference to the world around them. We humans have eyes but can’t see. Now it has affected the birds. Unlike the birds, humans don’t have wings to fly away, but just wander through life as if we are unaware of the world around us. Now we are seeing the birds do the same thing. They are flying in circles. Beaks wide open. Here are some of the latest headlines..take time to read them.

ISIS Beheads 21 Christians

Early Thursday five shooters from the Somali-based al-Shabaab terrorist organization swept through a university in the Kenyan town of Garissa, shooting Christian students.

Before Being Killed, Children Told ISIS: ‘No, We Love Jesus’

CHRISTIANS ARE BEING BURNED ALIVE, BEHEADED, CRUCIFIED, TORTURED TO DEATH & IMPRISONED

Jordanian Pilot Kaseasbeh Burned Alive by Islamic State

How long are we going to keep yawning and turning and flying away from the problem?

**It used to just affect the old…now the young are yawning too!**

**I did not see anyone kill those birds..really…besides..what difference does it make at this point..**

**I am just an ole ugly bird…no one cares what is happening on the marsh..**

**Do some Yoga..relax…you will see..everything is fine..**

**Did you hear about all those 11,000 cormorants the government wants to kill?**

**What? The Government would never allow that to happen.. Would they? For a fish?**

BNN TV says it is just those over the hill so called patriotic Eagles stirring up trouble.. — **BNN TV says it is just those over the hill so called patriotic Eagles stirring up trouble..**

**Yawn…the world sure looks rosy to me...**

**Especially if you hide your eyes and turn the other way..**

**Hey that works pretty well…think I will try that too**

I don't see anything wrong where I am going….Yawn…where was I heading? Have you seen my wing mail account by the way..I seem to have lost it too.. — **I don't see anything wrong where I am going….Yawn…where was I heading? Have you seen my wing mail account by the way..I seem to have lost it too..**

**I think I am not feeling too well..wonder why?**

**I am getting tired of flying around all day..going nowhere..**

**I'll just close my eyes and make the world go away…not my problem anyway..it's those Eagles causing all the trouble.**

Another tear shed...Photo from this site..http://www.passionup.com/fun/fun1071.htm See the ABCs of Patriotism..

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Gone fishin!

April 20, 2015 / Harry Selsor

The tax-man has been paid. After I “rendered unto Ceasar" there is nothing left. Time to go fishin! Fishin is a prime pastime on the Broward this time of year. Fishin is a just a relative term you know. It is a lot different than catchin. Some birds (and people) spend a lot of time fishin. They look for just the right place, the right time of day, the right tides. Some birds are better equipped at fishin than others. Don’t get me wrong. These things are all important. But they mean nothing at the end of the day if you are not catchin!

I sit on the dock in the early morning and evening light. Below me in the shallow marsh waters are various herons and marsh birds. When they are busy fishin they could care less if I am there pointing the camera and pushing the doohickey. Because if they are successful at fishin, then they are a catchin! And after that comes their favorite part of fishin….and that is eatin!. The herons all hunt about the same. At low tide they either sit and wait for the fish to come to them in an incoming or outgoing flows or they stalk the shallow banks and look for a school of tasty minnows, bait fish, shrimp, or crabs. They use those keen eyes and long necks to peer into the shallow pools. Sometimes they use their feet to stir up the bottom dwellers. Sometime they use their wings like a shade to help them see or scare up minnows. Then comes the swift snatch or stab using the beak. Like a sage old Chinaman with chopsticks, they can use their beaks to deftly pluck, flip, and then swallow fresh caught tasty minnows and shrimp from the tidal flow of the marsh. Seldom does the poor fish fare well in this sport. But that is the way it is on the marsh. Eat or be eaten.

"See the birds of the air, they neither reap nor sow yet your Heavenly Father feeds them." This is the lesson I learn each day I sit on the dock watching the birds fishin! The promise is that the Father is going to take care of my needs too (even if the tax-man ate all my fish). Be blessed. Harry

**Humans sometimes get a lot of fancy gear to fishin...**

**Sometimes it pays off and you start "catchin"…birds have different fishin styles too…!**

Different marsh birds have different fisin equipment and techniques…some scoop or grab.. — **Different marsh birds have different *fisin equipment* and techniques…some scoop or grab..**

**Some Egrets and Herons snatch and grab..**

This fledgling eagle is taught to first soar and then to hunt fish and score! — **This fledgling eagle is taught to first soar and then to hunt fish and score!**

**This tricolored heron spots a minnow and deftly plucks it with ease**

**and then it is down the hatch…a tasty snack…I'll have another one please..**

**These White Pelicans are using the group and scoop method of fishin..**

**This Great Egret has caught a wriggling minnow..**

**Sometimes the minnow escapes to live another day…but not often..**

**Shrimp omelette is the fare for this Snowy Egret today..**

**Fresh crab legs at Mr. Doohickey's Dock Restuarant ..my favorite..yum**

**Broward Bob enjoys a fiddler crab...**

**The Black Crowned Night Heron sets out at sundown for a night on the marsh…back at the Night Heron Hotel nest is a sign that says….gone fishin**

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Georgia on my mind..

April 13, 2015 / Harry Selsor

As reported earlier, George, the Yellow Crowned Night Heron has returned. Now also has the lovely Georgia, his mate appeared. So far two mating pair of this species and a juvenile (George Jr.) have been seen at the “Night Heron Hotel” tree next door. George has been an annual visitor as long as I have been on this property. For the first time however, I got to observe some courtship and mating displays. Spring is definitely in the air.

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology describes their courtship behavior as follows; ““Courting Yellow-crowned Night-Herons make display flights around their colonies, sometimes with the neck conspicuously extended. Courting pairs make a neck-stretching display, slowly raising and then quickly pushing the head back between its shoulders, while fanning the long shoulder plumes. Males do this first and females sometimes follow.” Their other favorite pastime this time of year is eating. Crab and other crustaceans are their fare of choice. On the Broward, it is usually blue crab and fiddlers. They will shake the claws off and then swallow them whole. Georgia got a nice blue crab and was not about to share it with George no matter how much he puffed up.

The pale yellow crown, and a white-eye stripe amidst black head feathers are distinctive head markings on this night heron. During the breeding season a long white plume develops on the top of the head also. The large red eyes are specifically designed for “night vision” hunting. I often see them hunting during the daylight also depending on the tides. Between now and mid September expect to see a lot of photographs of this particular couple, as they are one of the primary Broward residents now.

While George may have Georgia on his mind lately, mine has been spinning. The so called “Agreement” with ours and Israel’s enemy is but a harbinger of ill things to come I think. World events are happening so fast now. Most of us just change the channel and ignore it though. What will the next Blood Moon bring I wonder? Fear not though. Be Blessed. Harry

Missed the Blood Moon but got a nice Sunrise at Cedar Point — **Missed the Blood Moon but got a nice Sunrise at Cedar Point**

George, the Yellow Crowned Night Heron  has a gleam in those red eyes…the lovely Georgia, his mate, has returned. — **George, the Yellow Crowned Night Heron has a gleam in those red eyes…the lovely Georgia, his mate, has returned.**

**George Jr, the juvenile is also with them along with another mating pair of Yellow Crowned Night Herons.**

**George does a neck stretch display to impress his mate..**

**I think Georgia knows what is on George's mind though..**

**Georgia is more interested in a breakfast of blue crabs right now though..**

**She is not about to share it with George though..**

**Georgia…look at me..how is this for a display?**

**I have feathers like you have never seen before!**

**Not going to happen George..I have this delicious crab now…mine...**

**But maybe later you can meet me at the Night Heron Hotel…gotta fly.**

**George says.."Only the shadow knows"...**

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He who laughs last...

April 06, 2015 / Harry Selsor

My recent “Beyond the Broward” venture also took me to the “Stick Marsh” on my way home from Blue Cypress Lake. You really have to want to go there to find it. Some of the best bass fishing in Florida can be found there. It is actually called the T.M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area. After turning off of the I-95 corridor at exit 173 one can eventually find a long unpaved gravel road heading west along man made ditches leading to a small parking lot with a boat ramp. As I unloaded my camera gear I watched a boat full of Veterans coming back from a tour in an airboat. Some of these Heroes were missing limbs. Some were helping their comrades on and off the boat. They all had a smile on their face though and were laughing. Made my day already.

Across the canal to the north were two small islands of trees and shrubs loaded with waterfowl. There were Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Limpkins, and the lovely Roseate Spoonbills on nearly every available branch. It is prime nest building time right now for these marsh birds. Marsh madness is in full swing at the stick marsh. I watched one bird after another leave the island, fly across the canal and look for a stick. Not just any stick. It had to be just right. The birds would scour the banks and trees looking for the right stick, pulling and twisting and examining the prize before deciding that it was just right. Then they would fly back to the nesting site with the prized stick. In a few minutes I would see them flying back looking for another.

Back at home finally, I decided to visit Huguenot Park and see how the “madness” was going there. The Laughing Gulls were there in abundance. Their breeding colors of the dark black head feathers and red beaks and eye circles were evident. They were strutting and doing head nods to attract that certain mate. As I approached, however, they ceased laughing and carrying on and let it be known they did not like photographers getting too close. I decided not to upset them and just pulled out a chair and sat there observing them. Soon they ceased to care about my presence and just laughed again. Made my day. And theirs too I think.

A well-known idiom says “He who laughs last, laughs best”. I wonder if that is what happened at the recent "successful" negotiations with Iran. Who is laughing now? Are they really laughing best? The Psalmist says “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision”. Ps 2:4 Something to think about. Be Blessed. Harry

**A Great Egret launches from the Stick Marsh to find a stick for the nest...**

**To find that perfect stick for the nest..hmmm..hope this isn't too long..**

**A tricolored heron struggles to get just the right one..**

This plump Roseate Spoonbill flies by in search of the right stick too..

The spoonbill flies by again and again…looking for the right stick..

**This Cattle Egret was very busy bringing sticks back and forth too...**

**Found one at last..hope the little Miss Rosey likes it...**

**Laughing Gulls cracked me up with their antics..**

**A head nod is used to attract a mate..**

**When I got too close though they quit laughing...**

**Hey you ! Mr Doohickey! Get that camera outta my face!**

**They were all smiles again though after I sat down..**

**Great Blue Heron lifts off from the marsh at Sisters Creek.**

**This Great Blue Heron has also risen…Hope you had a blessed Easter..**

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Reflections on Broward is now "Mountain Musings"

Global Yawning...

Gone fishin!

Georgia on my mind..

He who laughs last...