Birthday Girl!
The sky looked like it was on fire this morning, beautiful way for my Editor in Chief to start another milestone. (the big six zero)!. Many of you sent birthday wishes, just want you to know they were much appreciated. News of the big day seemed to all over the marsh. Thought I would share the day with you from their perspective of course.
With coffee and camera in hand, I head for the dock as usual. The morning view was a golden glow that turned into a fiery orange explosion as the sun rose through the clouds. Soon the sky turned blue as the marsh awoke. If some of you have followed this blog you are familiar with a Tricolored Heron that sits on one of the boat hoist poles. It flies up to its perch on my arrival this morning as if to greet me. It then peers down with his inquisitive eyes. I say hello and let it be known the news about this morning’s special day as I give thanks. I have to wait several hours for my Editor in Chief to come back from Janet’s, her hairdresser before we begin our luncheon date so I just enjoy the view. A pair of Hooded Merganser ducks fly up the channel and slowly swim towards me as they look for goodies in the mud. The light is perfect. As they swim by the female puffs up her hair feathered crown as if to say see what Janet did for my “Doo”!. It was my shot of the day and I call it Birthday girl! Then a gathering began. I never saw so many birds converge on one spot so quickly. As I was watching some pelicans through the viewfinder, dozens of cormorant heads started popping up all around them like surfacing snorkels from a submarine. Egrets and herons of every kind were winging overhead and coming right towards me. I couldn’t focus and push the doohickey fast enough. Old Man River, the illusive Great Blue Heron is just to my left cavorting it seems with a group of four beautiful white Great Egrets. He sees me looking at him and takes off as usual. Party Pooper! A huge Brown Pelican flies by and plops down right in front of me nearly soaking me with the splash. It just seemed to laugh as it took off again. The shrill Kee-yaw of the Red Shouldered Hawks fill the air. A pair are hiding in the trees and watching. They look like the duo of death and destruction just waiting to crash the party on an unsuspecting guest. My Editor loves fresh fish and that was what we planned to have for lunch. The local Osprey seemed to have the same craving as it flies by with a wiggling fresh fish on wing. A bright white Snowy Egret lands if front of me along with the Tricolored Heron, they are hungry for fish also as they pause to reflect on the day. But alas, soon the party is over and it is time for me to get my lunch date with the Birthday Girl. The mergansers swim away and turn as if to wish the Editor in Chief a wonderful Birthday.
Oh ancient of days. The sun sets as fiery as it began. I hope you enjoyed the day even more than we did. Be Blessed. Harry
The fiery sunrise of 20 Feb 2013.
The Tricolored Heron peers down with inquisitive eyes.
The Birthday Girl with her new "Doo", courtesy of Janet, swims by with her Hooded escort Harry.
A surprise marsh gathering begins, birds of every feather begin to fly in.
Old Man River is caught cavorting with some Great Egrets and flies off in protest.
A brown pelican plops in with a splash!
It gives me a fishy grin as it leaves.
Did someone order fresh fish for lunch? Yes the Osprey did!
The duo of death and destruction, the Red Shouldered Hawks, sit and watch the gathering, waiting.
A Snowy Egret reflects on the day!
As does the Tricolored Heron. Wow 60! That is older than OLD MAN RIVER!
Toodles, gotta go!
A fiery sunset for the ancient of days!