More Painting With Words

This is an amended post. No point in doing another when I am only expanding a thought. 1/23/2009

• I saw 4 Sandhill Cranes this morning hanging out at a street corner, like they were waiting for a bus. It was pretty exciting as I haven't really seen that many since I lived in New Mexico. Even funnier- they were waiting to take their turn at a bird feeder in someones backyard. They are very polite eaters. They look like they are wearing a bustle with their flight and tail feathers all bunched up in the back. It must be difficult to look so noble and goofy at once.
• It is a little disconcerting to be walking through a landscape, no matter how domesticated, where there are giant lizards who would like to eat you.
• Saw a Moorhen (Gallinule) this morning. Yesterday I saw a Wood Stork, Bald Eagle and Osprey with a fish in its talons. And I might have seen a flock of White Ibis, but I am not sure. Apparently they are common here, quite social (thus a flock) and have black tipped wings. They were flying over head and gave me a good look at their black tips. Such flirts!
• Spent a little time on a small bridge over the canal system here, watching the waders feed. A Little Blue Heron was patiently fishing in the reeds and muck. It slowly lifts its legs and slowly places them back down. Its head craned forward away from its legs, going side to side to better see movement. With a quick dart of its beak it snapped up a shrimp. A Snowy Egret nearby splashed over to check out the action. It moved too quickly and followed the Heron everywhere until the Heron finally gave up and went someplace else to fish. It reminded me of doing something that requires patience with a three year old- impossible!
• Pelicans are not so much birds as aircraft. They seem too unbalanced to ever get in the air, but once they are up, they are imposing. They fly in formation, wing tip to wing tip like a military squadron. Then they peel off to make a dive at a fish. The seagulls come around to harry them. Hoping to make them drop the fish. They go so far as to land on the backs of the Pelicans. I love to watch them.

All these birds- I miss my dog!