It can be like living in the city, an apartment building filled with kids.
Several Egrets were being loud. The Great Blue up in the penthouse was getting a little worked up. One of those ‘don’t you dare wake the kids’ moments.
The other day I heard a sound, maybe my favorite, that I had not heard for much too long. The giant wings of a Wood Stork as they climb to fly. The marshes are quiet and that sound is unique.
We walked out of the woods to the marsh edge, a flock of Storks watched, but made no mad scramble to escape.
One by one they made the choice to move away. The 6 foot (1.8 meter) wings just lift them in the air and they slowly moved off.
We were no threat to them so they came down a short distance up the marsh. Others stayed giving us time to shoot and follow along with them as they fed in the dry cane.
This is a place with few people, many times none. And we were double lucky, there were a few old energy bars in the glove box for lunch.
This ‘social distancing’ works for me.
There was a time, not so long ago, we ended each day with an exclamation ‘I need to take less shots’.
At the time I was serious. Having 1,000 images for a day meant work. Culling bad shots, triage on borderline photographs, and finally just skipping some for an image a ‘hair’ more interesting.
Below is a skipped photograph.
Now with my locations and options closed / limited I am thankful for large external hard rives and my itch trigger finger.
Sitting and watching a few males dance for her. They were flapping their wings like fools, she sat back looking all cool.
The soft brown colors on her long neck look just like a soft fur coat.
This is a female Anhinga, also known as the ‘snake bird’.
Yeah, right.
I got the idea she was less than pleased.
This is an ongoing project for the next few months.
Of course there will also be trips to get some food for the family too.
We are fortunate. We can venture out and have no contact with people.
Taken while standing and enjoying fresh air.
There were no people but these ‘locals’ seemed to have missed visiting with us. Easily over 100 on my walk.
Some good sized fish live right along the edge of this swamp, under the duck weed.
Egrets and Herons drop in after seeing some movement under the water. I never see it.
This bird came in fairly close giving me a good view of the ‘slamming on the brakes’.
The wing span is incredible on these Egrets.
