Birds For Belle

Last December, these sandhills were feeding in the shallows at Payne's Prairie. It was a grey day, and they were too far away to photograph with photographic heat I carry, but I couldn't resist.

I cropped it a lot, and it doesn't really stand up to my sharpness standards for PF, but it does convey the steely grey winter prairie feeling.




Little blue herons are a favorite of mine.

All that delicate sleek beauty ... actually just the highly refined tools of the minnow killer.

Once I posted a pic of a little blue and a very talented glass artist down in Tampa turned the image into a masterpiece of glass that sits on my mantle today.

Notice the frost burned exotic water hyacinths little blue is traipsing through? THAT was before the big freeze of last week, so I'm hoping their out of place butts are toast right now.




Glossy ibis are a treat around here. This one was busy noodling for crawfish and other tasties in the canal that follows the dike at Payne's Prairie.




Glossy ibis have a really neat color scheme ... greens, reds, browns ... this photo, taken on that gloomy, grey December '09 day doesn't really do justice to the "glossy" aspect.






Above a common egret (hey! who you calling common?!) striding through the pennywort.

Notice how the native plants are all nice and green?

All together now, "That's because they belong here."



Like I said, it was a low light grey day, and I had to work for a decent photo, so you're not seeing all the deletes I chunked. (well, ...duh, FC)
The Cooper Hawk shot from a few days ago made the whole day a success and IT happened as I was leaving. That is so often the case, ... hours out there searching, and then, one moment makes it all worthwhile.



Those photos are for Belle, who mentioned in a comment that the Prairie is a special place for her and her Beau.



In other news ...



I'm on the road this weekend, looking for critters, photos, maybe a little adventure. So far, the weather was not very cooperative, but today is looking good. In a few moments, I'm blowing this Popsicle stand with free wifi and getting back out there.



(Note: blueberry scones at Barnes and Noble can NOT compete with those at Mercier's Orchards in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The green tea is outstanding though.)



My soccer girls have completed their regular season and have only a tournament to deal with next Tuesday. They are seeded against the very best team in the first match of the tournament, so my soccer sojourn probably ends sometime Tuesday evening.



I know coaches aren't supposed to think that way, but I'm a science guy first and I can not ignore existing evidence.

I know this though, the ladies will give it everything they've got ... and that will be quite enough for me.



Rambling thoughts fueled by Tenbucks coffee ...

• Ever read "Dog On It" ... a detective story narrated by the detective's dog? I picked it up last night and so far, it seems like a fun read ... of course I'm a complete sucker for a dog story.

• Kevin, a single volume complete Conan series is on the discount rack (SACRILEGE!) at BN.

• Belle, I'll speak about tilapia growing soon. Just got my new permit from the state and will be installing fingerlings in my classroom fish farm ASAP.

• Running free this long weekend is fun, but I am experiencing Bear withdrawals.

Time for me to skedaddle, but I will bring back something to share with ya.

(spellcheck put one "e" in skeedaddle, I preferred two.)