The Making of a "Herodactyl"!

   After any storm that pushes the tide up in the yard, I sort through the debris.  Anything such as bottles, cans and plastics are bagged and put to the end of the lane for roadside pickup.  Large pieces of wood and boards are pulled and stacked for reuse.  The marsh grass, leaves and small twigs are mulched for the gardens and pathways.  Through all of the cleanup, I am searching...searching for anything that can be reused, recycled or repurposed.  It takes a bit of imagination sometimes but it does put an interesting spin on an otherwise tedious chore.  Lately, driftwood has been deemed a "find"!

  Back in December, I had the bright idea to create a driftwood heron sculpture as a gift for my brother.  He had made the statement that he did not "need" anything to put in his house as there was already too much stuff in it.  I can fully understand his plight as I feel the same way about the Little Bayou House.  Well, that statement got me to thinking about creating something he could leave outside.  So...the driftwood heron popped into the brain.  Admittedly, my attempt was feeble in comparison to the fine works of true driftwood artists but my brother seemed tickled over his odd critter sculpture.  Son said it looked more like a pterodactyl so he smashed the two names together and said I created the very first "herodactyl"   Heron and pterodactyl are names that need to be smashed, I guess.  So Herodactyl became a thing.

  This afternoon as Son was working on the pier, I spied some odd driftwood pieces near the shore.  Knowing I cannot get down along the shoreline to retrieve them, I had to use a bit of ingenuity involving a long pole and a broken scoop net.  It worked!  I now have the makings of a new sculpture!  Perhaps since arthritis is dulling the use of my hands for fine work, these larger pieces will satisfy the craving to create.  I am not sure what the driftwood pieces will become but I am sure it will have a fine name from Son!  Create, folks!  Don't fret if it is not museum worthy...just create!  It is good for the brain.

Happy Timing!

   I do not claim to be an expert photographer.  In fact, I claim just the opposite.  I am not a "photographer".  I just like to take pictures of things that interest me. If one of those pictures turns out well, then I am happy.  If not, then that is ok, too.  I tried.

  This morning, like every other morning, I was on the pier bright and early.  To be honest, I started not to venture down as the weather had taken a turn to the cooler side and, being old, I feel the cold.  But, I went.  Bat, the cat, followed.  He has become my new hiking partner and I welcome the company.  The eastern horizon was a myriad of colors and the clouds had formed giant stripes across the sky.  Wow!  That was lovely and made coping with the cold a lot easier.  Bat and I slowly walked down the pier.  He stopped to eye the lovely, little rail as she was hunting bull minnows but I kept easing down the pier with hopes of catching the perfect shot of the sunrise.

Sunrise on the Bayou!

  With the first snap of the camera, my photo session could have stopped.  I had inadvertently captured what I considered my "best shot" of the day.  The sunrise was gorgeous, the water mirrored the horizon and, best of all, a heron had just taken flight from the marsh edge!  Yep!  This made me entirely happy!  Mr. Bat and I had a lovely morning!  

Storms, Herons and Boredom

   I am grasping here, folks.  It has been two days since I have been able to roam the hillside and woods.  The storms seem to be everlasting so I am stuck inside much against my wishes.  When I do sneak outside for a few moments, it is to grab something from the garden for our meals.  (It is like going to the grocery store without ever leaving the Bayou!)  But, I am rapidly going stir crazy!  I need to be outside!  I am not sure how other folks can stay in their homes day in and day out.  

  A few days back, however, that sunshine was inviting me to get out and garden.  While most of the vegetable plot is in full swing, I am still revamping the other parts of the Small Gardens.  Storms and laziness on my part have put them into shambles.  One of the projects was to concrete the drainage ditch that I dubbed Pebble Creek.  The nigh on 70 ft of slope ends with Puddle Pond.  (Yes, these were named when I was confined to the Small Gardens for so many months.  Imagination, folks. It is called imagination.)  Son and I tackled the job and finished just before this round of storms.  This is another small pond dedicated to the frogs.  There are no fancy-schmancy exotic fish here on the Bayou.  It is either bull minnows or frogs.  I opted for the frogs since they help with pest control.  As I was cleaning up our mess from the concrete job, I stuck a heron decoy near the pond.  The decoy (along with two owls and a duck) was a deposited here by a past hurricane and has resided somewhere in the yard since.  It is only fitting to have it by Puddle Pond for a spell.  

  Once I get caught up on the chores, I plan to give our plastic bird its own makeover.  It definitely could use some paint and some new legs!  In the meantime, I figure the bird can stay where it is.  It wobbles with the southerly winds and sort of looks halfway real at times.  Maybe I need to toss the duck in Puddle Pond so the heron can have a friend.  Friends of all sorts are good.

It Only Takes A Moment

  My realm is still limited to the small gardens but, hopefully, that will soon change.  My strength is returning by leaps and bounds which means that my limitations will be exiting by leaps and bounds soon.  I have had enough!  It is time to roam the Bayou again and find my critter friends.  I am sure they have pondered my absence and may have missed me just a wee bit.  I know I have missed them enormously!  

  This morning, one of my favorite bayou friends sat patiently on a pier post.  It was quite clear that he wanted breakfast.  Moe, the heron, has been coming for almost two years to eat small mullet and menhaden that I catch in the net.  The bird has become tame enough to take fish from my hand.  That bond means the world to me and not being able to share time with the bird weighs heavy.  I NEED to be back on that pier!  Moe, I promise it won't be long!  For now, however, I have to be happy with a long-distance photograph!  

  It is funny how we take things for granted when times are good.  A simple walk, going fishing, even viewing the sunrise seem commonplace things that we are assured to always have.  Sometimes, life has other plans and things go awry.  Folks, be happy in what you have.  Be appreciative of every step you take, every sight you see, every sound you hear.  Things can change in an instance and then you long for your "humdrum", everyday life.  Just be thankful. 

Getting to know the Tricolored Heron!

  Early this afternoon, a odd looking bird sat on one of the pier posts.  This needed to be investigated so I headed down the board path.  Once on the pier, I realized that this was not an unusual bird at all but rather one that was in an odd position.  A tricolored heron had been preening itself and I caught sight of it as its head was beneath its wing.  Well, there was nothing to do but take a few pictures then head back to the warmth of the Little Bayou House.  A cool spell has hit the Bayou and the brisk north wind was chilling me to the bone.  One last look proved that the bird was hunkering down against the wind, as well.  Let's get to know our birdy friend! Here are some facts that I find interesting!

1.  Tricolored Herons are the only dark heron that has a white belly!

2.  Tricolored Herons love to wade belly-deep to forage for food!

3.  Tricolored Herons were once called Louisiana Herons!

4.  Tricolored Heron males' breeding plumage is blue and their beaks turn blue, as well!

5.  Tricolored Herons prefer feeding alone and will defend their territory against others!

6.  Tricolored Herons are usually solitary birds except during breeding season.  Then, they nest in huge colonies!

7.  Tricolored Herons eat small fish, crustaceans, insects, frogs, lizards, salamanders, tadpoles and spiders!

8.  Tricolored Herons are one of the most abundant herons in the Deep South!

9.  Tricolored Herons try to disguise themselves if threatened.  They will often submerge their heads and necks in water as if to appear being a log or (if in the marsh) they will stand erect with their beak pointed in the air as if to appear being a reed!  

10.  Tricolored Herons do a "dance" during courtship.  They neck stretch, bow, bill click and do circular display flights!

  Now that you know a bit about our fine-feathered friends, search for them along coastal areas.  They prefer bayous, marshes, bays, swamps, streams and occasionally fresh water ponds.  They are easily recognizable by that white belly!  (The last photo is from 2012 but it shows the bird really well so I decided to include it today.)

One Legged Birds?

  If you ever wander about a bayou like I often do, you start to ponder the whys and wherefores of a lot of things.  Just this morning, a questioned rambled about in the brain for a while even though I knew the "scientific" answer.  The mind-boggling part had nothing to do with the question of why shorebirds will stand on one leg but had everything to do with if they actually like standing on one leg.  It is a well-known fact that the herons, egrets and cranes around here stand on one leg to keep the other one snug up in their feathers.  Their long, spindly legs lose a lot of heat on these cold nights and mornings so standing on one while the other leg is tucked up under the feathers conserves a lot of heat...but do they like it?  Are they comfortable standing there for hours?  How do they not fall over?  (Think about it...would you be able to stand like that for hours?  I would not!)

  This morning, there were two birds on the end of the pier.  One was a tri-colored heron and the other a snowy egret.  Both were standing in their "unipedal" position, both were staring straight toward my brother's pier and both were oblivious to my presence.   There was just enough breeze to make the birds wobble a bit, now and again.  This is when the all-important question of whether they were happy started squirming its way into my mind.  Oh, how delightful it would be to converse with my fine feathered friends.  But, alas, that is not possible so the answer will never be known.

  I sat on the pier watching the birds for a good while.  Only once did they change positions and swap legs.  In fact, they did this in sync!  It was almost as if a timer was set and it was beeping a loud alarm saying "Time to swap legs!"  Watching them, I had to think how nice and warm their feather must feel to that cold leg! Speaking of warmth, it was time to head back inside.  It was, indeed, a bit chilly out and I do not plan on standing on one leg while tucking the other up in my jacket!

Protecting His Territory

  Herons are funny birds.  They have no problem with nesting in huge colonies called heronries where there may be hundreds of mating couples nesting but let it come to food and they are fiercely territorial.  Let a heron find a good feeding spot and no one had better fly in to take advantage of his luck.  A heron is not willing to share his bounty even when his "cup is overflowing".  

  Early this morning, the trip to the pier proved interesting, to say the least.   With Hurricane Michael brewing out in the Gulf, our tide was a lot higher than normal.  With water lapping at the top of the pier boards, it seemed like a good fishing day.  After bait was caught, I had a visitor.  My old friend, Moe, came flying in to beg for breakfast.  This is the heron that I started feeding several months ago.  The youngster would come thrice daily to get his belly full of menhaden, mullet or little croakers.  He came for a few months then disappeared.  This morning, he must have been hungry as he came back to where he always got a sure meal.  I obliged and caught the bird an entire net full of menhaden.  He happily dined on the feast laid out before him.  Once his appetite was sated, he flew to a pier post to preen.  All was well and happy until...the interloper came.

  Another young heron came by to grab a bite of leftovers and that did not set well with Moe.  He was not in the mood to share his leftovers with anyone!   At first, the squabble was nothing more than a few squawks, the puffing up of feathers and the flapping of wings with the birds perched on posts about 20 feet apart. The interloper was insistent on grabbing a bite.  Things quickly turned ugly.  Moe left his perch to fly in behind the other bird.  Pow!  Moe hit the interloper with a mighty whack!  Both birds battled midair until Moe overpowered the smaller bird and sent him reeling into the water.  There the battle continued until the interloper flew to the opposite end of the pier.  The fight did not end there.  Moe followed the bird and hit him again.  Finally, Moe chased the interloper to the other side of the Bayou.  Moe had won...sort of...while  they were fighting, a seagull made quick work of the menhaden!

My Warm, Fuzzy Feeling

  Occasionally, there is something that just gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.  While most folks find cutesy knickknacks, thoughtful gifts or photos give them these feelings, my little 'happies" come from knowing the Bayou is a healthy place.  If the critters are doing well, then the overall health of the place must be in a good spot.  My warm, fuzzy feeling came in the form of a heron.

  Yesterday morning just after daybreak, the old dog needed to take a run down the hill.  As we were nearing the old oak tree, a young heron lit in the top of a nearby pine.  Even though the bird seemed to be rather large, its surroundings proved that to be a misconception.  When the bird landing in the fresh pine needles, the comparison between its overall stature and the length of the needles was quite striking.  The needles were nigh on a third the length of the entire height of the bird!  This was a tiny bird as herons go.

  But that heron made a big statement.  If the herons are reproducing in the area and the little ones are staying nearby, then the Bayou, itself, is healthy.  There must be clean water, sufficient nesting sites and plenty of food for the birds to be here.  Obviously, the Bayou is meeting the needs.  My warm, fuzzy feeling need was also met!

Trading One Heron For Another

   Months ago, a young Great Blue Heron was a thrice daily visitor to the pier.  The young bird came to beg for handouts of menhaden or little mullet.  I was happy to oblige simply because these birds fascinate me. Their feeding habits, territorial disputes and nesting sites are all points of interest.  The bird was dubbed as Moe and he soon became a social media favorite as I posted plenty of photos of him.  He became almost too tame and insisted on being my "best friend"...as long as I was plying him with food.  Then Moe became a no-show.  I have no idea whether something dire happened to my friend or whether he just moved on to a new territory.  Either is a possibility.  

  Now, a new bird is in town!  This morning while Mark and I were on the pier, a very young bird flew in to pay us a visit.  This was not a Great Blue but rather a Tri-colored Heron.  I was impressed with the fact that the bird already has most of its adult plumage even though it is still rather tiny (as far as herons go).   This one was not sure about coming to dine but lingered up the pier from us.  I did, however, get rather close to it when I was leaving the pier.  The bird did not want to fly.  It just sort of side-stepped me as I passed it.  

  Hopefully, our new-found friend will come back in the morning to get a handout.  If it does, this bird, too, will receive a name.  I figure that all of our friends should be on a "first name basis" with us so the Tri-colored will soon have his own unique name.  (The only name that gets repeated is Old Gus.  This is the name of almost every Brown Pelican in the Bay!  With the exception of two named by our little granddaughter. They are Gus and Cinderella! Now, if only she was here to pick a name for our new friend but she is far, far away at the moment naming things on a tropical island!)  The Tri-colored Heron will be stuck with an unimaginative name, I suppose.

Good Morning, Friend!

  Herons are funny things.  When the name is mentioned, our brain usually conjures up images of large, stately birds such as the Great Blue Heron or graceful, leggy birds such as the Snowy Egret.  Both are herons.  Both are beautiful.  But, there are other herons that do not even remotely resemble either of these birds.  They are short-legged, stocky and rather stubby looking birds.  The Night Heron and the Green Heron both fall in this category.

  Early this morning as I was walking down the pier, a Green Heron decided to pay a visit.  The bird softly lit upon the end post of the pier.  In the subdued morning light, all I could see was the russet colored breast with its splash of white feathers.  The iridescent green back appeared black but I instantly recognized this friend and welcomed it to stay a while.

  In all truthfulness, I admit that these small birds are some of my favorites of the heron family.  They have no problem working for their breakfast unlike those big lugs that beg for handouts.  The Green Heron has learned to use tools to fish.  It will use a piece of marsh grass, a morsel of crab or even a bit of a feather to lure fish closer to it as it sits motionless in wait.  The bird also can effectively dive after its target if need be. 

  The Green Heron only stayed a few moments once it spied Mr. PJ, the old dog lumbering down the pier,  We said our goodbyes and he flew off to sit on a small log near the marsh.  There, the bird busied himself by catching little mullet for breakfast.  Smart bird!

Don't Choke!

  Herons are a gluttonous sort.  Although, I have observed them for years now, I never noticed just how much and what they will eat.  Since making friends with Moe, the (as my granddaughter call him) Bayou Ostrich, my opinion of the birds has changed from thinking they were picky eaters to thinking they are hogs at heart (or stomach).  Like any other heron, Moe fishes for himself until he sees me go to the pier.  When the net is picked up, he immediately flies to the pier and follows just a few steps behind me.  He seems grateful for whatever fish are caught and quickly gobbles them.  Mostly, these are the small menhaden but occasionally, a mullet, croaker or goby is tossed his way.

  This afternoon, Moe was waiting for me.  He acted ravenous but nary a fish could be found.  After nigh on twenty throws of the net, two rather large mullet were flopping on the pier.  This always sends Moe into a frenzy of excitement and he will run with wings flapping.  As soon as he stabbed the first mullet, a thought raced through my head.  "What if Moe chokes on that big, old mullet?"  Not being one to want to grab a heron and do the Heimlich Maneuver (I am not even sure if it could be performed on a bird!), I hoped that he would be ok.   My worries were soon calmed.  Moe made short work of the mullet....but THAT was the smaller of the two.   Would he be able to swallow the other fish?  That neck looked awfully skinny compared to the girth of the fish.  Since he had just downed one, where was he going to put this one???  The questions were soon answered as Moe scooped up the mullet, tossed it around a bit until it was head first in his beak and then let it slip down his throat.  Geez!  Moe, you are a gluttonous bird for sure!

  There have been accounts relating how herons have literally "bitten off more than they can chew". (Yes, I know that is not right...biting and chewing are not something herons do.)  Eels, snakes and large fish can get stuck in the throat of the heron.  If the bird is not successful at spitting the prey out, it will die.  Fish are especially hard for a heron to regurgitate,  A heron always swallows fish head first so the fins stay flat against the body but trying to get it back up works just the opposite.  The prongs of the fins stab into the neck and prevent passage back up the throat.  

  Moe had better watch his step and not grab the larger fish that I catch.  Food is needed to sustain life but gluttony may very well end that life.  Be careful there, Moe....be careful.  You need to leave the larger fish for me and stick with the little ones.

Always a Way

  When things are not going your way or just seem to be too hard to tackle, look for a different method.  There is always another way of doing things.  Don't make things more difficult than need be!  That old saying "Where there is a will, there is a way!" makes a lot of sense.  Step back. take a deep breath and look for an alternate route.  It is there but sometimes we refuse to see it.

  This morning while on the pier, Moe came to get breakfast.  There is nothing unusual about this as the heron has now grown accustomed to visiting and follows me about the pier as I throw the net.  He and I get along well.  Then another bayou friend came to visit.  A small snowy egret joined us but Moe was being a bit rude.  He did not want to share the minnows even though there were plenty.  I reprimanded Moe and reminded him that the little snowy was my friend, too.  Still, Moe would chase the much smaller bird whenever he tried to eat.  "MOE!!! Quit that!!  You share the minnows!" I told him but, as soon as I turned my back, Moe would be back to his bad behavior.

  After the third time of Moe being ugly, the little snowy decided that things needed to be different.  He flew up on a pier post to ponder how he would get to eat.  He then noticed that one post had a platform on top and that platform was low enough to be easily accessed by me!  The little snowy flew to the platform and softly squawked.  This was my cue that he was ready to eat in peace.  With each throw of the net, I emptied the dozens of menhaden on the pier for Moe but always grabbed a handful for the snowy.  At first, the snowy would fly to the other post until I walked away from the platform but after just a couple of times of me putting the menhaden on the board, he started staying put.  He knew I was not going to hurt him and he knew that Moe would not chase him.  

  It now looks like I may have another bird to feed each day.  This makes me happy since I adore my critter friends.  Hopefully, they will start eating in peace together.  Moe just needs to learn some manners!

The (Not a) Photographer

  I take far too many photographs but with that, I do not profess to be a photographer.  I do not have an inkling what half of the settings are on the camera, know nothing of editing and do not have a steady hand.  I merely enjoy taking pictures of the Bayou and my critter friends.  It is my hope that, perhaps someday, my grandlittles will look at the photographs and understand a bit of why I love this place so much.  With their world travels, I doubt that my little Bayou will mean much but, at least, they may some day understand the peace that I have found here.

  Today, the young heron that has been named "Moe" was waiting on the pier for me to catch a few mullet for his dinner.  This is a thrice daily routine now as this poor bird is being chased by a much larger heron.  Herons are territorial feeders and the larger ones get the prime spots.  Well, not if I can help it!  Moe (along with Larry and Curly) has endeared himself to me.  He knows how to pull the heartstrings and get a free meal.  If he poses for a few pictures, mullet will surely follow.  Since he is a willing participant in this procedure, I figure a billion or so heron photographs will not hurt.  So, if you grow weary of seeing Moe (or Larry and Curly) just skip along and be happy.  Otherwise, you are probably going to be bombarded with his (their) likeness.

  Moe's posing for today's photos was extraordinarily brilliant!  He flapped the wings, flew from post to post and stood on one leg!  For his effort, he was greatly rewarded with an extra helping of menhaden besides his five mullet!  Moe makes me happy.  He makes me look like I have great skill in capturing wildlife photos!  Way to go, Moe!  (By the way, Moe's poses are being done about 8 feet from the camera which explains the clarity of the photos!)  

A Popular Diner

  For the past few weeks, I have been feeding a friendly Great Blue Heron (also known as a Bayou Ostrich thanks to my little granddaughter, Mary Ruth.)!  The bird is becoming quite tame and comes running up the pier whenever it sees me pick up the net.  Once I have a good catch, the young heron eats to its heart's content.  With its belly full, the little fellow flies to a post to watch my every move.  Then, before I leave the pier, I have to feed it another meal.  This is fine as long as there are plenty of little mullet or menhaden in the Bay.  A couple of casts of the net and the meal is served.  But...things changed today.

  As usual when I went to the pier, the bird flew in behind me.  When I picked up the net, he came running and followed me as I cast.  The catch was dumped on the  pier boards so the bird could feast but before he could finish his meal, others came. That rascal had evidently told all of his buddies that a free meal could be had if they came to the diner on the pier!  A motley bunch of beggars came to lunch.  Besides the heron (ostrich?), a Snowy Egret, a Common Tern and a Laughing Gull enjoyed a fine meal of menhaden.  The heron was given some extra treats of little mullet since he has been coming the longest.

  With this crazy crew, I had to throw the net several more times to catch enough minnows.  At one point, the gull decided that he did not want to share the meal.   He flew to the mound of menhaden and gulped down about twenty of the little fish before the other three birds could reach the spot.  It did not take long before the Snowy took command and chased the greedy gull away!  The other three shared a peaceful meal while the gull glared from the pier post.  So....I wonder who will come to breakfast at the pier diner tomorrow??  If this group keeps growing, I may need a bigger net!

Oh, Some Friends!

  We all have them.  We love them to pieces but, at times, have to shake our heads at their actions.  Some friends take a mile when offered an inch.  It does not damper the friendship but can be a bit bewildering.  

  My new found critter friend, the young heron, has been coming regularly to the pier for its handouts.  This morning, it was there waiting before I even came out the door.  By the time I made it to the pier, the bird was doing a steady bit of pacing as if to say "Hurry up with breakfast, please!"  I obliged and caught it a nice helping of menhaden.  Then a bit later, the bird came back for a mid-morning snack.  For being such a skinny bird, that thing can eat!  

  Well, along about ten o'clock, I decided that I had enough fishing for the time being but I still had a nice bucketful of menhaden.  Hmmm?  With the aerator going, the minnows should stay alive so I did not toss them back into the water.  My scoop net was laid across the top of the bucket to provide a bit of shade and I headed to the Little Bayou House to do a bit of painting.  Son was installing the new screen doors, today!  Touch up painting would be required if he had to do any trimming.  I had hopes to return to the pier to catch more trout after my chores were complete.  

  Along about four in the afternoon, I headed back to the pier to catch my friend red-handed (or red-beaked, as the case was.)  The young heron had cleaned my bait bucket!  Only three minnows remained in the bottom of the bucket and they were exhausted from dodging that dagger-like beak!  Give that bird an inch and it will eat you out of house and home (to jumble up some idioms).   That silly bird had helped itself to the contents of my bait bucket!  Then, to top it all off, the bird stood begging for yet more minnows!  Silly bird!  Some friend you are!

Leave It To A Bird

  Every now and again, a person needs to step back and take a breather from what he is doing.  Things can come to a grinding halt if they begin to feel overwhelming.  Remodeling is a lot like that.  What starts as a minor touch up of paint soon becomes an entirely consuming ordeal.  My situation started when the siding was being replaced near the front door.  Son asked if I was particularly "attached" to the windows or could he remove them.  They were rotted from exposure to hurricanes and the high humidity found on the Bayou.  Once the windows were removed, it led to the door being ousted as well.  Then, the whole shebang of redoing the inside was set in motion.  For the past two weeks, I have spent every waking hour, it seems, on the top of a ten foot tall step ladder.  You do what you have to do.  This morning, however, I needed a break!  I just could go no more.  So, I took a hike to gather the thoughts.

  As I sat on the pier at daybreak, I had the revelation that I was doing it again.  I was "playing it safe" and trying to satisfy everyone else's idea of what is acceptable.  I figured that if I am going to be happy, I need to step out of that safe zone and do what makes me happy.  That is easier said than done, though, and I needed some reassurance that my decision was the right one.  Just at that moment, a heron flew in to sit with me on the pier.  I had been photographing the bird as it sat on my brother's pier and never expected the bird to come so near.  So...the bird and I sat just a foot apart enjoying the dawn of a new day and a new experience.  Neither of us made an effort to move or to acknowledge the other.  We just sat. 

  Was the bird telling me that my decision was correct?  Was it trying to tell me I was ok just being me?  Hey, if you ask for a sign, you take whatever you get.  In my mind, the bird was definitely an omen that things were right with the world.  Now...back to work.

Standing Tall!

  Today was a drizzly, almost rainy day that kept me inside.  Other than an occasional quick run with the old dog, I spent the day on the top of a ten foot stepladder as I am painting the living room walls.  For the first time in my entire life, I felt tall!  A few more days of painting and then I promised the dog that we would spend more of our time hiking about the hillside.  He seems to enjoy that about as much as I do.

 Yesterday, however, was gorgeous and I was able to slip down to the pier for a few minutes.  While there, a tri-colored heron allowed me to photograph it!  Actually, the bird was unaware or, at best, oblivious to my presence and did not care if I had a camera or not.  I could not pass up the opportunity, though, because the lighting was perfect enough to create fantastic reflections.  Despite a few ripples in the water, a nigh on exact image of the heron was repeated in the water.  Even the colors were duplicated to perfection!  It is rare in our muddy waters to see such vibrant reflections and, when they do occur, I am enthralled.

 The tri-colored heron waded about hunting for its breakfast.  Occasionally, it would dart toward a minnow and plunge to grab it.  Watching only for a few moments, I counted no less than eight minnows going down that gullet!  That is one sharp bird....and very photogenic!

Youngster at Work

  It is a common sight to see the large herons stalking fish along the shorelines, here on the Bayou.  The Great Blue Herons stand in the edge of the marsh or wade belly-deep into the waters to catch their breakfast.  This morning, one leisurely strolled along in ankle-deep waters as it fished.  The bird noticed me as I made my way down the pier but made no effort to flee.  I am near the water just as much as they are so the critters of the Bayou have no fear of me.  This bird is a youngster that was hatched two springs ago.  It never left the area and seems to be doing fine for itself. 

  Most folks think that the herons only dine upon fish.  While that seems to be their preferred diet, these birds will often visit fields and bogs where they will feast upon frogs, insects and rodents.  Anything is fair-game when it comes to their dining pleasure.  The herons will even go so far as to raid other birds' nests to eat the eggs or hatchlings.  But, back to fish, the herons wade along slowly waiting for fish to gather near.  They sometimes stand nigh on motionless for quite a spell before finally making the swift strike.  Herons usually go for the smaller minnows and baby mullet but occasionally literally "stab" a much larger fish.  The small fish are snatched up with lightning speed but the larger ones are speared.  This "spearfishing" utilizes their dagger-like beak. Once a fish is impaled, the heron will shake it to stun the fish before swallowing it whole.  

  Watching the herons along the Bayou never bores me.  Their fishing techniques are quite different than other shorebirds.  The stalking, snatching or spearfishing methods are rather unique and make for interesting viewing from my perfect spot on the pier.  

The Weather Flip Flop!

  Well, it seems as if the Bayou is in that endless cycle of "winter"...which, by the way, is not winter compared to our neighbors to the north.  Bayou winters consist of a fog, rain, cool, warm cycle that can be changed at the drop of a hat.  In a few moments' notice, we can go from a clear, warm day to a foggy, dreary cool day.  And, by a few moments, I truly mean this can happen within an hour.  That is just part of living this far south.  Never, EVER, pack up a summer clothing as you will be needing it within a couple of days at best.  

  Yesterday morning was one of those foggy, dreary days.  A brisk north wind gave a slight chill but the fog made that chill feel worse than it really was.  The fog was one of those thick, Londonish type things that you always see in the movies.  The type where some werewolf or strangler was lurking just feet from you but was completely shrouded in the mist.  While I found neither, one lovely heron must have thought that perhaps I was one of those creepy entities.  My stroll down the pier brought me quite close to the bird before he saw me.  I had a clear view of the heron simply because the dark silhouette that he cast upon the whiteness of the fog.   

  What impressed me about the view of the bird was the fact that there was no background. The lack of any trees, water, or horizon of any sort made the bird almost like the proverbial "sitting duck".  There was nothing to distract the eye from the heron.  It is as if the world ended just beyond the pier.  My friend, the heron, sat just long enough for a few photos before it, too, disappeared in the clutches of the fog.

  After that fog, we had our rain and now the north wind is bringing a bit of a chill to the Bayou. An extra blanket will be tossed on the end of the bed tonight and a mug of hot ginger tisane will be spot on as a nice warmer.  Stay cozy, folks, but don't pack up the flip-flops just yet.

Another Critter Friend

  I guess we truly are creatures of habit.  Mark and I almost never miss a morning hike to the pier.  More oft than not, this walk will take place with camera and a mug of coffee in hand.  There is nothing better than starting the day with a piping hot cup of coffee and a sunrise.  Things just always seem to go smoother after starting the day as such.  The camera is always with me just in case some fantastic critter wanders into view.  One (or more) usually does!

  On our way down the pier, we both noticed a rather large bird perched at the end.  While it was not as large as a Great Blue Heron, it was much bigger than the Yellow Crowned Night Heron.  This had to be one of two things...a Little Blue Heron or a Tri-colored Heron.  I was betting on the Tri-colored.  The stature of the bird led me to this conclusion.  I made mention to Mark that if the bird had a white belly, then the identification could be deemed accurate.  

  As we strolled to the end of the pier, the bird took no notice of us.  For the longest time, it sat without moving.  Then, when we were just a few feet from it, the bird flew to one of the pier posts. Yep!  I was right!  A white belly could clearly be seen when the bird was in flight!  That identifying trait could not be wrong.  Tri-colored Herons are the only dark heron in the Deep South with white underparts.  With its blue-gray upper parts and white underbelly, the bird can easily be identified.  This bird also has reddish plumes on its lower back and throat area during the breeding season.  

  It is good to see the vast variety of waterfowl around the Bayou.  As long as the birds stay, it is a sign that the Bayou and Bay are healthy areas with plenty of foodstuffs and nesting sites.  With the encroachment of housing plots threatening the very existence of the Bayou, it scares me to think that some day, the area will not be as I know it now.  I sure hope this never happens.  I shall miss my critter friends.