Blue Skies

Posted By on January 29, 2016

The light-hearted backyard is back. A bright sunny (though not warm) day.

Soft clouds open to reveal the blue morning sky
Soft clouds open to reveal the blue morning sky
The blue sky above the trees in the backyard.
The blue sky above the trees in the backyard.
The glowing sky as the sun pushes up, promises a day of cheerfulness.
The glowing sky as the sun pushes up, promises a day of cheerfulness.
Tree tops silhouetted against the sky as the sun reaches above the tree line.
Tree tops silhouetted against the sky as the sun reaches above the tree line.

When I looked out the sliding door this morning, I saw a burst of activity in the wild life. The white duck – the mallard hen – skittered down the bank, to the shore, and it looked as though it was being chased by a circling snowy egret. I’m not certain how likely such a thing is, so take that with a grain of salt.

 

Heron pauses by fallen branch.
Heron pauses by fallen branch. This scene played out yesterday, as well. But with a mallard hen, instead of the heron.

I watched until the duck was in the water and the egret had landed on the opposite shore. By the time I went for the camera, there was almost no one visible in the backyard.

Palm fronds just outside the kitchen window.
Palm fronds just outside the kitchen window. It was pleasant to see the sunlight washing out the landscape beyond.

But the little birds blasted out their various announcements and and the audience responded. They sounded joyful, but I couldn’t see them. I no longer believe that the sunlight is very special to these birds. They come by here even in the storm.

The wading birds though, they are different. I have seen fewer and fewer of them as the storms rolled in. It has also been colder, so it is possible they simply went further south.

The great white heron, the snakebird and two Limpkin’s in dispute came by. I assume they were in dispute. They cawed and cavilled at each other and flew about, landing in abruptness at some spot or another.

When the dust settled, there was only one in the vicinity. There is always only one of these birds lingering around, so I imagine they don’t like company.

Great white heron strolls by the shore, next to a fallen branch.
Great white heron strolls by the shore, next to a fallen branch. It’s the same bird as above. I just like its propensity for stillness. I have witnessed it holding a pose for upwards of five minutes.

Snakebird looks over the bank from its favorite spot at the edge of the dock.
Snakebird looks over the bank from its favorite spot at the edge of the dock.

And after all this, the backyard’s not done with me yet. A new duck showed up. I saw two sandhill cranes and, spectacularly, I saw two hawks circling above for perhaps half an hour, crying out raucously and frightening the wild life. OK, maybe not the latter.

The cranes were not in the backyard, but they were in the neighborhood. Blue saw them and came and got me. I was just talking about them yesterday and here they were.

I’ll have to include photos of the new duck, the cranes and the hawks tomorrow. For right now, I revelled in the return to blue skies and so you get to indulge in all the wonder with me.

Starting here:

The moon goes down! Exciting to see it setting so high up in the sky this morning.
The moon goes down! Exciting to see it setting so high up in the sky this morning.

Branches and clouds against a blue background. The moon is in the upper right.
Branches and clouds against a blue background. The moon is in the upper right.
Morning breaks over the backyard.
Morning breaks over the backyard.
Moon in a peaceful sky.
Moon in a peaceful sky.

 

  • Aperture: ƒ/8
  • Camera: Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
  • Taken: 29 January, 2016
  • Focal length: 107.516mm
  • ISO: 100
  • Shutter speed: 1/125s