Life at Boomer Lake with Deb, Saturday June 2, 2012

There are still many baby birds out and about this week, but they are growing, so dear readers, you can be privy to watching these young ones grow up. Here’s a baby Great-Tailed Grackle that is so young and innocent, he was actually begging food from me. This little Mallard was on the hunt for bugs and small crustaceans, and these European Starlings were hot on the tail of their mother learning to hunt for food, but will beg for it as long as she will allow it. They all have been keeping their parents more than busy, and I overheard one parent saying that they can’t wait until they are empty nesters again. Does that sound familiar?

I also happened to catch a dragonfly unaware on the grass, having nearly stepped upon the poor thing. The only thing that saved this one, was the sun shining on his wings, which looked just like glass glinting in the sun. It’s amazing what early morning sunlight can do, just raising the intrinsic beauty of nature at its finest.

This unbelievable shot is what I call “A Pile of Ducks.” These Mallards were resting here on a morning break and this must be where that phrase came about, “having all your ducks in a row.” Since the Double-Crested Cormorants have moved on, this seems to be the area where the busy Mallards seem to enjoy their break from the norm. After all, it is such hard work swimming about all day, catching meals, and helping to keep a watch on the young ones.

I tried to concentrate on a few different shots this week, of some birds in flight. I happened to get a flycatcher and a swallow, all accented by wonderful early morning sun. There is nothing as simple as a bird in flight, yet so many complex muscles have to be utilized in order for a bird to be able to do this. Our winged friends are truly remarkable in their abilities, as well as to be able to rid us of mosquitoes and other pests, pollinate our plants and flowers, plant many of our trees, and help to create our forests.

The Great Blue Heron was out fishing again when I saw him. I managed to get an interesting shot of him, apparently grinning, if a Great Blue Heron can really grin. The weather was beautiful all week, so few clouds in the sky. Even after a couple of days of a little rain, we had slightly cooler temperatures to give us a bit of a break from the high 90’s and low 100’s, making it even easier for the heron to be in a great mood.

A Western Kingbird also paid a visit, and I got a good photo of him in a tree, which is unusual. These birds are so used to human interference, it is just normal for them to perch on guy wires, telephone lines, or anything else man-made.

This downy feather was in the early morning dew, so I considered it a gift of sorts. I marveled at its intricate beauty and how something just so delicate can help waterproof and keep a bird warm in the harshest of weather conditions. So I wanted you to see this and understand it from my viewpoint and imagine how something so simple can be responsible for so much.

This is it for the week, my friends. Again, I wish you happy birding. Have a fantastic weekend, and I will see you again next time. In the meanwhile, keep your head in the clouds and your eyes to the ground. Hope you have great discoveries.

A man approached me in the park today and told me that he saw what he thought was a Red-Tailed Hawk hunting. He was so excited when he told me that he witnessed this bird capture a snake and fly off with it. He said that he was sorry that I was not there to see it, but wanted to be sure that I knew about this great event.

I am sorry that I didn't see it, but I was happy that people are watching these birds now and reporting these things back to me.