The Birds

Larry and I enjoy watching all the aviary activity on the lake these days. It is such an enjoyable and entertaining way to start the day. We keep the binoculars handy, and Jackson stands watch at the window begging us to go out constantly to chase them out of his yard.

These past couple of weeks, we've noticed all the Great Blue Heron in our cove. The most we counted at one time was seven. Last week we saw five. Why the odd numbers I wonder? Larry thinks it's too early for mating, although I do see pairs flying around; back and forth; in and out and around the cove. But he read that during the winter months down here they just tend to hang out in small groups.

These birds are so majestic in stature and so magical in flight. I admire their grace and feel so blessed to have them hanging out around us. We have an infrared, motion-detector camera mounted on a tree in the cove trying to capture the "phantom" beavers cutting down our trees. But we also had hoped to catch a Heron slowly walking around the water, taking off or landing. I fear we have had no success as yet, but remain ever hopeful. We keep moving the camera's angle and height.

The "Stars and Bars" flag on the largest dock across from us lets us know how windy it is outside and the direction it is blowing. Who needs technology when neighbors fly their politics and we can use it for our own purposes?

There is also a Kingfisher that visits us regularly. I have so enjoyed this handsome little bird, about the size of a Bluejay, sit on our dock railing. This morning, he flew to the top of the umbrella we have mounted behind our double-glider, for a nice high vantage point. Success! He is sitting on the rail now, with a little fish sideways in his mouth: flipping it around until he gets it head-down and swallows it whole. His catch is the size of a small minnow. He is just so cute!

Cardinals, Blue Jays, Doves, Black birds, Sparrows, Chicadees and many other small birds frequent our seed and suet feeders, and our concrete angel birdbath. What a blessing to have these lovely creatures visit us every day. When the Mallard ducks start arriving, which they have, Jackson has some real fun chasing them back into the water and proving once again: he is really a big dawg!