Every once in a while, one has to escape the hubbub and excitement of the sport and entertainment milieu to commune with nature. To enjoy the quiet and peacefulness. To gambol among Mother Nature’s other creatures.
Monday morning was such a time. As you may recall, it was our coldest morning of the year. Beautiful Lake Darling was now significantly covered by “hard” water. It was time to see what was happening in the outside world. With some difficulty, I hoisted myself off the couch, meandered toward the lake side window, taking care not to step on the already deceased Asian lady beetles lying in my flight path, and took a peek outside. One must be careful here, as wildlife photography requires a certain je ne sais quoi . . . a derring-do, a bravado. Casting apprehensions to the wind, I braved the wilds of our living room and set up the camera. This is what we saw.
[Geese and ducks and swans, resting on what the previous day was “soft” water, with their heads tucked under their wings in the minus zero wind chills they were experiencing at the time.]
[It wasn’t that long ago when swans were considered the perfect antidote to the scourge of the Canadian goose. Well, now we see them comingling all the time?]
[Then a peacock flew by . . .]
[Fishermen like to congregate in front of our house; so do waterfowl. Go figure?]
[There was a similar size group just to the left of this photo. Too many trees in the way there. You can see lake bottom through the clarity of the ice.]
[Then I checked the front yard to see if anything was happening out there.]
[Swans. Generally only seen around here at this time of year, as the lakes begin to ice up.]
[Thousands and thousands of creatures. At least the coots appear to be gone.]
[The swans found some open water out there. It’s warmer than sitting exposed on the ice.]
[It’s a pool party!!]
[Darned if another peacock didn’t go soaring by then?]
[Sometimes the camera makes up its own mind as to what to focus on.]
[Just kinda swimmin’ around here.]
[Suddenly (cue the music from “Jaws”) a bald eagle decided to join the party.]
[And I don’t believe he had an invitation.]
[Mmmm, so many tasty morsels sitting just below me!]
[I can’t remember if the missus wanted duck or goose for dinner?]
[Or was it peacock?]
[Master of his domain . . .]
[And all he surveys.]
[I guess I’m not really that hungry.]
[But if one more peacock flies by!]
[Maybe I need a taller perch?]
[La-di-da.]
[Oh, I’m such a handsome chap!]
[I wonder what else is going on today?]
[And maybe I’ll check out that chap hiding in the tree.]
[All alone am I.]
[OMG, was that just another peacock?]
[Did that car just drive through that tree?]
[The moon and Jupiter setting over Kona, Hawaii on November 28. Photo courtesy of Roel Gorena.]
Other attributions: Rog “Travelin’ Man” Tweed sent us, in chronological order, Eagle View High Sierra; Sentinel Tree; Washington Giant Sequoia; Black Arch Giant Sequoia; and Tunnel Tree. The peacock photos are stock e-mailed to me by someone?
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