Oh the joy!

We have seen the Blue Heron return, he flies back and forth, seeming to have a sense of when my camera is in the other room.  He finally decided to stick around in the middle today – and landed in our sandbox!  I went to get another cup of coffee and there he was!

I followed him through the railing –

And when I opened the door he few off.  I kept this pic because the Sibley book talks about the highlight on the wing, and you can see it there on the top wing.

Then – We heard a dog bark, which is rare, and the vacation rental’s dog was barking at Baby Mallard Ducklings! I have been waiting for these for weeks.  Mama just sort of disappeared but the males still swim around, not too far, back and forth. The barking poodle got the ducklings to hide in the lilly pads – so they were safe on the other side of the inlet, but it made the photography session hard.  Here is at 40x zoom – a couple from the neighbor’s yard, I’ll wait til he puts up a no trespassing sign, until then, maybe muffins on Saturday morning in payment of a good photo

Pretty Mamma. 🙂

Oh and the Swallows. They Taunt Me. So close. Yet too far. . .  .

A couple of fun shots of the Heron on the bout house.

The slightest breeze takes away the mirror effect of the water. I am patient tough. I’m looking to get a clear, close, flight photo, with  mirror underneath.

And one last mama pic with her hidden babies.  Look all around the leaves for babies, there are 12 of them in there. 🙂 Clever mama.

I think we’ll keep the dog in for a couple of more weeks. We’re only letting her out front to potty, and walking her at the beach, no lake swimming for the past few weeks of baby duckling hatching time. 🙂 She’s getting pretty spoiled, and restless all at the same time. 🙂