Wordless Wednesday…Nina, pretty ballerina

If you lived here

Have you seen the signs by new apartments that say “If you lived here, you’d be home by now?” I thought of that when I saw this hole, which quite likely could be home to a bird of some sort.

If you lived here, you’d be next door to an outstanding restaurant.

If you lived here, you’d have a cozy little place just right for you.

If you lived here, you’d have a fantastic bird’s eye view. It ups the price, but you’ll appreciate the space and amenities. King-sized bed included.

If Pinocchio were a small bird?

for Six Word Saturday

Topsy-turvy

It’s been an odd week. Monday I posted a photo (late, due to some weird WP stuff) that I thought was rather good. If I’m to be truthful, I thought it would wow people. It got some great comments, but not many “likes” at all. Yesterday I posted a video I felt the same about. It did a bit better, but not what I expected either. Topsy-turvy. So today I’m playing. Who knows what will happen? No matter what, have a wonder-filled Wednesday!

Topsy turvy black-necked stilts

Breakfast 1 and twice the price of gold

I know it’s rude to watch someone while they’re eating, and even worse, take photos, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. I caught this snowy egret mid-gulp and nope, I don’t feel bad about it at all.

Snowy egret or great egret? Egret or heron? If you’re not sure which egret is which, as I wasn’t, the site linked above lets you compare types side-by-side, which is really helpful. The snowy egret has a dark beak with yellow at the top and by the eyes as well as yellow feet, which you can’t see here. The great egret has a yellow-orange bill and is much larger. But I didn’t know that egrets are also herons. Did you?

And did you know snowy egrets were once more precious than gold? The allaboutbirds site says:

During the breeding season, adult Snowy Egrets develop long, wispy feathers on their backs, necks, and heads. In 1886 these plumes were valued at $32 per ounce, which was twice the price of gold at the time. Plume-hunting for the fashion industry killed many Snowy Egrets and other birds until reforms were passed in the early twentieth century. The recovery of shorebird populations through the work of concerned citizens was an early triumph and helped give birth to the conservation movement.

Talk about killer fashion! Makes me even happier to see crowds of these fashion leaders now at the Riparian Preserve!

Wordless Wednesday…or is it?

At long last

After several trips to the Riparian Preserve, I’d seen a variety of birds and lots of egrets, but no herons. Then one day I glanced to my right as I passed one of the lakes and there he was, Mr. GBH. Sylvia at anotherday2paradise and I joke about Mr GBH (Great Blue Heron) as she calls hers. I told her that from my reading of British mysteries/thrillers, I think of GBH as “grievous bodily harm.” I’m sure that’s the interpretation the fish put on those initials!

The Riparian Preserve

As most of you already know, last week I left my canal walks, heading for The Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona. The City of Gilbert manages the seven recharge basins (lakes) to replicate wet and dry periods.

A riparian habitat or riparian zone is a type of wildlife habitat found along the banks of a river, stream, or other actively moving source of water such as a spring or waterfall. The term generally refers only to freshwater or mildly brackish habitats surrounded by vegetation and may include marshes, swamps, or bogs adjacent to rivers. The Spruce

Birds are the big draw for a large number of people. The many trails are also perfect for walking, jogging, biking, or even in some places, horseback riding. It’s also used for dog walking and fishing and…photography.

Even at 5 am, just before sunrise, everyone is out and about! There are lots of egrets rushing in all directions for juicy insects and perhaps some fish.

The duck family wasn’t too afraid of me and although Mama kept an eye on me, everyone else was busy eating and cleaning themselves.

Don’t get in a flap!

I admit it. I’ve been bored. Bored with not seeing anything new or much of anything at all on my walks, bored with dry dirt, bored with the “river” being a canal, happy to get out and walk…but bored.

Then Wednesday I went to the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch and bored went by the board! These last few days have been cool (only up to 90F constitutes cool here) and the mornings have been below 60F. Perfect!

On the very first day, I saw some amazing things and was able to take some fantastic photos. But about an hour in, the memory card on my camera filled up! Nooooooo!! There I was, frantically trying to find photos I could delete in case another perfect opportunity came along. 🙂

Community

for One Word Sunday: community