Flight Time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Yesterday afternoon the Yellow-crowned Night Herons were back in action despite the windy conditions.  Facing into the wind is fine if you can hold onto the rope railing on this pier.  When in doubt about strange people taking your picture, take flight...and show perfect form as you fly away.

Snake shake and fly away

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The Yellow-crowned Night Herons are making an appearance in OB just when we thought they would bypass us this year.  This evening a short walk to our nearby fishing rewarded us with a 'food fight."
    This YCNH had captured a small snake.  The only problem was that he/she had is by the tail so it was harder to kill before consuming....unless you try beating it to death.  The furious activity alerted a nearby Snowy Egret who was a proponent of the "It is easier to steal a meal than find it' school of birding.  The egret stalked and the heron took off to save its meal.
    Go to Lydia's blog (see link) and then click on 'more pictures' which is he Flicker account for more  photos

Friendly, but wary, neighbor

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - This Siamese lives a few houses away with about 8 brothers and sisters...depending on the time of year. 

Back to Glacier NP

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Here's a view from my shuttle van at Logan Pass Visitor Center under blue skies and tall piles of snow on July 13, 2011.  We're headed back to the land of mountains and snow to work another summer as shuttle drivers on the Going to the Sun road in Glacier National Park.  They say this year's snow isn't as bad as last year.  We'll see. 
     We've started getting ready for the trip, but won't leave for a couple of weeks.  Stay tuned.

Duck tricks, Beach bunny & Squirrel tails

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Mr. Mallard can stick his bill in his armpit (wing pit?) and stand on one leg...can you?  The 'beach bunny' and this alert squirrel were waiting for breakfast to appear.  Obviously,  not a lot or action on this Sunday morning.

Ahoy!!

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - There is a lot of traffic on the Halifax River in the Fall and Spring.  Folks heading to (or from) spending their winters in South Florida or maybe the Caribbean.  Sometimes,  the 'boat' is grand enough that you really wonder who owns it.
     In this case a Google search turned up some interesting info on the S.S. Sophie. This 80' Trumpy Motor Yacht was built in 1947.  It is all wood, diesel-powered and has a 19' beam.  Home base is in the Chesapeake Bay area and it can be found in the Clearwater (FL) area in the winter.
  S.S. normally stands for 'steam ship' in nautical-speak.  In this case it refers to a (deceased) Springer Spaniel named Sophie, a favorite of the yacht's owner Greta Van Susteren (Fox News, On the Record host) and husband John Coale, a Washington lawyer.
     

Thistle-licious

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - An early morning trip to Lake Woodruff NWR found us gloomed-in by overcast skies.  This honey bee didn't care.  There was plenty of nectar in this thistle flower.