Early Turkey Day

Herding turkey vultures

Trying to look regal while waiting for you to keel over

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Early Thursday morning we stopped by Lake Woodruff Wildlife Reserve to check on what once had been a very good place for photographing birds.  Over the past two years the winter time population has dwindled.  It looks like it may be the same this Winter.  Unless you like taking photos of turkey vultures. They congregate almost everywhere. 
     Fortunately, they didn't ruin our appetites for the Thanksgiving Buffet at Brian Bar-B-Que.  It's been our turkey day meal stop for about four years.

Smile for the camera!

Whoopee.  We're going to be famous

No smiles during  yoga time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We took a ride to St. Augustine and the Alligator Farm to see what, if any,  damage the recent hurricane produced.  The alligators didn't look any the worse for wear.  The birds, however, were another matter.  It appeared the high winds had stripped most of the limbs of their carefully built nests.  And blew nearly all the residents out of the area.  We wonder if the avian nest owners will return to rebuild. 

The color green and a warning

Green heron and camouflage

Be careful

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's a bit early in the season to expect a lot of birds at our favorite viewing / photographing spots but our Friday trip to Viera Wetlands turned out fine.  There were a lot of the usual characters and a few who usually don't make an appearance where you can  photograph them.
     The green heron is usually a recluse.  We got lucky.  The info sign tells you all you need to know about watching how close to the water and weeds  you get and what to watch for. Of course, a good 50% or more of the photographers out were pushing their luck.

Crunch time

Crunch time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - After waiting nearly three weeks one of the FEMA work trucks started clearing the hurricane debris from our street.  There's a second trailer behind the one you see with a total capacity of 100 cubic yards.  The trucks filled quickly; left for an off-load destination where the debris was ground  into wood chips and then returned for another load...about 10 trips per  team per day.  The individual; operating the loader was very good.  We didn't have much to rake/sweep up after they moved on to the next house.

Hurricane to Veterans Day to meal time

Hurricane Matthew left our back yard covered in debris

It's hard to see the length/height of the debris piles...and they are still here

Showing the colors (Ormond Bridge) on Veterans Day

Lunch Time!! A great blue heron deciding on which wine to have with fish