The Owl Returns (and a few others for me)

 HOT HOT HOT yesterday (4/21/24)

Pool early, walked home soaked (to stay cool) then the WORST 4PM Mets game EVER... so I needed a walk.
I sat by the water for a while -  finally a BREEZE!  I saw this lovely guy:

Tri-colored Heron

Can I get al little closer without scaring him?

I CAN!  I'm STEALTH hahahahahaha

While watching Tri, I saw one - or maybe two anhinga doing their Snake-Bird thing!

Next was the Great Blue Heron

But, apparently, I was NOT AS STEALTH! 

It was so breezy, I THOUGHT I might be able to take a little stroll.  I walked down by the anhinga nest -  maybe the babies would be around somewhere -  nope.  (But I do think that one - or were there two - swimming could have been them.)

Of course, while this was happening -  I had one eye on the sky -  the clouds, the moon -  all awesome!

OK -  so there were no babies by the old nest BUTTTTTTTTT -  while looking up at the moon again, I hear a cacophony of Blue Jays -  I follow the sound and GUESS WHO??????   (or should I say GUESS HOOOOOOOOOOOT)

Blue Jays were dive-bombing this guy.  

He finally hopped off to hide from them... but BOY WAS I HAPPY!! 
I have not seen him since February!  

When I sent this to Kenny he said "MOM!  You can see his PANTS!  They NEVER SHOW THEIR PANTS!)  hahahaha   

And finally, for Suzy -  if you're still reading.  This morning I walked past that "dead, old stick tree".  It's GLORIOUS! (the photo is lacking, but it really catches your eye while walking by!)

That's it for now.  A rainy day is expected -  We'll see!

Who Knew So Many Things Would Come Along?

 So another day -  another NEW BIRD!!

Watching the Mets game -  A LONG SLOG that they eventually WON -  but sitting on the couch and needing a break because all the bones hurt, I stood up and looked out the glass doors, through the dirty lanai windows -  out into the GAZILLION DEGREE afternoon -  and I see a duck.  Wait. I see TWO DUCKS... and what are they???  WOOD DUCKS!!  Where's my camera - wait who just hit a homerun - forget about it-  WHERE IS MY CAMERA???? THERE ARE WOOD DUCKS!!  hahahahahah

There actually were a pair of males?  Hmmmm.  Whatever.  So I took a bunch of shots and got a couple decent ones -  this one was the best of the lot.  OK.  Back to the game.

The game is over -  WE WON!  It was really tense and extremely exciting and every bone and muscle hurt again from sitting so long -  I look out that same window and WHAT IS THAT?!?!?!?   

THE BLACK SKIMMER?!??!!   I grabbed the camera (I really wanted to make a stop in the bathroom, but I knew I'd miss it if I did) slipped on my shoes and headed out the door -  This thing flies like lightning -  MOST of my photos are blurry lol... but I have to post them here to remember.  I put the camera on "PEW-PEW-PEW" shooting mode and aimed as best I could.  This guy flew back and forth and up and around.  They drag their beaks in the water (hence the name skimmer) and it was fascinating to watch! 

He left a trail where his beak was skimming the water -  SO COOL!

Fuzzy, but I have to share  -  he was, in a word, GLORIOUS! 

And so, to close I'll say "Good Night Sun"

Good Night, Moon (actually, hello, moon since you were just rising)

Just a couple things that happened and missed YOU, Suzy.

Vista Minus Suzy

Today was the first day at Vista without our 4th -  our speaker-outer - our smiling, laughing friend.  She is only 1,327.3 miles away in Okemos, Meridian Charter Township, MI, but she is already missed.

I'll use this forum to post the photos of the things that Suzy has missed.  With or without explanation -  here's DAY ONE WITHOUT... 

It was our regular day for cards.  We are addicted to cards -  but I really think we're addicted to each other. Sandy was a terrific fill in -  and I hope she'll do it again!

But here are the photos -  that's what we've been waiting for -  

Sandy and Mary Rose v. Lorraine and Nancy

Lorraine and I were so far behind -  I figured WHY THE HELL NOT! hahahahaha   We gained 4500 points but still lost the overall battle.  STILL FUN!!!!

BUT BEFORE cards - on the walk over -  I spotted THESE GUYS!

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks over there... 

and MORE Black-bellied Whistling Ducks over THERE... 

And - OH SO COOL -  Mr. Glossy Ibis TRYING to hide out
in the mob of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

And so ends the collection of photos from today.

Oh.. There was also this across the street from Suzy's Condo -  
OOOOOOOOOH So pretty!

Happy Friday!

:) 

Oh... and Tommy Gent AND Armando (officially Armand Alfred Bianco) BOTH own the condo.