Egret fishing.....

We went to Goose Pond on Friday and saw all sorts of wonderful things....however, my photos were not good of most of them.  A frustrating day, but still a great one.

We saw lots of Egrets and this one had been standing around not doing much.  Suddenly he took off very purposely.....

....it had spotted something and was ready to strike.

Got it!

A good sized fish.

The Egret struggled with it for several minutes getting it under control.

Then the swallowing begins....

......half way in.....

.....last bit down.....

Look at the neck bulge....gag!

A drink or two to wash it down. (don't know how it can bend its neck at this point!)

All done!  One well stuffed egret! 

********

 I'm glad I got the photos when I did, because right afterwards a Harrier (we think) flew through and sent egrets, ducks and heron flying in all directions.  And two adult Bald Eagles flew through the whole mess also behind the Harrier!  One of the many photos that I didn't get!  Sounds like a "fish story"...right....the ones that got away? 

Last left-overs.....

I'm tired of butterflies and want to see some birds!  It seems like I have not taken many bird photos lately.  I went back through my most recent folders and found a few birds that I haven't posted and a few other odds and ends.  I guess I'd better get out with the camera somewhere soon!

This little Carolina Wren came to the suet cage one day.  They are not happy about my dead tree being gone.  I think they feel more exposed and less protected.  I miss having my birds come right up by the front door for their food.  Need to plant a new tree soon!

He was nervous but finally ate some suet......after lots of looking around.

This little Titmouse was very wary, too.  I wonder if I have a hawk hanging around again.

I love Titmice and hope to see more of them this winter.

"The cost if clear....I'll go get some food now!"

I call this one "Duck Armada".  I liked the patterns they were making on the water.

A molting Goldfinch....looks a bit ashamed of his condition, hiding his head from me :-)

This heron was over in Henderson, KY.  We were hoping for more water birds that day, but this was all we saw. 

Another heron at Blue Grass.....keeping watch.

Ducks at the wetlands

I thought this flower was interesting looking, but couldn't figure out how to get a good photo of it. No idea what it is.

Wasp

Asters

I really need to get out and find some birds!  I've been out a couple times hoping to see some warblers, but haven't found any yet.

Toads and frogs and turtles.....

I've taken several photos recently of toads or frogs.

I believe this is an Eastern American Toad.....the most common one around.  I thought his little green patches were very pretty :-)

Sometimes we can spot little tiny frogs in the duckweed at the wetlands.  This little guy is barely sticking out of the weeds, but I saw him jump so I knew he was there!

The wetlands is a good place to find Tree Frogs, too.  We saw four of them one day.  They like the Button Bush so we always check it as we walk by.  This one was over in Henderson the day we went there.  It looks large in this photo, but they are only about an inch long.

The back view

And of course I always find turtles.  Not as many as in the spring, but there are still some on the logs usually. The one in front must have just come from the duckweed.....or he is trying to blend in.

The yellowish shell on this one was different from most of those we see.

This one didn't see me until I had gotten a nice close-up.

Fungi, lichen......

Fungi isn't something I know much about, but I have been seeing a lot of variety lately!

On a tree at the wetlands

These were growing along the edge of a huge pile of mulch.

I thought their patterns were neat where they "crack".

A couple more shots of those orange ones.   They look like a stack of pancakes.

Very pretty :-)

This mass of white is on a dead tree at our house.

I wish I could have gotten closer to these!  I shot this through a fence. Look at the tops of them where they are bumpy.  Wonder how they look when they are first opening up.  They were very big!

These little common ones are in my yard :-)

Orange, orange, orange!.....

It seems like everywhere I went this past week, I kept finding orange things.

We saw this tree in Henderson, KY covered in orange fungi.

The day before I had seem some at home.....very colorful!

The orange Viceroy butterfly seems to be about a lot right now.

Jewelweed!  Also known as Touch-me-not.  Supposedly if rubbed on poison ivy it will take away the itch.

The Sycamore leaves along the lake at Mouteau Park were turning orange.

Most of our leaves have not begun to turn color yet, but we should have a lot of orange in the maples soon.

The orange belly of the Fox Squirrel. 

The orange breast of the American Robin.

I watched a dozen or so looking through the leaves and grass at the park.

I think this one looks sort of young.

This one, too.

An adult on the post.

While looking for a dresser today, I noticed this sign and thought it was very clever.  Then I realized it was also Orange!

And finally....I have been working on an orange quilt top and just finished it.  I started this during the winter when I was really cold and thought maybe working on a "hot" orange quilt would make me feel warmer.  I wasn't sure I would ever finish it, but I love how it turned out.  I think that I am tired of orange for the moment.....well, unless there is some orange sherbet in the house??