- HERONS & EGRETS & LOONS. OH MY! -

Great Blue Heron hunting for breakfast!

Early morning low tides brings out the Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Loons, Cormorants, Pelicans and anything else that is looking for breakfast.  During the low tides the rocks and grassy areas are exposed to some degree and the wading birds show up in force to see what they can catch.

Great Blue Heron on the search.

Yesterday I was grateful to see a Great Blue Heron turn his/her head to the side, make a quick stab and pull its head out of the water with a fish in its bill.  She maneuvered it so it could be swallowed easily.  A rinse of the mouth and off to more fishing.  

This morning I observed the same thing and during the time I was watching her there was a 90% success rate for her efforts.  Quite impressive and amazing to watch.  

Great Blue Heron enjoying success!!!

The Snowy Egrets were less agitated this morning and they give way to the Heron.  The Great Egrets seem to space themselves strategically so they can do their fishing without interfering with anyone else.

Two Snowy and two Great Egrets.

The sound of the Snowy Egret is kind of a low keyed warbled gargle.  Very odd sound.  The Heron and Egret do more of a low sounding honk/bark.  Also a very odd sound.  All of these birds are so elegant in how they move in the water, on the rocks and as they fly.  I could observe them for hours.  (And I have!)

After having two days of soupy, drippy and dense fog, it has cleared and we have had several days of clear, sunny, calm weather.  It has still been foggy on some of the nights and this leaves moisture on everything in the mornings.

Snowy Egrets fluffed up arguing over space to fish.

One of the first things I need to do when I get to Sacramento is to wash my home.  It is extremely dirty from the fog, rain and wind combinations.  I think it is still white under the several layers of who knows what.  There are no places here to wash it (since I am almost eleven and a half feet tall) so I must wait until I leave.

It is amazing to realize I will be leaving in a week.  I have settled in so well here.  I am getting excited about visiting a few campgrounds that are on my list and seeing more of the country.  I continue to feel fairly certain this is where I will return when all is said and done.  Sounds good to me.

Egrets and otters!

I took the bus to Cayucos yesterday for the dentist appointment.  All went well.  I included a walk through the local candy/ice cream store (I was successful in only looking), strolled out on the pier, walked along the beach and had a delightful lunch at the Sea Shanty.  All this and I made the return bus on time.  

I walked to the grocery store and was unable to find one of those hand carry baskets, so just carried the few items to the register.  When I asked the clerk about this he explained that people have been stealing them.  I am certain my jaw was on the floor.

Great Blue Heron shaking off after eating his/her catch.

What in the world would people want with these baskets?  He continued saying that people take their groceries out to the car and fail to return the baskets.  You know what this means.  No more little baskets in the stores.  They are probably a bit more expensive to replace than paper bags.

Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret waiting & watching!

Since San Luis Obispo County has gone plastic bag free, and the stores are charging five to ten cents for paper bags I suspect people are doing whatever they feel they can get away with and probably think they are getting back at the stores.  Well, this affects all of us who like to use the smaller basket when getting just a few items.  Now all of us will be using the larger carts unless we can manage carrying our items in our hands.  Gets interesting though if you get something frozen.


The large kite weekend is upon us beginning tomorrow.  I will do my best to take pictures that are clear.  Hard to do with moving targets.  It is predicted to be awesome weather.  Hopefully there will be enough wind so it is a good kite flying day for all.  Sounds like fun.

Great Blue Heron just watching!

Happy Birthday, Elida!

Happy Birthday, Mary!

  

"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.

There need be no trouble.

Treat men alike.

Give them all the same law.

Give them all an even chance to live and grow.

All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief.

They are all brothers.

The earth is the mother of all people

and all people should have equal rights upon it."

-  Chief Joseph

Enjoy your peace!