Yesterday, en route home from Baghdad By the Bay, I spotted, right off the highway - a large flock of egrets. The birds were wading in the shallow wetlands approaching Sacramento. Egret sighting is not uncommon, yet somehow it's always a bit startling (to me) to come upon these birds in their natural habitat.
I'm always impressed by the stark contrast of an egret's sharp white outline against the muted browns and grays of the slough or lagoon waters where they're often found fishing. In settings such as these, the birds appear to be white cardboard cut-out shapes...
Just about thirty years ago (no, HolyMoly, could it really be 30!?!) HD, DollinkDaughterLLS and I resided on the edge of the Marina Lagoon. That was when we 'lived amongst egrets'.
We could walk out the backyard gate or take a look from our (second story bedroom) window and see the big snowy white birds cavorting, alongside quick moving little black coots in the lagoon/on the shore some yards from our fence.
The fishing was fine, and in addition to egrets and coots, various other shorebirds frequented the lagoon as well.
Pelicans and seagulls circled above, keeping a keen eye on the surface of the water. Sand crabs would inadvertently make their way onto the shallow sand bar, and the birds would swoop down and tuck into a meal.
Much educational fun was had by DollinkDaughterLLS and her parents when they lived in this area and learned a bit about Bay Area flora and fauna. DDLLS loved taking walks along the lagoon and searching for tiny crabs on the shoreline...
Ah - you gotta give it up for the cheap thrills.
With this brief shorebird sighting, how totally engrossed (and easily entertained) I could become with fond thoughts of good times past...
Life really is all about the making of little memorable moments, isn't it?
5 comments:
I must have been at the store.
No, jrs, you were just a twinkle in your parents' eyes.
We have a few that visit our back yard randomly throughout the week. They are cattle egrets... used o help keep flies of the catlle, but still a beautious site at about 24" high. And I love when they take flight... they flap their wings oh so slowly... it looks as though they are flying in slow motion.
Cattle egrets - native to the islands or brought over with the cattle?
How did they get there and why and how have they developed to cope with the environment?
It's so fascinating to study the why and wherefore of plant and animal life within any given region.
Check it out:
http://kilaueapoint.org/education
/naturefocus/hnf10/index.html
COOL!
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