Monday Bird Blues for Ed’s challenge

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge, is ‘Blue’. He asks us to find something other that blue sea and blue sky, so I decided that the Great Blue Heron, the ‘King of the Pond’, would be quite a fitting subject. He’s almost always there when I look out, and has a few different guises, depending on his mood.

He can look sleek and very regal.

Sometimes he’s all fluffed up and looking very intense as he eyes his prey.

“Oh dear, I  just lost a feather; must be the stressful life I lead.”

Here, he seems to have somehow mislaid his long neck, and looks very grumpy about it.

He can also look as pleased as punch when he’s just caught the ideal-sized piece of sushi.

Which of his looks do you like the most?

To see more blue posts, or to participate in Ed’s challenge,  just click here.

Peaceful in my back yard for Jake.

Jake has asked us this week to do a peaceful post. I hope that you find that most of my posts are peaceful, with the possible exception of the jackhammering and the parasailing, ones. 🙂

Today, whilst hubby was busy again in the kitchen, building cupboards, not cooking, I took a walk outside to see what was going in in our peaceful neck of the woods.

The only sound was of the wind gently rustling the palm fronds, and not a single person was to be seen. The only inhabitants of the lakeside, were the birds. The Great Blue Heron seems to be the kingpin around here, and he stood meditating by the water’s edge for quite a while,

before marching off to see what was potting a bit further down.

His friend, the Anhinga was busy drying his wings, and didn’t want to chat to anyone.

and the duck family were practising their  swimming, up near the golf course,

under the watchful eye of mom and dad.

The Wood Stork was umm…… just stalking around, 🙂

and then there was a bit of action, closely watched by the Ibis.

Mr. Great Blue decided to go over to the other side of the lake, and catch himself some breakfast too.

Yummy  sushi  is his favourite dish.

The most peaceful creature of all though, was Lizzie lizard, who just sat motionless, waiting for her breakfast insects to venture near.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my peaceful morning in my back yard. To see more takes on Jake’s theme, as well as his own amazing images, just click here.