Heron for Wednesday 01-13-16

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Wednesday.  It's time to go back to the water and visit with the Herons.  Well, one Heron anyway.   He added a little color to an otherwise drab scene.  I was one lucky gal to catch him on camera so closely from my kayak.  Usually he would have flown away with me this close. 

I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday.  Thanks for Heron watching with me.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Looker

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello Monday.  Yes, you're right - I do like herons. I've posted many of them on here.  And this one is a real looker.  He's gorgeous to me.  This may be one of the very rare times that I've gotten a photo from my kayak that is so sharp.   I love looking at it, I just don't have that much to say about it.  I just keep looking. I hope you enjoy it, too.

In the meantime, I hope you've had a great Monday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Trio

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello on Wednesday.  Here's a trio of young herons looking out for you.  This is one of the rare occasions where I saw all three taking in the view.  These babies will leave the nest soon.  I am very fortunate to have been able to see and photograph them this year.  I will go out again this weekend to see if they're still around - six weeks or so is about all the time they need to get ready to leave the nest and it's been that long already.  Maybe they'll be grateful for all their mom has done for them and want to stay around a little longer.  I know I'm grateful every time I see them.

I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday.  I hope you've found something to be grateful for today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Visit

Copyright AJ Horton


Sunday's visiting day with family.  At least that's the way it was when I grew up - maybe you did as well.  So today, in honor of that tradition, I visited the family of herons that I've been following the last few weeks.  There were more motor boats with skiers today than normally so my little kayak was rocking a lot of the time I was out this morning.  As I was nearing the nest I saw Moe and Larry looking out, and then I looked at one of the personal docks nearby and see their mama.  She didn't mind standing still for me.  She was watching out for her babies.  She was making sure they were safe.  She knows they will "graduate" from the nest soon and wants to make sure they have a good start in life,  Or at least make it that far.  I only saw Moe and Larry today, so I can't confirm Daryl is still in there.  He is the shy one, remember?  I didn't see him and now I worry because I haven't noticed her that close to the nest in the weeks I've been visiting.  I know she's been close, just not as close.  And, while I was wondering why I saw a red tailed hawk flying over.  I was glad to see a red tailed hawk but then I remembered - hawks are a natural predator for heron babies.  Then I worried about the babies in the nest,  And so I looked more fervently for Daryl.  Still, I didn't see him, hopefully he's just hiding from all the noise and waves of the boats.   I comfort myself with, "I'll probably see him next week".
Meanwhile, the herons' mother will stay close by and watch over all three.  She will be attentive even when they don't realize she's watching.  It's all in a day's work when you're a mom.
I hope your Sunday was everything you wanted it to be.  Maybe you even visited with friends and/or family.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Mothers' Day to all!  I found this treasure of Great Blue Heron and her chick earlier this week and knew I had found my Mothers' Day pic.  This young one will be able to fly in 60-90 days after birth, so I don't have much more time to enjoy them in the nest.  Everyone has to spread their wings and fly away at some point.
I hope every mother out there today has a great Mothers' Day.  If your mother is still living, remember to go see her, or give her a call and let her know how much she means to you.
Enjoy your Sunday!  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday Look Out

Copyright AJ Horton

It's Saturday so we're not home.  We've got places to go, things to do, people to help, people to play with, people to enjoy!  Saturdays are fun days.  The things we need to do at home will get done, just not on this Saturday.  And this guy in the tree is on the look out for more fun - or he's looking out to see when we get home.  Maybe he's looking out to make sure we're safe.  Maybe his fun is sitting in that tree.  Maybe he doesn't care.   Maybe I enjoy looking at him and making up things he could be thinking about or even if he thinks.  No matter, I had a great Saturday!
I hope that you, too, had a great Saturday.  Saturdays only come around once a week so you better make the best of it.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Misty Thursday Morning

Copyright AJ Horton

Thursdays are special days.  And even more special if you're lucky enough to rise early and go to the river because you just might find something extraordinary.  This mist was formed because cooler air passed over the warm water.  I have found this happens most in spring or fall.  Those are the two best times of the year to get out of bed early as far as I'm concerned.  I really enjoy misty mornings and even more so when there's a heron around.

I hope you've enjoyed your Thursday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Call

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

"Hey everybody, it's Wednesday!  Come fishing with me, the water's fine."  Wouldn't that be a great thing to do today?  Forget everything you have to do today and just go fishing?  I think I would take my camera and go out looking for photo ops.  What would you do?  Would you want to stay in bed?  Would you want to go shopping?  Watch TV all day?  Hang out with friends?  Or would you rather work?  Just keep your same routine?  That's all right.  Today, in my world, anything goes and we can do or be anything we want.  So go out today and give it your best.  Enjoy your Wednesday.  It's the only one you're going to get this week.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Two

  

Copyright AJ Horton

I know there are more than 2 herons in the tree but I want to view only the two most prominent.  Especially the one that seems to say, "Hey, if you go out fishing, will you bring me back some?"  The other one appears to ignore him.  It was nice that they posed for a while because it's pretty hard to get a steady picture when you're photographing from a kayak.  I do love my camera and take great care to keep it dry during kayaking.

I hope you all had a great Tuesday and that you are now enjoying the scene.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow. 

Sunday Evidence

Copyright AJ Horton

I found the evidence.  Spring is coming.  It felt like spring here today, so we took the kayaks out to Allison Creek in SC.   What a great time!  The herons were nesting so we saw many of those and look at the buds we found!  Proof that the rumors are true.  Spring is in the air and it is coming.  Yippee!  You know what that means?  More outdoor activities like kayaking, planting flowers, and cookouts.  What a wonderful Sunday.

I hope that you, too, had a great Sunday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.