I frequently drive past an amusing spot. It amuses me because this large area has three distinct sections. First, there is a small woodsy preserve, then a marshy preserve, and finally a good-sized plot where they'll probably build a shopping center. Smack in the middle of the marsh, there is a bare tree with large nests, and I noticed a big bird in there while driving past, but it's not in an area that is easy to pull over and park, so I did not get a good look at it until Friday. I was driving in the opposite direction, and I had assumed that it was a silhouette of a heron or egret.
.
Friday morning, anticipating a bird in that tree, I found a place to pull over. Then, I put the biggest lens on the camera, mounted it on the tripod, and hauled that across a dangerous street. It's four lanes of 40 mph in a spot where the road curves. (40 mph posted means the cars really go 50 or more*) It felt like playing Frogger, but I made it across and back and lived to tell the story, so that's good, right?.
Now, when I was across this street, I came to a construction fence. Long story short, there was no way to get any closer to the bird I was looking at. The sun was behind me, and I could see now, that it was no silhouette, but that my bird was black. Maybe a vulture, I thought. I snapped a few pics, and when I got to the office, I tried to identify it. It is a Double-crested Cormorant. I have never noticed that bird here before, but maybe I just wasn't looking..
On Saturday, I saw one on a lake. That would have been a nice one, if I could get it. Plus, it was in a spot where I didn't have to endanger my life, trying to get to it. I pulled over and it immediately flew away. (grrr...) Not wanting to waste an opportunity, I took pics of some Mallards. Then I saw them... up in a tree. There were four of them taking a mid-morning nap. I stood at the closest bank across the little lake and captured the image below. It's not perfect, but better than what I got the day before. It would have been so cool to get a fishing shot. Maybe another time..
[click to enlarge]
*Metric conversion: 40 mph = 64 kph, and 50 mph = 80 kph
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