Photos under the Sun

Southwest Florida Pet and Wildlife Photography

Monthly Archives: March 2009

All’s Well That…

Saturday, March 28, 2009 Posted in Wildlife

…ends well! Back to our anhinga saga: last time we saw them, Dante was having a hissy fit with Beatrice. He thought she might have succumbed to the charms of Hunkhinga, the playbird of the quartier. Beatrice flew off in a huff and left Dante to his inane blathering.

[caption id="attachment_366" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""What have I done, Dio mio, I've chased away my bella Beatrice. Maybe Sungret can help me?""]

"What have I done, Dio mio, I've chased away my bella Beatrice. Maybe Sungret can help me?"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_367" align="aligncenter" width="865" caption=""Oh, Dante, you are such an eejit - go ask 'er forgeeevness""]

[/caption]

Beatrice is also in pain:

[caption id="attachment_368" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Poh, dot Dante, he such eeediot, when I hev time for Hunkhinga? Poh!""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_369" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""O, Dante you beeeeg cretino, eeeediot!""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_370" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Oh, amore mio, bella, bellezza Beatrice, I know I am a big, fat, huge, cretino eejit idiot. Can you forgive me, carissima?""]

"Oh, amore mio, bella, bellezza Beatrice, I know I am a big, fat, huge, cretino eejit idiot. Can you forgive me, carissima?"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_371" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="'Eh, mebbe but uuuu not tok of Hunkhinga iver agin, non?""]

[/caption]

And, as in all good fairy tales…

[caption id="attachment_372" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""All's well, that ends well.""]

[/caption]

The White Pelicans at Ding Darling will fly north soon and in a few months we’ll (hopefully) see the Roseate Spoonbills return to the ponds. Here are some of those beautiful birds that are such a welcome sight.

[caption id="attachment_373" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""How fun is this, y'all?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Oh, yesss! The water is perfect for dipping today.""] "Oh, yesss! The water is perfect for dipping today."

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_375" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""OK! All together now: one, two, three - DIP!"] "OK! All together now: one, two, three - DIP!

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_376" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""AW! COME ON, Patricia, stop messing up our number.""]

[/caption]

Meanwhile, It’s the time of year when we have many brush fires that threaten people’s homes. The Fire Departments in the surrounding counties are working long hours to keep people safe and we send our thanks to them.

Soon, the rains will come and freshen up our dried-out earth and all will be well again! Until next time, have a safe and fun-filled life.

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Money and Credit May Be in Short Supply These Days…

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Posted in 'Snice, Wildlife

…but the coffers of love at the rookery are overflowing. Back in January, I showed two Great Blue Herons who were doing their mating dance and building a nest. Well, here they are again with more new arrivals. I got nosy and found out their names: Hattie and Harry. I was told that Billiebird was one of their first and that he’s now down on Sanibel Island where Sol soon hopes to join him. Back to Hattie and Harry: This time they’ve got the nesting routine down so well that they have the leisure to go “shopping” for toys instead of furniture. Let’s take a look:

[caption id="attachment_349" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Those two fuzz balls in the bottom center are some of the new arrivals"]

Those two fuzz balls in the bottom center are the new arrivals

[/caption]

And here are Harry and Hattie with their new arrival:

[caption id="attachment_350" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Hattie, Hattie, look what I found on sale.""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_351" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Harry, you outdid yerself, so ya did.""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_352" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Oh, Harry, it's sooooo beautiful and not a ding in it yet!""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_353" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Hattie babe, ya think ya can handle it?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_354" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Handle it? I can lift 40 Kgs now, gimme that." "Ouch, Hattie, you almost dislocated my beak!""]

"Handle it? I can lift 40 Kgs now, gimme that." "Ouch, Hattie, you almost dislocated my beak!"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_355" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Look what your Dad got you - a new swing set. Isn't it B E A U T I F U L!""]

[/caption]

Meanwhile, Moongret, our beautiful male Great Egret was adding a few touches to the nest and keeping busy with nest chores. Nearby, Sol, our brave juvie was having a fit of nerves before his first flight. Moongret couldn’t help having a quiet chuckle (how soon we forget!) at Sol’s distress. But the noble egret came through and decided to give little Sol some much needed support.

[caption id="attachment_356" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Hey, Sungret - is this overkill or should we donate it to some egret who needs it?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_357" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Yeah, I think we'll give it to the new 'grets down the bush - they look like they're just starting out!""]

"Yeah, I think we'll give it to the new 'grets down the bush - they look like they're just starting out!"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_358" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Oh, Sol, you crack me up with your what-ifs - just take a deep breath and fly already.""] "Oh, Sol - just take a deep breath and fly already."

"Oh, Sol - just take a deep breath and fly already."

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_359" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Sheesh, what am I thinkin' -- I went through the same thing myself. Hey, Sol - I'll help show ya the way.""] "Sheesh, what am I thinkin' -- I went through the same thing myself. Hey, Sol - I'll help show ya the way."

"Sheesh, what am I thinkin' -- I went through the same thing myself. Hey, Sol - I'll help show ya the way."

[/caption]

So, help one another and scatter the joy and love to the four winds. Next time we’ll catch up with the Anhinga saga.

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For Me, It Was Love at First Sight…

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Posted in Pets

…unfortunately, that love goes unrequited. I met him the other night after a wonderful wedding on the beach. Here he is: Winston, the object of my affection.
winstonone-1
I mean, really, how could you NOT fall in love with him. I left him with a growing club of adoring fans who couldn’t wait to fall under his spell.

winstontwo-1

And here’s a butterfly for my sister, Brigitte.

yellowbutterfly-1

Be back soon with more news of the goings-on at the rookery!

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Fear Is Seeping into Every Crevice…

Saturday, March 21, 2009 Posted in Wildlife

…of our lives lately – just look at Sol, our Great Blue Heron Juvie. Some of us could do with a lesson from his experience. Let’s watch:

[caption id="attachment_315" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""I'm soooooo excited - les parents told me to try out mes wings today""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_316" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""I'm a little scared - Sil and Sul think I can do it, but...""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_317" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""What if I fall in the water like Billiebird, suppose my wings don't spread, an' oh! there's a GREAT big alligator down there...""]

"What if I fall in the water like Billiebird, suppose my wings don't spread, an' oh! there's a GREAT big alligator down there..."

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_318" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Bon! Enough of the fears and tremblies. I gotta hold the head up ...""] "Bon! Enough of the fears and tremblies. I gotta hold the head up ..."

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Spread a wing or two, say a prayer, suck in the gut an...""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Voila! I'm king of the world""] "I'm king of the world"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Let's go -- hey, Moongret, wait for meeeee.""] "Let's go -- hey, Moongret, wait for meeeee."

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_324" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Yahoo, I'm king of the sky, I can fly. Oh, scary but Sil, Sul and les parents must be so proud of me. Yoohoo y'all.""]

"Yahoo, I'm king of the sky, I can fly. Oh, scary but Sil, sul and les parents must be so proud of me. Yoohoo y'all."

[/caption]

So, why don’t we all take a deep breath, be cautious, let go … and SOAR. IT IS FANTASTIC when you let go of fear.

We’ll get back to Sungret and Moongret, our Great Egret couple next week. They said to say “Hi” and relate the great news of a close relative living nearby. Say hello to Shinybeakgret:

[caption id="attachment_325" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Hey, Shinybeakgret, d'ya drop something?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_326" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, someone's gettin' Tiffany for their birthday!""]

[/caption]

Last time I wrote about the goings on at the rookery, I showed some photos of a gorgeous Anhinga. Well, things have developed in the Anhinga sphere. I found out some information on them: his name is Dante and her name is – wait for it – Beatrice; but the plot is muddied by the interference of Hunkhinga who is SUCH a playbird of the western world!!! He’s flirting with all the anhinga signorinas at the rookery. Last time we saw Dante, he was scanning the horizon in despair for a sighting of his beloved Beatrice. But things got messy, as we shall see:

[caption id="attachment_327" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Che?@#$ ... is that Hunkhinga I see before mine eyes?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_328" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""O Dio, Have I lost my cara Beatrice to that playbird?""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""My heart, my heart, il mio cuore is broken into tiny, winy, wooney bits. Oh! I can't go on!""]

"My heart, my heart, il mio cuore is broken into tiny, winy, wooney bits. Oh! I can't go on!"

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_331" align="aligncenter" width="895" caption=""Che? Is that mi amore coming? Back to Meeee? Must get into the mating dance stance.'"] "Che? Is that mi amore coming? Back to Meeee? Must get into the mating dance stance.'

"Che? Is that mi amore coming? Back to Meeee? Must get into the mating dance stance.'

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Beatrice, amore mia, ti amo, ti amo, I love you, love you carissima but why, why ...Hunkhinga???""]

[/caption] [caption id="attachment_332" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Dante: "Sheesh, I turn my back to get some fish an' you let that ladro Hunkhinga chirp all over ya?" Beatrice: "I weel not tok to uuu when uuu like dis.""] Dante: "So, I turn my back to get some fish an' you let that ladro Hunkhinga chirp all over ya?" Beatrice: "I weel not tok to uuu when uuu like dis."

Dante: "So, I turn my back to get some fish an' you let that ladro Hunkhinga chirp all over ya?" Beatrice: "I weel not tok to uuu when uuu like dis."

[/caption]

Ah! the green eye of jealousy and how futile! We hope that the lovebirds will make up.

Next time the saga will continue; we’ll take a look at some white pelicans over at Ding Darling; and we’ll get back to Sungret and Moongret. Meanwhile, hold up that head, stick your wings up high and FLY.

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