As you may know, last week was the last of the fifty-two views of the Gulf. By popular demand, that feature was retired in favor of some random shots of what I’m calling the neighborhood. Of course, I don’t anticipate photos of my neighbors and their houses. I do think the concept of the neighborhood could expand into the town proper and surrounding environs. With that in mind here is the first of three photos.
The bird in the photo is a Heron we have named Peggy. In this picture, she looks like she is moving but she is standing still. Peggy broke her leg about three years ago and all efforts to capture and help her have been for naught. As you can see, she does just fine, and we are pleased to have her on our section of beach. She doesn’t like tourists so much but who can blame her.
Here is a shot of another Heron who has decided to use our walkover as a lookout post. He used to sit on the markers but feels the walkover gives him some additional altitude so is much preferred. By the way, I haven’t really discussed his perching preference with him, so I’m not sure of his reasons. Since I’m a fiction writer when I’m not sure, I make stuff up.
When I went to interview him, he decided I had a sinister look about me and took to wing. I guess we will have to be satisfied with my reason for using the walkway sign.
Hope you all have a lovely week.
Fiction Favorites 
Tee-hee! I loved the herons. And it’s close enough for #DrawABirdDay. So what if you “drew” with your camera. 😀 Great start for this feature, John. Mega hugs
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Hey. Never thought of the camera angle. Okay I complied with #DrawABirdDay. Thanks for the support Teagan. Hugs
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Great post. I love herons…such beauty in flight.
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I agree they are very noble. Thanks Barb for the visit. 🙂
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Cool shots, John.
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Thank you, Mary. So nice of you to visit and comment. 🙂
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Poor Peggy! I look forward to seeing your spin on the “neighbourhood ” John!
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Thanks Lynn. Peggy is doing very well. She know a thing or two about fishing.
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The second heron is watching for unregistered golf carts. A tough job, but somebody has to do it.
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He is an attack heron.
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He needs his own theme song.
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Up in the air junior bird man, up in the air upside down.
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So does that heron swoop down and attack golf unauthorized golf cart drivers?
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I wish. Ha ha ha
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Good morning, John,
I appreciate the idea of the (extended) neighbourhood pictures. 🙂 Those herons are always great motifs, aren’t they? Maybe when we were in Port A the last time [this January], we saw the same one(s) [http://tinyurl.com/gw4erf9]. I also like to capture pelicans, btw [http://tinyurl.com/hv4tt5a].
Have a great Sunday,
Pit
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Since we are at pole 40 and your bird is at 70 I think they may be cousins. Beautiful shot. I love that open mouth Pelican. Great shot.
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Ok, cousins then. 🙂 Thanks for the favourable remarks as to my pics.
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You take wonderful pictures. I need to invest in a nice camera.
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Thanks, John. I’m thinking of a new one, too. My present DSLR is pretty old by now and sometimes ailing. Quite frequently it doesn’t recognize the SD-card in it. Only after taking the card out and putting it back in again. But I can’t decide which new camera I want.It’s either the Nikon D7200 or the D5300.
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I think either would be good.
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True. I’ll just have to make up my mind.
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Flip a coin.
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LOL
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🙂
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Thanks Bee.
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I love that advice. When you don’t know the answer, make stuff up. I’m going to apply that to my life now. The folks around me are in for a wild ride.
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Ha ha ha. Been doing it for four years now and so far so good.:-)
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Those are some pretty nice looking neighbors you have, John. What’s the registration fee for a golf cart?
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It is $30 dollars plus you must prove liability insurance of $250,000. We only have about twenty carts registered so far.
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What a great start to your new series. Herons are such interesting creatures. We live in a neighborhood that has a seven-acre lake that feeds into to smaller lakes. We live on the seven-acre lake. We have herons that live on the lake and it is so much fun to watch these amazing birds stalk their dinner. Some of the fish they catch and swallow are gigantic for the herons’ size.
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I know right? I love to watch them flip the fish so it goes down head first. Thanks Michelle.
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I hope you and yours have a great week also, John. Good pictures. I like the birds. They seem to like your place. I’m looking forward to the next views of your neighborhood. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks Susanne. I’ll have to keep my eyes open through out the week.
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Sorry to hear about poor Peggy. Does the other heron have a name or is he not a resident yet?
Looks a beautiful part of the world. I rather like the pink building in the distance.
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He does not have a name as yet. There is a Heron about every two tenths of a mile. They are very territorial and It is hard to spot some differences so that a name could be applied. Peggy is different of course. Yes that pink building is a condo down the beach a ways.
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Herons are just about my favourite birds – love to see them fly! 😀
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They are so graceful. We have a Great Blue that comes in for a landing on our pond after dark. He swoops in and gives a big “GAK” which always unnerves us.
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Looks like a great neighborhood, John. Enjoyed meeting Peggy!
Ron
On Sun, Apr 10, 2016 at 2:00 AM, Fiction Favorites wrote:
> John W. Howell posted: “As you may know, last week was the last of the > fifty-two views of the Gulf. By popular demand, that feature was retired in > favor of some random shots of what I’m calling the neighborhood. Of course, > I don’t anticipate photos of my neighbors and their hous” >
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Thanks Ron. By the way I didn’t tell you but I used to work for Bayer A.G. I noted in your story several references to Bayer and was pleased to see the Aspirin attribution.
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A great start to the new project!
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Thanks you so much.
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Great photos, John! I’m happy to hear Peggy’s leg healed. I’m curious, any significance behind the name, Peggy? Happy Sunday!
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Yes we were calling her peg leg and it seemed a little cold after we came to know her. This morning she was out fishing and I caught another shot.
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That’s what I thought. 🙂
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🙂
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John, I’m smiling at your start of your new neighborhood posts. Nice to read your fiction writer take on who is doing and saying what. You’re so good at that humanistic & humor edge! Have a wonderful week! 💛 Elizabeth
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Thanks Elizabeth. You are so kind. 🙂
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Catching a heron has to be done very, very carefully. Note the two verys. It’s probably worth a third.
The beak is long, hard and kind of sharp, and they’re not afraid to use it. Some people I have worked with rescued a heron with leg damage some years ago, and the first sentence here is based on their experience. And these are people whose speciality was (and is) rescuing birds of prey.
Great new feature, John. Looking forward to more.
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Thanks Keith. Peggy made it clear she was going to self medicate and has done quite well.
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We get a lot of herons round here too. Looking forward to touring your ‘hood.
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Maybe I’ll wear a hoodie whilst (taking the British use here) shooting photos.
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I LOVE this, John!
Well done.
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Thank you so much, Hook
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