It was a chilly, windy day out on the lake. This young Prothonotary Warbler found shelter among the water lilies, flittering from leaf to leaf and occasionally sitting peacefully and soaking up the warmth of the sun.
“We should all find a quiet place, a peaceful space, to bury the chaos and rest for a while.” ~Christy Ann Martine
Birds seen recently around the levee and lake.
“If you’re not a bird watcher you won’t be very excited, though gulls are graceful in flight and striking in appearance. If you’re a bird watcher this makes you weak in the knees.” ~Bryan Pfeiffer
Purple Dead Nettles, with their pink tube-like flowers and burgundy upper leaves, were blooming along the Mississippi levee. Various types of bees were flying about among the wildflowers, attracted by their nectar.
Beautiful little Clouded Yellow Butterflies danced about over the wildflowers, with an occasional courting pair fluttering together in the air. The butterflies seemed too lively to stop and drink from the flowers.
This busy little bee, on the other hand, was sampling each little flower.
While watching the bees and butterflies, out of nowhere, a group of six eagles consisting of at least one adult and several juveniles, came swooping in from overhead. Their loud screeching and erratic flying stirred up quite a commotion.
After the eagles settled in nearby trees,
we started down the embankment of the levee to drive along some of the farmland back roads. Then we saw them. A group of Clouded Yellow Butterflies were sitting in the middle of the road, extracting salt and minerals from an area of sand and rocks.
They were a beautiful sight to watch!
“Nature is full of wonders; every atom is a standing miracle, and endowed with such qualities, as could not be impressed on it by a power and wisdom less than infinite.” ~Joseph Addison
With each passing day, something magical is occurring as more and more signs of spring are slowly being revealed.
This Brown Thrasher perched at the top of a bush, belting out its varied repertoire, seemed to be announcing the news that spring is quickly approaching.
“In March winter is holding back and spring is pulling forward. Something holds and something pulls inside of us too.” ~Jean Hersey
Driving along the road, we spotted this elegant-looking eagle sitting serenely at the top of a cypress tree.
“There’s a nobility in his eye, a regal serenity about him. Does he not personify all that men try to be and never can be?” ~Michael Morpurgo
The trees and animals weren’t the only ones with icy feet, but we still enjoyed walking around and seeing the frozen lake and cypress trees during the latest arctic blast.
“January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow.” ~Sara Coleridge
The Sandhill cranes have once again returned to a small nearby refuge. The refuge is closed to the public at this time of year, but if you drive around the surrounding land, you can often see flocks flying in the sky or eating waste corn and insects from the harvested corn fields. The cranes have been making their way back to these same farm fields for many years. What a joy to see and hear them as they winter at this stopover place.
This fond attachment to the well-known place
Whence first we started into life’s long race,
Maintains its hold with such unfailing sway,
We feel it e’en in age, and at our latest day.
~William Cowper
The ruby-throated hummingbirds have packed up and headed south in search of warmer temperatures and more plentiful food. Thankfully, fond memories of them linger as we count down the days until their return in the spring.
“Fond memory brings the light of other days around me.” ~Thomas More
I spotted a group of white pelicans swimming not far from the shore, and found a flat rock near the water’s edge to sit and watch the graceful swimmers. They seemed to glide effortlessly in the water.
I was impressed by one expert fisher as it shimmied along the surface of the lake, using its beak and the gular pouch attached to its jaw to catch and scoop up food like a net. Then it tilted its head down to drain the water from the pouch, and back to swallow the catch.
Another pelican, abruptly disturbed from its afternoon nap where it huddled on a crowded log, let out a lazy yawn.
I enjoyed watching the pelicans play a game of “tag” as one circled around a log lined with other pelicans. The pelican that was tagged was obliged to find a new spot to sit, and didn’t appear too happy about it. Instead of making noise, the pelicans communicated through wing flapping and bill snapping.
Watching these lovely birds was relaxing, fascinating, and entertaining, all at the same time.
“There is a way that nature speaks … Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.” ~Linda Hogan
As we drove through the refuge, I spotted a beautiful butterfly on a flower beside the road, and we stopped for photos. As I stepped out of the car, a very startled and annoyed Great Egret, which had previously gone undetected, let out a loud squawk and abruptly propelled itself from its concealed spot in the tall grass to the safety of a nearby tree. And there it sat waiting, all sullen and sulky, greatly annoyed that its peaceful afternoon had been disturbed.
“The unexpected may annoy us, but may also wake us up.” ~Scott Sanders
walking on a country road 