TODAY'S MORNING WALK

Blue Heron
Originally uploaded by jgrantmac

DEER SIGHTING

As I walked through our neighborhood and toward the woods just past the water tank, I thought I spied at least one deer and possibly
two. They held their ground long enough for me to spy antlers of at least 8 inches on the one in the lead. Around here, that is worth noting. We seldom see large racks. As I approached I saw movement behind the first two and spied two more. Four! At that point they began to fidget and dance around and then suddenly turned their four white tails and ran. No matter, they had made my day! A day in our small Hill Country valley without a deer sighting is a rare one.

GREAT BLUE HERON

From there I cut through an absent neighbor's side yard (some people only live here seasonally) to the sidewalk along the creek in hopes of sighting other wildlife. And I was not disappointed. I heard a loud sound of flapping wings before I saw him: the lone blue heron that winters here is back. He is a shy one; it is very hard to get close to him! I regretfully watch him fly away and then turn my attention elsewhere observing that fully-formed pecans are beginning to fall off the pecan trees along the creek banks. As I turn a bend I hear flapping start up for the second time. Apparently I have disturbed the blue heron yet again. There he goes! How can he be both awkward and graceful at the same time?

DOC & BIG DOG

Next I see that Doc has completed his fence for Big Dog and is now painting it. I think Big Dog is going to like this enclosure better than being on a chain. His name isn't actually Big Dog but I can't pronounce his real name, it's Hebrew for Big Dog, so I just call him Big Dog. (Huge Dog would probably be more appropriate.) Doc is a retired neurosurgeon who makes ceramics and sells them at county trade days.

ELUSIVE BIRD STANDS STILL

As I come toward the dam at the edge of our small community lake I see the heron again, standing idly on one long stalk-like leg. And he doesn't move, he doesn't fly off! Now, that's a surprise. My path takes me over the dam and around the other side of the neighborhood. When I come back he is still there. This is the only time in my two years here he hasn't fled on my approach. I wonder why that is? Maybe he has just flown all day and night to get here to his winter retreat and he's tired. Whatever the reason, I am glad of this opportunity to admire the usually elusive bird.