Wednesday, May 6, 2009

More pink, please (oh, and a couple of ducks!)

View from the top (or - My Housesitting View)



I went to see the flamingo today, and it was good! The not so good thing is I didn't see the plover OR her eggs. But I did see two white cheeked pintail ducks (the Fish & Wildlife guy said they'd seen eggs but they were broken open by a predator of some sort; maybe that's what happened to the plover eggs...).

There really isn't much to say except for, of course, the photo that got away...the flamingo FLYING across the pond! Yes, it was like the gum commericial of the woman watching for whales, except I wasn't chewing gum and this ain't no whale. I was just looking down for a second! When I looked up, it was already halfway across and there was no way I could get the camera up in time. But...wow! Another heart stopping moment. Maybe next time.

So here, for your enjoyment, are some more shots of something rare.








And something not as rare, but still wonderful.


p.s. Because I had a vehicle I went again this morning for a fix (now Thursday, the above was from Wednesday). This area of the pond shore is now marked off with black fabric fencing and a Culebra Refuge bird nesting sign. Hooray!! This is nothing but good for Culerba, for the spirit as well as the less esoteric but just as real fight against encroaching development. As a Devotee of the Flamingo, as well as the other birds that come here, I'm very glad.

As I was playing in the garden yesterday I just about leaped out of my flip flops when, reaching down to adjust some netting I pretty much put my hand on this toad. I've seen buffo toads in the road before here, but not alive. And not in my garden!


So there is the beast...here are the beauties:






7 comments:

  1. oh boy. those toads sure do get your heart rate goin' don't they?

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  2. Boy! You must be REALLY wishing you could see this flamingo to comment on old Mr. Toad! ;) But yes, I did do the Unexpected Toad Under da Palm dance - and quite theatrically, trying to avoid stepping on any other plants.

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  3. Your blog must be getting 9,000 hits a day, 8,999 of which are me. I am fascinated, and I keep coming back to look at your beautiful shots over and over. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Deb, I keep doing the same!

    Censored? Nope... Did I miss something?

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  5. I have no fears of toads or snakes, but when they suddenly appear, I certainly jump.
    MJ, do you have any idea when the last time there were flamingos living on Culebra?

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  6. June, what I heard from someone I believe knows, the number is 53 years! I was wishing it was 55, because then I'd consider it a birthday present. Or maybe I'm not really going to be 55...hmmmm.

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