When they originally tore out the dike at Theler Wetlands I was worried how it would affect birding there. And there’s no doubts that birding has changed considerably because of the changes in habitat. I miss some of the birds I used to see there regularly, but one of the changes I’ve really appreciated is the large number of Green-Winged Teal that show up regularly. The tide flats are regularly covered with them, and it’s easy to get some great poses.
This little female was strutting her stuff
with a male not far behind her.
It seems strangely incongruent, though, that such beautiful birds should spend most of their time wading through the mud filtering out plant materials and small aquatic organisms,
further proof, I guess, that beauty is where you find it.
Gorgeous photos in these last few posts – shapes and patterns of birds and flowers in dark, sparkling light, Spring magic…
Thanks, Jean. I’ve been enjoying your recent shots on Facebook.
You said, “Beauty is where you find it.” So true! It’s always at hand. It reminds me of a quote, especially if you substitute the word “beauty” for “sacred”
“The great lessons from the true mystics, from the Zen monks, is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one’s daily life, in one’s neighbors, friends, and family, in one’s backyard, and that travel may be a flight from confronting the sacred. To be looking everywhere for miracles is a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous.”
-Abraham H. Maslow
My Canon helps me find beauty where ever I find myself, dan. Long, long ago I wrote a blog entry entitled the Zen of Canon, which helped to explain why I take my camera with me nearly everywhere I go.
A weirdly congruent post to my life at present: “that such beautiful birds should spend most of their time wading through the mud.” I think I will have to blog about this. Loved the Maslow quote in the comments, too.
Ah, wonderful to see the Green-winged Teals there. We see them here quite often. Such a beautiful bird.