Fly Away

Although rain was predicted today, and every day for the next seven days, I woke up to beautiful blue skies this morning. Since it was rather cold, for here at least, I thought perhaps it was just a break between showers, but when it was still bright blue after Skye’s morning walk I had to grab the camera and fly away for the day. After all, I’ve waited months to finish writing about Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, it couldn’t hurt to wait another day to finish.

It was bright enough that I could even set my shutter speed at 1/1600 and try for shots of birds in flight. There really weren’t too many birds at Theler Wetlands, but I would have been perfectly satisfied if I hadn’t seen a single bird. So it was a plus when I got to spend 5 minutes watching this Marsh Hawk hunting, and then being hunted by a flock of crows who finally drove him out of sight.

Marsh Hawk Poised to Dive

It wasn’t too long, though, before a small flock of Double-Crested Cormorants flew overhead,

Double-Crested Cormorant in Flight

which spooked the female Common Mergansers we were watching.

Merganser in  Flight

2 thoughts on “Fly Away”

  1. Yesterday was clear up here, too, so I took an hour walk on the South Bay Trail in the morning. It was almost warm.

    Good to see your photo of the Marsh Hawk and those soaring birds this morning and to see clear skies here before sunrise. When I looked out just now, one of the bald eagles, carrying a large branch, flew in the direction of their nest.

  2. Strangely enough Loren we too had rain forecast and woke up to clear blue skies – although it rained in the late afternoon.
    Your bird photos go from strength to strength – these are superb.

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