Every once in a blue moon, I take only my binoculars when I go birding these days.  But then, I miss the opportunity to capture a lasting image of the creatures who are out and about, like the noisy Tri-colored Heron above, or this beautiful White Ibis.

Every time I leave my camera at home, there is something so special to see – just last night I saw a male and a female Cardinal, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Blue Jay, and a Brown Thrasher, all in the first few moments as I strolled down the entrance walkway. . . . but alas, no pictures without my camera!!

Granted, there are fewer birds – and far fewer people out on the boardwalks.  But when I take my time, and carry my camera, I can make lasting memories of friends, like the roosting Yellow-crowned Night Herons that stand watch at twilight.  

Or the Black-bellied Whistling Duck chicks who are just learning to be independent and swim and feed on their own, under the watchful eye of their parents.

The end of summer is an especially excellent time to watch the many fish and turtles that inhabit the wetlands, too. Is it my imagination or are there really more of them now??  Maybe they are just more apparent because so many of the wading birds have flown to new homes. The herons and egrets are such expert fishermen, and they had a very busy spring and early summer trying to feed their hungry families before the new chicks fledged and the juveniles set off on their own.

Sometimes the fish seem to be saying to one another, “Isn’t August nice? . . . finally, some peace and quiet!”