I Give Thanks For...

As I sit at my computer listening to the raindrops hitting my bedroom window,

I give thanks for even this small nourishment Mother Earth is receiving.
I reflect also over all the beauty of nature and the moments of wildlife wonder
I experienced this summer. 
So as the heated months now fade away and I am greeted with cooler mornings
and earlier sunsets I give thanks for all the up-close and personal photos I was
blessed to take during my month long vacation of serenity on paradise.

A breathtaking view right out our back door...

no matter what direction you look in.

The sun kissing the day awake

and enjoying quiet sunrises while awaiting the

morning entertainment!

Alligators gliding by...

Anhingas in the early morning light...

acknowledging my greeting.

Laughing gulls resting and

Piping Plovers searching for breakfast.

Common birds you see daily in all the regular places...

and Black Crown Night Herons rarely seen walking along the beach;

The surprise of downloading your pictures of a Tri-Colored Heron and

realizing you also captured a Black Neck Stilt (which are hard to photograph

and of which I only have two others but neither in good focus!)  Woo-hoo!

Butterflies balancing on a leaf...

and glistening dragonfly wings.

A staring match with a buzzard.  (He won!)

And an unusual hawk encounter.  We were driving along and noticed him so we pulled

over. I got out, took the photo, thanked him and headed back to the car.  He started

squawking so I turned around, looked up, we made eye contact and then...

he took this position, as if bowing.  If you look closely, you can barely see his open eye.

I'd already switched off my camera and figured I didn't have time to set it again so I just

headed back to the car.  AGAIN, he squawked so I figured he was inviting me to take

his picture, so I hurriedly reset and clicked.  I thanked him again and as I walked

away, I glanced back over my shoulder and he had resumed his original stance.

I don't understand it...but I feel blessed to have experienced it!

An army of crabs daring me to come closer...

and a Blue Crab who's lucky I don't like to eat 'em!

I'm thankful for grasshoppers who remind me of Transformer characters.

How cool it would be if they were the size of a

Great Blue Heron or

a Great Egret.

For Green Herons who can't hide as well as they think

and Ibis who couldn't hide even if they wanted to!

For lizards who join me as we patiently await the sunset

which never disappoints.

Little Blue Herons who aren't so little,

and fuzzy-nosed manatees who truly are gentle giants.

Osprey who soar high above

and pelicans who skim the water.

Rabbits who nibble on grass,

and Cardinals who prefer fat, juicy worms. (Look close!)

For raccoons who know when they're too tired to keep playing with their siblings

so they stop and rest right where you are.

"Y'all go on.  I'm pooped!"

For prancing Reddish Egrets,

balancing Woodstorks

and tree-top hopping Snowy Egrets.

Snakes in the water

and on land.

Stingrays

and more stingrays;

Swallow-tailed Kites gliding on a cloudless day

and turtles with green-moss shells out for a stroll in the rain;

Red Bellied Woodpeckers calling for their kids at lunch-time

and Pileated Woodpeckers calling for his mate as dusk nears.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few of my summer pictures.

I also hope the autumn and winter months will provide 

many photographic opportunities to capture both nature and wildlife.

I'm thankful to have you as a viewer.