For weekend reading I want to invite you to come along for another walk on the beach and in the nature reserve close to my home. My outing earlier this week was on an intermittently sunny, but windy day. It was not yet warm. Although it’s March, it felt more like winter. That’s relative, of course.
Spring has actually started by now here on the nature coast, but one wouldn’t know it from the weather. Temperatures are several degrees cooler than the averages for this time of the year. Even an implant like me is still using a jacket. Then, how do I know it’s spring? Easy. There is lots of pollen in the air and allergies are in high gear. Even my dog, Bumble, got an allergy shot this week. Not kidding.
The pelicans have not yet returned to the beach, but I could see a few sea gulls patrolling the windy ocean front. My eyes were watering from the wind so I decided to turn away from the beach and walk in the nature reserve.
I immediately knew I would have much better luck in spotting birds. The first one I saw was a small blue heron wading in the marsh. Then I spotted a bunch of white ibis birds. They were playing “follow the leader”. And marched right across the trail I was walking on. One, two, three…
At the first glance the marshland looked empty. But then I discovered several birds hiding from the cool wind amongst the trees and bushes. Here’s a small heron taking shelter. I would say it was well camouflaged.
After a while I encountered two birds who were very happy to pose for close-ups. A large sea gull
who had taken shelter in the park, which is rare, and a white ibis braving the wind on the top of an old swing. It didn’t look very happy, I thought.
My next find was much more rare, a roseate spoonbill. I have only seen one about a year ago in this reserve. This one might be visiting or maybe renting a home here only for the spring break?
But I thought it was beautiful! I was standing there admiring the spoonbill when a great blue heron landed elegantly in the water right in front of me. This one definitely lives here.
It always patrols the different areas of the park and it occurred to me that it might be the neighborhood watchman? Or maybe the tax collector?
I continued my walk and saw tiny bird. I hope it felt welcomed by the many big birds who call this reserve their home. As we say in the Nordic countries: if there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the home.
Before I leave the park, I always check on the resident osprey couple. It seems that they are not yet expecting any addition to the family. But I guess it’s just a matter of time. I’m going to keep an eye on them from our terrace. I can see their nest using strong binoculars. It would be so cool to catch a few flying lessons when the juveniles start practicing. If I do, I’ll make sure to share the pictures with you.
I wish everyone a wonderful weekend. ♥ Tiny
TINY LESSONS BLOG 
Beautiful photo journal of your day at the beach. Thanks for sharing Tiny!
Thanks Nancy! I’m so happy that we have both the beach and the park/reserve right next to us, appreciate it every day.
Love the pictures! have a great weekend my friend!
Thanks Jackie. I wish you a wonderful weekend too. Many hugs!
🙂 many hugs back!
I have never heard of a roseate spoonbill before – it is beautiful!
When I first spotted one last year, I had no idea what bird it was. Then did some research and learned about the roseate spoonbill. It is beautiful! I hope to see more of them.
What a fabulous walk to come across so many beautiful photography subjects – lucky you – thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thanks Joanne – some days are great, I spot so many birds, and then other days they are either hiding or on vacation 🙂 and I see very few.
Such an enjoyable walk. Glad you turned away from the wind. It was getting a bit cold :). Poor Bumble, needing an allergy shot. Please tell him that I have ordered his book today. That will give him a smile and a tail wag.
Thank you and I’ll tell him! He was miserable, coughing for 30 mins in one go and nose running. This year apparently both people and pets are hard hit. But he’s much better now, tail going 50 miles an hour when he heard you gotten his book 🙂
🙂 Does he have specific allergies?
I don’t know and he doesn’t tell 🙂 but the allergy shot helped!!
Ah….no confessions this time. He is all ‘fessed out. 😉
he is 🙂 in my lap.
which means bliss for both of you…
If there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the home……..a beautiful saying.
It truly is. I learned it as a kid. My parents and grandparents used to say that when many people came to visit at the same time and we needed to find everyone a place to sleep.
And no one went without a bed, I am sure.
That’s right! We always made room for everyone.
how lucky you are to live so near so many varieties of birds,
ty for this hopeful image montage that warmer weather is not far off.
I’m very lucky, many natural places close by to enjoy. Spring will eventually come everywhere 🙂
That was an amazing walk. Any ONE of those encounters would have been worth it! Great pictures!
Up my way we still have a long way to go before spring. Snow again last night and bitterly cold temperatures for most of this week.
Thanks you Maurice. I’m really lucky to have the reserve so close here. Even if all the birds would be hiding, the walk is great exercise 🙂 I know it takes a while for the spring to make its way up there, it’s a fairly long trip, but eventually she’ll arrive in all her glory!
Ahhh, what an awesome walk you had. Thanks for sharing it! These are incredible photos, TIny!!
Thanks Cyndi! I used to take pics of the birds with my iPhone but then about a year ago my hubby generously gave me his old Canon so now I can actually see the bird in the picture 🙂
Sunday evening here … reading this was a great way to get to the end of a fine weekend. Thanks.
Thank you Beeseeker for your kind words. I hope your week has started well!
gosh, that was a truly beautiful post.
feeling refreshed and sea-blown over here in L.A right now after reading it 🙂
we came to visit you after seeing your lovely comment on gallivanta’s site (we wrote the book that ended up a bit wet in her postal receptacle 😉
Thanks TG! yes, I told her that the book arrived in completely dry clothes in my home (Kindle) just over the weekend! Looking fwd to reading it 🙂
Rejuvenated. Thank you for inviting me.
Happy to hear that. Great you came along.
very cool…
🙂
Thank you for showing us this wonderful gallery of birdlife. Of course, in my head I translated them into the African ‘versions’ I used to watch!!!
Thanks Tish! Yes we have a nice variety here too. Unfortunately I don’t have too many pictures of African bird life, just very few precious ones. Somehow we always shot (with the camera) the bigger wildlife…