Birthday Paddle

The month of May is crazy for the Dixon household. Double D's birthday falls during the first week of May; mine is the next week; and Mother's Day comes somewhere before, after, or ON my birthday. While Double D wanted to kick up his heels in The Quarter for his big day, I was perfectly content to paddle on Lake Martin for my birthday. The highlights for me were the Black-crowned Night Heron and Barn Swallows.

Before kayaking, however, I had to have some nutrition! My grandparents' used to love Pat's Fisherman's Wharf in Henderson, LA. Thankfully, it was on the way to the lake. I had not been there since I was a child, and I'm happy to report that it hasn't changed a bit. The food was as wonderful as I remembered. We got there way past lunch time, so that's why there aren't a lot of people. Just the way I like it.

You can see from my expanding mid-section that I ate every single bite of my shrimp platter.
I was then presented with this delicious, SINFUL slice of doberge cake and serenaded by our waitress.
We pronounce the cake DOUGH-bahj. Some say DOUGH-bearj.
Here is a more thorough history and a recipe of the famous cake.

I made fast friends with Emilean, our waitress. We Facebooked each other right then and there!
She made my day extra special. Not only did she give me extra shrimp AND a piece of cake,
she shared a personal experience that helped me tremendously concerning panic attacks.
It was one of those God-things, y'all.

Now, on to the show!

Water Hyacinth

Double D paving the way.

I learned that when gators are resting with their mouths open, they are cooling off since they
don't have sweat glands. Whew, good to know!

Black-crowned Night Heron

DD was after the Prothonotary Warbler and the Northern Parula

Prothonotary Warbler

So, that was my big day!

Thank you, Anni for hosting

Click the link for more birds around the world!

Lake Martin Mish-Mash

Sunday morning we lounged around doing our usual: drinking coffee and having our routine discussion which always begins with a question: "What are we going to do today?" We are always eager to go somewhere, so the only thing stopping us would be the weather. The apps we consulted with weren't too favorable; at any rate, we threw caution to the wind, threw on some shorts without even showering first (unusual for us), and drove west to Lake Martin/Cypress Island Preserve. I really didn't expect to see much, and as I figured, the nesting egret/heron numbers were vastly diminished from the prior few months. There were a few little blue herons still nesting and that was about it. I always feel I am boring you with my chit-chat, so let's just get down to business.

First thing I saw as we drove in, a Great Blue heron.

Dragonfly resting spot. See him? I've read that they drink alligator tears.

Baby Little Blue heron

Alligator Gar.
Double D noticed a family (school?) of these in a side canal. He first thought it was an alligator,
but we soon realized it was a fish. The Park Ranger told us it was a garfish; however, that is incorrect.
I tried so hard to get a crisp shot of their ferocious teeth, but they are SUPER FAST.
One can certainly see how this fish got its common name.

Another baby Little Blue with a meal. I think it's a large tadpole.

Possibly a Slaty Skimmer dragonfly.

Abandoned boat on the lake.

Cypress Island Boardwalk.

More photos of our day to come. Stay tuned!

Linking up with Tex's

And also with Anni's

Barbara

We had a little cold front blow through which sometimes means a change in birding activity and what one might see out in the field. I hadn't been out to Bluebonnet Swamp in a few weeks, so I thought I'd check it out and see what's what. The first thing I noticed was how thick and green the plant life has gotten. It's getting harder to see the birds now, especially the little ones. I passed a couple of photographers on the boardwalk asking if they had seen anything. All negative; the swamp was as quiet as a church mouse. Continuing on the boardwalk, something caught my eye. There sat Barbara, the resident barred owl, not ten feet in front of me on a low cypress limb, scouring the waters below. She sat and posed for several dozen photos, then swoosh, she hit the water and came up with a crustacean. A few moments later she took off to the nesting site several hundred feet away to deliver the mid-afternoon snack to her owlets. Made my day.

Mama has just spied the meal in the water below.
I missed the flight shot because I was chimping (looking at the shots I had just taken on the back of my camera).
Chimping is a no-no when wildlife is present. Even though I was just checking to see if the exposure, etc. was correct,
I spent way too much time doing it. There's still so much I have yet to learn. Sigh.

The owlets are nestled in the hollow of this tree. You can see mama's feathers as she descends to bring them food.

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Lake Martin

Happy Sunday everyone!! It is a yucky, cloudy, misty day, so not sure what I'm going to do for a photography outing. We've had a breeding American Goldfinch coming to our feeder the last few days. He is a beautiful bright yellow. He has the most beautiful song. Maybe I'll stick around the house to stalk him and try for that perfect shot. What are y'all up to and how is your weather?

This will conclude our day trip from last weekend. All were taken in Lake Martin, Louisiana.

Cypress trees standing in the swampy waters.

iPhone shot

Roseate spoonbill. 

More trees in the swamp. The blue water surrounded by algae is quite lovely.

Juvenile white ibis on the river bank

Juvenile white ibis standing in the tree

One of these days we are going to have to do the swamp tour during a sunset. Who's with me? :)

Thanks, Madge for hosting

Flora and Fauna, Part II

Leftover fall foliage, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13

Dried grass, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/23/13

Unknown blooms, Tickfaw State Park, 1/26/13

Glistening pine needles, Tickfaw State Park, 1/26/13

Calliope Hummingbird, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/2/13
I've been waiting to get a clearer shot, but I've not seen him since and may not again. Sigh.

View of eagles' nest from atop the levee. Notice the red barge floating behind the trees. 2/2/13

Northern Cardinal, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/5/13

Wildflowers among the cypress, Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, 1/27/13

Wildflowers, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/1/13

American Goldfinch, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13

Purple Finch (immature or female), Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13

On another note (but still somewhat in the fauna category), I'd like to wish my little Sparky a happy birthday. Ten years ago today he was presented as a lost stray at the emergency vet clinic while I was working there. We immediately locked eyes, then souls, and have been connected ever since. He's about 11 or 12 now and the effects of old age are starting to slow him down. Spark Plug, I love you. You're my sweet little monkey and always will be.

Please visit Madge and her wonderful meme. Thanks for hosting!