morning blues
Little did I know when I stole out of the house in last remains of night that it would be a blue morning. Several stars twinkled above my head as the moon gave a Cheshire grin. I headed for my first destination, a rocky beach, in hopes of capturing the sunrise. Arriving well before dawn, I waited as ebony surrendered to deepest blue.
Three Palmettos Await Dawn
I inched my vehicle into a parking spot not wanting to break the reverent stillness of the moment. On the beach, water lapped against limestone rocks as the rush of white ibis wings passed over the awakening sea.
Wings at Sunrise
I lingered there until the sun burst bright and bold over the landscape and then drove to a nearby oceanside hammock. I hoped to find shorebirds feeding along the water’s edge, but a surprise awaited me. A parigean spring tide, resulting from the fall alignment of earth and moon had flooded most of the parking lot. Along the inundated periphery, a variety of my favorite birds foraged for food. No wonder the moon grinned so mischievously. As I advanced on a flock of feeding Ibises several Little Blue Herons erupted from their midst. This one landed in front of me.
The herons had been sharing some of the food stirred up by the Ibises’ feet. With a two-legged intruder present, they opted for foraging in the mangroves for insects. Intrigued, I waited quietly as they hid among the shaded leaves. Soon, they cautiously reappeared one by one.
Insect Hunt
These were the first Little Blue Herons that I had seen so close to salt water. Usually, I spotted them in freshwater ponds of the Everglades, so I enjoyed this bit of serendipity.
On the Prowl
I love their coloration–slate blue on their bodies with a flare of maroon around their necks. Their pale blue beaks end in a black tip. I think they’re exquisite.
Little Blue
So, if my morning appeared blue, it was in the dreamiest sense, relaxed and comfortable–the perfect way to start a day. Ahh…
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What a beautiful morning.
I love the ‘Wings at sunrise’. The sea looks very quiet.
Carsten
Thank YOU, Jean-Claude and Carsten. I had fun with this shoot.
Wings at Sunrise….you should open a gallery, MJ, and make this the first photo people see. Simply gorgeous!
You are too generous, Scott. Thank you.
It was a beautiful morning.
Beautiful photos!
Thanks, Dawn. I appreciate your comments.
Wow!… so blue the sky. Beautiful blog.
I dream to have that “Wings at Sunrise” kind of picture. Perhaps some day I’ll get it.
Thank you, Tabib. Fortunately, I live close to a bay where shorebirds roost and feed. Morning and night great flocks of White Ibis fly overhead. It’s quite a sight.
Elegant beauty, MJ, in both pictures and words.