Like water off a duck's back

My picture of the day.

Mallard coming up from water

And here he is a few seconds later.

All dry

Tundra Swan Love

This is my first attempt at editing a video on Youtube.  I added three videos together and then I couldn't help making it into a silent film with annotations and notes.  It is a romance between Herbert and Karen, kind of sad, but with a happy ending.  Unfortunately, you need to put it on full screen to see the annotations. 

Tell me what you think of my story video.  

Why the Tundra Swan has a black bill

Tundra swans are beautiful, majestic even.  But why do they have that black bill on the pristine white body?

Tundra Swan

I sat and watched them looking for food in the wetlands.  The water is not deep.  It looks as though he is searching the mud for yummy items. It certainly explained that black bill.

Notice how muddy the head is when it pops up out of the water.  Also, it appears he is stirring up the mud with his feet before lowering his head again.  The Mallards seem to enjoy whatever the swan is churning up.

Never eat like a bird

Not all the birds at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge are waterfowl.  There are other birds who find the refuge a fun place to visit.  But I was a little concerned about the following two birds.

Okay, it looks like this bird has eaten enough to hibernate through the winter.  And, um...I'm assuming it is a male.   Then, on another branch, probably its mate?  See below.

Seriously, I've discovered my mistake.  All my life I've been trying to eat like a bird.  Perhaps that is where I went wrong.

A pictorial story of my life

Have you ever felt no matter what decision you make, no matter what path you choose to follow, you get nowhere?

Me too.  Especially in the past week or so (ever since I dumped the coffee into my most favorite of all time computer that my brother-in-law gave me).  I snapped this picture yesterday.  Never thought I could sum up my life in 1000 words, but here it is all in one picture.

My Life

Hopefully after using "Windows 8" more, I'll not be as frustrated, and I'll be able to post a happier picture.

(Maybe I should send a link to this blog to Microsoft as my editorial comment on Windows 8.)

Northwest Wildlife

Another wildlife photo taken at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge in Washington State.

Queen Anne's Lace and Charlotte

If I were a duck

Contrary to popular belief, I am not a duck, but I have a few duck friends at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge. If I were one, I'd be very nervous to have this guy sizing me up for his next meal.

Bald Eagle

Those cute little ducks in the background don't seem all that worried, although one or two appeared to be sweating.

Bald Eagle

Usually I see eagles up in the trees, so this pose was delightful.  In fact, admission to the wildlife refuge was free all weekend because of Veteran's day and the place was packed with cars driving the winding route through the lakes and marsh.  Because this bird stood out in the open, there must have been fifteen cars stopped, taking the perfect picture.  After I took this one, I squeezed past each car, mentioning as I went by that the bird was plastic.  I think of few of them wondered, at least for a few seconds.

I get this from my father, who said the moose we saw from deck twelve of the cruise ship in Alaska was on a leash, and the caretaker was hiding behind a rock on the hillside.  He told people they bring the moose out every day so people feel they get their money's worth.

Thanks, Dad, for making me smile, and for serving in the Army Aviation division during WWII.