Serene Scenery Sunday

Ha roo, pups and cool cats, it's me, Zim!  I escorted Mom on one of her birding trips this week.  We saw all kinds of things that made us feel wonderful, so I thought I'd show them to you for Serene Scenery Sunday.  Ready to enter the Zen of Zim Zone?  Let's head to Tuttle Creek State Park, shall we?

When we first arrived, Mom looked all over for Bald Eagles. Before too long, she spotted a couple in some trees along the bank of the Big Blue River. Here's one of them:

This next guy was flying all around ...

... then came in for a landing.

"Oh, yeah?!!?"

I think he didn't say nice things to the other Eagles, but I could be wrong about him.

"Well, I never!"
"I told you he has a mouth on him!"

Or not.  Moving on to more serene things ...

Mom couldn't figure out what I was staring at here.  She thought I was checking out the ducks and geese swimming in the river ...

"Check it out, Mom.  11 o'clock."

... but she was mistaken.  I mean, sure I saw them, but check out just over my left ear.  Yep.  Let's zoom in!

Juvenile Bald Eagle

That's right - a juvenile Bald Eagle!  We were practically right on top of him.  Mom said she never would have seen him if it wasn't for me.  Ha roooo!

Speaking of everyone down on the river, let's zoom in and see who's down there!  We saw some Common Mergansers:

Mrs. and Mr. Common Merganser

I hope the "common" moniker isn't derogatory.  I mean why are they "Common" Mergansers, but we have "Great" Blue Herons?  Who decides these things?

Here are some Common GREAT Mergansers doing a little fishing:

I think the guy on the right caught something.  Way to go, buddy!

This Great Blue Common Heron caught a fishy, too:



He took off after he caught it; Mom was delighted to get some shots of him in flight:



There is a whole series of him flying on in our Flickr set, plus TONS more of some of the other birdies we saw.  Click here to view!

We also saw some Hooded Mergansers:

Hooded Mergansers.  No info on whether they are common or great.
Ha roo roo roo.

I had never seen any and it was only Mom's second time, so we were both pretty thrilled!

There were tons of Canada Geese there.  Two American White Pelicans were escorting the flock.  Here's one of the Pelicans:

Isn't he beautiful?

Mom and I walked further down the river bank for a while and I saw a kind of duck I'd never seen before.  I stopped to introduce myself:

"Ha roo, Duck!  I'm Zim."

He didn't shy away or anything, but he didn't have much to say, either.  That's cool with me.  I liked him.  And silence between two friends can be a beautiful thing.

He kept staring off into the distance like there was something he wanted me to see.

"Over there, Mr. Ducky?  Really?"

See how he looks more like he's smiling in the second shot than in the first one?  I think he liked me.  I told him it was great meeting him and that I'd go check out the area he was staring at.  I don't think he could go with me; I think he was on Guard Duty or something, cause he was standing at attention the whole time we communed.  Anyway, Mom and I walked over to check it out - and sure enough!  What he had been staring at brought me great joy!

"SNOW!  Hey, thanks, duck buddy!!!"

Isn't that great?!?!  Friends just seem to know what will make another friend feel serene!  

I hope our photos have helped you enter the Zen of Zim Zone, too!  Have a wonderful Sunday!

Play bows,

Zim