Thursday, May 17, 2012

A Very Delicate Air

                                                     Photo from www.allaboutbirds.org from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

We went for a walk at the Panola Mountain Park on the Rockdale River Trail late yesterday afternoon.  The trail starts at Lake Alexander and then meanders down to the South River.  Just as we started on the trail, Richard had a sharp intake of breath...wouldn't you if you saw this bright blue bird?   It is an indigo bunting and even though it is considered  a fairly common bird , we had never seen one before.   In my reading on it, I understand that it migrates by night and uses the stars for navigation. (As many birds do, that is why light pollution is a problem for birds.)


At the beginning of our walk, it was all bright sunshine but by the time we got back to the lake, the sun was going down and it bathed the water in this lovely pink light.   There were several frogs that began calling, just we arrived at the water's edge.  One of them is the southern cricket frog and the call is very distinct, it sounds like two marbles knocking together..."CLICK-CLICK-CLICK".   These frogs have the ability to orient themselves using the moon's movements and stellar patterns.   Stars again!  Both of these creatures use them.   Fascinating.

So, picture us... we are back at the lake with the pink light all around us... it is quiet and peaceful and there are just a few people fishing.  It is pleasantly warm and still.  The frogs are calling and the birds - the martins and the swallows are swooping and darting over the lake.    Serene and lovely, a very delicate air.


  "This guest of summer, the temple-haunting martlet, ....
    where they most breed and haunt, I have observed, the air is delicate."
     William Shakespeare

31 comments:

  1. Sounds so divine. Is that top picture one that you guys took? I mean it is ridiculously gorgeous. I don't think I've ever seen that bird before. I hung my window feeder and filled it last week and I am LOVING all of the up close action. Our resident birds are just so lovely. I could watch them all day!!!

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    1. Dear Audrey,
      Richard couldn't get close enough, so that indigo bunting is from the internet. It really is that blue!
      We love our birds and I'm glad you do too!
      We don't have a window feeder, our local squirrels wouldn't allow that!

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  2. Lucky Richard and you for seeing the indigo bunting = how beautiful.

    I don't recall the Shakespeare quotation. Did you know that he was the first person to mention a number of English birds in writing? I once read a book about when all our birds were first mentioned and a number of them were by him.

    I enjoyed the walk, as always. Isn't it lovely to have your blog to remember all these walks by in years to come. Have you backed your blog up? I have to cpnfess I haven't but perhaps one of your readers might know an easy way to do it.

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    1. I think I have read that he mentioned over 600! If Shakespeare liked birds, that gives me just one more reason to love him.
      That quote was from Macbeth, I didn't know it, I just found it on Wikipedia under the info on martins!
      So glad that you liked our walk! I enjoy my blog, but as you say, it will be nice to look back on...I remember with some fondness the walk on Arabia when we saw the ice! Seems a very long time ago now.
      I don't know about backing up my blog. I will have to check it out. Thank you for thinking that my blog is worth backing up! I would be sad to lose any of it.

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  3. The beauty of the bird matches the beauty of the area perfectly! I am glad you saw him, and in turn let us see him, too. Thank you!

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    1. It is a gorgeous spot, and I must admit that we heard so much birdsong that it reminded me of your post where you were near the castle, I think, and it is called birdsong valley, or something, is that right?

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    2. Yes, there is a part of the park called Valley of Birdsong, but actually, you can hear plenty of birds all over the park :-)

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    3. Valley of Birdsong, I love that it is called that.
      And I am sure you hear birds everywhere in the park!
      Looking forward to another post from you from there!
      And from that lovely Lake in Italy where you will be going, I looked it up and it says it is one of the top romantic spots in Europe. LUCKY YOU!

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  4. Beautiful bird. I've never seen one either. The pink water is beautiful too. Very peaceful.

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    1. Hey Chris J!
      Thank you so much for your comment! We were very excited to see a bird that we have never seen before. And the lake left us tickled pink! HA HA!
      Please visit me again!

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  5. We are a fly-way here, and there are reports of bluebirds but, in my twenty years here, I have not seen one, except for a bluejay, once. What an idyllic walk; and you describe it beautifully. And you got such a wonderful picture of that bird!

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    1. Hey Pastor Dennis!
      Thanks for your comment! And I am so sorry that I didn't say that the photo of the bird, alas, was one that we DID NOT take but was from the internet. (I have added that to the post now.) I am sorry, I really shouldn't leave it so late to post and leave things out!
      And I described it beautifully? You have made my day!

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  6. Wow, Kay, what a wonderful walk you had. The bird is so beautiful. And the lake, gorgeous in the sun, and gorgeous in the lovely pink light.

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    1. Dear Tracey,
      It was all so beautiful and I just didn't know how best to describe what a special time it was until I saw the quote from Shakespeare. "Delicate" as a first definition means "pleasing to the senses", so it was most certainly delicate.

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  7. That is beautiful, Kay, all of it. There is nothing like being outdoors and soaking up all the beautiful scenery, especially when you share it with your partner. That indigo bunting is gorgeous. I would be snapping photos crazily if I ran into one! The photo of the lake is stunning -- so peaceful and calming. I could sit by a lake like that for the longest time lost in thought.

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    1. Dear Martha,
      Like you, I love to gaze into water and just become lost in my thoughts.
      Thank you, I was so hoping to get this peaceful feel of it for you!

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  8. The male bunting is so beautiful, we've had a female bunting at our feeder lately, but no male, so lucky you.

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    1. I realized that we saw the female bunting too, but it is so very different from the male, that I didn't realize it until we came home and looked at our bird book!
      Hope everything is going well for you in Savannah. Isn't the cooler weather nicer just now?

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  9. Wow, what a striking bird! Loved this post about the beauty and wonder of nature. I can't help thinking to myself... "What a Wonderful World" :)

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    1. Dear Jane,
      Thanks! And you know that is one of our very favorite songs "What A Wonderful World"!
      You know, if I could only be blonde and beautiful, we would be twins.

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    2. You're too kind :) ... and halfway there already!

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  10. Well, Richard and I had the same reaction upon seeing that beautiful bird! LOVE the photo of the reflection in the lake. Thank you for your visits ♥♥♥ Deb

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    1. Dear Deborah,
      That bird was really bright blue and beautiful. And my husband takes some really good photos. He took all these except the bird one, that one was from the internet.
      And I thank YOU for your visit! Give my love to your handsome hubby!

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  11. That bird is visually luscious. Your walks are so beautiful, i'm glad you share them.

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    1. Dear Mimi,
      Thank you and I am happy that you like them too!
      We love our birds and get quite excited when we see one for the first time.

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  12. I remember seeing a bluebird for the first time at Yellowstone. I was surprised at how BLUE it was. They are such gorgeous birds. I was also surprised to learn that they are called Bluebird of Happiness by the Japanese also.

    I LOVE your header photo! Awesome!

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    1. Dear Kay,
      Thank you for your comment! I must do a post about the bluebird too, which is also very, very blue in the right light and I am so pleased to know that it is called the Bluebird of Happiness in Japanese too! You have seen one, so you know why this is so, it makes you happy to see one! (We see them but it is so hard to get photos of them!)
      Glad you saw my header photo, it is about time to change it again!
      I so much loved your posts on your trip to Japan, thank you!

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  13. Beautiful!! How gorgeous nature is:)!! Thank you for sharing with us:)!!

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    1. I am very happy that you liked it! Thank you for your encouraging words of love and light.

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  14. Looks so very peaceful! Gods great nature:-)

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    1. Hey Spiderama!
      It was very peaceful and felt like heaven.

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