Category: Birds

Everyplace Has Something Unique

From time-to-time you hear the unmistakable sound of bird poop hitting the water.

I’m in Boynton Beach just west of Military Trail. Not long ago this was swampland. The communities that now fill the area were planned and executed. Little was left to chance. Within each is a Stepford-like level of conformity.

Yet even here at the condo where one unit looks like the next there is something unique! My parent’s condo complex features a single sprawling tree at the edge of a man made pond housing an amazing flock of egrets.

As long as I’ve been coming I’ve been heading to the tree. As my photographic skills get better I’m able to bring more of it online for you to see.

The tree is desolate during the day, but as sunset approaches the birds return. One-by-one they fly toward the tree changing direction at the last possible second to land into the wind.

Every night the tree is loaded with egrets. Mainly they perch silently with their head tucked into their feathers. From time-to-time you hear the unmistakable sound of bird poop hitting the water.

Sometimes a bird will shift position forcing his neighbors to shift as well. The tree gets busy and wings being to flap for fifteen or twenty seconds. Then it’s quiet again.

These three shots are long exposures with my camera on a tripod allowing me enough light to see the birds in the dead of night.

I photograph these birds every time I visit!

More Boynton Beach Birds

They don’t seem to mind my obsession with photography. They don’t know me well enough yet.

I can’t begin to tell you how happy we are with my mother’s progress, even over this very short period. Yes, she’s got pain and she’s taking medication but she’s managing and the pain is bearable. So far so good. She spent most of the day in the living room as my cousins and a few friends came by to wish her well.

By late afternoon I was ready to get out for a while so I walked the 90 seconds to the pond to visit my friends the birds. They don’t seem to mind my obsession with photography. They don’t know me well enough yet.

As luck would have it two young men came by with a bag of bread. The birds were going to be closer today.

Clicking on the photos brings a larger version.

More Boynton Beach Birds

My dad said it would make a nice picture if they were flying. He walked in their direction until – poof – they were flying!

Two more photos from the birds of Boynton Beach.

True story–a group of birds were sitting near the bank of a small lake. My dad said it would make a nice picture if they were flying. He walked in their direction until – poof – they were flying! He’s got the magic touch.