For the last 4 days I've been working and getting some things ready for a little show this weekend. Finally today I got some time with the birds. I went to Shollenberger park, haven't been since late June. What a surprise, it's almost all dry only 30% is still there and it had been mowed down all around, I thought it might be and evil plot, since there is a big fight to save it from a political ploy to let an asphalt plant be built there, but was told it was a "mistake" by the water board who was told to mow for fire hazard, and some employee did it, whacking off all the native plants just put in by vol who are trying to return it to it's right environmental balance. Not to mention destroying all the nesting habitat.
I walked way down the path and found a group by a outlet from the creek, where they were bathing, and drinking, I saw some new birds and some old friends too, here is a page from my book I drew all these in about 6-7 min, with one interruption from a walker by who said oh what are those white birds? "Snowy egrets said I , a few sentences later he was on a vegetarians rule rant, and if I wasn't one I wasn't part of human kind like him...
Most people who stop and chat don't bother me much, but something got me going, my usual ploy is to start asking questions( the one who asks the questions is the one in control) as soon as they are following my questions, I start leading them in circles, until they don't know where they are or what I said or they said, until the move off to get away from the "crazy lady" Although this worked it took too long, I have to find a better way....maybe an accent, and "sorry I don't speak english well" would do it.
anyway here is the group, they were all hanging out together at the outflow
Snowy egrets, avocet, blacknecked stilt and a coot with a timid touch of wc added. It's not much but it felt good to get back, soon I'll have to start putting in some background but really there's so little left after the mowing...see the photo..