Post-Vacation walk

 So today I had another lovely Lack O'Work Day (celebrating my favorite imaginary Irishman), and I made plans for another early morning walk.  Not too early, though; yesterday on my start to work, I passed two Raccoons (AKA Mr Humpty Backs) who were a bit too cool.  Barely moved as I began my turnaround in the parking lot, and one of them stood in the street in my path on the way out- a horn toot only got me a "Huh? Whatchu want?" look.  Shows the truth in the local radio ad that claims, "Legend has it they got those black eyes from mouthing off to bears".  Anyway, today...

"Hurry up!  It's been..um... a lot of days!"

Sun just coming up

Misty discovers that not all birds know where they're going...

This guy was just waking up

Ah, the elusive Canal Bunny

See how elusive? Missed him on the 2nd try

C'mon, sun!  It's a bit bracing out there...

Last year, the sulphur smell was really bad from the north sprinklers, today not so much!  I wondered if they got below it by now... about five minutes later, we discovered that the minuscule wind was just blowing southwest...

Misty seeking varmintage already

Hi, Coach Tree!

Couple of swallows were dive-bombing us early on

One reason I love this place is because I have an ability to see past the man-made stuff to the beauty in God's creation

More doggies enjoying the morning; brown one whined when they passed us

Mrs Duck has a high seat

Our friend the crane- oops, there's a fish!

"Yumm!"

Here's Misty being mad that we didn't cross the bridge again

Instead, I took her back to the scene of here recent varmint battle

A thorough examination of the scene reveals no such luck

I see they've worn a trail to the World's Smallest Airstrip

And paved it- recently!

I made an attempt to scratch our initials into it...

Misty preferred to sign herself

Doggies part deux

I thought it might be the little Blue Heron, but only Mr Duck

Up by the Alumni Club, the Kildeers were going nuts!  It took me a while to realize they were chasing a hawk from their nesting grounds on Mushroom Ridge. Mr Robin had a ringside seat, though.

The Big Jack- last survivor of spring- has surrendered his pulpit

This squirrel was annoyed at the indignity of having to climb a tree away from us

I thanked him, but he just got madder...

Amazingly, the dominant species of our woods- Discgolficus Nutticus- was blissfully absent today.  However, the silence was easily filled by a loud and long dispute among the neighborhood's Blue Jay community.

We thought that we might have heard humpty backs near the north ravine- but it was only squirrels playing- LOTS of squirrels.

And now that it's warming at last, we descend back into the Bowl and home.