Ducks and the Moon

Above and Below: Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) Milly and Manny are back (see last year). I snapped both of these images from inside the house today. I keep scaring the ducks when I go out back. . . so for now they have the back yard to themselves for the most part. They seem to prefer the first pond (above) where they blend perfectly with the vegetation. This afternoon I discovered them in the middle pond knocking over my decorative rocks (below). They get really excited when I turn on the sprinklers on the weekends. I have no idea where they've made their nest. I would love to have some little ducks.



Below: I walked down to the river and caught this Red-tailed hawk (Bueto jamaicensis) sitting atop a pole. I thought it was a nice shot from about 1/2 mile.



Below: A close-up of the April moon.



Below: Four pelicans with a rising moon.



Below: Some kids on an oak tree with the rising moon. Colorized and digitally enhanced.



Below: My best recent shot of a plane with the moon. I'm always carrying the camera but this is a difficult shot to achieve. Everything has to be in just the right spot at the right time. . . despite the fact that there are hundreds of planes crossing the Florida peninsula every hour. . . there are only a few that make that shot possible every month.



To read about Congress' shameful alteration of the Endangered Species Act go to Phillip's Natural World II.