Easter Eggs

A trip to visit our friends, Phil & Diane, was a nice change of pace today. They live on Lake Wylie and treated us to a trip on their boat. It's the first time its been out since last July (water levels were so low due to the drought, it wasn't safe.) Aside from being on the water -- just about one of my favourite passions -- we saw so many birds (another of my passions) ! We saw eagles! Amazing!

And then, entering Crowders Creek, our attention was drawn to a couple of dead trees on a scrubby little island. There were clumps scattered throughout the dead branches. Mistletoe, I wondered? Surely not? As the boat drew closer, and we suddenly realized what we were seeing -- we were dumbstruck.

There were over THIRTY nests in the trees. ALL of them occupied by blue herons! I've seen one or two herons from time to time, but never anything like this! And ducks decorated every branch! Not sure what type...some were solid black while others had white on their necks and breasts. They reminded me of the "water witches" I've seen on our pond, the ducks that dive and seem to disappear for an eternity before surfacing tens of yards away.

But the herons stole the show. Some were finishing their nests, carrying scrub plucked from brush on the island to their nests, carefully weaving it in and out with their long beaks. Others seemed to be sitting on eggs already laid. You might expect to see something like this on "Planet Earth" or a National Geographic special. But it's spectacular to find it in your own backyard.

Naturally, I didn't think to take my digital camera with me. So this pic from my iPhone will have to suffice. The ducks you can readily see. You'll have to imagine the heron in every nest.



My, my! Easter eggs indeed!