High Water and Birds

I stopped by the boat dock on my way home Thursday evening.  This is one of my favorite locations for shooting sunsets.  As I drove towards the river, I was surprised at how much standing water there was on the sides of the road.  I was even more surprised when I got to the river and saw how high the water was.  The dock I usually walk out on is totally under water.  I’m still not sure why the water level was so high…no storms or any reason that I have heard.  I mean, the Mississippi is flooding but this river is a long way from there.  I do know I was a little uncomfortable walking around….all I could think of was snakes.  I have seen one in the water at this very location once and there was plenty of water on this day for one of those bad boys to come swimming up to me.    In case you haven’t picked up on it…I DO NOT like snakes….I tend to scream like I’m being murdered, do a little girly dance and then run when I encounter one.

So I’m thinking I won’t be there long because the sunset was a bit lacking but I take a few photographs while thinking how odd it is that there are no sea gulls around…none.  That is weird because there are usually sea gulls around.   But there were these two birds…sitting quietly to my right…kind of creepy looking, but interesting at the same time….

If my research is correct, I believe these are older juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Herons….not quite adults yet but close.   I have never seen these birds at the docks before.  The book says they hunt day or night in coastal regions and eat many crabs.  Maybe the high water attracted them on this particular evening…who knows. 

One sat on the fence and occasionally scratched his/her chin…the other stood on one leg on a pier piling….just chillin’….taking it easy.  The life of a bird ~ must be tough.  🙂