Waiting for Rain

I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.

~ William Shakespeare, As You Like It 

This place is never a waste of time - even when half of the ponds/swales are dried-up. Today was no exception. 

It was hot. I was irritated. So after a visit with a friend I headed out to the ponds for a little peace - to calm the irritation of plans and schedules going awry.

Here's who was home:

These three. I love the look on the face of the cow. I call this the turtle pond, although it is a manmade tank.

There's still some water on the far side of this pond and something was in that tree.

One of the "resident" Bald Eagles was perched above the pond and calling intermittently.

A Great Egret just beyond the fence line.

A closer look.

As I approached the turn-around, a hawk swooped down near the edge of another dry pond. It had briefly joined another Red-shouldered Hawk on this limb, but flew just as I arrived. This hawk stayed for the photo.

I thought the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers had migrated - apparently not.

Great Blue Heron - on the south side of the lane.