I had just a little time this morning, so it was off into the dawn to get in a little paddling. With the early light, I didn’t expect much in the way of pictures, but Nature was on full display and I managed a few publishable shots.
Yes, the Great Egrets are back. This is the time of year I see them around here.

I reached an impasse working my way up a little feeder creek, but just as well, as I didn’t want to disturb what appeared to be a family of Raccoons.

And then while I was snapping pictures of them, a Great Blue Heron comes strolling by right behind the Raccoons.

There was a splash, and I assume he either got breakfast or nearly so, and then ambled back the other way; you can see a Raccoon tail in the lower right. Consider this the obligatory Great Blue Heron picture.

Many humans declare summer to be over on this Labor Day (US) holiday, and some use the Autumnal equinox to mark the spot. But for most, the change of seasons is more of a process, rather than a point in time.

As the nestlings grow to fledglings and juveniles and start to fend for themselves, the breeding season winds down, leaving things noticeably quieter around the lake. Some of the part-time residents are either making preparations or are already migrating to their winter habitats.

These Geese are year-round residents:

This little Killdeer, being eyed by the Goose, seemed rather pale in color, but the call was definitive. If you look carefully, you can see the obligatory Great Blue Heron back in the woods on the left.

The Turkey Vultures are also full-timers (I guess the year-round road kill around here keeps them fed):

Last time I wrote about almost being fooled by juvenile Little Blue Herons, but this big white bird is definitely a Great Egret. I only see them around here during this time of year, so they’re the migrating sort.

Speaking of Turkeys, I’ve seen Wild Turkeys, but this is the first time I’ve seen any right around the lake (just when I think I’ve seen it all, Nature throws something else in front of me):

There’s something about being out in the open under a low cloud layer. It’s almost like being in the air among the clouds (been there, done that), and gives me a tremendous sense of the sheer scale of the sky. It’s big.