My Tigers are getting beat up tonight. I can't bear to watch so I thought I would put on a little music and scan a few images.

I took Lainey for a late walk and took along my binoculars. Yesterday, I saw several birds out on the lake - ducks? maybe - mergansers? could be - but I really had a good idea in my head what they were, I just needed to validate my birding prowess (so says me). I was right - American Coots - the Meerkats of the birding world - here's a brief description:

American Coots are noted for many qualities, some considerably less redeeming than others. Conspicuous, noisy, and aggressively territorial, they select from a repertoire of some 14 displays to communicate among themselves. To signal their social intentions coots vary body postures, adjust the position of the white undertail coverts, alter the degree to which they arch the wings over the back, change the angle of erect neck feathers and, when aroused, swell the frontal "nose" shield.

A whole gang of them were out there causing a ruckus. Yep. Meerkats of the birding world. Crazy characters.

Also - I thought I FINALLY could tick the elusive American Bittern off my list. While I was watching the coots water wrestle, something darkened my view. I looked up and I SWORE it was the American Bittern. I was so excited. Right there in front of me - he just stood looking at me as if to say, "Here I am! Your life is complete!". For a brief moment, I thought he was right. That is until I got home and reviewed a few of my books.

I missed several of the more OBVIOUS field markings that are dead-giveaways when identifying the American Bittern. I just plain missed them. I have to go on living because I just didn't get it right. Oh, what's that you say? What kind of bird was it? Well, I wish I could say it was a Least Bittern - at least I'd save a little face -- but no -- it was a juvenille Black-crowned Night Heron - brown - streaky - stout -- but that's about where the similarities end. So much for birding prowess -- pfft...

Tigers are down 5-0. Oh man. Oh well, tomorrow is another day :-)

Right now a moment of time is passing by!... We must become that moment. -Paul Cezanne

Listening to: Back 2 Good - Matchbox Twenty

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