Easter Sunrise

We left the yard through a different gate. There is mowing in my future* and I wanted to survey the work ahead.

The waning moon was still bright in the sky and, as I stopped to take a look at it, groups of birds began to fly overhead. Some eight or so groups -  3 to 10 - of large birds flew southeast. They were white with long legs behind. They must have been some kind of egret or heron.**

The morning gave us a beautiful sunrise. It  disclosed a white cat on the prowl and one deer in the park. A hawk crossed the dirt road and disappeared into the woods. A huge black bird (Crow? No, juvenile buzzard.) perched on a telephone pole. And one small dog protected his yard from us.

Here are the pictures taken along the way:

Easter moon high in the sky.

Birds flying south southeast

Closeup of the birds flying over. While dark from this perspective, they were white (no black wingtips - darn)

Sunrise over the neighbor's house promises pretty views in the park.

The sunrise reflected pink off the clouds to the southwest.

Sunrise in the park.

Amazing clouds

I love the new fresh green of young mesquite leaves against the darker cedar.

Sunrise over the far meadow.

Signs of the rain we have had. DH walks along-side deep ruts in the road.

Dewberries?

Spear-grass for my sister.

Wild verbena insists on blooming even in the middle of the road.

Wild honeysuckle

The road was covered with little piles of worm castings - more signs of the recent rains.

The mud had dried in spots leaving a web of cracks.

Big prints left in the drying mud...wait, I know these tracks...Paddy and Scruffy are kids at heart and have to get muddy.

Dandelions prepare to seed my side yard.

A close-up displays a yellow beetle on a nearby leaf.

A riot of roses.

Iris blooms welcome the day

*I mowed for a few hours. The backyard was an embarrassment - one could lose a dog back there. The wild garlic has tried to take over and was a powerful hindrance. Still, no vampires will approach the house from the back.

**A close examination of the photos disclose the long necks I did not remember from my early observations. I suppose I was more interested in grabbing a photo or two. Now, why they were flying over as if they were migrating south was not answered. I found this great article on migration, but I quickly got bogged down in it and I don't have time to figure this out today. Here is the link to it:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0511.pdf

It is Texas Parks and Wildlife's Migration and the The Migratory Birds of Texas, Who They Are and Where They Are Going : Fourth Edition by Clifford E. Shackelford, Edward R. Rozenburg, W. Chuck Hunter and Mark W. Lockwood.

FINALLY: I have searched the web and thought about it. I think great egrets...maybe.