Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Lake Havasu

On this day we were at the far end of the lake (many miles away from the London Bridge) checking out a camp ground. It was pretty desolate here, but beautiful.  Although I took quite a few photos, the thing that caught my eye was this Heron. It caught my eye because it was following us around.

They look a little ungainly when walking, taking off, or landing, but in flight they are amazing.

This is a nice one to enlarge.

This one as well.

If you forget about his feet, he looks kinda like of the Mondoshawans from the Fifth Element. That is, IF a Mondoshawan could fly. I know most of you are thinking" What the heck is a Mondoshawan and has Tillett lost what little mind he had left after the 60's and 70's?"  As long as we're on the subject, does anybody out there know what a Mondoshawan is. Without googling it, that is?

Even though I take quite a few photos of birds, I know very little about them.  I know this guy is a Heron, but I'm sure there are many kinds.

This was so close to being an AMAZING photo. I had to shoot from the hip because he surprised me. Like the Hawk I tried to photograph when we were in Sedona, I took three shots in rapid succession, without really aiming. I got one of the blue sky (with nothing in it), one of my knee, and this! Even thought it didn't work out, I LOVE the textures and colors in his wing.

Also not much of a reflection, but I loved this little puffy duckling. At least I think it was a duck.  It sure as heck wasn't a Mondoshawan!
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For reflections by other photographers go to Weekend Reflections sponsored by James.


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68 comments:

  1. hi pat, those are amazing shots!

    it takes a lot of patience and timing to get such good ones.

    such beautiful birds!
    what a feast for the eyes!

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  2. These photos are so stunning! I would love to be able to snap photos like that of a bird in flight. WOW! I really enjoyed looking at these. That last one is so sweet. I love the color of the water. Amazing.

    The only thing I remember clearly from The Fifth Element is the blue girl with the orange hair. It's been awhile, lol. ;)

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  3. You are an expert of birds, these pictures are wonderful, very well captured!
    I'm always enchanted by herons, they are gorgeous birds!
    Léia

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  4. We have Great Blues here for herons, and they are my favorite bird to watch. I come upon them while driving around wetlands - they stand perfectly still in the water and...wait. We have one that lives at the Mill Pond down the road, and I just found out he's been named Henry. I love when I see him there and always stop to watch him for awhile. I think these shots are amazing. My fave is the one of him in flight (2nd from last). I think it IS an amazing photo. But all of them are. I really like the name Havasu too. happy day to you Pat.

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  5. Amazing photos! And yes, I've seen the Fifth Element many times and I know about the Mondoshawan.

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  6. i think that duck is a pied-billed grebe. :)

    and, no, i would have to google...

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  7. I love the photos! Mondoshawan must be just one Shawan!

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  8. These photos are amazing. Herons are coll birds to look at but I don't like them because they eat our pond fish.

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  9. I didn't know about the Mondoshawan, but I do now and what a magnificent bird -- especially in flight! Awesome captures, Pat! I, too, love the duckling!!! Thanks for sharing the beauty!

    Sylvia

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  10. I really like the swooping photo. the composition works well.

    and yes, my blog is word verification free.

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  11. Wonderful photos Pat!!! And I love your "from the hip shot"! How awesome to capture that! As for the Mondoshawan...you didn't say I couldn't look on Bing...
    even so...I'm not sure what it is!!!

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  12. Love the shots, the heron and the gorgeous water and the puffy duckling! No clue on the Mondoshawan.

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  13. Hi Pat...I'm sorry to be such a stranger lately but I read at least! These pictures are stunning. I am like you. I'm a bird love and watcher and take tons of pictures but know ZIP about them. All I do know is that they are Mother Nature's music boxes! The sounds out my front door every day are magical here in Florida. OMG...I love it.

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  14. The expression on it's face in the close up shot is fantastic. Looks it's thinking to itself, 'If I ignore him, maybe he'll go away.'

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  15. I love those birds. You're an amazing photographer.

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  16. Wonderful photos, I like to see her with outstretched wings. Excellent catches.

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  17. Fantastic captures of the Great Blue heron, Pat. I have not a clue what a Mondoshawan is, nor little puffy ducky either.

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful journey to Lake Havasu.

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  18. Those are beautiful photos, Pat! I know very little about bird too, and I just call them birds :-)

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  19. Nat Geo wants YOU! Awesome pics my friend! Truly awesome!

    J

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  20. Great pictures, Pat, of your water birds... Love seeing them in flight. I have a terrible time getting my backyard birds in flight.

    Lake Havasu looks like a great place to visit. I'll put it on my LONG list... ha
    Betsy

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  21. I love your word 'embiggen'. :) Those are some amazing shots. Really nice.

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  22. I'd call that photo AMAZING. And I didn't know herons have such a wide wingspan. Really great shots, Pat.

    xoRobyn

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  23. They're extraterrestrials.
    EVERYbody knows that.
    Especially Google.

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  24. I love these bird photos in flight! Not familiar with birds, but sure is so pretty!

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  25. That 2nd last shot is AMAZING! And I love the 3rd shot as well. All of them are brilliant, though.

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  26. Great shots of the Blue heron, Pat, and the little pied billed grebe.

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  27. Wonderful shots! I think the last one is a duck, but I'm not sure either. Ha! Have a great weekend!

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  28. You made ​​some very beautiful pictures! Best wishes!

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  29. Is there a good reason I would WANT to know a Mondoshawan? LOL! That hip shot is my favorite today, Pat. And like my strange blossoms that must be seen up close, a heron needs to be viewed in flight to appreciate its beauty.

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  30. Nice! Birds are so difficult to capture, you've done well!

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  31. Fabulous birds shots! and the small duck is sooooo cute!

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  32. Wonderful shots of these beautiful birds with great colors.

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  33. I enlarged the second one as you suggested. Very nice!

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  34. Betty M - Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked them. For me, it's more about timing than patience. I don't have much of that...

    Jenn - thanks Jenn. I would have loved to got the full bird on that one. Thanks for the nice words.

    Leia - No no! I am far from being an expert! This week, we are in another part of the southwest and I saw (and photographed) three birds that I've never seen in person before! I'll post that one soon.

    Ms. Becky - Hi there! Long time no see! Henry the Heron, now that's cute! Thanks for the nice things you said, i appreciate it.

    Alex - Thanks Alex! I thought of three people would know what a Mondoshawan was, and you are one of them!

    TexWisGirl - Thanks for the name! I'll look them up. I'm just learning about birds.

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  35. Shooting from the hip is something you seem to do very well, Pat. Keep it up!
    Rosemary

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  36. Brian - Thanks Brian! Ha! Thanks "MONDO" not "MONO."

    laughingmom - Thanks so much! I understand about the pond fish. Our friends (in Utah) told us that they have lost about 40 fish over the years to Herons. I still love 'em!

    Sylvia - Thanks Sylvia! I love birds of all kinds. Especially when they are young.

    Budd - Me too! I'm glad and appreciate that your blog is WV free. If it wasn't I wouldn't be commenting there! You are also one of the few I knew would know what a Mondoshawan was.

    TheChieftess - Thank you so much my dear! Yes, that shot was almost in focus! What I got, was pretty lucky!

    Ms. A - Thanks! Love that little puffy duckling or Greb also!

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  37. Barb - Hey there! You got stuff to do, I totally understand! Thanks for the nice words. This week, I saw three birds that I've never seen, or never seen in person before.

    Tim - I didn't go away! Once I stared acting interested, he played hard to get and started avoiding me!

    Clarissa - Why thank you! I appreciate that.

    Leovi - Thank you Leovi! I love the colors and shapes of the wing feathers.

    Blue Wave - Thanks so much!

    Pam - Thanks my friend! The Mondoshawan is an alien creature from the movie The Fifth Element. The puffy ducky sure was cute.

    Icy BC - Thanks so much! I mostly just call them birds also. Maybe throw in, "large bird" or "small bird."

    John - Thanks John! They can have all the photos they want. Just as long as they pay that Nat Geo money...

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  38. Betsy - thanks Betsy! I'm with you, I love watching them fly. Several months ago, a huge hawk landed on a tree limb right over my head, after I'd taken about 25 photos, I wanted to see him fly. We couldn't make him do it...

    M Pax - Thanks Mary! I appreciate it!

    Robyn - Why thank you my friend! Oh yeah, they have huge wingspans.

    Al - I agree with you, but only because Google agreed with you...

    Ebie - I agree! I'm not familiar with them either. I do know that they fly, make pretty noises, and make my car dirty.

    Lynda - Thanks Lynda! I like those two quite a bit myself. I appreciate the nice words.

    Martha - thanks Martha! Okay, that's two of you who said it was a pied billed grebe. So, I'm thinking it's a pied billed grebe!

    Antonette - Thanks so much for the nice comment! I will have a nice weekend, I have a nice everyday (almost).

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  39. wow love that first picture of the bird in mid flight amazing

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  40. Kim - thanks so much Kim! That's very nice of you!

    Robert - I appreciate the nice words and that you commented.

    Francisca - To answer your question, aybe yes and maybe no... You are so right. Kind of like an egret. They are very nice sitting still, but look great in flight.

    Wayne - Thank you sir!

    Rajesh - Thanks Rajesh

    Leovi - Thanks so much Leovi! (again)

    EG - Thank you for doing that, and thanks for the nice words.

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  41. Rosemary - Sometimes I get lucky! Or as my granny used to say, "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then."

    becca - Thanks so much! The more I look at that one, the more I like it. Thanks becca...

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  42. .º°❤
    °º✿ Olá, amiga!

    Lindo passeio... com lindas fotos.
    BOM FIM DE SEMANA!

    ¸.•°`
    °º✿ Beijinhos.
    º° ✿ ✿ Brasil

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  43. Fantastic shots, the last one...the little one looks lost and lonely.
    The heron and the flighted one are great shots.
    Enjoy your weekend.

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  44. Great shots. The coloring on this heron is a bit different than those we see here.


    Darryl and Ruth :)

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  45. I really like the 'head shot.'

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  46. Beautiful shots Pat. There's a pair of Herons that live in the canal behind our house. I get happy each time I see them.

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  47. What a beautiful part of the world... that's Edward Abbey country ! Ever been down into the Havasupai Reservation along Havasu Creek ? Magical names to me... been down there twice, would love to get back out that way... thanks for the inspiration to do so...

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  48. Pat these photos are awesome! You always amaze... Gorgeous shot you took from the hip. I agree with you, the texture of the wing is wonderful! Thank you for sharing these! :)

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  49. patrick, the heron shots are beautiful. he's beautiful. back here...what I really mean is down south on the east coast, he'd be a blue heron. no idea on the west coast or AZ. they're probably all related. what I love is the black and blue design on the wing span.

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  50. Amazing pictures.

    I love birds, such incredible creatures capable of something I dream about.

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  51. Magia - Hello! Thank you so much!

    Rek - Thanks Rek! He had some buddies close by, so he wasn't lonely!

    James - Thanks James! I appreciate it.

    Darryl and Ruth - I know there are several variations, but I'm not very up on them.

    Carly - thanks! I really like that one also. Personality...

    Gene Pool Diva - Thanks so much! I would love having them so close to my house!

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  52. Owen - Wow! I haven't heard his name in a long time. He was a classic. I've read most of his stuff, but remember The Monkey Wrench Gang most of all. I have been down to Havasupai, but unfortunately, I was too young to appreciate it and I didn't have a camera yet. Maybe, I'll do it again... Thanks Owen.

    Pam - Thanks so much Pam! I really do appreciate that. It was my pleasure. Hope things are good for you.

    California Girl - thanks! I'm just starting to learn my way around birds, so I know squat...

    The Empress - Thanks! Oh yeah! I'd love to fly. I can watch them for long periods of time.

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  53. Pat, I actually like your "shoot from the hip" photo best. I can just imagine that bird jumping in front of me like the robin in my post yesterday.

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  54. No, I do not know what a Mondosomething is. It sounds like a Native American healing man or something.

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  55. Wow, wow, WOW! OMG can you shoot birds! It's more than the fact that they're tack sharp and technically perfect. Rather, you nailed their spirit, the feeling of standing Right There and feeling them fly by. Incredibly inspiring.

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  56. I had to google it. I've seen Fifth Element like 10 times but didn't know the names of anything.

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  57. Rita - I think I agree with you! I wish I'd have gotten the whole thing.

    Sharon - That's pretty funny! Like a shaman (or however you spell it!).

    Carmi - Hey there! Thanks Carmi! I appreciate what you said. I'd like to get more motion shots, but that would take patience. I have little of that...

    PTM - i thought those big guys were pretty cute! I also really liked that movie.

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  58. My shots always look like a feathery dot. Nice to know some people can do better.

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  59. il y a les mm herons derriere chez moi au bord de la riviere ;o)

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  60. How amazing that the heron was following you around! I wonder why!

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  61. Your hip shot was great! And the detail of the outstretched wing is amazing. I think the baby is an American Coot. The person who left the graffiti on the rock should have to clean it off with his tongue. Love your photos.

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  62. Great shots Pat! I love the Heron against that aqua blue water... stunning!

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  63. I'd have had to google but I read through your seven million comments until I found your answer ;>)...it was a lot more fun than Googling!

    Beautiful heron shots and I have to say great reflections because those murky ones are the only kind I usually ever have for James' meme. I also think that "duckling" is a p-b grebe!

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  64. I love the 2nd to last and the 3rd to last. So beautiful!!

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