Author: God's Morning

One of the Niles Pond night herons, and one of the two that hang out at Smiths Cove every evening.  They may be the same two – hard to tell (I’m shooting through two not very clean windowpanes in the dusk, so Smiths Cove shots aren’t great).

The night herons are medium-sized herons in the genera Nycticorax, Nyctanassa, and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for “night raven” and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the black-crowned night heron.

In Europe, night heron is often used to refer to the black-crowned night heron, since it is the only member of the genus in that continent.

Adults are short-necked, short-legged, and stout herons with a primarily brown or grey plumage, and, in most, a black crown. Young birds are brown, flecked with white. At least some of the extinct Mascarenes taxa appear to have retained this juvenile plumage in adult birds.

Night herons nest alone or in colonies, on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as islands or reedbeds. 3-8 eggs are laid.

Night herons stand still at the water’s edge, and wait to ambush prey, mainly at night. They primarily eat small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, and small mammals. During the day, they rest in trees or bushes.

There are seven extant species. The genus Nycticorax has suffered more than any other ciconiiform genus from extinction, mainly because of their capability to colonize small, predator-free oceanic islands, and a tendency to evolve towards flightlessness. (Wikipedia)

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

The cedar waxwing is easily found in open habitat where there are berries. It times its nesting to coincide with summer berry production, putting it among the latest of North American birds to nest. It is highly gregarious; flocks of hundreds, occasionally thousands, are encountered during migration and winter.

I haven’t seen a cedar waxwing in years.  I used to see them when I lived in Newbury, and a flock would land in a tree in the yard that had red berries.  They would perch in a line along a branch.  The first bird would pick a berry and then pass it to the next bird in line and on down until the last in line would eat it and on they would go in a progressive communal dinner party.  It was the coolest thing to witness.  This one was gathering dry stuff, obviously to make a nest.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

I recently brought my mother, Jean, who is with me for the summer on Rocky Neck, over to the senior center.  I have tried to get her to go to senior centers in her hometown and while we were down in Florida, to no avail.  Rose Baker was different from the moment we walked in the door.  People (workers, volunteers and members) were outwardly welcoming and lovely.  We walked in last Monday to hear the end of Dave Sag and The Ole Salty Jazz Band, who were just wonderful, and I even got asked to dance by a charming man named Sam!  If you have free time between 1-3:00 pm on Mondays (they will be away until July 6), definitely stop in and break up the day with a little dancing.  I’ll put you on my dance card.

We have been back for lunch, which was delicious, fresh and lovingly prepared by Open Door.  Mom has joined in a singing group, and the supportive social day care program on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which gives us each some time away from each other and with our own peers.

The Senior Center offers so many wonderful programs from computer classes, knitting & crocheting group, longevity training, yoga, tai chi, zumba, Bingo, meditation, Reiki, drawing, art program with our Juni Vandyke, swimming at the Y, shopping trips, hearing clinic, cards (some serious players there of bridge, whist and poker), pool room and so much more.  I joined mainly to get my mother to go, but there are a number of offerings I want to take advantage of (the benefit of being 60!).  If you or a loved one are reaching or well into their “senior” years, you owe it to yourself to check out the wonderful resource we have here in the Rose Baker Senior Center.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

What an amazing place we live in.  God certainly blesses Cape Ann and all who dwell here.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

It is so nice to see swans back at Niles Pond again.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Cool looking boat.

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

E.J. Lefavour

http://www.hobbithousestudio.com

Not really.  They were shot in Florida, but the roseate spoonbills are so pretty in pink aren’t they, surrounding the egret.

These two were at Niles Pond – lone surviving duckling with her mom.

E.J. Lefavour

Hobbit House Studio

No matter where we might travel and what beautiful places we might see, there is no place more beautiful and special than here.

E.J. Lefavour

Hobbit House Studio

Now that people here are snowless and warm again and shouldn’t hate on me for doing so, I wanted to share a few photos and adventures from Florida.  My mother and I were driving state road 46 in Geneva, FL on our way to Sanford to take the auto train, in the middle of nowhere, Florida, when we came across a long bridge spanning the St. Johns River and saw way off the road, the first sign of civilization we had seen in some time.  It required a white knuckle hairpin turn at 55 mph off single lane 46 to get onto the dirt access road to reach it, but the trip to Jolly Gator Fish Camp was so well worth it.  If you ever find yourself on or near State Road 46 in Geneva, FL (not far from Cocoa Beach), don’t miss the opportunity to stop.  The food and view are amazing, and the staff were so warm and wonderful.  We had grilled gator bites (so yummy!) and Florida Cabbage (equally delicious). https://plus.google.com/116287532652489782461/about?gl=us&hl=en

E.J. Lefavour

Hobbit House Studio

Always cool things to see on Rocky Neck.  These were shot out my window last evening hanging out on Kim and Linda’s gangplank on Smiths Cove.

E.J. Lefavour

Hobbit House Studio

Don’t miss Regina Piantedosi’s exhibit at her new YUPO Gallery space, 74 Rocky New Ave., “My Mother-My Self” presenting an impressive array of retrospective works by Anna DelloRusso (Regina’s Renaissance woman artist mother) and Regina.  Opening Reception Saturday, June 13th from 4-8pm.

Also don’t miss the Opening Reception for Joseph Flack Weiler’s photography exhibit at Gallery 53, 53 Rocky Neck Ave., also on Saturday, June 13th from 5-7pm.

Finally, watch for the opening of the Madfish Grille next weekend, with a soft opening Friday evening, June 12.  The restaurant will not be serving food this year, offering music Thursday through Sunday, and Dark Gable’s BBQ by Andre under the canopy. Check out the cool graffiti art in the bar by James A. Fox, artist from Beverly who works as a teach of graffiti and mixed media arts at Collins Middle School in Salem.

E.J. Lefavour

Hobbit House Studio

This is raw video footage taken at a spot I walk to each morning here at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.  It has become my Niles Pond South.  I had to share this amazing explosion of birds that arrived and remained at this spot for about two weeks while they gobbled up all the fish in the place and then moved on.  In the mix of birds were numerous great blue herons, tri-colored herons, little blue herons, green herons, limpkins, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, great egrets, roseate spoonbills, black backed stilts, anhinga, osprey, sandhill cranes, storks, white and glossy ibis, gallinules, grebes and even an alligator and some otters.

Now that they are all well fed, some are probably heading Gloucester way, so be on the lookout for them.  I won’t be far behind them.

E.J. Lefavour