(June 17, 2006)
This retention pond, located close to our post office, has been a hangout for birds, frogs and toads, dragonflies and damselflies, snakes and turtles, and at least one happy photographer.
In the past I've been able to get down to the water, to do things like photograph this male blue dasher dragonfly:
(June 18, 2006)
Or this ibis convention:
(April 15, 2007)
Or this little blue heron:
(January 19, 2010)
Or this male ceraunus blue butterfly:
(November 18, 2006)
Sometimes I play around with the shots:
I've seen the pond full to its brim:
(October 24, 2007; two joined shots)
And, on rare occasion, dry:
(May 20, 2008)
And, sometimes, poignant:
(April 19, 2006)
The pond recently received a major overhaul that involved underground pipe installation, dredging, and reminders to myself to use other roads. I was sorry to see trees felled, even though it led to this long-awaited photo-op with a southern black racer:
(August 10, 2010)
I also missed the amphibian chorus that typically plays during the summer months. I hope it comes back. At least the pond still drew birds during its upheaval:
(August 10, 2010)
Construction panorama best viewed large:
(October 5, 2010)
Today the pond is fenced off:
(January 12, 2011)
I can still take photos through the fence. Here's some some shiny new riprap, taken at a roughly 45-degree angle:
(January 12, 2011)
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Proud participant, Operation E-Book Drop (provides free e-books to personnel serving overseas. Logo from the imagination and graphic artistry of K.A. M'Lady & P.M. Dittman); Books For Soldiers (ships books and more to deployed military members of the U.. armed forces); and Shadow Forest Authors (a fellowship of authors and supporters for charity, with a focus on literacy).
