😁

... at dusk, with a nature preserve on either side of it

That's when I saw the silhouette of a bird flying over the dam, and it looked like a pterodactyl to me!

Since that obviously struck me as impossible, I later looked up the birds that frequented that preserve, hoping to learn what might've created such an illusion.

My best guess was a large Great Blue Heron, especially because of the long feathers at the back of their heads.

Quite a gorgeous one too.

I am thrilled any time I see one. Fortunately, that is a fairly frequent occurrence where we live.

. . . that leafy green stuff in the top photo?

I'm being OVERRUN by peppers -- sweet banana; jalapeno; poblano; those tiny little green and red fiery peppers -- bushes hanging to the ground, making red pepper jelly, pickled banana peppers, pickled jalapenos, yet they still keep coming!!!

The large ones outside the compound are milkweed peeking out from the bottom right is the pepper bed.
Odd year for peppers started inside in March as usual then all the weird weather hit. Too much heat too early, then cold, no rain, frost on the first day of summer, everyone around me had very mixed results this spring. So I overplanted because of early losses and everything is looking sweet now already enjoyed a couple pablano dinners.

Outside the compound the plants Heron is sauntering to is Comfrey. Grown for medicinal purposes and fertilizer.

which is actually just a big creek. I cross over it when I walk to a nearby shopping center. There are a few rocks thst stick up out of the water where it is common to see ducks.

One day as I walked over the bridge, a man on the bridge was staring at the water. He pointed out to me a great blue heron on one of the rocks. Very beautiful and regal looking.

Can't even see the rocks now after 3 weeks of nonstop rain. The water is so high that it is creeping up the banks to cover lawn and the base of trees on the bank. Yesterday I saw a duck splashing around in low water at the edge where it covered the grass. It ventured into the river, but the current was so strong that it fluttered its wings, tried to "walk on water" that way, and rushed back to shore, where it returned to splashing around in low water.

The current is not usually that strong and ducks used to wade and swim around in the river, but not since the heavy rains.

A beautiful melodious song…something between a cat choking and a baby crying.