Feb 22, 2009 - Ft. Myers

As is by now tradition, we have to play bocce on their rubico bocce courts.

Suzanne lines up her shot.
I ain't gonna lie to you; she has skills, but dad was king of the court, as usual.

Then it happened - Jill noticed a gray hair.
Up close, you can see little ones, but she was speaking of the large one out front.
I never had gray hairs before the kid was on the way.

We went to another park later this afternoon.
Ibis wading in the water.

Some kind of heron, perhaps a tri-color.
(My dad would know.)

Racoons!

A brood - in broad daylight.

Finally, I see white pelicans.
Dad had been talking about them for years, but I always went in the wrong season.
They had swarmed the lake behind dad and Suzanne's place and have since left, but some are still hanging around in the parks.

He sees me.

Egret. You can tell by the black legs.

A red egret wades around in a lake feeding.

They're such aggressive feeders!
They flap and run all over.
Amazing.

Tri-colored heron.

Snowy egret (I think).

Some other little funky heron.

An ahinga hangs out in the tree at twilight, getting ready to be tucked in for the night.