The Exclusive 'Things With Water Lilies' Collection

I didn’t intend to write today – this was supposed to be my completely-off weekend, in which I didn’t nothing but watch Doctor Who and read and play in the sun. But I’ve just been going through my Juanita Bay photos from Saturday, and had a major squee moment that couldn’t wait.

This was a grand adventure, actually. Lots of delights. Some of the dragonflies were extremely obliging. I have got some dragonfly porn that will astound you. Birds even showed up for photo ops – and wait until you see the wee woodpecker I captured on video! I saw a spider having a bit of lunch, and some lovely flowers, and had an excellent time ambling through it all.

But the most pleasant surprise was the water lilies. I didn’t think they’d be blooming, but there they were. White and lovely, glowing in the sun. I have wanted to capture water lilies ever since getting this new camera, and for some reason, always miss them. I’ve compensated by shooting about ten billion photos of water lilies. As a small subset of the whole, allow me to present the Things with Water Lilies collection.

Some sort of water bird with water lilies

Those aching for a chance at a UFD can try your luck with this. I’m not sure what it is. The bill looks all wrong for a duck. It was the only water bird I saw gliding through the lily pads.

Wave and water lilies

This is a part of the bay over by the boardwalk through the wetlands that always has lovely views of the water, and I liked this wave stirring the lilies, as most of them were growing in dead calm spots.

Drumlin and water lilies

There you are, your bit of geology for the day: a view across Juanita Bay to a drumlin. Lake Washington was carved by the Puget Lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet, you know. The same ice sheet deposited all these lovely little hills, called drumlins. I have still got a paper I have to write up on that. When I’m done mucking about with volcanoes, perhaps we’ll take up glaciers, eh? I’ve got lots and lots of glacial landforms, plus actual glaciers, I could do for you.

Turtle with water lilies

Might as well name this Turtle Cove: although this same cove hosts the Red-winged Blackbirds, they weren’t about. Turtles win. Besides, look at it resting its little chin on its little flipper. And those hind feet all sprawled out like that. Awwww. It’s like it’s contemplating the serene beauty of the water lilies. Very Zen, that turtle. Or possibly Tao.

Bee with water lily

It’s quite hard to see, but there is a bee poking round in there. I’d been wondering what pollinated these beauties, and then this darling crawled out and flew away. Ah-ha! One of the possible pollinators caught in the act, anyway!

But this, my darlings, this, is my pride-and-joy:

Frog with water lily

Because, you see, I’d stepped off the board walk at the end of the bay thinking that what would have made this day complete was a frog. And then, tonight, I see that there was a frog! Right there, true to stereotype on a lily pad, and I hadn’t even seen it, I’d been so focused on lilies. So this shot is accidental, but what a wonderful accident it is.

If you enlarge the photo to its full glory, you’ll see it’s festooned with purple petals. I’ll be showing you those lovely purple flowers here eventually.

So much to show you…. Once summer’s over, we’ll have no shortage of photos from it. We should be well stocked for the winter. Of course, you lot in the southern hemisphere are just starting yours, but I hope a little extra sunshine will go well with what you’ve got. However, it’ll have to wait. I’m off to see the Doctor, and then the Dark Knight, and possibly pluck some blackberries from their vines. Wild, vine-ripened blackberries with panna gelato and SF. Yum!

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The Exclusive 'Things With Water Lilies' Collection
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12 thoughts on “The Exclusive 'Things With Water Lilies' Collection

  1. 1

    It looks like a grebe, a sort of diving duck. The fluffiness of the feathers makes me think juvenile. Not sure as to species – immatures being confusing and I don’t have my field guide handy.

    The Red-winged Blackbirds are probably already on their migratory route.

    It is a thrill to come into contact with wild creatures, even a single duck, turtle, or frog.

  2. 4

    Wonderful accident, indeed! That’s a fantastic frog photo. Actually, they’re all pretty wicked.

    I think your UFD is a grebe, probably a pied-billed grebe. Not terribly certain about that, though.

  3. 5

    Yes, A young Pied-billed Grebe.

    Where’s the dragonfly porn? You can’t get us all worked up and then keep us waiting like this. Dragonflies are awesome insects.

    No updates on the smoking front either? Have you been successful? If so are you going to change your profile pic.

  4. rq
    8

    My first guess also would have gone to something of the coot sort, since I’ve taken to watching the coot family in the local ‘lake’ (really a slightly oversized pond), and the beak shape is similar. But coots are black/dark grey with white bills, very distinct (have lots of photos if anyone is interested).
    Then I looked up pied-billed grebe, and it seems to fit the description, as well as being a juvenile – the adult colouring doesn’t seem to be as distinguishable as it will be. Although, does anyone know if male grebes undergo a colour change in the fall, like the ordinary wild duck does? Maybe I’m too far north, but all our wild forest ducks have already changed for winter migration – and considering it’s September, maybe this fellow is doing the same thing? Like I said, I may be too far north and this could be a juvenile just coming into its own. After all, most places, September is still pleasantly summer-like…

  5. 9

    My bird guide says that winter adults and juveniles look similar, but, among other subtle differences, the adult should have a yellow eye ring. This one doesn’t seem to, but that could just be the lighting – and anyways, I’ve no idea when they actually moult into winter plumage.

  6. rq
    10

    By the way, I’m impressed with your identification. That dark band on the beak is pretty difficult to pick up (so maybe the yellow eye-ring is, too). And yes, ‘moult’ was the word I was looking for while writing that comment.

  7. 11

    Heh, I was actually basing my ID on “looks like a grebe” and ruling out all the grebes that it didn’t quite look like!

    (Also, it appears that, since the last time I commented, I now have to sign in to comment?)

  8. 12

    Ah. That would be the spiffy new prevent-spoofing plugin. Apparently they just activated it. Sorry!

    If anyone has issues commenting with that on, please email me: dhunterauthor at yahoo dot com.

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