Little Hummers

Kathy and I are expecting. When she came home today, she thought she saw two hummingbirds buzzing protectively above the nest. A mom and aunt, perhaps, since males don't participate in nesting, we learn. Incubation lasts 14-23 days. Two eggs are SOP. We'll keep you posted.

Egretious

This egret probably reached our Yorba Linda neighborhood from the Santa Ana riverbed about a mile away, where you can see flocks of them coexisting with ospreys and seagulls. I ran into it during my morning walk and, like your average blogger, was whipsawed between appreciating its stunning gracefulness and snapping pictures with my phone. It was surprising how close it would let me get. As a matter of fact, I had the impression that this most regal of waterfowl found me to be a complete bore. When I got within ten paces or so, it slowly unfurled its wings, looped around me, and landed a half-block ahead, sticking its beak in the air and stepping daintily through the ivy. We did the dance three times. Then I left it alone.