Solitary Bee and Sunflower

The summer flowers are almost gone. There are a few sunflowers along the creek left and while I was there they were loaded with Bees and butterflies.

The Black Neck Stilt Stoops For Lunch.

How many positions does a Black Neck Stilt have ?

I always seem to find some that are outstanding. Really just Thousands are waiting to be to be stood. I can't remember them so my camera does that for me.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca

.25 per sq. in.

Beech Front Property.

Home to the Great White Egret and the Black Crown Night Heron.

The Gilbert Water Ranch.

Copyright Tom Stanley Janca

.25 per sq.in.

The Great White Egret And Cormorant Fishing Contest.

Look here cormorants. We want to get started now line up with the egrets.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca

.25 per sq. in.

Dowwitchers At Dinner Time.

Usually always in a group. I have been trying to catch them flying.

They are fast and fly like a jet fighter squadron. Usually I just say what was that.

Copyright Tom Stanley Janca

.25 per sq. in.

Oregon Fishing Boats, Resting

An Eight Petal Out Of Town Flower.

I found this eight petal flower.

(One hour before.)

I was way out of town.

I looked around and it couldn't be found.

It took me more than an hour.

As I looked for this eight petal flower.

I hiked up a creek.

and over the hill to take a peek.

Yellow flowers were everywhere.

and all I wanted was one.

As I search the field there were no ones, none.

So on my way back to my surprise.

I found one before my three eyes.

The Ajo Lilly Blooms Again

When the Ajo Lilly blooms out there.

One must stop and stare.

So many rocks and dirt and sand.

Stretch so far across the land.

It's such a surprise to see such a flower.

Sometimes I 'm lost looking at least an hour.

Over here and over there,

I took this picture so I could share.

Copyright Tom Stanley Janca, .20 per sq. in.

A Great Blue Heron Tests The Water.

Breakfast At Tiffany's Pond
By Tom Stanley Janca

What a beautiful morning at the pond.
Breakfast for me, beyond all wishes
But where are you little fishes.
Right here or over there, oh let me see.
Here little fishes, here little fishes come to me.
I will eat you all one -two- three.

Yellow and White Chicory Off the 17 Mile Road

So delightful were the clusters of these flowers I wondered around for about 30 minutes. I don't remember seeing these before. I have seen white ones without so many layers 2 or 3 layers.

These flowers have about 9 or 10. I hope to see them again this winter.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq. in.

Black Neck Stilts with the after glow of love making.

LOVE PROMISES by Tom S. Janca

We promised our mother to do our best.

To find a mate and build a nest.

We will lay our eggs and keep them warm.

And shield them from any storm.

We will keep them safe and protect their fate.

And keep them off the dinner plate.We promise to feed them well when they hatch,

With all the food that we shall catch.

When they are grown and fly about.

The time has come to holler and shout.

Come here little ones it is my request.

It's time to find a mate and build a nest.

Copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq.in.

Will The Real Big Bird Please Stand Up.

Always full of surprises at the Gilbert Riparian Park. This great egret shakes out its feathers. I think he looks just like big bird from TV. I think he is trying to swallow a fish and the little dance he does helps.

Black Neck Stilt Stalks a Bug

De Buggen The Pond

Oh where, oh where can that little bug be.

Way out there where I can't see.

Oh here little bug, here little bug come to me.

I will eat you, but you can't eat me.

by Tom Stanley Janca

copyright Tom Stanley Janca

Charley Brown Pelican (Warning this photo causes vertigo)

I was looking though some pictures of my pelican friend Charley Brown when I noticed that this picture gave me vertigo. I have not felt that since my aerobatic days with my airplane a Champion Citaborea n9652s . If you dare to feel vertigo enlarge photo and enjoy..

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .25 per sq.in.      ..

A young Black Skimmer plays at the beach.

Time seems to stop when I walk down the beach. Lucky Me. I just want to keep going. But I aways come to some sort of end. Today its a small river at the point where the river joins the ocean. There at the end magic happened setting on the sand was two young Black Skimmers enjoying another day. It took me a while to remember what they were. It was 30 years ago the last time I had seen their kind. I took a few photos and I used up my Chip. Usually I have a spare or two. Not today! Now the fun started a couple of small kids began to chase the skimmers. They wanted to stay where they were. So the games began. Chasing and flying, turning and twisting in that small point of sand. The sun, the water, the waves, the clouds, the sound, the action all for my eyes only.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq.in.

A Great Blue Heron finishes swallowing a fish.

Many times I have seen a Great Blue heron swallow a big fish that seemed to big to swallow. I was wrong down it went and you can see the big lump move down the neck. Then sometimes they will do a little dance and shake out their feathers. The feather that normally stay hidden. Then suddenly you seem to be looking at a different bird. Shape shifters that's what they are, many different stances. Tall, Short, vertical, horizontal, all with a different feather arrangement.

The Great Blue heron are very wide spread through

North America. Some people like them and some people do not. I met a few people that removed their fish pond because a Heron found and emptied the gold fish and the koi . Surly there must be some kind of compromise in this eat and be eaten world.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq.in.

Young Western Gulls Landing Practice

It's always fun to watch sea gulls. They fly so easy and so well just throw a peace of bread their way. They won't miss the catch. (However now days it is frond upon the feed the birds!) So don't you try it.

In just a couple of years these young gull will be bright white and dark blue grey.

Just say the word Sea Gull and I am reminded of a sea gull in Oregon that seemed hurt and I set out to rescue him. I scoop him up in my arms and he looked at me and I looked at him and I thought what a hero I was. I look at him again and he looked at me and quickly grabbed my nose and lip with his beak. I had to drop him and pry his beak open and off. He quickly flew off in a very healthy manner. What would happen to that sea gull was no longer on my mind.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq. in.

The Brown Pelicans Comming Home.

I see something wonderful in pelicans.

Here they come from a day of fishing.

I hope their belly's are full. I can relate to them in that I go and work all day at an art show and I love to tell my stories of my pictures and talk to everyone and the day is over to quickly and then I head home like the pelicans.

Pelicans fly together, fish together, nap together, sleep together, swim together, like to be together. That's my theme friends and family together pelican and people very nice picture.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per sq. in.

The Black Crowned Night Heron

Quite a handsome bird, The Black Crowned Night Heron. See its red eye. Its two white head feathers. I can not believe that for over 60 years with all the exploring I have done I finally met one at the Gilbert Riparian Park. I said what is that??

Well with a little research I found out a lot about this Arizona Bird. I learned that it feed mostly at night and hides during the day. That's enough to explain why I never had seen one. Although maybe I saw them but was looking for Jojoba beans instead of birds. For thirty eight years I found a lot of jojoba beans.

copyright Tom Stanley Janca .20 per Sq.In.