Category: Birds

Random Reflections: Dec. 2016

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Birds.  One of my favorite aspects of living on Sarasota Bay in a nature preserve is all the different species of birds.  We had one of those exceedingly low tides last week and with mud and sandbars exposed, birds spent the early morning hours feasting in the shallow water.  There were the usual egrets (stately birds), the always travel-in-a-group ibises (with their long beaks to the ground), seagulls and terns, and one lone spoonbill.  With bright pink plumage on its hind quarters, the roseate spoonbill is easy to spot and always seems to be by itself.  I’ve also become aware of more songbirds in the trees along our boulevard.  Perhaps they have migrated from the north; whether it’s just me or there are more of them, their presence and their songs are most welcome!

Films.  As a break from holiday preparations, we manage to squeeze in two movies in the past week.  One was good and the other excellent.

Allied.  Set during WWII in Morocco and London, Allied stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotilliard as operatives on an intelligence mission.  He is Brad Pitt, but she as Marianne Beausejour is amazing to watch.  I didn’t see the trailer beforehand so I got caught up in puzzling when she was playing a role and when she was showing true emotion.  She was alternately brittle and effusive.  With echoes of Casablanca, the first third is somewhat slow to ignite.  Good overall, not great.

Manchester by the Sea.  I had read so many laudatory reviews that I was prepared to be disappointed in this film.  Not.  It’s simply superb.  Casey Affleck deserves an Oscar for his portrayal of Lee, a socially challenged and emotionally numb loner who works as a janitor.  When Lee’s brother Joe dies, Lee is named as guardian of Patrick, his 16-year old nephew.  Leaving Boston, Lee returns to Manchester where he navigates a landmine of grief and troubling memories.  What you get is a sensitive depiction of sorrow, tragedy and male bonding.  Lucas Hedges as Patrick is both tough and vulnerable while Michelle Williams as Lee’s ex-wife Randi converses with Lee in one of the most moving scenes in the film.

Season’s Greetings

For me, this time of year is all about sharing time with those nearest and dearest to me.  Whatever holiday you celebrate, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or some other, I wish you a happy one.  As we approach the winter solstice and sunset comes earlier and earlier (fortunately, in Florida that means around 5:30 pm, not 4:00 pm where I grew up) I take heart knowing that soon again we will be going in the direction of more light.  So happy holidays and happy New Year.  May you travel safely and have good times with family and friends!

Header photo:  www.carolinabird.com

Howling Hermine: Day 3

JWF 5 Comments

This is the first time in more than 10 years that a hurricane has made landfall in Florida. We are now into Day 3 of Hermine and we are fortunate that we are nowhere near the worst of this storm.  In fact, we’ve been on the eastern edge and have only been deluged with rain and occasional periods of strong winds.  But nothing of true hurricane strength.  That said, I’d gladly be elsewhere if we were going to be in the area of a direct hit.

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Thursday, Sept. 1

Rain total for our county for all of August was 13.30 inches; Hermine alone dumped 7.76 inches as of yesterday and it’s still raining this morning.  And the wind, which was supposed to die down overnight, picked up again this morning after 6:30 am.  It was preceded by a wicked lightning and thunderstorm that went on for about  a half hour.  No time to be outside.

I suggested the Chief Penguin wait to go out for the newspapers.  Initially, they weren’t there, but after the let-up he ventured out and despite having been blown around a bit, they had arrived.  I guess the newspaper delivery guys subscribe to the mailman’s creed—“neither rain, nor snow… appointed rounds.”  Thank goodness for plastic bags too—not green, but the papers were only slightly damp!

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Friday morning, Sept. 2
Friday morning, Sept. 2

Yesterday I watched as high tide washed up mounds of dirt and debris through the mangroves that protect us from the waters of the bay.  Like ring around the collar, the water is gone today, but the line of debris punctuated with plastic cups and other non-natural detritus remains.  Mid-morning, I noted the resident raccoon scampering about.  It usually isn’t out and about until late afternoon or dusk.

Later, I was  fascinated by a lone egret (where were his compatriots?) who strode tentatively along the mound trying to decide what to do and hesitating when it approached puddled water and not debris.  Ultimately, it scooched under the vines and mangroves.

Then, a wood stork happened along.  Much more confident than the egret, it picked and poked in the low water assumedly grubbing for food.  We don’t see these storks as often and they are usually alone.  Wild weather brings strange bird and animal behavior.

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Lastly, here is a sample of the sound of Hermine out our front window this morning.  Not exactly howling, but you get the idea.

 

All photos and media by JWFarrington (some rights reserved)

Tidy Tidbits: Bands & Birds

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We’re home.  I’ve spent the week sorting mail, stocking the larder, poring over all the cooking magazines and New Yorkers that accumulated, getting back on the treadmill (need to undue the effects of lobster and potato chips!) and soaking in the pool.  Florida is hot and humid, but I’m reveling in being in our own space!

Old-time Music

We just attended our first performance at the Florida Studio Theatre, a multi-venue outfit with a range of offerings from drama to improv to music.  This was The Swingaroos performing in their cabaret space.  A full menu was available, but not realizing this we dined at the Bijou Café around the corner, one of our current favorites.  I had never heard the term, “territory band,” before but they were small dance bands that toured in the U.S., primarily in the Midwest and west, playing in small towns and night clubs during the 1920’s and 30’s.  The Swingaroos are a group of six:  one female vocalist accompanied by musicians on piano, drums, clarinet, trombone, and string bass.  They gave an energetic performance, but we would have enjoyed it more had more of the music and songs been familiar ones.

Nature Note—Missed Photo Op

A robust thunder and lightning storm the other day lasted several hours.  It left puddles galore and, I noted that all the birds that are either in the trees, the sky, or elsewhere during the day had congregated near our pond and on the grass.  The white ibises always do this when the weather is threatening, but this time I observed many great white egrets, brown ducks. and also several of the smaller herons.  Quite striking to see the bright white birds all poking in the grass or stalking around the pond’s perimeter.  I always think there are more birds around when the people population here is down, but that may not be so.

White ibis in June
White ibis in June
Bird on the beach
Bird on the beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Star Romp

For some light diversion, we rented “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”  While not quite as good as its predecessor, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” it delivers megawatt star power in the form of Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and a distinguished gray, but still very handsome, Richard Gere.  Sunny (Dev Patel), proprietor of this unusual Indian hotel where roll is called each morning to see who survived the night, is as exuberant as ever.  He is soon to be married and wants to expand his business.  And he is sure he knows the identity of the unannounced hotel inspector.  Pure fun with a tinge of the poignancy of the last stage of life.