Egret or Heron?

I saw one yesterday when I was coming across the bridge over the nearby creek. I was describing it to my d-i-l, and she said it comes here every year, the lower body is blue, and it has a distinctive call. She also told me about an incident a couple of years back, when the bird thought he had arrived at an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet!

The neighbors down the street had a beautiful koi pond in their front yard, and when they realized the bird had partaken of a fine meal, they covered the pond with a screen. Evidently some of the koi were quite large as they had been nurtured for a long time. My d-i-l described it as a real blood bath. Somehow the bird got through the screen, and even though the koi fought back, the heron/egret and possibly some of his fellow travelers ate every last fish in the pond! Nature isn't always pretty.

Of course I didn't have my camera with me but now I've been making sure to take it every time I go over that bridge. I wish I knew what sound it makes because I've heard a couple of bird calls that are new to me. Today I've crossed the creek a couple of times and decided to get a picture of it without the bird. This is looking upstream and the bird in question was on the right under some overhanging branches.



This is looking downstream. No bird there, either.



During my travels you might remember that I bought an I Pass, which I have been glad to have when going through all the toll booths from Illinois to here, as well as on the bridge over the Hudson River. In this month's New York Car & Travel (AAA) magazine, there is an article on how some states are ripping travelers off by charging a higher rate (30% and more) for out-of-state issued passes. New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maine and West Virginia are states that gouge drivers just traveling through. I haven't driven through any of these states, so I can't attest to what they do, but I feel like I paid much less, overall, in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and New York. I wanted the pass mainly for the convenience, and the break I have received in lower tolls has been icing on the cake. I'll stay off NJ & WV toll roads, however, and I don't plan on driving through NH or MA this year at least.

I just bought my grandson a present for his 6th birthday - a batting tee. He needs some practice outside what the team is able to furnish, and the salesman at Dick's Sporting Goods was very helpful in explaining how the tee should be adjusted for height, etc. I thought about buying extra balls in case he doesn't have anyone to shag balls for him, but decided against it and was glad when I bought wrapping paper and a card, which just about equaled what I would have paid for a package of 6 extra balls! Since I'm planning to leave right after his birthday I will probably give him the present beforehand, and then I can shag a few balls.

In preparation for dropping Lady off at the kennel tomorrow, I put the Preventic collar on her. She had an application of Frontline flea & tick prevention just about a month ago, and the collar is supposedly good for 2 months. I should be back in Sacramento by the time she needs more Frontline. I would have just continued with it except the neighbors swear that the collar works better, and this area is heavily infested with ticks so I thought I'd try it.