On burnished pond....

I slept a little late this morning so missed the dawn feeding frenzy at the Bistro ... however, it seemed like a good morning to take a run over to a nearby duck pond to see if I could spot some ducks. Usually when I see ducks, they are the wild variety that won't let you get within 200 feet before taking off. So, when I recently learned about this duck pond with people-friendly ducks, I put it on my list of places to visit. Fortunately, it is only about 20 minutes away, so made for a good morning sortie before I tackled the work waiting on my desk.

Some might say that photographing semi-tame ducks isn't very sporting, but I say "bah!" I took over 150 shots and this was one of my favorites. The colors in the water come from the buildings behind the pond being reflected in the water - I thought it made a beautiful backdrop for a rather common (although beautiful) duck. I posted my other favorites of the day on FLICKR so have a look if you are so inclined. These ducks, by the way, weren't all that happy about me being there - they didn't want get close to me, even though they were hopeful that I might provide some food. In most cases, fear overcame greed.

I also swung into the parking lot of a retail center where a big bunch of gulls were hanging out trying to catch some rays. They are funny birds. I parked my car, and they slowly ventured closer and closer, curious about what I was doing. Took a few close ups which are also posted on Flickr.

Many thanks for all the birthday wishes! It has been a fun birthday, topped off by a great Thai dinner last night, hot enough to make your nose run!

Happy Tuesday!