Christmas greetings

Hello, my friends. For those who have been reading this blog, you'll know that for the past several years I've been spending my Christmas in Florida visiting with my in-laws with my sons. I've just returned home today to temperatures in the teens after spending a beautiful week of sun-filled warm days. It was heavenly.

I met a lovely couple during my flight home and we chatted for a bit and showed each other our dog photos. I missed George terribly and he was ecstatic to have me return home.

(Hello to Bill and Peggy from the flight. Hope you have a wonderful visit with your family).

These photos were all taken at the Venice Rookery, which remains my favorite place to photograph Great Blue Herons while they nest and raise their young. The nesting area is on a small island in the middle of a lake and photographers come from all over to capture their images.

I tried to get a better photo of this couple as they went back and forth getting food for their young and greeting each other during each return but oh well. I am only there for such a short time and every year I say that I need a better lens. And I need to bring my tripod. You should see the gear these photographers bring. I have serious lens envy.

These were all shot with my Nikon D7000 using a Nikkor 70-300 lens. I've had it for years and the darn thing sticks sometimes and won't auto-focus. But I make do. Unfortunately, I lose some key shots because of this problem.

I find it so pleasurable just being still with my camera and watching these beautiful birds.

Here, a nestling is being fed by its parent. There are several more in the nest but you can't see them.

But I could hear them. They are so loud!

Here a nestling stretches its wings on this beautiful day.

You can see some others in the background.

The male brings much of the nesting material to the female who then proceeds to build the nest. 

They are such graceful birds.

I went at a difficult time, as the sun was quite glaring. I fixed what I could with editing but still . . . I am my own worst critic.

I hope that your holidays were pleasant. 

I find Christmas difficult to get through sometimes as do some of you, I'm sure.

I'll be posting more as I go through my files and hopefully it will be soon ~

Thank you again for all your lovely comments.

Until next time, my friends ~