---
id: 2025-10-31T18:26:00-0500
title: 2025-10-31 18:26:??
tags:
  - original-format/typewritten-print
  - status/complete
  - topic/hobbies/birding
daily: "[[2025-10-31]]"
---
# 2025-10-31 18:26:??

_Friday Evening_

This morning as I was leaving for work I saw a massive congregation
of all the walky water birds I love so much. A hundred and more, milling about
in-the early sunrise. The banks were covered in ibises picking at the grass
around the feet of egrets standing proudly and spaced just so. A dozen anhingas
splashed messily in the center of the pond while a lone stork looked on with
the mix of judgement and reservation typical of the species.
It was the first time I had left so late. I'll visit again tomorrow,
hopefully I'll be able to get better pictures.

I saw a few more around 17:00 walking around the pond after work. Some regu­lars:
an anhinga drying her wings after a swim; a flock of mallard hens following
in case I had food; a tricolor heron, as flighty as if I were standing over it,
and pointing a gun instead of my phone's camera; but I also saw a beautiful
great blue heron (_Ardea herodias_)---which, despite the wide berth I gave it,
fled like its little cousin at my interest---and a common gallinule
(_Gallinula galeata_), the latter I positively identified for the first time
today. They have absurdly large feet, moorso[^1] the juveniles.

[^1]: The common gallinule was formerly known as the common moorhen, only split from
    the Old World species (_Gallinula chloropus_) in July 2011. It may still be more
    widely known as "moorhen", thus the pun.

Today was a good day---I've been at this for a while, one second...

**2025-10-31 19:48:?? --- Late Friday Evening, Halloween btw**

Today was a good day. If I could see so many gorgeous creatures every day
as I have this one I might never shed another tear. I love birds.
