I should give up on attempting turtle identification.  I rarely can make a sure claim.  I’m calling this one a Red-eared Slider.  No red "ear", obviously, but my book says that older males are prone to go dark, all over even, like this one.  Everything else has stripes and what not.  Right out back, yesterday, and very unafraid compared to most turtles.  Even Sweet Cheeks on the riding mower didn’t scare it.

Looks like a chicken on the way to the plucker.  The Night Heron is still spending its days out back, mostly shuffling back and forth between two docks.  In the shot above, the heron jumped for some prey, but then, right about there, decided to abort, and powered back to the dock.  It does seem to go feet first, now that I watch it more closely.  Feet followed by a quick thrust of the head.  That’s not authoritative, but my impression after watching the thing every time I’m doing something out back.  As you can imagine, the process is very quick, and easily missed if one’s not entirely focused on it.

Part of a flock of Mallards on final approach, not too long after sunrise this morning.  About thirty five degrees, and mist across the lake.

What a sight.  Sandhill Cranes on high.  I saw a flock of these babies high over the yard last year and was so stupefied that I waited too long to run for binocs or camera.  Today, I heard their strange noise, scanned the trees opposite, thought to look higher, and ran to the house.  Three large flocks ended up going over, all heading south.  The sounds they make are almost otherworldly, and strangely beautiful.  The flocks frequently stop their forward progress to turn and wheel this way and that, as though being distracted in their ongoing conversations, and then straighten things out and head on.  I’d say these were about two thousand feet up.  (There were vultures lower, and hawks up higher.)