A Heron posed for me.

Slowly, ever so slowly I walked closer to her.

She was across the stream and she kept a close watch on me.

It is a female Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanochephala), and I know that it was not a male, simply because it did not have a black string of feathers hanging down behind its head. The mountain stream runs along the right-hand side of a shopping center, and as usual, I go here to wait for the wife, as she gets some fresh goods inside the center.
We are now in the Autumn season, so wildlife is scarce, but in the spring season, this stream comes alive with fish, dragonflies, and butterflies. I even got a river otter on camera here once before.

Then the heron below suddenly decided to take off.

A lovely cloud bank was on view during our drive back home.

And then it was time for the long wait!

A pair of ring-necked doves was sitting on the roof across the road, and I knew that sooner or later they had to fly.
Below, you will see 2 photos of the first one departing.

And here was the second one taking off.

I have no indication, or warning that they will suddenly fly, so I have to keep the camera's zoom focused on them. Not easy if the wait stretches into half an hour, but one has to do what one desires to do. Thankfully, I have done this a few times before, and all of the practice on getting dragonflies pays off in situations like this. The bird population has become scarce here now, as all of the migrant birds have gone back to their own countries to spend the summer seasons there. We will soon be in winter, and it's only the local birds that stay here.
Just like the birds, many local homeowners from foreign countries also close up their homes and return to their own countries before winter arrives over here. We are home grown fowls, and so we stay put :)

I hope you have enjoyed the story and the pictures.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.

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