Amazing stuff around the creek!

It has been so hot and humid lately, I walked early this morning. This little Yellow Crowned Night Heron was stepping carefully along the creek looking for breakfast.
Wow, a neotropic cormorant swimming in my creek... first time for everything!
Another surprise was this Mississippi Kite cruising around my creek, it was busy there this morning! It has a really white head.

This dragonfly was so close I had to back away to get him all in the photo. What amazing design!

Even the common birds like the young mourning dove are quite amazing close up.
I thought I had noticed something large and green flying around my vets office the other day, so I came back armed with my scope. Sure enough, these nests on the power lines were monk parakeet colonies, a few blocks from my house.