Nature Notes: Finally good soaking rainfall

We were beginning to seriously need some rain so I was very happy that we finally got some.

It was so great to see how green everything was at Shelley Lake when we walked around it in between storms on Sunday.

We timed it exactly right because a few hours after our walk it began to rain again.

There was even a bit of blue sky for part of the walk but I wouldn't have minded all clouds.

When the ground begins to be dry and cracked and the leaves are starting to wilt, there is nothing like deep soaking rain. I realize there has been flooding and too much rain at some places and I'm sorry about that but since we were overdue rain here, I'm glad we're getting plenty of it.

In the shot above there is a sandbar that I always check out on the lake because at different times of the year, there are different numbers and types of birds hanging out there.

As I got closer and zoomed in with my camera, I was surprised to see a great blue heron on the sandbar (actually there are two bars and grass is growing on one).

The herons are usually at two specific places on the lake where I spot them but I've never seen them on the sand bars before.

I got a lot of different shots of this one who was oblivious to me shooting from the bridge. Usually the herons at this lake fly off after I get a few shots.

The two white ducks curled up together on another part of the sandbar look very cozy to me.

Thursday is the official Nature Notes day and as usual my post is early.