A Fish Fight and a Much More Vicious Fight: October 15

When I first went out to watch the pelicans, they were pretty chill. Several pelicans were sitting and standing on the Shore Log. Some were grooming; some were trying to sleep. None of them looked like they wanted to start a fight or go exploring.

(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Four American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loaf on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Can someone order out for sushi?

I went to the dock to see if there was any action there.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loaf on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

What is this “action” of which you speak?

A juvenile was out in the water playing with a feather. She bounced it in her pouch before dropping it and picking it up a few times.

An American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) plays with a feather at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

No pelicans were loitering around the Queen of the Log log, and the Queen who was there was busy grooming.

An American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) grooms at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I watched a pelican swimming by, hoping that she might try to jump on a log or do something interesting. She didn’t.

An American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swims at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

At least the pigeon that landed on the dock was pretty.

A pigeon perches on a dock at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I noticed a commotion out past the Queen of the Log log. Four pelicans had suddenly drawn together. At first I thought they were playing—a few of them seemed to duck down as though they were trying to pick something up out of the water—but they didn’t seem to be moving in such a way that I associate with object play. Then I saw a flash of green. A fish!

Four American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunting for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FISHIE IS MINE!

Four American while pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunt for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Uhhh, pelican, you’re supposed to swallow the fish head first.

I wasn’t sure whether the pelican who initially had the fish managed to retain it or if another pelican snatched it away.

Four American while pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunt for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Four American while pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunt for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

The chase is finished . . . or has it just begun?

I did not get the next pic in focus, but I wanted to post it to show the outline of the fish inside the pelican’s pouch.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with a fish in her pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Slosh, slosh, slosh your fish, gently in your pouch . . .

Just as I had seen when a pelican ate a dead fish, the bird swam off on her own, away from where the other groups of pelicans were congregating, and tilted her head back as she drifted away.

American white pelican swims with a fish in its pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She looks like she has a horrible tumor growing in her pouch.

American white pelican swims with a fish in its pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

American white pelican swims with a fish in its pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

That’s not an angle you often see on a pelican!

Closer to the dock, a group of coots were milling about. One cute little coot was hanging around with her wing held out jauntily.

American coot (Fulica americana) holding another coot underwater at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Don’t mind me!

Except that cute little coot with the jaunty wing was a red-hot killing machine. She was in that posture for a purpose: TO DROWN ANOTHER COOT.

American coot (Fulica americana) holding another coot underwater at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Goddammit, why are we coots so fucking buoyant?

I starting noticing aggressive behavior among coots starting a few weeks before this incident. Some coots would swim with their necks held out stiffly and as close to the water as possible, as though they were pissed-off geese, and as they swam they would hold their hindquarters and wings slightly elevated so one could easily see the white feathers on their rumps. Occasionally the aggressive coots would charge toward another coot, who would quickly swim away, and a few times I briefly saw an aggressive coot fighting an opponent by kicking at them. Attempted drowning was new for me.

American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Doo da doo . . .

American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Why does my maniacal laugh sound so much like a cute little chirp?

American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hey guys, what are you doing? OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT PLEASE DON’T LOOK AT ME PLEASE DON’T FOLLOW ME.

An American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Jesus, coots are hardcore!

An American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Swim for it, little one!

An American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Next, on “Coots Who Kill,” hear serial killer Anna the Coot describe how her last victim almost escaped from her evil clutches.

The aggressive coot easily subdued the fleeing coot and held her underwater. Again the coot escaped and was recaptured and forced back underwater. Finally the victimized coot was able to get free and stay free.

The pelicans were still very chill.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) stands on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Back at the Shore Log, the birds were still grooming.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) preen while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Dread Pirate Roberts and another pelican preen together. Perhaps the pelican on the left closed her eye to make Pirate feel more welcome.

Then I saw a familiar pelican: the bird with the hurt foot from October 11. I last saw her on November 8th, and although she is still limping quite a bit, she seems to be getting around much better than she did at this time. I can’t believe both she and Copper Woman have been here for a month.

I have decided to name the bird with the hurt foot Philoctetes.

American white pelican grooming on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Before I left, I went out on the dock one last time. A juvenile jumped up on an oddly shaped log and was having a great deal of difficulty keeping her balance.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps her wings as she tries to keep her balance at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I can do it!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) sinks into water after losing her balance at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

No, I can’t!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) sinks into water after losing her balance at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Fuck this log!

A dozing pelican briefly opened her eyes, then closed them again. Much more action would occur in the next few days, and perhaps she knew she would need her energy.

American white pelican standing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

 

The Adventures of Edwina the Great Blue Heron, Mighty Hunter of Sunfish

Early July was actually pretty good for nearby birding. The ibis juveniles were still at the UT Southwestern rookery, along with a few very rapidly maturing black-crowned night heron juveniles and Giant Egret Babies. For me, the best birding was suddenly seeing yellow-crowned night herons off-and-on during the day for two weeks at White Rock Lake, and I would almost always see a great blue heron hunting near the spillway. Usually the great blue would be on the spillway steps, but when I stopped by on July 3 after a trip to the rookery, no birds were there. Instead, two men were crouched on a concrete embankment beyond the fence, fishing. They had frightened away all the birds.

(Hey, Dallas, as you’re so unbelievably broke, why not bring in some money by simply enforcing your laws about not fishing over bridges at the lake and not hopping over or crawling under fences to trespass onto land to fish? I saw someone doing that every day I was at the lake during the summer. Often more than one person.)

I thought that there might be some birds further up, so I pressed on and crossed the bridge. I continued walking along the edge of the water, peering through the fence. Only a little past the bridge, I saw a great blue heron standing in some water just behind a small island of trees and concrete chunks. She had probably been hunting in the spillway when the fisher intruded, and, luckily for me, she had barely flown out of the way.

I didn’t know it, but I had just glimpsed the bird who would become the most successful hunter out of all the birds I’ve watched: Edwina the great blue heron.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) standing in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Who, me? That’s right, me!

I crouched down next to the fence and watched her. She was sipping water, and later I realized that she had probably just finished eating a fish. At the time, however, I didn’t know what she was going to do or where she might go, so I waited. After slaking her thirst, she walked onto the concrete island and hopped down into a section of grass and reeds that faced a small channel of water. That bird was ready to hunt!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) standing on grass at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FISHIES BEWARE!

She walked to the edge of the greenery and crouched, readying herself for a strike. When the strike came, it was totally unlike what I’d seen in the past.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) dives into water, hunting for fish, at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Something happens, and I’m head over heels . . .

Edwina was clinging to the foliage with her feet to anchor herself, but the forward momentum of the strike was so great that she was unable to maintain her footing and tumbled all the way into the water.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I never find out ’til I’m head over heels.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Wait, am I supposed to be swimming or hunting?

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) emerges from water clutching a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

HUNTING SUCCESSFULLY!

Later I would see herons falling into water while striking at a fish, but watching it happen for the first time with such a large bird simultaneously astonished me, cracked me up, and made me feel somewhat protective of her.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holding a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Q saw this picture and said, “It would be beautiful to paint a room the colors of a great blue heron’s feathers, but it would be difficult to get the heron to come to the paint store with us so we could compare the feather colors to the paint samples.”

She climbed back up into the greenery and hopped onto the concrete island, still holding her fish proudly aloft.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holds a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

DON’T WORRY, FISHIE; I WILL TAKE YOU TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SWIM HAPPILY . . . IN EDWINA’S STOMACH! HA HA HA, I AM SO FUNNY. I LOVE ME.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holds a green sunfish in her beak at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She let the fish wriggle in her beak for about forty-five seconds before she gobbled it down. She sipped some water, then made her way back to her hunting spot.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) strikes at a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

STRIKE!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) strikes at a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

SPLASH!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) strikes at a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

. . . and back in the water she goes.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Ah, missed!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Well, FUCK!

Edwina didn’t let the miss get her down. She got right back down at the edge of the water and struck again.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) bringing up a fish from water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Her neck looked like it kept stretching out longer and longer as she pulled her head out of the water.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) bringing up a green sunfish from water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

That’s a bingo!

She carefully regained her balance while keeping a hold on the sunfish.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holding a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

MY fishie, human!

Then Edwina raised her foot up by the fish. I got very excited, because I’d never seen a heron use her foot to manipulate objects in her beak. But I was wrong: Edwina was using her foot to scratch her face while she held the fish.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holding a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FOOLED YOU, HUMAN!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) holding a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Then she turned away and took her fish back to the concrete island to devour it.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) eats a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

BYE, FISHIE!

Again she took a few ceremonial sips of water.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

And again she returned to her hunting spot.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) walking through foliage at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Better run through the jungle.

And again she dove for a fish.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) diving into water after a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Weeeeeeee!

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) emerges from water with a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

So give me fishies, and make ’em one, two, three. I will eat them; they will satisfy me.

Can you guess what happened next?

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) emerges from water with a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) carries a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) prepares to eat a green sunfish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Three fishes caught and eaten! And again she returned.

Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) walking through foliage at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She was obviously going for a fourth fish, but I’d been watching her for about forty-five minutes and thought I’d seen plenty. I decided to let her hunt without a human peering down at her.

As I stepped back onto the bridge to leave, I looked down at the concrete embankment where the human fishers had been and saw that a much more appropriate fisher had taken their place.

Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) fishing from a concrete embankment at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Good luck, black-crowned night heron!

But before I left, I got Edwina to agree to participate in a brief Q&A for humans who may be interested in her life.

What kind of fish is the best type for great blue herons to eat?

MY FISH.

If you could eat any kind of fish right now, what kind would you choose?

YOUR FISH.

Thank you, Edwina!

Bird Versus Fish: Pelicans on February 3, 2014

When Q and I went to visit the pelicans on Sunday, February 2, we didn’t stay long because it was very cold. There was a dead fish bobbing in the water about halfway between the shore and one of the long logs that the pelicans liked to perch on. I call that log the Log of Status. Q was surprised to see the carcass still relatively unmolested: he thought that another bird would have happened upon it and eaten it. “Mother Nature is falling down on her job!” he said. Coots and gulls would occasionally swim over and peck at the fish, but they didn’t seem particularly interested in it.

On Monday the fish was still there. The weather was still very cold, and the light was dim. A few pelicans landed in the bay and swam around for a little while, but the majority of the pelicans were huddled together on logs.

Flying pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) about to land at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) landing in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) putting her foot down after scratching herself at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Flying pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) about to land at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Just as Q and I had seen the day before, a gull and a coot were taking turns half-heartedly pecking at the dead fish.

Suddenly a pelican was flying past the Log of Status and toward the shore. She threw one wing in the air vertically and one wing out horizontally, bracing herself as she skidded to a stop in the very shallow water. Pelicans might land close to shore, but only when there are other pelicans there. This pelican was landing well past the place where the other pelicans were congregating.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) landing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) landing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) recovers from landing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) recovers from landing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Once she recovered from her landing, she began to swim. This was not a leisurely swim; she was going so fast that she was pushing up a wave of water ahead of her body. As I watched, she seemed to keep getting larger and larger. She was swimming straight toward me, toward the shore!

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming toward a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming toward a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

It wasn’t until she leaned down and opened her bill that I realized that she was going for the fish.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to scoop up a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She wasn’t exactly trying to scoop up the fish but was instead trying to position herself so that the moving water would float the fish into her pouch. I had to remind myself to keep taking pics and to not just watch. I was very excited. I’d never been so close to a pelican eating a fish.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to scoop up a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to scoop up a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to scoop up a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to scoop up a fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) trying to reposition a fish in her gular pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with half of a fish hanging out of her gular pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Suddenly another pelican was steaming toward the first pelican, probably hoping for an opportunity to steal away the fish. The first pelican quickly stuffed all of the fish into her pouch. Only about forty-five seconds had elapsed since I noticed the first bird flying toward the fish.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with a fish in her gular pouch swimming past another pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Like two ships passing in the night. Except it’s day. And they aren’t ships. And one has a fish and the other doesn’t.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) raising her head to eat a fish in her gular pouch as another pelican swims next to her at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Down the hatch! Eventually.

The first pelican drifted far away, way past the pelicans on the Log of Status. She kept her head tilted in the same position as she floated. The second pelican followed her briefly before getting bored and swimming back to jump onto a log close to the shore. I call that log the Shore Log. After she got on the Shore Log, she worked her way to one side and had a good scratching session.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) scratching while on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Another bird jumped onto the log.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log with her wings spread at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She squabbled a bit with the existing pelican, but they both calmed down before any major beaking got going.

Two pelicans (american white pelicans; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing together on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Well, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree, but I really believe that Jean-Luc Picard was the best captain of the Enterprise.

Another pelican joined the two birds on the log, although she did so peacefully.

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log with her wings outstretched at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I always liked Captain Janeway.

Close to the Log of Status is a large stump where pelicans like to loaf. These two had fought briefly before settling down. Fighting is very common among the pelicans here, although the birds typically settle down after a few lunges.

Two pelicans (american white pelicans; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) on a stump at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Then a very special pelican flew into the bay.

Tagged pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) UT12S21 (S21) standing in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I’M HERE! LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

I first saw and reported UT12S21 (S21) to the Bird Banding Laboratory on December 11, 2013. She stayed at White Rock Lake until the very end of the season, leaving in the first week of April. She was a first-year pelican originally from the Great Salt Lake, which is pretty incredible—research indicates that North American white pelicans are divided by the Rocky Mountains into two main populations, and migrating pelicans don’t typically cross the mountains. Of course, doing uncommon and courageous things was just part of S21’s style. She had a distinct personality, and I always enjoyed watching her interactions with other pelicans. I was a little disappointed when she joined the others on the Shore Log with no drama.

Then excitement occurred when the next pelican took her turn.

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log, her wings outstretched, between two more pelicans at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hi, y’all! What’s going on? Wanna play Scrabble?

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) opens her beak as a threat toward another pelican while standing on a log at at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FUCK YOU! ALL I WANTED WAS TO PLAY SOME SCRABBLE! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS!

The new pelican’s aggression was a bluff; she settled in quite nicely with the others.

Two pelicans (american white pelicans; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing together on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I can sell you some beautiful land in Florida. Beautiful rolling land. Called Black Creek. You’ve got to act fast, though . . .

A few birds were still coming in, but the birds who were established on the logs were preening or sleeping. My toes were numb and my fingers were cold. I went home to warm up.

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) landing on water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

An Eagle, a Bee, and a DC-3

Early last week a bald eagle was sighted at Sunset Bay. She was first observed in the morning on one of the far-away logs that the pelicans favor. She sat out there for a couple of hours before she flew away.

Bald eagles are rare visitors to White Rock Lake. They have only been seen a few times in the past several years, so everyone was excited about the sighting.

Last Wednesday, the 24th, I went out to Sunset Bay to see Mister Mary Mack, my goose friend. I wasn’t thinking of the bald eagle until I walked to the dock and was stopped by two people who said they’d seen a pic of the bald eagle going around and asked where they could see the bird.

I told them that the bald eagle had only been seen the week before for a few hours, and I said that bald eagle sightings at the lake were very uncommon because the birds didn’t stay, just flew overhead or paused before resuming their travels. That sighting was a one-time type of thing, I said.

Ten minutes later a bald eagle flew overhead.

I had been sitting in the shade with Mister Mary Mack when I saw what I thought was a hawk flying over the waters of Sunset Bay. I was slow to get on my feet and get my camera ready because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take a pic; the hawk was flying extremely high, and taking a blurry, tiny pic wasn’t appealing. As I got ready to photograph the hawk I thought of how BIG she seemed. Then I noticed the white tail. Not a hawk but an eagle! She was only briefly visible and seemed to disappear in the direction of Emerald Isle. She was grasping a fish in her claws; it wasn’t until I looked closely that I realized how large the fish must have been. Eagles are huge birds, and the fish was long enough that it extended well past her legs.

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) clutching a fish while flying at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I went back out to the dock a little while later and ran into a birder who had just arrived and hadn’t seen the eagle. He filled me in: apparently the eagle had been seen off and on since the initial two-hour sighting. It wasn’t just passing through.

The bald eagle wasn’t my first sighting; I’d seen plenty when I lived in Florida. It wasn’t even my first Texas sighting; Q and I had seen one on our first trip to the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area. But there was something thrilling about seeing that bird at the lake where I spend so much time and thus seems ordinary to me.

Now I hope to see an osprey. I used to see them all the time when I lived in Florida, and I miss them.

I moved on the Boathouse. August and September have been very static months for birds here—occasionally I would see a migrant, but mostly it has been mallards and mockingbirds and first-year egrets desperately hunting for fish. So I’ve been spending a lot of time watching insects.

I saw an absolutely beautiful bee with a shiny blue abdomen and pale green eyes. Earlier in the summer green-eyed bees would hang out around the flowers of a Mexican Hat plant I had planted in my front yard, but they were much smaller than the one I saw at the Boathouse. And the Boathouse bee behaved for me: it stayed on each flower for an extended amount of time and climbed onto nearby flowers to feed instead of flitting around. He turned out to be a male southern carpenter bee, Xylocopa micans. He posed for several minutes before flying away.

A male southern carpenter bee, Xylocopa micans, feeding from a flower at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

A male southern carpenter bee, Xylocopa micans, feeding from a flower at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Here he looks like a small child trying to pull himself up to a too-large table.

Q and I occasionally see historical airplanes and helicopters flying over our backyard or the lake as they are in transit to or from places like the Frontiers of Flight museum in Dallas; the Cold War Air Museum in Lancaster; the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison; and the Dallas Executive Airport, where the corporate headquarters are located for the Commemorative Air Force. I know almost nothing about planes, historical or modern, but Q knows plenty and tells me about the ones we see. Q can differentiate between what might be an interesting old plane from a boring modern one by sound. I can’t, so I take pics of almost everything that flies overhead that isn’t a Southwest jet. And something flew overhead.

A DC-3 aircraft, registration number N583V, flies overhead at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hooray for the DC-3!

When I got home I googled the DC-3’s registration number, N583V, and was able to get quite a bit of information about the plane. She was used initially in America and in England during World War II, then was sold to a Canadian airline.

https://canavbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/where-are-they-now-canadas-enduring-dc-3s/

Apparently she had been sitting fallow for over thirty years before being restored and taking to the air again in 2012.

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=47775

It was a good day to see flying things.