Pelicans and goldenrod

Anne and Jill, headed out, turned a corner on the trail as I was headed in last evening --- at Pin Oak Marsh --- and we got to talking about the significance of what seems like early return of the White American Pelicans, resting and grazing this week on the east pond.

They have been joined by maybe a dozen egrets, enlarging the marsh's resident heron-ish population substantially and behaving in a highly decorative manner. I wished Thursday evening for the camera equipment needed as the egrets arrayed themselves off the north shore.

 But luck was with me last evening as I turned into the parking lot and saw roughly a third of the transient pelican populations fishing just offshore. As I walked toward them, they turned tail and swam away, sailing around the pond toward their night mooring far off to the northeast where another third already had gathered.

It's a banner goldenrod year at the marsh and elsewhere --- a moist summer has pushed some varieties head-high --- some so tall in fact they're falling over. But it's beautiful. White birds, sky-reflecting blue water, gold shoreline and intense green.

Opposite the dock, a smaller party of pelicans was parked on a fallen log, thinking about life in general. One-by-one they sailed away to join larger groups, either churning water or after what seemed like too much effort for a quiet evening, lifting off into flight.

All of this is easily accessible. If you can't walk that well or are just lazy, drive down one of these evenings (or mornings) and park facing the water. This will be better for your soul than sitting at home behind a computer screen scanning for memes to "share" and annoy your friends with.