Photograph: Egret Elegance

I like the way the egret is studying itself intently, very nearly touching and making a perfect circle.

I've always had trouble telling the snowy egret and the great egret apart when they're not near one another for size comparison, and especially when the snowy egrets aren't in their breeding plumage, but someone recently clued me in: the Great White Egret has a yellow beak and black feet; the snowy has a black beak and yellow feet. How simple!

This was taken in Huntington Beach Central Park in Talbert Lake which has, bless it, lasted all year long this year. If we get any decent rain this winter, we may have it for two years running, to the benefit of frogs, turtles, waterfowl, and photographers.

The Other Side of Huntington Beach Central Park

I don't usually go to the Huntington Lake side of the Huntington Beach Central Park. I should go more often.

The last time I was there, in the end of November, the birds were still busy flying, and there were white pelicans on the lake. There is very little that can surpass quiet moments standing and watching pelicans float.

Hawk in Huntington Beach Central Park

The Lost Tangle

I'm sad.

I was in Huntington Beach Central Park, and I find they've cut down the puzzle tangle, the place where the happy face tree was.

I'm sure they had a good reason.

I'm still sad.

Huntington Beach Central Park After Rain

The owl, sitting out in plain sight for once and not pretending to be a bit of tree.

Coots gathered together enjoying a meal of--whatever it is coots eat.

Trees after the rain.

Yep. This is one great park.

Huntington Beach Public Library at Sunset

Another look at one of the most beautiful places in Huntington Beach, this time at sunset.

Huntington Beach Central Library and Talbert Lake

One of my favorite views of the library (the other being from inside).

Trees at Dusk, Huntington Beach Central Park

I took this at just that moment when day is turning to dusk.

Trees in Huntington Beach Park

I believe I may have mentioned once or twice how much I love the trees in the park?

Just in case you've forgotten, here are a few more to remind you.

I mean, it's trees and water, thanks to Talbert Lake lasting all year. How can anyone resist?

More Butterflies in Huntington Beach Central Park

I keep saying I have enough pictures of Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) butterflies, and I won't take any more, but I have a feeling that is going to be about as effective as my resolution not to take any more pictures of egrets or pelicans. They are far too beautiful to resist.

These were out and enjoying the sunshine and shining silver, white, and orange in the sun.

I'm pretty sure this one and the next one are Mourning Cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa). I'm also quite excited about identifying them myself, first go, in the park itself.

Look at the delicate edging there. The sheer variety and beauty of butterflies is amazing. There's the bright, showy orange and silver, and then there is this, much quieter, elegant beauty.

A Marine Blue (Leptotes marina. I did have to go to bugguide for verification, but (bounces excitedly) I had a guess before hand! I did, I did! All based on remembering a bit from reading (I'm wanting to say the passage I remembered was in Broadsides from the Other Orders, but I can't find it, so maybe it wasn't. Anyway, it was someone being enthusiastic about their delicate beauty, and I remembered, and I applied it to the correct butterfly! And, yes, they do have a delicate beauty. You know, before I started taking pictures, I didn't realize that the bodies of butterflies had so many wonderful colors).

Oh, and my picture made it into the bugguide catalog, too. I'm always excited when that happens. Yay!

A different Marine Blue, sitting somewhere else with its wings folded.

Before I got my bugguide answer, I checked around online and found Butterflies of Orange County, which I've now listed in my "Oft Visited Sites" section on the sidebar there. It actually isn't oft-visited, yet because I just found it, but poking around, I think it is going to become an oft-visited and very helpful, informative site (The entry on Marine blues is here, if you're interested. Well, technically, it's here even if you're not interested, but hopefully you are because, I mean, it's butterflies).

More Passionflower in the Huntington Beach Central Park

Technically speaking, it's an undesirable weed.

It's an awfully pretty undesirable weed.

And More Hungry Birds!

I guess even in Southern California the birds like to tuck in in the fall. Actually, I think birds just like to eat, period.

A black phoebe keeping an eye out for bugs.

They're very quick and graceful when the do spot them, diving down, grabbing, and returning to their watch point with no wasted time.

I think this is a Nuttall's Woodpecker.

Talk about fast! It was up the trunk, around, and onto the next tree in no time.

Spice Finches Munching in the Huntington Beach Central Park

Today's "hungry bird" post is dedicated entirely to the spice finches enjoying the all-you-can-eat buffet near the park waterways.

I only just finally fully sorted out that they are also nutmeg finches and occasionally also called mannikins or nutmeg mannikins, thus ending a certain amount of confusion on my part.

Fritillary in Huntington Beach Central Park

I cannot find the words for the wonderfulness of butterflies.

Their wings are fragile, but they carry the butterfly for its entire life.

They are small, but they make an entire day weigh nothing at all.

Trees in Huntington Beach Central Park

One of the many things I love about the park is the number and variety of trees that grow there. That and the number and variety of birds that can be found sitting in them.

More Hungry Birds in Huntington Beach Central Park

I'm so glad that the park has semi-wild, unmown areas where the birds can congregate. It makes the whole place so much more alive. And these guys are pretty cute, too.

Images from the Civil War Reenactment in Huntington Beach Central Park

Images from a Battle in the Civil War Reenactment at Huntington Beach Central Park

Sunset in Huntington Beach Central Park

Evening in Huntington Beach Central Park