No, there’s no doubt about the herons. You walk along the riverside and suddenly sense an affronted presence, and there it stands, looking as if it’s saying “What is it now?” The river and park run right through the center of town, so the herons don’t get much peace unless they hide in the culverts.

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Another 'stop and turn around on a bike ride' pic.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

Ohhhh, that's beautiful. Are those contrails at the top? And where was it taken from?

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

I don't think those are contrails at the top; I think they are just wisps of cloud. But I couldn't swear by it.

This is on the west side of Santa Cruz, looking across the Monterey Bay to Monterey.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

A refugee from Mirkwood Forest?

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

Is it in your area? I've never seen black squirrels here.

Googles.

Turns out it's a color morph of a gray squirrel. Or maybe a servant of the Dark Lord.

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“It may help to understand human affairs to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused, not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people.”

- Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens

Yes, on the streets of Santa Cruz (right outside the Santa Cruz Diner). I saw a black squirrel for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and then this one. Maybe it is the same one, though it was blocks away. And, of course, as one of his rangers told Faramir, 'They have black squirrels there [in Mirkwood], ’tis said.’

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

Perhaps a grey squirrel dyeing black to keep themselves looking young.

(PS - "Dyeing" is a weird looking word.)

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I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists

SQUIRREL!

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Window seat for one,
Passage out of town
The old fashioned way:
Train ticket, out bound.
Midnight departure,
Red-eye double-track.
Star filled horizons,
Beacons in the black.
Last call for boarding,
Destination: nowhere.
Two carry-on bags
Ought to get me there.
Don’t know how far
‘Til my journey’s done;
Train ticket, out bound,
Window seat for one.

I’ve always thought that!

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*title copyright: Teremia

'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude (as Merry)

Well, that keeps it from being mixed up with "dying," I guess.

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

A visitor in our yard.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

OH! Wow!

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*title copyright: Teremia

'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude (as Merry)

Is that a golden eagle? Or some other kind of predator bird?

Its a red-shouldered hawk.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

My solstice bike ride

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

Whoa. Awesome lighting.

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Wow. Maybe UC Santa Cruz is hiring....

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*title copyright: Teremia

'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude (as Merry)

I've read that there's a larger number than usual of snowy owls in Ottawa this winter. Does anyone know where I would be most likely to spot one, if I wanted to get some photos?

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I don't know, but I sure look forward to seeing the pictures!

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'