Just About Tripped Over Him, I Did

Just as my bus crossed over the bridge 

at the Broad Ripple Canal, I looked over to see 

this heron standing beside towpath to the canal. 

I got off the bus a few feet further on 

and found the bird had not been startled away. 

I got my camera out of my backpack and was able 

to get a few pictures of the heron.

He was only about twenty-five feet away.

Generally, they seem to be very shy creatures 

flying away at the first appearance of a human

(this one, anyway), so I count myself lucky 

to have gotten this shot of a bit of

Indy's urban wildlife. 

Creek Flowers

At this time, the creek is too deep from heavy rains to see turtles as the water's covering the rocks on which a they might bask. But the rain brings a proliferation of color, such as these pink flowers. Delicately hued, hiding from public view by the creek, their beauty is enjoyed by red-winged black birds, mallards, blue herons, butterflies and, yes, the occasional human.