White Heron in Vienna 2013-04-21 Today's shot isn't technically great - the stupid birds don't know enough to get close to the camera :) I went out a couple days ago to see if I could find a white heron in Vienna, and I did. They usually do not breed this far north - an hour or so south of Vienna is their usual area. This one is technically in Vienna - by about 100 m on the southeast tip of Vienna in the Danube Wetland Nationsl Park. Many thanks for the wonderful comments on my peach blossoms. We are off to the countryside today and I hope to get a picture or two of the apricot blossoms.

Mama, I'm hungry 2013-04-18 I've been gracing various hospital rooms for the last several weeks, but all is well now. And spring has finally come to Vienna. Eggs are hatching. This young grey heron must have been kept warm during the last snow storm. A close crop with a long telephoto.

First Storks 2013-03-24 The woods around the town of Marchegg, on Austria's eastern border, are home to many white storks. They migrate to South Africa for the winter and arrive back in late March. This is the first couple - arrived on the 21st or 22nd. I hope the rest will wait for a week until our latest cold spell and snow are gone.