nightwings

Now is the time when we begin taking our beach walks in the dark. It's usually peaceful, and we'll have many, many opportunities to star-gaze and compete to see who spots the first satellite. (hobbitt usually wins.)

I have been worried that Zach would need to be on-leash, but he's doing fine running along the waterfront, pouncing on whatever catches his eye and commencing a big dig. Inti trots along happily, as always, never too far beyond the scope of our flashlights.

Last night the sky was pretty clear. We were hoping to see Comet 17P/Holmes, but Perseus was obscured a bit by some wisps of clouds. As usual, hobbitt spotted the first satellite. And as we rounded the point and turned up towards the lagoon, we heard an alarming sound, like an onrushing wind. We shone our flashlights in that direction and saw what appeared to be steam rising from the lagoon.

I would love to have seen my face. I was stunned. It would have been a few more seconds for me to reach abject terror.

Seems we disturbed a whole flock of ducks, or maybe grebes, in the lagoon. Hopefully I can file that sound away in my brain so as not to be startled again.