Shorebird in overcast

[Shortsighted]

It was overcast this morning here in Pickering and I considered heading out to McLoughlin Bay and the shoreline and see how the Piping plover are doing and an overcast morning would be best for that sort of thing.  However, I needed to keep an appointment way up in Newmarket to get an audio power amplifier repaired (vintage) and I had put that off long enough.  As I headed north on the 404 the overcast melted away and delivered a very ripe sun.  It remained sunny the whole time and only started getting overcast again as I returned to Pickering.  A quick stop at Reesor (lower) pond was bright overcast again and a Lesser Yellowlegs was quite pleased about not having its shadow follow every where it went. 

[Shortsighted]

Heavy early morning overcast provides an almost studio quality omni-directional gentle light that satisfactorily envelopes a liminal zone and any subject that travels it.  I enjoy this kind of setting and salute the crew that provided it.  It's joyful, just the Least sandpiper and its reflection, me and da kink in my back.  Even ambient noise seems to momentarily disappear.  Copious rain brings some treats, not just flooded basements and insurance claims that get denied, or are distinguished by high deductibles that rival the GDP of small island nations.

In profile the Least sandpiper's thin, slightly down-curved bill is well displayed, although not as radial as the blade of grass that is mimicking it; and of course, lets' not forget those exquisite amber-coloured legs.