Rat TV - Cormorant Surprise

It's time for another episode of Rat TV! This time we're going to focus on one of my favorite water birds, the cormorant. I did this video early in the fall, so you'll notice a lot of green on the trees. I must warn you this time that the surprise I mention in the title is a little rude. If you don't want to know what it is then don't watch the video. And if you blink you might miss it.

As soon as you play this, you'll understand why it took me so long to show you this video, or any videos for that matter. I did this video in extreme shaky cam mode. I still think I captured something unique though. You're not going to find anything quite like this anywhere else. I hope you enjoy it, there is much more Rat TV to come.

I have to say that the event in this video solved a mystery for me. I was wondering why the fish were jumping out of the water right next to the perching cormorants. They were making such loud splashes that they would surprise those poor birds at times. I think you can guess my surprise when I found out it wasn't fish that were splashing so close to these big birds. Just watch the video, and tell me your reaction.

The Magical Doorway

You can find all sorts of fantastic things while you're hiking through nature. The first thing that comes to mind are the cool wild animals that are out there roaming around. Then there are all of the beautiful trees, flowers, and other plants. Not only are there the real features of nature, but also the imaginary.

Look at this top photo for instance. What do you see there? First there is the path covered in old leaves. Then there is a covering of bare branches. But what I see is a doorway. In my mind this doorway could lead to so many wonderful places. All I have to do is let my imagination go free and this doorway will take me there.

The doorway is always there, but it never takes me to the same place twice. I see this doorway every time I go to this place. It could lead to a colorful meadow, or a fantasy world full of magic and fun. I guess the doorway would lead to a different place for each person. Where would it lead to for you?

I specifically took this picture of this magical doorway the last time I was on this path. This whole section of the path just seems special to me. The strange thin is that the doorway wasn't always there. It was formed about a year ago. The conditions were about the same as they are in the picture.

That was a time when the trees were falling in this forest so much that they had to close the park at one point. I guess there is a reason for everything that happens, even the seeming natural destruction of a forest. It seemed like half the forest had fallen down, but then, as if by magic, things like this doorway were formed.

As I mentioned before, this doorway is always there now. here's the same doorway from all the way back in June. It looked a lot more inviting then, didn't it? Now maybe you can see a little bit of the magical realm beyond. In the first pictures maybe it lead to a witches house in an evil forest. Now in this picture it leads to a magical land of castles and fairies.

I guess only I know where it really leads, and it really is a fantastic place. There are a few dragons there, as well as the fairies, but I don't let them bother me. There is also a meadow full of birds and butterflies there. There is also a mysterious tree full of golden apples there that almost calls out to me, but I never touch it. Do you wonder what you would see?

I can hear the wind blowing outside my window as I write this. I wonder if it will blow trees down in this forest again. Will the doorway be there the next time I go back? Or will it disappear seemingly forever, only to reappear in another hundred years to lead another traveler to a fantastic meadow full of dragons and butterflies.