DID YOU EVER HAVE TO FINALLY DECIDE?? ON FLAMINGOS???

I had an idea for today's post, then, as I'm sure some may relate to, another idea started creeping into my mind: that can be a good thing. But I liked them both: that can be a bad thing for my creativity.


Kind of a heads or tails thing!!!

Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Pick up on one and leave the other one behind
It's not often easy, and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?



So I decided on, ummm... nope, not yet. I could not decide for the life of me so I took a walk in the clear, clear water of my mind: looking for a memory that would help me decide.

Did you ever have to finally decide?
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes, and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?


As the people that know me really well can tell you, this can be a recipe for disaster. But I walk along thinking and hoping: hoping like hell, that creativity would come from some corner of my mind.


Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her
And then you get distracted by her older sister
When in walks her father and takes you in line
And says "Better go home, son, and make up your mind."
Then you bet you'd better finally decide!
And say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes, and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?


Ohhhhh, That did it! I made a decision. Funny what can shake the creativity up!!
It would be on flamingos!! Uhhh! What is creative about a blog on flamingos?
Well, it would be on looking at flamingos in a different way. Okay, this is beginning to sound interesting.

First, a few facts about flamingos. They are a bird and the only thing that scientists seem to agree on is that; FLAMINGOES ARE WELL ATTESTED IN THE FOSSIL RECORD, WITH THE FIRST UNEQUIVOCAL MEMBER OF THE EXTANT FAMILY PHOENICOPTERIDAE.  (Bet you're going to be impressing your friends with that fact all day!!)


From what I could find out the rest is up for grabs.  I tried to read more on their ancestry and my hair started hurting, so we move on. After all, if you're reading this to find out about the flamingo's ancestry, you might be in the wrong place: the Audubon Society is down the hall in someone else's mind.


I do have a few fun facts. We have all seen flamingos standing on one leg. You might ask why do they do this? Good question: one that I shared with you.  What I discovered was that the reason for this is not really understood. It is thought that they, like other animals, have the ability to have half their body go into a sleep mode while the other half stays awake. So they are resting one half and then switch legs and let the other half rest. Amazing isn't it, that is why I love to photograph nature. 


Another fun fact is that their oddly shaped beaks are specifically designed to separate mud and silt from the food they eat and are uniquely used upside down. By the way, they eat mainly brine shrimp and green algae. Who fnew Flamingos like sushi?? Some more fun facts; the ancient Romans, thought flamingos to be a delicacy. (Flamingo parmesan ??  No thanks) Andean miners have killed flamingos for their fat believed to be  a cure for tuberculosis. Ancient Egyptians believed flamings to be the living representation of the God Ra.


Now on to the bad news... once again we find this type of news about a species of the animal world!!! 
Scientists have discovered that flamingos are dying by the thousands along the Great Rift Valley lakes of Kenya and Tanzania. However, they are baffled as to the reason. Possible causes include avian cholera, botulism, metal poisoning, pesticides or poisonous bacteria, say researchers. Also, fears for the future of the Lesser Flamingo — Phoeniconaias minor — have been raised by plans to pipe water from one of their key breeding areas, the shores of Lake Natron. The lakes are crucial to the birds' breeding success because the flamingos feed off the blooms of cyanobacteria that thrive there.


It is bad enough we're killing each other but we are greatly contributing to the deaths of our animal neighbors.
These things are really sad to read but we need to change things and knowledge of the problems are our keys to changing.


Ok, so I decided I would concentrate on the flamingos for awhile and photograph them. Well, we have all seen the pictures of the flamingo standing on one leg in the water or for that matter, on your neighbors front lawn.

 So I thought I would try and look at them in a different way: make it more interesting for me to shoot and more  
 interesting for you to see, ( at least I hope so): almost like a portraiture session with the flamingos.


So here are my flamingo images brought to you by my creativity and the "Loven Spoonfuls" whose lyrics I borrowed. Hope you enjoy them.