Turtlelincidence

I never see turtles in Israel "in the wild" - and then I see one twice in one week (albeit one of them was -unfortunately- dead)?How much of a coincidence is that? But here he was, right beneath me in the Yarkon. I never paid attention even because I was battling to try to get the Pied Kingfisher on camera (which I didn't succeed in doing, just like all these weeks I've been trying) and having fun with Peewee (who -upon seeing me- immediately shoves away from that hole in the river bank he seems to watch over and started peeweeing). But, out of nowhere (because there was nobody in the streets yet) a man stood near me and after a first remark saying that the water of the Yarkon is polluted pointed me at the turtle. And there he was: quite a big sized turtle in the same color as the murky water of the Yarkon.... leisurely floating around -probably searching for food. (photo 1 & 2)


The overall sight on the way to the beach isn't that colorful anymore as it used to be, flowerwise. Many flowers are just "gone' and green hedges, bushes and trees remain. There still are some 'left-overs' from what was - but not even 10% of what I used to see before.
It's like they're having the summer-blues :D Still, some pretty remarkable flowers are to be found... if one pays attention. (photo 3 & 4)

The sea and I have a 'game' when I sit at 'my' pier. I try to photograph as much as I can and he tries to splash his waterdrops on my camera (photo 5). It is fun.... I was lucky till now - he didn't succeed in wetting my camera. Although we have a different "relationship" now - I don't go to him but let him come to me instead (after, of course, making the 1 to 1-1/2 hour walk to go see him) by letting him reach out over the pier and the railing to my safeplace - I now feel I would like to proceed a little further ahead. There's this pole (where ships used to tie up to?) some way up along the pier sea-inwards and it has handles on it where one can hold oneself on to. There, at that pole, he usually throws his waves to break into a million foamy water-drops with ferocious force. It lures me and maybe I'll ask H. to accompany me one time so, if she would be so kind, she can watch my backpack with camera in it so I can venture out :D It wouldn't mean emerging in the sea. That trust I am not yet ready to give... if ever.

When I returned from my walk towards the north I saw this pigeon on the boulevard that -wonder-o-wonder- didn't fly away straight away when I passed but rather seemed to apply the mirror effect method: I wasn't watching him, but he was watching me, LOL. He had beautiful eyes and his expression (not seen in the photo) was cute and 'naughty' - like saying "you know how much fun we have watching you people?" :D (photo 6) The only time he cringed was when a crow flew over....

The last photo is of a Mynah-nest they made in a lamp-post. I have been watching this for weeks now. Everytime I pass by they (there are two plus babies) - start screaming. Try to take my attention away from the nest. Today I photographed it though the babies can't be seen within the nest... (photo 7). Mynahs and Lapwings (like "my" Peewee) - I have found to be not that 'naive' as I initially thought them to be. They are both capable of chasing away crows and -in the case of the Mynahs- even cats, by hovering over those in some serious aggressive manner.