I was sitting outside just now, in the lanai at our place in Florida, my feet dangling in the warm water of the pool. My husband came out with drinks and cheese and crackers. We switched to chairs and, as we drank and nibbled, we talked about where to go for dinner tonight.

Then we realized that dinner was on the minds of others, too. A Great White egret–big and beautiful–landed on the shoreline of the canal behind the lanai. He stepped into the water–he moves with great elegance–poked his long yellow bill into the water and came up with a fish.

A minute later, a Little Blue Heron came gliding in, announcing his presence with raucous squawks. He chose a spot a few feet from the egret and he, too–or maybe ‘she’, I can’t rell–began pulling tidbits from the water.

More squawks. They came from a kingfisher as he landed in one of the plam trees. He sat very still, head cocked as he watched the canal. Then he e plunged into the water and flew back to the tree with a fish in his beak.

I know one thing for certain. Wherever we go for dinner tonight, I’m not going to order fish. Or fowl.