12 May 2007

Stepped out about 5:30 to get breakfast at the galley and thought I might take my camera with me in case I found something to take a picture of. While I wasn't overwhelmed by the sunrise I think I still managed to get a few pictures worth taking. The ships seem to continue to be a theme with the morning sunrises over the lagoon, despite my request to the Navy that they be replaced with more interesting objects. As the morning progressed the sun remained behind the clouds until finally making its appearance about 8:00. Now I know its a capital sin against the human eye and the camera to look directly into the sun; but as the sun rose through the clouds as a golden disk, turning the clouds a golden yellow I had little choice but to try to capture it. After the sun finally broke free of the clouds I walked the beach back to our barracks looking for interesting things along the way. My best picture of the day; or so I think is, of the White Footed Lion Sheep Dog Bird (AKA: Black Napped Tern) at the bottom of this page.


Morning is Coming.	The sands of the island come and go, I've walked this beach a number of times and at one time these large chain links were buried beneath the sand.

This is a prime example of the White Footed Lion Sheep Dog Bird often used in the West Indies to herd Bison. The bird is also used in the U.S. to herd Texas Longhorns as well, but to a much lesser extent. While in the West Indies a herd of bison can be controlled by six to eight birds circling the herd; a herd of Texas Longhorns requires 2 birds per head of cattle, one on each horn for proper perching and cattle control. Thus making the job of the Texas Longhorn herder more difficult than that of the Bison herder; as the Longhorn herder has to manage a herd of cattle as well as a flock of birds. In nature these birds have been known to herd wild animals of all sorts, Here on the island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago there are few bison or other lager game to herd. As a result they have been witnessed trying to herd the Feral Donkeys but to little success. More often they are seen herding schools of fish on to the beaches for easy feeding, or schools of sharks toward the back end of a ship; presumably trying to eliminate them as a source of competition. This bird here was actually trying to herd me out into the ocean but to what end I do not know.