With the seasonal lake filled to the brim, I couldn't resist the opportunity with the horses and the water. Their reaction to me yesterday was somewhat reassuring, but by no means a guarantee. They had a lot more caution than last October's visit, and of course I could only hope that they'd come back around me.

I saw the horses south of the lake, but I decided to head away from them and walk to the water instead. Perhaps the horses always go to the water in the morning, or perhaps they decided to come over because I was there -- but in short order all three horses started heading over to me. Led by the young stallion with the rust-colored mane, they trotted over from well over 1,000 feet away.

The attitude from them on this day was a bit different than the day before and again much different than last October. There was a curiosity, but it lacked the same confidence or passion. They almost felt lonely.. and they sought me out to at least have something exciting to interact with. But, a nervousness also lurked beneath the surface. The young leader wanted to come close, but he would spook himself at times. They came to within 15 feet at first and then trotted a short distance away shortly after. With the position of the sun and their comfort level in mind, I decided to walk to the other side of the water so that I could photo them in a better position... even if much further away.

The reflections were great, and the visiting birds were a nice bonus. The American Avocet was the most colorful and notable bird in the bunch with it's long/curved beak and elegant plumage.

The heat waves on the cloudless day took over in short order, so I kept this session fairly brief. I went back to the shade of the campsite and would return for one last visit near sunset when the horses would trot directly up to me once more.