Monday, 11 March 2013
Can you see the two-gosling cluster between the foreground parent and the rocks? One is facing me and chomping on a leaf. The goose diet here must have little variability.
I walked this morning because of precipitation rumors in the morning meteorological reports. They were right; it’s raining now.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Here’s the story in this picture.
There, at the base of the cypress, Mother Goose. Back, visible through the branches, napping on one foot on the muddy delta, Papa Goose.
As I understand it, once the eggs hatch Mama will waltz the family to a new location, far from the nest-smell that tempts/attracts carnivores.
In this case, the nest location is precarious, between a sidewalk and a lake* that’s really a catchment for runoff, and no spot around this smallish artificial lake is any better than this one. And the lake is surrounded by walls, with no good goose resettlement area. And no island.
Of course, given that the sidewalk often hosts dog-walkers and their usually leashed companions, Mama and Papa may not make it that far in the parenting process.
* The lake is labeled Phase 1 here. I watched a crane operator farther south for a minute, taking a break from excavating somewhere near “Splash Pad” to read, not merely check, his phone. Meanwhile, an ambulatory worker was checking a giant pump; after all, this area is downhill and downstream of the walled lake (funny; there’s actually a Walled Lake, Michigan—see: another story!).
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
After attending a pie-party (quite special!—guests all brought pies, some savory, some sweet), we walked-talked around Green Lake as the sun was running out its day.
In fact, we walked-talked to such an extent that I neglected to photo the bald-eagle-atop-the-pine, although we watched him (her?) for more than five minutes.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
These tropical imports, on display, gave quite a show as the youngsters were allowed to drop fresh leaves into the feeding cube. That big one is a soldier ant.
Monday, 26 November 2012
My theory after watching two busy jays (Cyanocitta cristata) in the backyard for ten minutes: with the leaves on the ground, the temps in the low 40°s, and the sun out, the tasty bits are in the shady spots.
Never did catch them in the sun.
For better bird close-ups, check out the the Marquis’s photos….
Friday, 15 June 2012
It’s like autumn is here early and the ants are taking refuge…on my counter.
We did try some evasive maneuvers.
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Unsure of how many critters would be out, we still made a mid-day, almost-spitting-rain visit to the Seney refuge. We saw an osprey (head of female incubating) in the nest, ubiquitous Canada geese (including goslings), trumpeter swans (including cygnets), many common loons—the usual assortment. The whiteboard on the visitor center noted wolf and beaver sightings in recent days.
That’s her/him, in the foreground.
We spotted the more modest muskrat; what strong swimmers they are! Surprised to find us as s/he crossed our path en route to a different pool, s/he opted to continue, and cross the pool straight-line with no deviations, despite the distance to the next solid ground, an island over one hundred meters away.
Sunday, 27 May 2012
WI count: 1 Impala.
MI count (8 miles in): 1 deer; 1 otter; 3 mallards; 1 heron. Uncounted: insects, seagulls.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Just to make sure my cardiac situation remains robust…another snake. For my corner-of-the-eye visuals.
Thanks again, F&D for porch-time. Not quite so much for the snake(s)….
Friday, 30 March 2012
Note how the leaves are almost coming in….
Mid-afternoon, after the rain stopped, we watched three bunnies…frolicking…in the corner of the garden, lower right.