Solitary Spotted Sandpiper

It's always so fun running across an unexpected bird.  It was a treat to spot this spotted sandpiper and get a few pictures of him.

You can tell it is breeding season for him by the clearly visible spots on his belly and his orange beak.

Note the big, round tummy on this one, and the white streak above the eye.  These are typical features of the spotted sandpiper.  

They are often a solitary wanderers on the shores rivers and ponds.

Canada Goose - Branta Canadensis

Here is a Canada goose.

Sometimes they are informally called Canadian Geese.

The term "branta" from their scientific name, Branta canadensis, refers to the prominent black coloring that waterfowl in this species have.

Wood Ducks

Someday I will get a better shot of a wood duck, but for now I'll take what I can get.

Hyperion and I were hiking in a rarely visited area of an island in the Mississippi when I photographed a passing pair of wood ducks.

They were far away and obscured by trees, but with the magic of digital zoom, we can see enough markings to know what we are looking at.

Wood ducks are beautiful little ducks, and the males are iconic for their brightly colored plumage, with green and purple on their heads and white stripes.  They have red eyes, with red and yellow on their bills.

Wood ducks have shorter wings than other ducks, which help them fly though woodlands, where they nest in tree cavities, and in wood duck boxes.  Their claws (rare in ducks) help them grip the bark where they perch.

They prefer shallow, marshy waters and ponds, where they can feed easily.  Besides aquatic food sources, they also eat acorns.

Wood ducks float higher on the water than other ducks, so that is something to remember when trying to identify them at a distance.

Something unique about wood ducks is that they are the only North American duck to have two broods per season.

Wood ducks are also called summer ducks and Carolina ducks.

Geometric Designs

These geometric designs on the marsh fascinated me.

A Loon

I was taking my usual walk and saw two pelicans across the LeClaire channel from Smith's Island.  They were pretty far away, and I knew photos of them wouldn't do justice to their beauty.  Still, there was something in me - there always is, that wants to photograph every animal I see.  As I stood on the shore and watched them, I noticed something else moving in the water near them.  It was so low in the water and so far away that I could not tell what it was.  

The bird in question is 4 pelican body-lengths to the left of the left pelican, against the shore.

I knew it was not a Canada goose, because it was not big enough, and it wasn't brown.  I put the camera up to my eye and zoomed in as far as I could on it.  I could see that it was grey, and had a long bill, but everything else was pretty indistinct. 

Because the mind wants to match what you see with what you are already familiar with, the thought crossed my mind that maybe this was a heron, down in the water, floating.  I've never seen a heron do that before.  I don't even know if they would be able to fold up their long legs and do that.  But that is all I could come up with on the first pass.  At the same time, I knew it was not a heron.  Too many things didn't seem fit.  But what was it?

I snapped a several pictures, even as the bird seemed to appear and disappear.  I was so far away I couldn't tell if it was diving and reappearing, or if it was just so well camouflaged that it seemed to disappear against the opposite bank.  

I knew it was something I was completely unfamiliar with, and that was exciting.  A new bird!

Thanks to the power of the editing capabilities of Photo Gallery, I was able to zoom in on this bird on my computer at home, and get my first up close look at it.  

The first thought that came into my head was, "It looks like a loon."  How that could be, I didn't know, but that is the power of field guides.  

I had never seen a loon in the real life before - never expected to see one.  They just don't live around here.  But I have looked at dozens of field guides over the years.  I've done more than look.  I've poured over them, examining the picture carefully, absorbing details about beaks, body shape, color patterns, and postures.  I've read the descriptions relating typical behavior for the various species.  And somehow, as this bird came into focus, I just knew it was a loon.  

It didn't look like a loon - not the gorgeous black and white kind you see in slick magazines about the north woods, but that's where I learned something new.  The classic picture of a loon with it's black and white checkered back and red eyes show a loon in its mating plumage - stunningly beautiful.  This one, in our humble little LeClaire channel, was wearing it's non-breeding feathers, and so looked very plain.  It was just passing through, migrating back to it's home in the north.  I'm so glad I got to see it, and photograph it, and learn a little bit more about loons.  This is a real first in my book!

Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley is a charming little plant with tiny white flowers that look as if they were little bells that could be rung.  It has a most delightful scent, and seems to be a fairly beloved plant.  It is native to North America, but is also grown domestically.

I came across a large colony of them on one of my walks:

Despite it's sweet fragrance and beauty, this plant is highly poisonous.

Other names for this plant include Our Lady's Tears and Mary's Tears stemming from a legend that they sprouted from tears shed by Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the crucifixion.  Another legend references the tears shed by Eve after being cast out of the Garden of Eden.

Pardon Me!

I interrupted this squirrel in the middle of his fine repast of organic walnuts.  

He stopped and gave me such a look as if to say, "How gauche!"  Then he proceeded to pretend not to see me.  

He could not believe my effrontery in stepping closer and closer to him!

In my turn, I pretended not to see the crumbs still lingering in his whiskers, and I went my way.

The Promise of Spring

They're back!  

All of the spring wildflowers are returning.  Actually, they never really went anywhere.  Since their last blooming, the roots have been biding their time safely underground, waiting for the time to be right to send forth their tender shoots again.  
Here are two kinds:

Dutchman's Breeches (it's just fun to say!)

Spring Beauties

I've walked the trails a dozen times since the last wildflowers bloomed here, and I've thought happily of these little plants resting in their dormant state under the earth and snow.  I knew they would spring forth again.  It's like having a secret to gladden the heart, even while you walk amidst the bare trees of deepest winter.

I can't help comparing this natural phenomenon to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He died for us, and was buried in the tomb, but rose again three days later.  He conquered death.  I am so thankful for Him!  He is the Savior of the world, and our hope in an eternal life.  Even while we walk our daily path here on the earth - in sometimes barren surroundings (barren of love, of kindness, understanding, health - you name it) - we can know that "spring" will come for us.  I know that Jesus Christ died for us, and that He lives now, that He loves us, and that He will come again in the fullness of time!  I look forward to that joyous day!

Skull Found

There is something new to see in the woods every day, and this time around it was an animal skull.

I found it on an island in the Mississippi, right at the farthest point of a loop trail I walk frequently.  

I was surprised to see it there and did all of the usual wondering - what is it?  How did it get here?  Where's the rest of it?

After examining the object, and noting it's teeth, I thought it must be an herbivore of some kind, but the long "snout" made me wonder a little.  (I'm just not used to identifying animals by their skulls.  I've never seen that many in my life!)

Here's a top view:

And here it is, in situ, as they say, with my sandal next to it for a frame of reference of its size.  Note the rather large eye sockets:

What would your guess be?

This little mystery was solved when I showed the photos to Hyperion.  "Fawn skull," he said, with little hesitation.  Does this many know everything?!!!

We've seen deer prints on the island before, and I know they can swim the LeClaire channel or the river on the other side, to get to the island.  But what caused the death of this fawn, and how did the skull get carried to this point?  I have seen the remains of rabbit kills near this same place a couple of times before, and have assumed that a large owl was responsible for that debris.  I may never know all the details of this story.

Airhead

From dictionary.com we read the following definition:  

Airhead - n. slang   a stupid or simple-minded person; idiot

My Little Chickadee

Study in Black and White

I took these photos for the bird, but in the end, I liked the entire composition of each photo more than just the bird itself.  So here they are, a study in black and white:

My Heart Is There

Today's post is dedicated to the poem "Tadoussac" by Charles Bancroft.  It expresses so well my never-ending delight with the woods, and the hunger in my soul to be there when I must be other places instead.

I've seen the Thousand Islands

In the beauty of the dawn;

And sailed on lake Ontario,

When the shades of night were drawn,

I've wandered in Toronto,
Climbed the "Mount" at Montreal;
Run the great St. Lawrence rapids,
Where the waters swirl and fall.

I've slept up in the Chateau,
At Quebec; and known the thrill
Of rambling through the "Old Town"
And the fort upon the hill.

I've felt the sacred beauty
Of the splendor on Sag'nay;
The warmth of homespun blankets
That were made at Murray Bay.

But in my soul's a hunger
Once again for Tadoussac;
The endless fascination
Of its quaintness draws me back.

I hear again the mission bell
That calls the folks to prayer;
And as I walk the city streets
My heart is with them there.

The White Duck Mystery

From my early elementary years on, I have always been a big Nancy Drew fan, and after reading about her mystery adventures, I always wanted to discover and solve a few of my own.  Well, on Wednesday, I bumped right into one.  I was walking out at Smith's Island and what did I see?  Two white ducks!

Now, I am an amateur bird watcher, but I do know enough to know that white ducks like this are not generally wild.  They looked exactly like your typical domestic duck found on a farm.  But what were they doing out here, in this wild marsh on the river?  I have walked this trail for three years and never seen a domestic duck here before.  How strange!

I took several photographs, and noted that they were swimming around very companionably with two mallard hens.  They were grazing on the plants at the bottom of the marsh, and spent more time with their heads under water than above.  I strained to see any markings of any kind that would help me identify them - if they really were some kind of wild breed.  Nada.  They were white, white, white, with orange bills and black eyes.  I decided that they had to be escapees from some nearby farm.

Quite curious by now, I contacted my ranger friend who works for the Army Corps of Engineers out there.  He revealed the mystery to me!  (Thank you, Ranger Steve!)

As it turns out, someone released this pair of domestic ducks at the marsh a few months ago, and they have been happily living there ever since.

Now, I've heard of kittens being dropped off on farms, but I've never heard of farms dropping off ducks at nature preserves before.  I'd love to know the rest of this story!  And, I am wondering how well they will winter.  Time will tell.

Another New Warbler!

I've discovered another new warbler!

I don't know how I've never noticed this stunning little bird before, but here he is at Smith's Island:

Here's another photo of one over at Fisherman's Corner South:

And one more:

This is a prothonotary warbler.  According to a post over at 10,000 Birds (check it out at the following link: http://10000birds.com/golden-swamp-warbler.htm  ) these birds take their names from early clerks in the Catholic church who wore yellow vestments.  Interestingly, they mention that John James Audubon had called this bird the "golden swamp warbler" but the other name won out.

Protho means "first", and notary means "clerk".

Prothonotary warblers nest in cavities, and can be seen on tree trunks, looking for insects to eat, in a similar manner to nuthatches and creepers.  They live in the Quad City area during the summer months.

If I've missed this brightly-colored beauty all these years, what else is out there that I haven't yet noticed?  Here's to finding more gems out on the trail!

Mentha Spicata

Hyperion and I were out walking along the river the other day when he stopped and turned to me.  "I just love that smell," he said.  "It smells like mint."  I could smell it too, and so we looked around to see where it might be coming from.  There at our feet were several beautiful bunches of spearmint.

I plucked a bit of leaf and crushed it between my fingers.  Sure enough - the minty smell burst forth bigger than ever.

I've never found mint growing wild like this, but I have known it was out there.  I just don't know if this mint grew there from an errant seed from someone's garden-variety mint, or if it was a naturally occurring variety.  I've researched the plant a little but haven't been able to come to any conclusions.  

The scientific name is Mentha spicata, and the word mentha originally comes from the Greek minthe.  The term spicata refers to the spikes on the leaves.  

In Greek mythology, Minthe was changed into the plant that now bears her name in order to keep her from improper relations with Hade, god of the underworld.  This connection with the underworld is also evident in the use of mint in ancient burials rights.

Tending to Others

Last spring I saw this sight on the water:

At first I thought, "That's a lot of goslings!"  Later I found out that adult Canada geese will often tend the goslings of others in just this way.  In other words, "It takes a village to raise a child."  As you can see, there are at least 24 goslings in this picture, of varying ages and sizes, all learning to paddle and keep an eye out for dangers and look for food.

This reminds me of my friends, Glen and Sylvia.  They routinely looked after others in their lives, and were a dynamic part of whatever community they found themselves in.

Glen and Sylvia both contracted polio in their childhoods, which led to them being wheelchair bound but did not stop them from living useful and exuberant, busy lives.  They met in college and married, taking on the world together, and raising a family of both biological and adopted children.  Glen had a successful engineering business.  Sylvia taught voice and piano.  They drew people to them with their endearing personalities, wit and kindness.  They were always attentive to the one, and their every thought seemed to be focused on what they could do for others.  The number of souls they tended to in their lifetime is untold.

As their health declined in their later years, they had an increasing need for "helpers" in their home.  I had the privilege of being one.  Being in their presence was an education in itself, as I saw them interact so lovingly with one another, and conduct themselves with the highest levels of graciousness and charity.  

Strictly speaking, I worked for Sylvia, but in reality, I was the one being ministered to.  I had the privilege of spending many hours a week with her, incident to her post-polio, but it was she who served and uplifted me with every conversation, and by her sweet example.  In a way, she parented me, and became a beloved friend, mentor, and confidant.

Sylvia passed away recently, and joined her sweetheart, Glen, who passed away several months ago.  I am so glad that I was one of the flock they drew so close to them.  I hope to follow their example and serve others a little better every day.

Coots

Up until I started photographing wildlife, I hadn't ever really seen or noticed coots.  I've come to know them as very shy birds who hustle away from me the moment they notice my presence.  Most of my photos show them paddling away for dear life, their wake a widening "V" behind them.  They are friendly with other birds, however, and hang out in mixed flocks.

Now and then I get lucky, and manage to photograph more than just their fleeing forms.

I found this one (below), trying to hide in the reeds at Pigeon Creek.  He had undoubtedly been there as I passed by him on my way up the trail, but an active muskrat and some new birds closer to shore grabbed my attention.  I didn't notice him until my return trip along the path.

When I did finally notice him, he held very still - like a child caught in a cookie jar - and pretended not to see me.

I recently saw my first coot on land.  It wasn't until I had zoomed in on him that I realized what odd feet coots have!  They are "lobed" and massive - not like duck feet at all.  Here is a picture to show you what I mean:

This is a mature coot - not a baby that has yet to "grow into" his feet.

The coot is dark grey with an even darker head.  They have white bills, which make them pretty distinctive.  If you get close to them, you will see that they have a red patch at the base of their bills (on their foreheads), and they have the appearance of red eyes.

Their chicks are beautiful, with orange-tipped feathers.  I would dearly love to get a photo of one!

The word coot comes from the Dutch koet, and in modern times the word has become synonymous with a foolish person.

Here is a pleasant picture to end with, of a social group.  This one was taken by my sister Angie, when she was here visiting.  Thanks, Ang!

Photo by Angie S.

The Wily Cormorant

Crafty.  Cunning.  Sly.

Always diving under the water when I get anywhere within sight of him.

And yet, at last, I managed to get some decent photos of him - the wily cormorant.

Mad-Scientist Look

Note how low in the water his body is...

Bathing Beauties

Caught up with these bathing beauties this weekend at Smith's Island.  There was a whole lot of preening going on!