Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Birds at the Refuge

Well there is more than just blooming Lady’s Slippers at the refuge.

Chance and I saw our first Trumpeter Swan Cygnets!!  I have always hoped to see some…Sunday was the day.

We rounded the bend and on this little pothole that I think is somehow joined with Tamarac Lake and hit the jack pot.

Trumpeter Swan and cygnets

Trumpeter Swan and three cygnets.

Chance watched silently as I snapped photos.  I told him if you bark at the birds next time I will leave you home…so be a good boy…and he was.

Turkey Vulrure

There was a road kill deer near the headquarters and this Turkey Vulture was having a meal.  He flew into the tree…we told him to come back down and eat some more but he ignored us.

Canada Geese Family

Then we spotted a family of Canada Geese, three adults possibly one is a yearling goose, they stick around to help care for the goslings.

Canada Goose and gosslings

They must be used to vehicles…as we watched them for quite some time.

It was a fun morning at the refuge… several times we stopped to just listen to the Red Winged Blackbirds.  We don’t have them back here in the Oaks so it is always a treat to hear them sing.

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I know several of you thought it was strange that we didn’t meet one other vehicle…I was thankful we didn’t …some people drive way to fast and raise too much dust on the gravel roads…and they scare the wildlife.  We drove slowly to look for flowers and wildlife…and left nothing behind but our tracks in the gravel.

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28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Morning, Very pretty photos. What a treat to see the swans, especially. Wishing you guys a nice day.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh your photos make me want to come over and see all the beauty. Love those swans and the baby Canada Geese. All great shots. Thanks for sharing with all of us. hug B

Country Gal said...

Looks and sounds like a perfect morning to me . We have the Red winged black birds here at my feeders all the time this time of year as they nest in the swampy marshy area down by the river that is just steps from our house and the Canadaian geese nest along the river banks to all kinds of water foul down near our river banks . Lovely photos and post glad you got to see and take photos of the Trumpeter swans . Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

linda m said...

I miss seeing the "water" birds since we moved. I can't believe you finally got to see the cygnets - what a thrill. Those are some great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Primitive Stars said...

Loving those Swans, so beautiful. Great pictures,Blessings Francine.

DJan said...

Such beauty you shared this morning. One of those cygnets is swimming away from the others. I am used to seeing them all going the same way. Those goslings are sure cute, too. Thanks! :-)

Tired Teacher said...

The song of the red-wing blackbird is divine. Their song and that of the meadow lark always lift my heart.

Karen said...

I agree about the songs of the blackbirds....:) Score on the swan cygnets, so white and fuzzy! We have a lot of non-migrant Canada geese here, which are pests. Still fun to see the young ones though.

Intense Guy said...

The Canadian Geese around here are practically tame - I think they lost their fear when it became illegal to "mess with them". They cross the roads like ducks - unmindful of danger.

The Trumpeter family photo is awesome! I bet you haven't any place to hang another photo in your home!

Leah said...

What a great day for you! - love the Trumpeter Swan photo ~ we have had Red Winged Blackbirds here (even at the feeder) - I thought that was odd but maybe they were just stopping by.

Mac n' Janet said...

We have Canadian Geese, seems like they never go home. The Red-winged Blackbirds are so pretty.

jo(e) said...

Wow. What a gorgeous place! Thanks for sharing your photos. I love the swans.

Linda Kay said...

Such a beautiful place, and love the swan and geese.

Anonymous said...

What a great drive you had! I have never seen a cygnet, so I can understand your excitement. But . . . if you rounded the bend and saw the pothole and hit the jackpot, would that be a jackpothole? ;-) I agree with those who commented about enjoying the song of the red-wing blackbird.

Karen said...

I agree about the songs of the blackbirds....:) Score on the swan cygnets, so white and fuzzy! We have a lot of non-migrant Canada geese here, which are pests. Still fun to see the young ones though.

Travels with Emma said...

Oak-a-leee! ;)

MTWaggin said...

How totally exciting to see the swan babies - well all of the babies to be sure! Love it!

L. D. said...

The photo of the swan and babies three is a wonderful one. We see a few around here but they are ones that have escaped from commercial ponds. They do return to the Pioneer pond once they have had their adventure. I was just thinking this morning that we didn't experience the redwing blackbird migration this year. We may not have been home but they come through and rest in my big silver maples. It is a lot of noise for an afternoon. I mowed half my yard today and more will come tomorrow if it does not rain.

Henny Penny said...

The swan is so pretty. I've seen Canada geese but never a swan or red wing blackbird.

Linda W. said...

Love all the spring babies!

Terry and Linda said...

Me thinks you live in paradise!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer

Cynthia said...

How fun to see the baby swans! They don't seem to have as many babies as the Canads geese. Many of those poor mamas have a dozen to keep track of!

Red said...

I'd be most impressed if I saw swans with young here. They fly through here but don't nest here. Your wildlife refuge is very well populated.

diane in wis said...

Lovely Post! I loved all the pictures! Thanks so much! I really enjoy reading your blog every day!

Shirley said...

Beautiful photos! I love the blackbird song, we get them here, I always know spring is coming when they arrive and try to chase the gold finches out of the feeders. We have swamps nearby with lots of bull rushes for them.

Rita said...

I grew up next to a man-made lake and there were always red-winged black birds in the cattails. It has been so long I had to google and listen--yes!! They have a sweet trilling call. It came right back to me. Now I should go google morning doves and killdeer... ;)

Sam I Am...... said...

I love red winged blackbirds and I thought there weren't any here in AR but there are just not near me. It's probably the oaks! I didn't know that. I've never seen baby swans or Canadian geese! What a thrill that must have been!

Granny Marigold said...

What luck you had, seeing the Swan and her cygnets. Although we sometimes get swans passing through in the winter, we never have them in summer so never get to see the very little ones.