By Bike Rider
Showing posts with label ducks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ducks. Show all posts
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
June 27, 2008
Can you believe it's almost the end of June? I can't.
When I went running this morning in the park, my goal was to run around the circuit at least 3 times. Then I changed the goal to 25 minutes (I run a circuit in about 6.5 minutes) and I almost made it, when I got a stitch in my side at 24 minutes. That allowed me to walk back to the house and get my camera and some bread and then go back to to pond where I got some fun pix.
Those are baby geese! The one at the back on the right is the parent. You can tell the babies easily because of their "whit-whit-whit" baby voices (they don't honk until they are grown up) and the white cheek patches haven't come in yet. But they are so big now!
The baby in the foreground still had a fair bit of fuzz on his neck.
I just like this "action" shot. And you can see what I meant earlier about "white bums".
And the babies aren't shy about coming right up to you.
I found a big difference with the baby ducks. They look like they have their adult plumage but they are still pretty fuzzy and I don't think their wings are developed. But they aren't yellow fuzz-balls any more!
And they aren't shy any more either! Last time, they wouldn't approach me, nor take anything from my hand. This time they pecked me unmercifully and came and stood right on the tops of my feet.
I don't know why we find waterfowl more engaging than many other birds, but they are.
When I went running this morning in the park, my goal was to run around the circuit at least 3 times. Then I changed the goal to 25 minutes (I run a circuit in about 6.5 minutes) and I almost made it, when I got a stitch in my side at 24 minutes. That allowed me to walk back to the house and get my camera and some bread and then go back to to pond where I got some fun pix.
Those are baby geese! The one at the back on the right is the parent. You can tell the babies easily because of their "whit-whit-whit" baby voices (they don't honk until they are grown up) and the white cheek patches haven't come in yet. But they are so big now!
The baby in the foreground still had a fair bit of fuzz on his neck.
I just like this "action" shot. And you can see what I meant earlier about "white bums".
And the babies aren't shy about coming right up to you.
I found a big difference with the baby ducks. They look like they have their adult plumage but they are still pretty fuzzy and I don't think their wings are developed. But they aren't yellow fuzz-balls any more!
And they aren't shy any more either! Last time, they wouldn't approach me, nor take anything from my hand. This time they pecked me unmercifully and came and stood right on the tops of my feet.
I don't know why we find waterfowl more engaging than many other birds, but they are.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
June 15, 2008
The geese will eat right out of your hand but not the ducks. But there was one baby goose who wouldn't take anything from me. The other goslings gathered right in, practically under my skirt and nibbled at the hem of my skirt while I was feeding bread to their brethren.
We are so fortunate to live here. There were baseball teams out playing in al the available diamonds. Some were camped out with dogs and coolers and chairs.
We are so fortunate to live here. There were baseball teams out playing in al the available diamonds. Some were camped out with dogs and coolers and chairs.
Friday, June 13, 2008
June 13, 2008
So I haven't abandoned this blog! First I was away, then I was sick, and now I am blogging on my other blogs. But today I finally went back for a run in the park and saw baby geese and ducklings!
I brought my camera with me while I went running and saw the fluffy babies on the first pass. When I came around the second time, I stopped to take pix.
An older man with his grandson in a baby carriage had stopped along the path and he started throwing bread to the birds. They were up and running toward him in a flash.
They didn't seem shy at all, not even the goslings. But the parents were pretty aggressive with the other birds.
Don't they look like fluffy dinosaurs?
These two parental geese were giving me the hairy eyeball, as I was trying to get close for pix. One of them took a chunk out of a duck that got too close too - there was a wad of feathers on the grass and the duck limped away after that. I scolded the goose but got scolded by him in return.
This duck was limping too but for a different reasons - he might be Waddles One-Foot! You can't tell from the photo but he was missing his right foot. Of course, I can't tell or remember which foot Waddles was missing but anyway.
Here's his faithful missus with their seven children.
To round it off, here's the progress of the construction to date. The first row done by the road has roof vents on and everything. This is the one where the back "yards" will be sitting right on the bike path.
But here is what it looks like from our quad. It looms over the houses by the park. Well, it doesn't look that loomy here but believe me, there is looming. And the constant noise is driving those guys crazy.
I brought my camera with me while I went running and saw the fluffy babies on the first pass. When I came around the second time, I stopped to take pix.
An older man with his grandson in a baby carriage had stopped along the path and he started throwing bread to the birds. They were up and running toward him in a flash.
They didn't seem shy at all, not even the goslings. But the parents were pretty aggressive with the other birds.
Don't they look like fluffy dinosaurs?
These two parental geese were giving me the hairy eyeball, as I was trying to get close for pix. One of them took a chunk out of a duck that got too close too - there was a wad of feathers on the grass and the duck limped away after that. I scolded the goose but got scolded by him in return.
This duck was limping too but for a different reasons - he might be Waddles One-Foot! You can't tell from the photo but he was missing his right foot. Of course, I can't tell or remember which foot Waddles was missing but anyway.
Here's his faithful missus with their seven children.
To round it off, here's the progress of the construction to date. The first row done by the road has roof vents on and everything. This is the one where the back "yards" will be sitting right on the bike path.
But here is what it looks like from our quad. It looms over the houses by the park. Well, it doesn't look that loomy here but believe me, there is looming. And the constant noise is driving those guys crazy.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
April 6, 2008
The weather alternates between freezing and really nice - around 10C or 50F.
This was the first pair of ducks I've seen this Spring. Ducks tend to mate for life and I recognized this male from last year because he is missing a foot.
It is pathetic to see him struggle in the snow without a webbed foot on one side. I am sure I don't know how he manages to swim in a straight line.
But his wife stays near him and waits for him to catch up. They must manage all right together because here they are again. I wish them well.
This was the first pair of ducks I've seen this Spring. Ducks tend to mate for life and I recognized this male from last year because he is missing a foot.
It is pathetic to see him struggle in the snow without a webbed foot on one side. I am sure I don't know how he manages to swim in a straight line.
But his wife stays near him and waits for him to catch up. They must manage all right together because here they are again. I wish them well.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
November 29, 2007
Today was so mild that the ducks were back!
And I had my camera so I got these pix. Not great wild life shots, I will admit. But they are representative and I got to stand there and watch the ducks doing whatever it is that they were doing.
Mrs. Mallard had wandered off for the second shot but the male kept squishing the dirt and water and grass. I didn't capture his beak buried in the water and grass but it's close. I think he might have been swallowing here. :)
Then as I was approaching home and still had my camera out, I saw these perfect little footprints in the snow. I am always surprised by how big squirrels' feet are. And you can see the tiny toenail imprints and everything.
And I had my camera so I got these pix. Not great wild life shots, I will admit. But they are representative and I got to stand there and watch the ducks doing whatever it is that they were doing.
Mrs. Mallard had wandered off for the second shot but the male kept squishing the dirt and water and grass. I didn't capture his beak buried in the water and grass but it's close. I think he might have been swallowing here. :)
Then as I was approaching home and still had my camera out, I saw these perfect little footprints in the snow. I am always surprised by how big squirrels' feet are. And you can see the tiny toenail imprints and everything.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
November 28, 2007
It is minus 14 C out there this morning and I don't think I'll see what I saw yesterday along the bike path, as I was out without my camera. I was walking along and I heard this noise. It was a repetitive noise, not very loud and kind of low. Low in pitch and low in where it was coming from. It wasn't mechanical, although it repeated very quickly - sh-sh-sh-sh. I started scanning around to see what might be causing it and that's when I spotted the married pair of Mallards by the side of the path. They were standing in (for them) ankle deep water and they had their necks stretched out with their beaks as parallel to the ground as they could get them. And they were eating the grass under the bit of water. They'd grab the grass and squish it through their beaks and do this so rapidly that it made that noise I heard. They were so absorbed in what they were doing that they didn't even look up at me as I stopped and stood not two feet from them to watch them. And they were still there three hours later when I walked back the other way.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
November 20, 2007, afternoon
Today was a bird day.
When I rounded the corner of the utility building beside the skateboard park, there were all these ducks, sitting or standing near the puddles that had formed overnight from the rain. Many had their heads tucked under their wings.
But when you got a little closer, you could see that they still had one eye open.
The drake on the right with his beak open was quacking but not very loudly. It looks more animated than it was. They were pretty calm, these ducks, even if it was midmorning and people were walking by.
This is the long view, which shows them all in context, with the bike path, parking and garbage near by. A busy spot but when you need a nap, you just have to take one.
When I got over to the Loblaws, I noticed a flock of pigeons had decided to catch a few rays up near the peak of the roof.
I wonder how comfortable it is, hanging onto roofing tiles with one's toenails? Maybe if you only weigh a few bird ounces, it isn't such a big deal.
When I rounded the corner of the utility building beside the skateboard park, there were all these ducks, sitting or standing near the puddles that had formed overnight from the rain. Many had their heads tucked under their wings.
But when you got a little closer, you could see that they still had one eye open.
The drake on the right with his beak open was quacking but not very loudly. It looks more animated than it was. They were pretty calm, these ducks, even if it was midmorning and people were walking by.
This is the long view, which shows them all in context, with the bike path, parking and garbage near by. A busy spot but when you need a nap, you just have to take one.
When I got over to the Loblaws, I noticed a flock of pigeons had decided to catch a few rays up near the peak of the roof.
I wonder how comfortable it is, hanging onto roofing tiles with one's toenails? Maybe if you only weigh a few bird ounces, it isn't such a big deal.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
October 23, 2007
Today was supposed to be wet and cold but it started off at 16C so I'm glad of that. Now that I'm home for the afternoon, I guess it can go ahead and get cold, but I won't be happy about it.
On the way out of the 'hood, I saw that leaves were blocking some of the storm drains. It wasn't very bad and there was still some drainage, but I kicked the leaves away after I took this photo. Nice colours, anyway.
I looked up from the leaves and saw that the couch I reported on yesterday was gone. Don't know who moved it or where it went, but I'm glad it's gone.
I'm looking ahead to the pedestrian crossing lights here. I'm wondering what traffic the new housing development will bring and how we'll manage to get across the street when 300 people, each with a car, move in. It used to be that I hardly every pushed the "walk" button but now I push it all the time, in order to cross Centrepointe.
Once I cross the street, I look back to take a photo of the construction site. It's about 10 am but no one is around, maybe because it is an all-day rain?
Carrying on, I see that all the donations have been whisked away from the box by the library.
Heading toward the skateboard park, I see ducks have gathered in the "pond" created by rainfall. They are sitting, standing, grooming, wagging tails and eating something from under the water. They don't mind the rain. Please note the graffiti on the half walls of the park. I guess it's the nature of the beast. I think it could be more decorative but I also wonder if the shapes have meaning. Some of them are obviously letters and numbers but some I can't see what they are. And it's not my age, I don't think, because I used to draw stylized words in high school, even if it was back in the 70s. On the other hand, ask me if I really care.
Stepping onto the main bike path, I notice that the usual spot for a giant puddle is already filling up. They have repaved this spot at least once that I remember but apparently, didn't give the surface enough of a convex finish the prevent the water from collecting there. When it gets really cold, a rink develops in this spot. Okay, not really but it is a hazard.
Finally, I took a snap of a grocery cart that someone had trundled all the way over from the Loblaws. I tested it to see if it was one with a locking front wheel, wondering at the persistence of someone to push it that far in a wheelie position but it turned out to have all four wheels mobile. I wonder how long it will stay there and who will either take it away or come get it from Loblaws.
On the way out of the 'hood, I saw that leaves were blocking some of the storm drains. It wasn't very bad and there was still some drainage, but I kicked the leaves away after I took this photo. Nice colours, anyway.
I looked up from the leaves and saw that the couch I reported on yesterday was gone. Don't know who moved it or where it went, but I'm glad it's gone.
I'm looking ahead to the pedestrian crossing lights here. I'm wondering what traffic the new housing development will bring and how we'll manage to get across the street when 300 people, each with a car, move in. It used to be that I hardly every pushed the "walk" button but now I push it all the time, in order to cross Centrepointe.
Once I cross the street, I look back to take a photo of the construction site. It's about 10 am but no one is around, maybe because it is an all-day rain?
Carrying on, I see that all the donations have been whisked away from the box by the library.
Heading toward the skateboard park, I see ducks have gathered in the "pond" created by rainfall. They are sitting, standing, grooming, wagging tails and eating something from under the water. They don't mind the rain. Please note the graffiti on the half walls of the park. I guess it's the nature of the beast. I think it could be more decorative but I also wonder if the shapes have meaning. Some of them are obviously letters and numbers but some I can't see what they are. And it's not my age, I don't think, because I used to draw stylized words in high school, even if it was back in the 70s. On the other hand, ask me if I really care.
Stepping onto the main bike path, I notice that the usual spot for a giant puddle is already filling up. They have repaved this spot at least once that I remember but apparently, didn't give the surface enough of a convex finish the prevent the water from collecting there. When it gets really cold, a rink develops in this spot. Okay, not really but it is a hazard.
Finally, I took a snap of a grocery cart that someone had trundled all the way over from the Loblaws. I tested it to see if it was one with a locking front wheel, wondering at the persistence of someone to push it that far in a wheelie position but it turned out to have all four wheels mobile. I wonder how long it will stay there and who will either take it away or come get it from Loblaws.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)