Trego's Mountain Ear

There’s a slowdown in the traffic by the pond.  I think we’re on the fifth hatch of goslings, and it reminds me that, while I may pay the taxes, the ponds are actually owned by the ducks and geese.  It looks like there have been five successful hatches so far, and the customary travel speeds are slowing down to watch the geese and ducks.

There are a couple of interesting things to watch for.   One is a little diving duck with a single duckling.  Since both dive, it takes some time to actually find them in a mother-duckling pose.  Mother duck has a lot of white on her, and if you want to watch the pair it might be better to come to a complete stop – duckling has good lungs and can stay under water quite a while already.

One of the goslings is Daddy’s baby – this is in one of the large broods . . . I think the total is eight.  Most of the time there are seven little ones between goose and gander, and the eighth little one seems to be hanging out more with the gander.  Imprinting, I suppose – but it has made it hard to get a count.  There is still one goose nesting on the island, so I anticipate a sixth hatch soon.

The turtles are showing up most where the circle pond intersects with the drainage channel.  The smallest is about half-again the size of a silver dollar, while the large ones make it up to the size of a plate.  We’ve seen one that seems too large for the painted turtles we usually watch, so I’m wondering if we have a migrant, or a strange turtle that someone has rehomed.  As slow as turtles are reputed to be, on a warm Spring day they’re still faster than an old man.

The first Hummingbird of Spring is wandering around the house – it seems to know full well that all houses are equipped with feeders and that we’re negligent in not having one up  yet.  The swallows have returned, taking up their essential role in keeping the area around the house and pond mosquito free.

Drive carefully – and if you stop to watch the little ducks and geese, we’re happy that we’re not the only folks who enjoy them.