Mather Regional Park has a fishing lake with a dock and lakeside benches that allow you to sit comfortably, watch the waterfowl and contemplate life. As I found a great spot to observe the birds, I heard a lot of honking and splashing.
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.
The Canada geese were fighting. As swans and other geese swam by, they attacked each other for a couple of minutes. I had never seen birds act this aggressively and as long as they did.
There were additional geese who watched and sometimes joined the fight. A Mute Swan was near when the fight broke out and stay fluffed up and on the defense.
The fight started too close to a swan swimming nearby
Another goose comes close to the action
They swat each other with their wings as they try to bite each other as other geese come close
More geese get involve as the fight continues
Round One loser takes off
Loser swims away with a smaller companion
Then comes back and attacks the first goose
More splashing and fighting
The birds can barely be seen behind all the splashing water
One goose dominates the other
Round Two loser swims away
The fight starts back under the cormorants
More biting and splashing
The losing goose starts swimming away
Winner flaps his wings as the losers swim away.
With that drama ended, I changed direction and looked at a different part of the lake. Out in the middle of the lake a Mute Swan was bathing. For some reason a Pied-Billed Grebe stayed close.
Splashing water on its back
Water drops fly as the swan waggles its tail
Now to groom the tail feathers
Splashing more water on its back
More grooming
Contemplating his next move as the grebe continues to shadow him
Now dunking its head
Popped back up again.
Starting to rise
Spreading its wing
Giving a big flap
Fully extending its body almost completely out of the water
Settling down
Folding the wings back into place
A little bit of a tail wag
All done
One great aspect of birdwatching is the ability to sit and watch the birds do their thing. Patience can be rewarding as birds come to you or display various behaviors as long as you sit still.
We have had plenty of changeable spring weather this past week. Rain, warm sunshine, more rain, more sunshine, and more rain. Today starts several days of sunshine with occasional clouds and more rain coming on Monday or Tuesday.
What’s up in your neck of the woods?
