mallard twins and lone goose

In June, a Mallard mama brought her 6 newly-hatched ducklings to the water (see 6/27/2021).  A few weeks went by, and only 2 ducklings remained with the adult. We watched as they became more independent each day, no longer swimming so close to her.  Eventually, the mama would leave them to feed alone since they knew to hide among the grasses. She would hide herself from predators because she was molting. So we only saw her every few days with them. We called the two ducklings the 'twins'.

(pix above: twins in July with Mallard mama)

One day in August, a Canada Goose appeared on the pond. It glided on the water, showing off its newly molted feathers. But it stayed here day after day, feeding with and hanging close to the twins. All of them seemed to be comfortable with each others' company. All seemed healthy and happy on the quiet pond with plenty to eat, overhanging grasses and reeds to hide in, and rocks to sit on for sunny naps. They dabbled for food in the water together. Even the mama mallard seemed okay with the goose.

We puzzled why the goose was here. According to research, Canada Geese mate for life. If one loses a mate, it may stay alone. A lone female may help other families herd and raise their young.  I like to think this was a female goose who lost her mate; maybe she wanted to help the mallard ducklings since their mama was vulnerable to predators while growing new feathers. She stayed until the twins grew their wing feathers and muscles strong enough to fly out from the pond.  She disappeared from pond a day after the mallards departed, at the end of August.

(pix below: twins in August with lone goose)

goslings

A Canada Goose family had lunch on the pond today. The adults, one in front and one behind, led the 5 young goslings to find food.  The young are able to feed the first day they hatch out of their eggs, and eat the same as adult gooses - - green vegetation and grains, small insects and fish.  Like many water birds, Canada Goose Branta canadensis are susceptible to the dangers that humans have created, like this plastic netting caught in the beak of one gosling.

On closer look, one of the young geese struggled with a piece of plastic netting caught in the hinge of its bill.  The gosling was able to keep up with the others but we wonder about its future health. 

Blackbird fledglings

Hiding in the reeds, unsure of what to do next, these three young Red-winged Blackbirds are waiting for instructions from a parent.  They fledged from their nest today, and flew a short distance. They hatched only 10 days ago (see post on 6/10/2020), then grew and developed to almost their adult size.  The mom will feed them and teach them to find food on their own for the next few weeks.  Seeds are most of their diet year-round, but for summer they will learn to hunt insects hiding among plants surrounding the pond.  Later, once each develops agile flight, they will catch flying insects mid-air.

juvenile birds

The wild wild woods and the feeder garden are full of fledgelings and juvenile birds.  Some are learning to get suet from the hanging dispensers.  This Downy Woodpecker has been at the suet three days in a row.  If it is with the same young bird, I suspect she is pretending to be a slow learner so the adult continues to serve it up.

juvenile Bluebird

This little Eastern Bluebird comes from the first clutch of eggs laid and hatched in the nestbox.  The adults have started clutch number two with eggs in the nest.

feathered nest

Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor, who line their nests with found feathers, fledged their five young out of the nestbox a few days ago.  This is what I found when clearing out the box.  I clean and save such feathers, then put them out again in Springtime for the next nesting season. Some birds place colored or shiny items in their nest . . . wire, yarn, ribbons, etc.

This collection included a little blue sparkly hair pin! 

juvenile Grosbeak

This young Grosbeak has been coming to the suet feeder.  Juvenile Red-breasted Grosbeaks are streaked brown and white with a bold face pattern and enormous bill.  As an adult, it will have a stout triangular bill, and use it to eat a variety of seeds and crunchy insects. If a female, it will remain similar to this feather pattern and coloring; if a male, it will molt into a black-and-white theme with a brilliant rose breast.

Grackles

Even though the Common Grackles Quiscalus quiscula are more likely to hang around fields where they feed by stealing crops, this year they are a bother at the edge of the wild woods.  With a cool late spring season, the farm fields nearby may not provide enough food for fledglings like this one. 

He begged and gaped for the adult to feed him, and ignored all instruction on how to feed himself.

learning to find their own food

The male Downy Woodpecker  
Picoides pubescens demonstrated for his two fledglings how to get lunch at the suet dispensers.

The parent handed a bit of suet to the young male begging below him on the paddle (right), while the young female helps herself to the suet as she balances on the wire suet cage (left).

All three use their tails to balance, a characteristic of woodpeckers.