large turtle, medium turtle, small turtle

mallard families

Female Mallard came out of the grasses with her 3 young ducks (upper right).  Then, another Mallard appeared with her 8 younger ducklings. They were all intent on eating duckweed and other aquatic plants growing in the pond.

On 5/20/2022 we peeked into the nest box, and found several eggs. Not countable, because of the feathers in the box meant to hide the eggs from predators. Since then I have peeked several times more.

The female adult was incubating the eggs.  I noticed the adults going in and out of the box on June 3 since  the eggs had hatched and they were bringing food to the hatchlings.  After two weeks in the box the nestlings had grown enough so they were full size and had gained some flight feathers.  On June 21 most young fledged out of the box, ready to learn how to fly and hunt for their own food: flying insects.

On June 22 the adults coaxed the last young bird to fly.  A few days later, we saw 3 of them perching on a branch looking over the pond.

painted turtle sunning among reeds

 

arrowhead

 

muskrat claws

 

Often we can see a muskrat swimming back and forth in the pond, harvesting plants and taking food home to the family.  Muskrats Ondatra zibethica eat the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of many water plants such as cattail, rushes, smartweed, duck potato, horsetail, sedges, and willow sprouts.  They are strong swimmers due to their two long back feet and five webbed toes.  For grasping and harvesting food, they have developed smaller front feet with four fingers with claws and a small thumb.   By living near the pond, muskrats control plant growth, provide open spaces for new plants to grow, and make space for other animals to build their nests.

sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper has again migrated north to Minnesota. This species spends winter as far south as South America.  Welcome back!

blue-winged teal

Blue-winged Teal ducks have been on the pond for a week or so. Last year, this species stayed only a few days to rest on migration. This season, they seem to find enough food here to stay longer. The hen makes a nest on the ground where she finds grassy cover to hide her eggs from predators. I admired the male's feathers, especially the white chevron on the back of his head.

dabblers and divers

The pond area is bustling with birds arriving! Several species of ducks have stopped for a meal or a day of rest on migration.  I marvel at how they tolerate one another in this small spot of respite. Occasionally we hear honking or see disputes, but mostly the creatures get along.  

Animals have adapted their method to feed in different ways.  For instance, we saw Mallards feeding near Hooded Mergansers. Mallards and Blue-winged Teal are ‘dabblers' – they dip their beak and head into the water to munch on shallow-water plants. Mergansers are ‘divers' – they dive totally under the water to eat plants growing in deep water.  

silly gooses

Canada Geese Branta canadensis occasionally visit the pond, but we discourage them from gathering here.  This is a small community pond and not able to support a flock of geese.

This pair has been hanging around for a week, honking at the ducks. This morning they decided to stand on the roof to get a better view. We love seeing the goslings (see 6/10/2021 goslings), but geese in large numbers can be pests.

 

muskrat whiskers

The muskrat Ondatra zibethicus was gathering breakfast this morning near the pond. 

He has a short soft underfur that traps air for insulation and buoyancy, and with longer stiff guard hairs over the underfur.  The whiskers stand out from the face.

Their tails are 7 to 11 inches long. No fur here . . .  the tail is covered in scales.  When they dive to move around, the tail is flattened vertically and serves as a rudder.

 

stars on ice

Another interesting feature of winter on the pond is the 'ice star'  or 'lake star'.  In my search for information about these patterns, I found many theories -- all related to the physics of temperature, moisture, pressure, and ice formation.  One of these theories is that patterns are formed in early winter when a hole allows water to swell up from beneath and spread over the surface, leaving dark fingers of melted ice radiating from the hole.

ice holes on pond

Cold, grey, blustery weather on the pond.

The water is covered by a thick layer of ice and snow drifts. Where the ice is visible between the drifts, a few holes break the smooth solid sheet. These seem to form where plant matter floating close to the surface or a submerged rock interrupted the process of liquid freezing to solid.

log in snow drift

We call the log near the shore of the pond  'turtle log'.  

Now it is buried in a snow drift.  It is curved, and usually emerges above the water or ice at least 18 inches.

Twenty inches of snow fell on the pond in this one early-winter storm. 

log in first snow

Overnight, we had the first snow of this season.  On the pond, the water is high and the log was frosted with a little coat of white 'frosting'.  The reeds are still green, but weakening and leaning sideways with the weight of moisture.  The turtles who sun themselves on the log in summer are hibernating now. (see Surviving Below Freezing, 10/31/2020)  

leaf galls

This fallen leaf has galls all over it, lumps or complicated structures that look like capsules containing something mysterious.  Galls are made by one of 1500 species of gall producers -- mostly insects and mites.  Some galls form on leaves where insects feed on the plant matter, or lay eggs.  Galls may also develop as a response to infections by fungi, bacteria, or viruses.  Dissecting the gall is the only sure way to tell what caused it. That's a whole different adventure!

pond lily

How nice to have a pond lily! We anticipated seeing it bloom next season. The little plant was happy in this pond, spreading out its leaves to soak up the sun and give the tuber in the mud oxygen through the underwater stems.  

Then, ducks landed on the pond . . .  and ate the leaves and stems.  We'll see next Spring if they ate the roots too.

strong stem

The strong stiff stems of Ironweed are known for proudly holding flowers, pollen, and nectar above the other native plants. Butterflies, bees, and other insects find Vernonia fasciculate, ‘Prairie' or ‘Common' Ironweed plants, a source of nourishment.  This plant also helps filter water that percolates back into the soil. That means less toxins in water that recharges the groundwater aquifers.

Ironweed is one of a few host plants for American Painted Lady butterfly. ‘Host plants’ are those that the butterfly lives on, lays eggs on, and their larvae are sustained by.

See also the post on 8-21-2020 

mountain mint

Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum virginianum  is blooming in the marsh around the pond.  

It offers very fragrant leaves and many small flowers that attract bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles.

barn swallows

 

Barn Swallows hunt over the pond, where they catch flying insects mid-air. To do this efficiently, they fly with their wide beaks open.  

This pair found a good amount of food here, and decided to make their nest nearby. They gathered mud from the shore to paste pieces of grasses to a vertical surface in a barn, outbuilding, or nearby structure.

When their eggs hatch, the pond area will be a resource for mosquitoes and other flying insects to feed to their chicks.