hooded mergansers

Hooded Mergansers Lophodytes cucullatus are the smallest of the three native Mergansers. They migrate in early Spring along the Mississippi River and arrive on breeding grounds as soon as the ice is melted.  On this pond, they rest and find nourishment in aquatic insects, crustaceans, amphibians, and vegetation.  Pairs form in winter and they will find a tree cavity or wood duck box to built their nest.

tamarack rosettes

There are several trees in the riparian area around the pond.  One is the Tamarack Larix laricina or American Larch.  It is just starting to flower, before sprouting its fresh bright green soft needles. Tamarack is a native deciduous conifer; it is in the pine family but sheds needles (leaves) in Autumn.

lovey doves

Mourning Doves being lovey-dovey.  A small flock has been here all winter, coming to the feeders for nourishment. These two hang together now since it is mating season. One was feeding the other a morsel, a sure sign of courtship.  The male of this species is slightly larger than the female, and he has a pink chest.  

hooded mergansers

Late on this balmy Spring day, a pair of Hooded Mergansers landed on the pond. They might be migrating, needing a place to stop and rest. We watched them paddle around a bit near the far shoreline. As the sunlight dimmed, the turtles who spent the afternoon warming themselves on the rocks started swimming back into the pond. Neither species seemed to be bothered by the other. This turtle sat comfortably with the ducks for a long time, each enjoying the end of winter.

turtles in Spring

Springtime, sunny, and balmy.  Turtles all came out of the pond today to warm up on the rocks. To get maximum exposure to the sun's warmth, they extend their legs, neck, and tail.

junco in spring

Suddenly, this morning, a flock of migrating Dark-eyed Juncos appeared in the buffer at the edge of the pond.  These sparrows, Junco hyemalis, nest north of here across Canada and Alaska.  As they hunt among the grasses, each flicks its tails so we can see the white feathers flashing.  Dressed in rather dull gray, the bright white tail feathers seem to be their only adornments for courting a mate. According to allaboutbirds.org, females seem to prefer males that show more white.

cold goose feet

Spring weather sometimes allows the pond to be liquid in the day, but after a cold night there might be some thin ice.  A Canada Goose carefully navigates the slippery ice, then gets a surprise.

mallards' finest feathers

 

Mallards arrived this week on the pond.  Last year, after nesting and before migrating, mallard ducks molted: each lost and replaced all of their feathers with new drab plumage. This is considered their 'basic plumage.'  In the early spring, just before breeding season, they shed some feathers and put on their handsome 'alternate plumage' to look more attractive and help attract a mate.

These two stood on the rocks to preen their feathers, close to water but not in it.  The male showed off his iridescent green head, bright yellow bill, and orange-red feet. The female revealed the white-bordered bright blue patch in her wing feathers.

geese in early Spring

 

open water

Open water around the edge of the pond.  Now we watch for the ducks and geese to arrive with Spring.

snow covered rocks

Two big rocks are still visible this winter under the snow. This spot, at the edge of the pond with grasses behind, is where we usually see turtles sunning, frogs croaking, or birds hunting in warmer seasons.

winter gardening

Some of the wildflowers need special treatment before they can reproduce.  This is not the desired form of 'special treatment' for people, but some seeds germinate only if they first endure a few months outside in the cold. I sowed several seeds in these small containers, hoping they germinate in early Spring. One benefit is that I know where they are, rather than hiding among the many other wildflower seedlings.  When they sprout I can nurture them until it is time to move them to a permanent spot.

Read more about the process at https://northerngardener.org/winter-sowing-perennials-works/

 

bulrush

 Some plants stand through winter, displaying their structure and form with monochrome colors frosted in snow.

ironweed in winter

 

velvetleaf

Many plants, which bloom and fruit in the warm growing season, stand bravely throughout the winter to ensure its seeds are fully distributed.  This fruit capsule opened as it dried out in Autumn, and seeds have been coaxed out by the breeze.  Now, it stands despite snow and hoarfrost.

Velvetleaf Abutilon theophrasti blooms in late summer with orange-yellow flowers on stems and leaves that really look and feel like they are cloaked in velvet. There were a few growing in the riparian buffer around the pond, but we pulled them because this plant is not native.  It can form dense monocultures in place of native plants, suck large quantities of water and nutrients from the soil, and can inhibit germination of other plants.

This in one of the plants that probably spreads from nearby crop fields, and that we try to keep out of the pond area.

mourning doves

The seed feeders hang outside the deck railing. Sometimes the Mourning Doves line up on the rail, watching for their turn at the feeder. On some days they just sit here to crack and savor the seeds.  We've seen ten at a time here, waiting or enjoying the food.

crow

This American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos is hunting near the frozen pond for something to eat. 

It may be preparing to migrate . . .  or not. 

Individual crows are consistent in whether they migrate or stay in the winter. Partial migration (where only some of a species migrate) might give crows enough flexibility to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Some we see in Minnesota now may have come south for the winter from Canada. Others, who breed and nest here, may have gone to Nebraska for the winter. Crows return faithfully to the same breeding territory each year.

tracks, cracks, marks, mysteries

Snow overnight.  A thin sheet of ice on the pond beneath the slush.  Wonderous tracks and marks this morning.  Maybe the muskrats, or the mallards, or other birds, or the mice or voles?  Maybe all of them, cavorting at dawn!  Tracks in a row, wandering.  Slide marks in the slush like a runway with bunched snow at the end.  Cracks expanding in the ice, icy fingers spreading both black and white!

 

temperamental autumn

Autumn and Spring are the transition seasons, temperamental and transformative.

In past years, I’ve watched birds arrive for nesting on their sacrosanct schedule, whether driven by daylight hours or other clues. Some years, they arrive in Spring when weather is fine, start building nests, and then have to endure several days of cold rain or snow. 

So it is with Autumn.  In October this year, we endured a week of early winter with extreme cold air and several inches of snow.  

But then we had this delightful first week in November!  Sunny and warm until today.

dabbling ducks

Ducks are generally described by birdwatchers as 'dabblers' or 'divers'.  This refers to how the ducks feed on the water of ponds and lakeshores. Mallards are dabblers. They paddle slowly in shallow water looking for snails, worms, insects, or seeds among the aquatic plant material. They dip their heads under water and search for food with their bills.  But their bodies are very buoyant, so when feeding they are almost comical as they bob and dabble, with tails upright and legs visible.

sparrow feeding on shore

Evidently there are still damselflies or dragonflies among the reeds and grasses on the shore.  This sparrow scored one while hopping in the shallow water of the pond. 

surviving below freezing - turtles

Since we had several cold days and nights already, Painted Turtles Chrysemys picta who live in the pond are getting ready for winter.  Lacking summer heat, this one was wandering very very slowly for a food item or a place to settle. Turtles will spend the next several months in frigid pond water below the frozen ice, with their metabolism and their heart rate slowed way down. They can absorb oxygen from the water through vascularized areas in their mouth, throat, and anus (cloacal respiration).  But using oxygen produces lactic acid in their body, which the turtle counteracts with minerals released from its shell and bones.  Painted Turtles do not eat during this time, but they do remain alert, especially to light from above.  In Spring, when the hours of daylight increase, they will respond.

water sports

Sunny and warmer, closer to normal weather today, after an early snow in October.  Several Mallards are getting ready for their travel south by feeding on the dwindling supply of plant material in the pond.  But the resident muskrats do not like to share their food supply.  We watched several encounters today between the animals.  

junco on snowy suet

Juncos arrived last week from nesting grounds north of here.  Several made their way to our feeders.  Usually, they stay in this area all winter, so it is important to locate some food sources before the snow flies.  They will live on seeds from the native plants . . .  and of course, suet.

slush trail

Snow!  Several inches.  Before we were ready for it.  Before the Mallards were ready for it. As they paddled around on the pond to find breakfast, they made a trail in the accumulating slush on the water.