green sprouting

 After a late, cold and windy Spring season, there is finally some green leaves sprouting in the wetland surrounding the pond. These are the beginning leaves of Golden Alexanders.

Sora

This very secretive bird, that usually hides among vegetation, today revealed itself at the edge of the pond!  I hope this one will find a spot to nest among the dense vegetation of rushes and sedges.

Not often seen in the open, the Sora is a small chubby bird of freshwater shallow areas with plants such as cattails, sedges and rushes.  Sora Porzana carolina is brown and gray with a mottled patterned body, 8-10" long.  Despite their camouflage feathers, the bright yellow bill gives them away.  It is stubby, thick, glowing yellow in a gray face with black mask.

Soras feed by pecking at the water surface for seeds, aquatic insects, or invertebrates. Long toes help them to rake through submerged vegetation for food items, and help them walk on floating mats of plants. They nest among dense plants at the pond edge.

crow on rocks

The rocks scattered around the pond are revealed as the water level changes with rain or drought. It is always interesting to see what critter might rest, sun itself, or defend (for a moment) a particular dry rock.

This crow was trying to fetch seeds from the water surface by standing on two rocks.

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.  

ducks on log

Hooded Mergansers Lophodytes cucullatus appear prominently on the pond when the weather is nice (you can not miss their dazzling appearance and active diving), and they disappear from view when it is not nice. This year, April has been colder than normal, rainy, and with mostly gray skies.

Waterfowl like these are here on their nesting ground. They can find shelter from bad weather in the weeds and reeds around the pond.  This Hooded Merganser pair can find plenty to eat here . . .  small frogs, tadpoles, insects, seeds, and even the roots or bulbs of water plants.  When they're satisfied, the pond offers several exposed rocks, logs, and shallow bars for critters to use as loafing sites. 

Next up -- finding a nesting site.

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.