LOONS

We have seen Loons in the river in front of our place almost every year.  Usually there is only one or two.  This evening we looked out at the river and there was a whole flock of them.  That is the most I have ever seen together at one time.  There were 12 in the group.  I guess they are migrating through and haven't split up into pairs yet.  We got some good pictures which follow.

These four were at the head of the pack.

I managed to get 10 of the 12 in this picture.

Got all 12 in this shot.

Patrick

DUCK TRAILS

The ducks that come to feed under our bird feeders are back.  They have been trudging up through the snow to have their fill of the stuff the birds knock off the feeders.  There are two drakes and one hen Mallard that come regularly.  The following are some pictures of their trails.

These trails have been drifted over already.

More of the "traffic" pattern coming to the feeders.

I think these are trails leading back to the river.  They walk both ways unless startled while at the feeders and then they will fly back to the river.

This is a group of Ducks, Geese and Swans sitting on the ice out in the middle of the river.

Patrick

SPRING SNOW

It started snowing yesterday around noon and has been continuing for most of the time since.  It is still coming down now at 3:00 p.m. and suppose to last for a few more hours yet.  Guess we need the moisture for the spring flowers, but coming as rain would have been a lot nicer.  There are a lot of geese and swans in the area now using the open water in the river.  The following pictures are of the snow and the geese and swans.  Will spring ever come?

This is the view of the back yard yesterday.  The falling snow doesn't show well, but that is why the picture is not so clear.

This is the picture of the back yard an hour ago with the snow still coming down. Notice how much deeper it is on the Cherry tree on the right side of the picture.

No grilling for awhile.

Another shot of the grill.

Birds have been busy eating all day.  They have to dig through the snow some.

Those white blobs out next to the ice are swans.

Those are some geese sitting on the ice at the edge of the river.

Patrick