We got up early Saturday morning to see if mama goose was still on her nest. She was. We’ll keep checking. It was fun being out earlier than usual for a walk, before the world is completely awake. The nature center wasn’t even open but we assumed it was okay to walk on the trails before hours.
Papa goose was still on the watch. This time he stayed in the water so I guess we’re okay to take pictures for now.
My blogging friend Linda noticed something about Papa goose that I missed. Two white spots above his eyes. After browsing around online I’m guessing he might be a Canada goose subspecies, either a moffitti or a maxima or even a hybrid.
It was so peaceful and quiet. Even the birds were singing softly.
On the way home we decided to drive by Walt’s Walls & Woods. We discovered this open space in November and decided to come back in the spring to see the weeping cherry trees bloom. It looks like they are just starting so we’ll come back in a few days. Link to our last visit: here.
weeping cherry tree
While we were out and about we decided to drive through at Avery Point before going home. Much to my delight a killdeer was running around on the rocks, chirping about something. What a sweet little voice she had! We didn’t see any babies. I can’t believe these pictures came out. I was in the car and taking them leaning across Tim and out of his open window!
The sharp thrill of seeing them [killdeer birds] reminded me of childhood happiness, gifts under the Christmas tree, perhaps, a kind of euphoria we adults manage to shut out most of the time. This is why I bird-watch, to recapture what it’s like to live in this moment, right now.
~ Lynn Thomson
(Birding with Yeats: A Memoir)
One more stop, at Calf Pasture Overlook, where a squirrel was striking a pose on the stone wall by the parking lot. This fuzzy picture was through the car’s windshield. It seemed like the perfect portrait to me.
Back at home my favorite chionodoxa bulbs were blooming by my river birch. I call them my little blue stars.
Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where others see nothing.
~ Camille Pissarro
(Word Pictures: Painting with Verse)
Then you are very blessed, Barbara! hugs, Leelah
*hugs* and blessings to you, dear Leelah! 💙
I love Phlox but have never tried growing it. And those blue stars are so delicately pretty. Do you happen to know whether Papa Goose brings his spouse food while she’s sitting on the nest? That’s a long time to fast! No wonder she’s looking at you with suspicion!
According to what I’ve read on the internet, the mother goose does not eat or drink for the 28-30 days she sits on the nest. I can’t imagine the feeling when she finally gets to stand up and stretch her legs. I wonder if she will get dizzy. She must wonder why we keep showing up to look at her.
Great eye on noticing the white eye brows, Linda! I had to take a second look. Papa looks maturely sophisticated to me. Interesting research on subspecies, Barbara. Our curious minds want to know!
Beautiful killdeer; love their stripes! I’ve seen some along the ponding shoreline. Admiring both poetry selections, Barbara.
I love those killdeer — such bold stripes on such a little bird with such a sweet little voice. I do wonder how they got such a strange name. I didn’t notice the white spots over the goose’s eyes either until Linda mentioned it. The folks in the “What’s this Bird?” group don’t seem to think it’s more than a natural genetic variation. Still…
Doesn’t mama goose look fed up! Yes, I noticed the white dots on papa, too. Interesting that he may be a subspecies.
Seems like getting fed up goes along with motherhood for a lot of creatures, including us. But we all muddle through, somehow!
Ha, yes!
We’re both on a mission to check out our respective Mama Goose and find out the birth status – it’s fun isn’t it? I hope the crew of volunteers that will be at the park for Saturday’s Earth Day clean-up does not disturb my Mama Goose. She sure is eyeing you suspiciously. Probably wishing you’d brought her a snack. I love the Killdeer with their long legs and how they run so quickly. I’ve never seen their offspring, but have seen eggs on the side of the road up at Heritage Park. I was shocked to see that, then learned that is how they deposit their eggs.
Thinking of you today, Linda, as you check on your mama goose. Hope she’s okay and undisturbed by Earth Day clean-up activities. We checked on ours yesterday, still no little ones and papa goose was missing. Hmmm…. We got to see some killdeer chicks a couple of years ago. They were beyond adorable and now I see that we saw them in the month of June, so it was too early to see any this April day. Maybe this one was looking for a mate or a nest site. The chicks we saw were running around in a gravel driveway. The pictures aren’t that good but if you want to see them this is the post: https://www.ingebrita.net/2020/06/morningtide/
Hi Barbara – I went back up today and I am worried because there is severe weather tonight – the heavy rain has already started and we had high winds earlier, but 60 mph tonight and hail. I saw her and her five goslings – a relief that she was okay but now will worry about her in these excessive high winds – would the male and female parents shelter the goslings between them? I got some pictures to use in a post, just one of the parents and goslings, but several of the individual goslings and two or three of them at a time – thy were sweet and the only goslings there right now. I hope you see your goslings soon. I think we are as excited as the lucky parents! Thank you again for sending this link and
I hope your goose family made it through the severe weather all right. No goslings here yet and papa goose is still missing…
Yes, I hope so too Barbara – I wonder if they are already too big for her to sit on to keep them warm – maybe papa helps? It will be light snow and 20 degrees real feel tonight so I’ll worry about those babies. You must have seen her at the beginning of the incubation period. I hope you get to see her off the nest too and the goslings. Papa is shirking his responsibilities!
It’s been pretty cold here, too. I had to wear my winter coat yesterday. Still no babies but papa finally came back – post coming soon!
Mama Goose looks ready for those eggs to hatch! 😉 I noticed the white spot on the male goose in your last post but your photos showed it on just the one side, I thought maybe it was an injury/scar. Now seeing it has the spot both sides, something’s a little fishy hehe. Great to see,photograph, I have never noticed white spots over the eyes. I will start looking from now on! 🙂 Great captures of the Killdeer, I love there red-ringed eyes. I can almost see you trying to get it’s photo, lol. What we’ll do for a shot!!!
Let me know if you ever see a Canada goose with spots over the eyes! I will be on the lookout, too, now that I know such a thing occurs. Tim is definitely a long-suffering, patient companion/chauffeur. 😉 Yesterday he lugged a tripod around for me as I tried, unsuccessfully, to get some pictures of ospreys on their nests at a salt marsh. But I did get some pictures of great egrets in breeding plumage so I’ll take whatever I can get. It’s nice to know you understand about the lengths some of us will go to get that shot!! 🙂
Hubbies are loving troopers! 🙂 Sometimes Rick is in a slow spin, trying to maneuver our boat for the right light angle for me, without creating a wake. 😉 Oh, I cannot wait to see your Great Egrets in breeding plumage! I’ve yet to see my first GE this year.
I can picture the slow spin and deft maneuvering! 🙂 It seems like we have an abundance of great egrets here, I’m seeing them every time we go out!
How sweet you’re going back to check on them. I love the phlox and it’s making me want spring to come here. I think I keep telling you that every time I visit you!
Oh Kathy, I do hope spring will hurry up and get on over there to your neck of the woods! Do you get phlox in your area? The range map I see on the internet doesn’t include Michigan. It always surprises me what is common in one place and not in another.
No, I don’t believe we have phlox around here. I’ve seen it before, but don’t remember where.
Maybe on one of your trips to Georgia, which is in their range.
I love Papa gooses distinguishing marks. I wonder how long the gestation is. Or is it even called that when the are in eggs? Hmmm…so many questions.
The Killdeer is a beautiful little bird!
I love killdeer, too, the way they look and their personalities. I think the term you were looking for is incubation, which lasts 28-30 days for Canada geese. The first time we saw her on the nest was March 31 but we don’t know how long she had already been there…
Amazing how much goes on in five days. My guy and I walked a Wild bird refuge last weekend and saw goose couplings, waiting to fill their nest. Such a peaceful sight to see. LOVE your photos.
Thank you, Pam! Breeding season seems to be full on now that spring has arrived. After a visit to a salt marsh yesterday I think we will be visiting another one Monday. Aren’t wildlife refuges the best places to take a walk with our loved ones? I can imagine how peaceful your walk was.
And I must add to this, since we’re talking of our love of birds, etc. A purple finch couple has begun to nest in our front door wreath! When my guy and I noticed them coming and going, we had a choice of moving the wreath down, or letting them go to it. We chose the birds, of course! Now have had to block off the front door to delivery people as we watch carefully from the inside of the door where there’s a curtained window. To be continued. 🙂
Oh how lucky you are to have a purple finch nest on your front door! You’ve reminded me of how excited my cousin was when he found a purple martin nest on the unused hanging front porch light. How thoughtful and kind of you to make your finches welcome and guarding them from human activity. I hope they will prove to be successful parents! 🙂