Spring 2013
Hi Ponder's:
thought that I would update everyone on what Nature Activities Donna and I have been observing this spring; Dion's Discount Pricing for Lees Pond folks, and what's happening in the real estate market. If you do not want to be on my distribution list please just send me an e-mail; it will not impact your being on Karin's distribution list for Lees Pond.
This morning we saw two broods of woodducks; one brood of mother and seven chicks and another brood with mother and 6 chicks; could observe both simultaneously. One brood is older/larger ducks by probably about a week or so.
Saw two deer this morning over on Bob Goffredo's property; light tan this time of year. Looked like twins both last year's deer so probably 13 months old. Could not see any buttons thru the telescope so both does I believe.
About a week ago we spotted a deer coming off Emerson Island and swimming toward Bob Goffredo's property. Got caught up in the mud bottom several times but finally made it safely to land.
We don't see many deer at the north end; Over the last 5 years we've had a lot more eagle sightings than deer; maybe the deer are finally beginning to recover from the record deep snows (was that 2006?)
Eagle sightings - in early May we spotted an immature bald eagle, again on Bob property. It was around for two days. Then, June 1st we spotted it again (assuming it's the same bird). Always a thrill. Did not see it take any fish although it missed a fish on one dive that we saw. The bird is good sized and has that mottled look, numerous white patches.
Osprey - lots of osprey sightings this spring; saw one take the largest fish I have ever seen taken by a raptor; finally was able to land with it over on Bob's property (again). The fish was probably 15-18 inches long,maybe a pickerel.
Osprey will fly around until they spot a fish, then hover and eventually dive feet first into the water.
This year we have one osprey, have never seen this before, that skims the surface and then picks its prey off the surface of the water like an eagle. AMAZING...this osprey is doing just that as I'm writing this e-mail.
The osprey is my favorite bird, in case you haven't guessed.
Geese - we saw the pair of canada geese nest on that small narrow island just at the northern/western tip of Emerson Island. They've done this for the past 4-5 years now. In 2007 I believe it was they got wiped out by the flood; in 2008 or 2009 a racoon got their eggs. This spring the leaves sprouted on the surrounding shrubs and I could only see her head as she sat on the nest. Has any one seen her and her brood, hopefully ?
Ducks - saw about a dozen green winged teal again this year; saw them last year as well and got some good photos. Also the usual, common mergansers/ hooded mergansers, ring necked ducks, woodducks,mallards and blacks (of course), no golden eyes this year.
Great Blue Heron - several of these currently on the pond; fun to watch; very territorial...they WILL NOT suffer another bird on the same pond it seems lol
Turtles - only two painted turtles have come up to lay their eggs; no snappers to date which is unusual since we usually see them around the first of June. Last Spring a big snapper bit my dog's nose. Of course ole Winchester stuck his nose right in her face as I was running to warn him but too late. We were lucky as she did not get a good grip and the wound wasn't bad altho you would have thought the dog was going to die; he was yelping quite loudly. It was sort of comical; this time he learned quickly !!
I think that's it for now for Nature.
Spring Wildlife Report from Bob and Donna Clark:
There is an immature bald eagle hunting the pond; saw it go after two ducks, both common
mergansers, but it missed both times. The bird has that mottled look; lots of
white mixed with the brown. There is a small narrow island with a tree in the
center, at the very north end of Emerson Island. At the south end of this island
there is a canada goose nesting. We see about a dozen common merganzers, both
male and female, every day; mating rituals going on now. A pair of woodducks has
nested behind our house; they looked at the real estate in front of our house
for two days but we didn't make the cut. Two blue herons in the area; they are
VERY territorial. A pair of ospreys has moved into the area; one got a big fish
yesterday and ate it while on Emerson Island .
Hi Ponder's:
thought that I would update everyone on what Nature Activities Donna and I have been observing this spring; Dion's Discount Pricing for Lees Pond folks, and what's happening in the real estate market. If you do not want to be on my distribution list please just send me an e-mail; it will not impact your being on Karin's distribution list for Lees Pond.
This morning we saw two broods of woodducks; one brood of mother and seven chicks and another brood with mother and 6 chicks; could observe both simultaneously. One brood is older/larger ducks by probably about a week or so.
Saw two deer this morning over on Bob Goffredo's property; light tan this time of year. Looked like twins both last year's deer so probably 13 months old. Could not see any buttons thru the telescope so both does I believe.
About a week ago we spotted a deer coming off Emerson Island and swimming toward Bob Goffredo's property. Got caught up in the mud bottom several times but finally made it safely to land.
We don't see many deer at the north end; Over the last 5 years we've had a lot more eagle sightings than deer; maybe the deer are finally beginning to recover from the record deep snows (was that 2006?)
Eagle sightings - in early May we spotted an immature bald eagle, again on Bob property. It was around for two days. Then, June 1st we spotted it again (assuming it's the same bird). Always a thrill. Did not see it take any fish although it missed a fish on one dive that we saw. The bird is good sized and has that mottled look, numerous white patches.
Osprey - lots of osprey sightings this spring; saw one take the largest fish I have ever seen taken by a raptor; finally was able to land with it over on Bob's property (again). The fish was probably 15-18 inches long,maybe a pickerel.
Osprey will fly around until they spot a fish, then hover and eventually dive feet first into the water.
This year we have one osprey, have never seen this before, that skims the surface and then picks its prey off the surface of the water like an eagle. AMAZING...this osprey is doing just that as I'm writing this e-mail.
The osprey is my favorite bird, in case you haven't guessed.
Geese - we saw the pair of canada geese nest on that small narrow island just at the northern/western tip of Emerson Island. They've done this for the past 4-5 years now. In 2007 I believe it was they got wiped out by the flood; in 2008 or 2009 a racoon got their eggs. This spring the leaves sprouted on the surrounding shrubs and I could only see her head as she sat on the nest. Has any one seen her and her brood, hopefully ?
Ducks - saw about a dozen green winged teal again this year; saw them last year as well and got some good photos. Also the usual, common mergansers/ hooded mergansers, ring necked ducks, woodducks,mallards and blacks (of course), no golden eyes this year.
Great Blue Heron - several of these currently on the pond; fun to watch; very territorial...they WILL NOT suffer another bird on the same pond it seems lol
Turtles - only two painted turtles have come up to lay their eggs; no snappers to date which is unusual since we usually see them around the first of June. Last Spring a big snapper bit my dog's nose. Of course ole Winchester stuck his nose right in her face as I was running to warn him but too late. We were lucky as she did not get a good grip and the wound wasn't bad altho you would have thought the dog was going to die; he was yelping quite loudly. It was sort of comical; this time he learned quickly !!
I think that's it for now for Nature.
Spring Wildlife Report from Bob and Donna Clark:
There is an immature bald eagle hunting the pond; saw it go after two ducks, both common
mergansers, but it missed both times. The bird has that mottled look; lots of
white mixed with the brown. There is a small narrow island with a tree in the
center, at the very north end of Emerson Island. At the south end of this island
there is a canada goose nesting. We see about a dozen common merganzers, both
male and female, every day; mating rituals going on now. A pair of woodducks has
nested behind our house; they looked at the real estate in front of our house
for two days but we didn't make the cut. Two blue herons in the area; they are
VERY territorial. A pair of ospreys has moved into the area; one got a big fish
yesterday and ate it while on Emerson Island .