Birdies by the lake
Jun. 22nd, 2004 09:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puzzle_meRogers and I got back from a whirlwind tour of the bay area, topped off by the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
alpinebutterfly party. Much fun was had, and it was a much needed respite. I'll try to write more about it soon.
But for now, I'm all excited about all the birds I saw when I walked around Lake of the Isles today. Walking around the lake, I first spotted a Great White Egret. I see this bird a lot, usually in the same spot around the lake, and it often lets me get really close to it. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, so I didn't manage to get any pictures of my own. Still, they're really beautiful birds to see.
As I came around a corner in the path, I spotted a large black bird out in the middle of the lake. I think it might have been a loon. I didn't see any white markings, but it was pretty far away and right around sundown so I might not have been able to distinguish markings if they were there from the distance I was at. It was too big to be a duck, and the beak shape and beak tilt was consistent with a loon. Next time around the lake I'll have to remember to bring my camera and my binoculars. While standing and watching this bird, I also saw two muskrats.
Later in my walk I saw about 10-15 tree swallows circling and swooping.
As I was almost full circle around the lake path, I saw the coolest bird of them all. In a little area next to some high reeds, there was a very small duck. At first I thought it was an adolescent mallard duck, but I had a sneaking thought that maybe it was a female wood duck. The male wood duck is far more memorable from the standpoint of identification, and I couldn't quite remember what the female's markings were. My sneaking thought was pretty much confirmed though when about five little ducklings jumped into the water behind their mama. I have only ever seen wood ducks in zoos, so I was really excited to see one, and especially excited to see the mama duck and the tiny little ducklings.
alpinebutterfly party. Much fun was had, and it was a much needed respite. I'll try to write more about it soon.But for now, I'm all excited about all the birds I saw when I walked around Lake of the Isles today. Walking around the lake, I first spotted a Great White Egret. I see this bird a lot, usually in the same spot around the lake, and it often lets me get really close to it. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, so I didn't manage to get any pictures of my own. Still, they're really beautiful birds to see.
As I came around a corner in the path, I spotted a large black bird out in the middle of the lake. I think it might have been a loon. I didn't see any white markings, but it was pretty far away and right around sundown so I might not have been able to distinguish markings if they were there from the distance I was at. It was too big to be a duck, and the beak shape and beak tilt was consistent with a loon. Next time around the lake I'll have to remember to bring my camera and my binoculars. While standing and watching this bird, I also saw two muskrats.
Later in my walk I saw about 10-15 tree swallows circling and swooping.
As I was almost full circle around the lake path, I saw the coolest bird of them all. In a little area next to some high reeds, there was a very small duck. At first I thought it was an adolescent mallard duck, but I had a sneaking thought that maybe it was a female wood duck. The male wood duck is far more memorable from the standpoint of identification, and I couldn't quite remember what the female's markings were. My sneaking thought was pretty much confirmed though when about five little ducklings jumped into the water behind their mama. I have only ever seen wood ducks in zoos, so I was really excited to see one, and especially excited to see the mama duck and the tiny little ducklings.
