Thursday, November 24, 2011

Coots and Coots and more Coots...


Feeling like an old Coot today...

Did I mention the fact that we saw a couple of American Coots at Sandy Ridge in my last post?
We did.


This was the Coots party central.
Lots of diving and laughing and splashing and big Coot fun.

Speaking of diving...

Gotta get that big kick first...

Then the push...

Just like Johnny Weismuller...
( Gotta be old to get that one!)


bloop!

"I'm glad I'm not a turkey..."

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Sand Hills at Sandy Ridge..."The Longest Twitch" Continues!

"I am the master of the castle!...er, nest..."

Sandy Ridge Reservation is one of our favorite areas close to home. It's made up of reclaimed farm land and is now wetlands, woods and a large meadow. AND it's part of the Lake Erie Birding Trail, so this will be part of "The Longest Twitch!

"On this visit we made our way through the woods and on to grandmothers house...no, no, no...to the wetlands. Silly people.

Among all of the ducks and coots and the Mute Swans of the last post...we had the pleasure of watching the resident pair of Sand Hill Cranes dancing, preening and working on their nest. Did I mention we saw coots? That'll be in the next post. Meanwhile back to the Cranes...

*I just heard from Tim Fairweather, the resident naturalist at Sandy Ridge. The "nest" is actually a Muskrat lodge. I guess the Cranes where helping with the fall redecorating...

It was a beautiful autumn day and the colors added warmth to the chilly woods.

These Cranes are very used to people. Their latest nest in within 15 feet of the multipurpose trial.
Dogs are not allowed into the woods or marsh area.


There's always a supervisor to watch the construction.

Here you can see the size of the nest on the right compared to the Crane.

Big birds don't hide very well...

Two are even worse at hide an seek...

The Doodles gives this park a four bench rating...

You have to clean up after al of that hard nest building.

I didn't get close enough in time to watch the dance routines.
I did get one silly hop.


Gotta make sure the booty is in order...