Night at the Fish Pond

Since the summer sun doesn't go down until late I've not had many chances to make a night trip to the Fish Pond. Now that the days have begun to grow shorter I hope to have more opportunities to explore this world of shadows, reflections and sounds.

During this last full moon I got out and took a walk around the pond. The lack of color gives you the chance to pay attention to some interesting details that are naturally black and white.

The sawtooth shilouette of a tree leaf.

The reflection of the moon on the waters surface among the floating moss.

I can't wait to spend some time honing my low light photography skills around the pond.

Have a great one and don't forget, not the whole world sleeps just because the sun goes down.

Kevin

It's Heron Season

There seems to be a few less ducks hanging around the pond during my last couple of visits. This morning there were only two and they stayed close to the shore on the opposite side of the pond.


It would seem that early fall is the season of the heron at the Fish Pond.

There has been at least one and as many as three of the large birds hanging around for the last two or three weeks. Watching how they interact at first I thought it was an older pair trying to run off a younger bird, perhaps one of their offspring. If that is the case it appears as though it hasn't worked. The younger bird seems to have decided he's gone far enough and has laid claim to the pond.

All three of the herons were around this morning and the one I have thought to be the younger bird was the one doing the chasing.


One of what I think is the older birds was stalking around near the ponds inlet stream to my right when the other two glided in from over the tree tops on my left. The older one landed in the water while what I have assume is the younger one maneuvered his way into the trees on the opposite bank.

The older bird waded around for a bit the hopped up onto what I am going to start calling the community tree since it is used by just about every kind of bird that visits the pond.


It sat there for more than half an hour watching the water and moving only slightly a couple of times. All at once he lurched forward and into the water so fast it startled me.


He came up with a small trout that he held for a minute or two then swallowed in one quick gulp.


While he shook out his feathers and cleaned his beak the younger bird snuck along the bank until it felt it was in the perfect position to jump at the other adult bird that was hunting near the stream. The older bird took off and made a beeline to the lowest point in the tree line where it disappeared. The younger bird then almost immediately went after the remaining adult driving it off as well.


He spent a few minutes strutting around the shallow area of the pond before one of the adults returned. It came in very low from my left and went straight at the one that had chased him only moments earlier. He did his best eagle imitation, flying right up to the younger bird with its feet fully extended and sounding off like it was going to land on him. Stopping just short of his target he reversed course in mid air and left from the way he came.

If the plan was to reclaim his fishing spot it didn’t work. The younger bird stayed put working his way in and out of the stream opening until I had to leave.


Of course chances are that I have my entire picture of the situation wrong. It could well be that what I feel is the younger bird could actually be the adult and the others its young. I get the feeling that I will be researching Great Gray Herons in more detail in the near future.

At any rate it I don’t know if it’s possible to adequately describe how beautiful these large birds are as the fly around the pond in the early morning light. When the fly near you its almost like you can feel the air pushing from under their wings more than you hear it. It is a truly amazing thing to be a part of.

Get outside and find your own amazing part of the world. Life is all around you just have to get out there and find them.

Have a great one.

Kevin

Its Busy at the Fish Pond

Some days its just nice to sit and watch the leaves float by.

After a little bit of cool weather the woods are truly beginning to take on the look of fall. There is still a lot of green in the treetops but it seems easier to see through the forest as many leaves have begun to droop before their inevitable demise. The first few spots of color are spreading and are taking on the full brilliance of the season.



The wildlife that depends on the pond seems to be taking it all in stride. Many of the ducks that have been here for the past couple of weeks are still around. They come and go spending their time here feeding and resting.




The juvenile heron doesn’t seem to take a hint as well as the young eagles apparently have. While this years eaglets were persuaded to leave mom and dads hunting area several weeks ago the adult Great Gray Herons still spend a lot of time chasing and harassing their newest addition to the world. I’m not sure whether they are trying to force it to move on or something else but it certainly doesn’t seem to be getting whatever message they are trying to send.


Even after being run off repeatedly he always seems to show back up in search of a meal. He certainly has the appetite of a growing teenager and is probably lucky to have been born near such a prime fishing spot as the Fish Pond.


Of course now that I have posted that I have not seen my friend the adult Bald Eagle in awhile he shows up. He landed on his normal perch and spent a few minutes grooming himself before leaving. Actually I don’t think he was expecting my new blind. That and a little motion from the camera lens where probably just enough to make him feel it wise to perch somewhere else.

It seems like I saw every species of bird I have ever seen at the pond before at one point or another this week. I even saw a few I could not identify. I’m sure this is another sign that fall is now in motion here in northern Michigan as I am sure it is in areas all along the nations northern boundary.

If you’re a fall colors fan try something different this year.

Leave the car and take a quiet early morning walk in the woods this season. Pick up a frost-covered leaf and enjoy the pattern of the ice crystals that cover its surface. Blow on it and watch as you’re warm breath melts them away like a time lapse film. Look up from under a tree that is in full color and find yourself marveling at the vivid color and detail brought out by the late morning sun. (Don’t look directly into the sun, just at the leaves) Sit quietly for thirty minutes and count how many different types of wildlife you see scurrying about.

You could be surprised not only by what you see but also by how nice you feel at lunchtime.

Have a great one! Get out and enjoy some of Mother Nature’s finest artwork!

Kevin

An Hour With My Friend The Heron

Now that fall is here there seems to be more opportunities to visit the Fish Pond. Yesterday I tried shooting from a new spot and wound up about thirty yards from a perched Great Gray Heron.

These are a few of the shots I got.

Feel free to let me know what you think of them.

Get outside and enjoy!

Kevin

Ducks, Ducks, Ducks

Since the end of the mating season there have not been a great number of ducks hanging around the pond. Not until this week anyway.


Arriving in groups of two to four birds there were Wood Ducks and Mallards everywhere. They were grooming themselves, eating and resting on the trees all around the edge of the pond. Everytime I though I knew how many were there a couple of new ones would pop out. Twenty two was the highest count I got.


Since ducks are one of the favorite prey animals of most Bald Eagles I am surprised that they have not been around. The ducks certainly don't seem to mind their absence and they are taking advantage the piece and quiet.


The young Great Gray Heron is also capitalizing on the late summer feeding opportunities at the pond.


After being surprised at the size of the last couple of fish I have seen him catch I was amazed at one I saw him tackle this week! It was so big I think he was embarrassed to be seen gulping it down.


He dragged it way up onto the bank and made a couple of attempts to swallow it whole. When he couldn't get it down he made his way back to the edge of the pond for a drink to wash the dirt off of his beak and possibly to lubricate his throat.


After wandering over to look at a smaller dead fish that the crows and a seagull had been feeding on he moved the larger fish up behind several trees and after three more attempts finally got it down.

When I was young my mother used to tell me I must have had a hollow leg to be able to eat as much as I did. Since even if a heron's legs were hollow this fish would never have fit into one I began to wonder just how much stomach a heron actually has.


When he jumped back up on his perch to let his lunch start to digest you could see the rough shape of the fish's tail still in his throat. I put together the before and after lunch illustration to see if I could show that this bird really is just about all stomach.

I am guessing that the reappearance of the large number of ducks means that fall migrations are soon to begin. Hopefully not too soon though as they are fun to watch as they move about the pond.



It's a great time of year to get outside and enjoy the world around you. The weather is crisp in the mornings and warm in the afternoon and evening. The woods are starting to show their colors and the wildlife is very active as the animals prepare for winter.

Don't miss it! Get out and explore!

Have great one.

Kevin

September Rain

As summer comes to an end it sheds a tear as yet another sign that fall has arrived.


While April brought spring showers September brings fall rains. They give the landscape a final drink and feed the blooms of the few flowering plants remaining before our thoughts turn to winter.


Signs that cold weather is on the way are all around now. The first small patches of colors in the trees grow almost daily. Ferns in the fields and woods around the pond have turned golden brownand large groups of Canadian Geese either beginning to move south or strengthening their wings in preparation for their annual journey have passed over the pond on several occasions.


While there are always songbirds around the pond today their where many more than usual.


Perhaps it was the rain or perhaps they too are preparing to migrate. Whatever the reason, they seemed to be having a lot of fun chasing each other around from tree to tree or arguing over the prime perches. Having fun until the young Great Gray Heron showed up anyway.


Unlike last week the young heron came in without its parental escort. It spent about fifteen minutes hunting near the pond’s inlet stream before taking off and circling its way to the treetops and then departing.


It came back about thirty minutes later and perched on a dead branch that surprised me when it didn’t break under his weight. He went into his standard grooming routine and I was beginning to think about sneaking out of my blind to head for home when something caught his attention.

From the way he cowered down at first I thought one of the eagles must have gone over the pond. I was very surprised when one of the adults appeared from my left and made a beeline for the tree in which the younger bird was perched. When the adult was to close to be able to change his direction the younger bird dived off his perch and quickly departed the pond. Apparently its time for juvenile heron to make its own way in the world and dad has been busy letting him know it.


Dad hung around long enough to groom himself a little before taking off to chase junior again when he circled the pond just before sunset.

If I had to bet I’d say that posts in the near future will be full of colors and hopefully photos of new birds as they stop by to visit the pond on their way south.

Get outside and enjoy!

Kevin