Holiday Visitors....Critter Style!

   I have to admit that this time of year is a favorite.  This is not necessarily due to the hustle and bustle of the holidays (something I could do without and be totally happy) but rather that visitors of the critter sort come to visit.  The Bayou seems to attract ducks like a magnet attracts iron.  Seeing the wild assortment of ducks migrating here never ceases to thrill me to the core.  I am not sure why but they just do.  Perhaps it is because if wildlife is drawn to the area, that means the area is still pure enough for life to continue.  This may not be the case for long with the influx of people that have suddenly converged on the area but, for now, my friends have come...and I am happy to see them.

  On a whim, I quit baking cookies and Mark and I took a hike to the pier.  As soon as I stepped on the first plank, a surprise was noticed.  The Hoodies are here!  A dozen or more Hooded Mergansers were huddled beneath the pier!  I eased my way down the pier trying to step easy and not make the planks sound like thundering xylophone!  The birds still heard me and started gradually swimming out into the open water.  This was when I noticed dozens more to my left!  Oh, my!  The Hoodies brought family and friends!  Last year, we only had perhaps ten but, this year, there were at least twice that many!!

  Not wanting to scare my friends, Mark and I just casually walked to the end of the pier as if we did not even notice the ducks.  They did skitter across the water a bit but soon settled back down just to stare back at us.   Welcome to the Bayou, my friends.  Please feel free to stay as long as you please!  This...this is my type of holiday season!  Critter friends are the best.

A Hundred or So Visitors

   The day passed quite uneventful other that a few hundred visitors that came to the Bayou.  Son was just coming back up the hill from working on the pier when I decided to bring him a glass of lemonade.  We sat in the Small Gardens to chat while he refreshed.  Suddenly, there was a rush of wings and lots of squeaky calls.  Looking up, we saw hundreds of cedar waxwings filling the sky!  Every bare tree in the front yard soon became a perching spot for the birds.  The birds called to each other but stayed put for the rest of the morning.  Then, they dispersed in search of food which they found on the yaupon trees, mistletoe clumps and nandina bushes.  It was quite cheery to hear the birds!

  Mid afternoon saw the birds regrouping in the treetops.  There, they will spend the night then most likely take flight again on their way northward.  Their "pitstop" on the Bayou has become a yearly event and one that will never cease to leave me in awe.  These beautiful birds are always welcome to come "cleanup" the berries still on the bushes.  Happiness comes when least expected.  Travel safe, my friends!  See you next year!

The "Flight" of Cormorants

   Early this morning, I grabbed my snips and started clearing down by the pier.  Since the hurricane washed everything clean and the weather is cool, it is the perfect time to snip out some of the underbrush.  This chore has been long needed so it best be tackled now.  While doing this, I was able to still watch the critters of the Bayou which is my favorite pastime.  The hillside was quiet.  Either the neighbors had all gone to work or were not out and about yet.  Suddenly, there came such a splashing near the remnants of the pier!!  Goodness!  What in the world was going on down there??

  Well, you know me.  I just had to stop work and investigate!  So, camera in hand, I eased my way down the single plank runners of the makeshift pier.  The boards wobbled and shook but soon I was almost to the marsh edge.  There were cormorants!!  And pelicans!  More than I could count!  It seems that a large flight of cormorants had come in on their migration.  They were feeding in the shallows so about a dozen brown pelicans joined in on the fun.  While we always have a few resident cormorants, the hundreds that come for the winter months is a sight to behold.

  A lot of folks are not overly fond of these birds but it made me happy to see them return.  Cormorants are a good indicator of an area's pollution index.  The birds will not return to a place that is unhealthy and my birds come every year.  The Bayou must be holding its own against the human race and its garbage.  Welcome back, my friends.  Glad to have you for the next few months.

Delightful Visitor To The Pier

   Early this morning, Mark and I thought we might catch a redfish from the piece of the pier that is still intact.  We did not.  Nary a fish wanted to come that close to shore being as it was low tide.  Regardless, we enjoyed our time on the pier and the sunrise did not disappoint.  We sat in awe of the beauty laid out before us.  While we were watching the sun peep over the pines on the far side of the Bayou, a whirring of wings told us that a flock of blackbirds had settled into the marsh just beyond us.  I love the Red-winged Blackbirds as much as any other bird and was excited that they had come to visit.  What I did not know was that the local birds had brought a special guest.

  A lone bird flew to the tallest post on my brother's pier.  Thinking this was "just another blackbird", I actually hesitated before deciding to photograph our visitor.  Once I did, the bird's beauty struck me.  Wow!  That was no ordinary Bayou Blackbird!  I tried to photograph the bird but the dimness of the morn and the distance between the piers did not allow for clear shots.  I needed at least one picture to be clear enough for me to identify the bird.  Please let one turn out ok!  I thought I knew the bird but had doubts.

  Don't ask me how I knew that the bird was a Yellow-headed Blackbird but I did.  This bird is far east of its natural range.  It is unusual to see one past the Texas/Louisiana border and even more so to find one here on the Mississippi Coast. When I saw the bird, knew it was not supposed to be here but knew exactly what it was. I have never seen one before but the name seemed to fit.  It was easy to see that it was a type of blackbird simply by one particular action.  The bird "stood" like a blackbird.  Every blackbird that I have ever seen stand the same!  It is like the "Universal Blackbird Standing Position"!  When I finally was able to view my pictures, most were a disappointment but a few were clear enough to identify the bird and I was correct!  Oh, sweet bird!  You are more than welcome to call the Bayou home.  We welcome you!

Our Geese Fly West

  You often hear of the migration of Canadian Geese.  Come winter months, the geese will fly south seeking a warmer climate where food is plentiful.  Then, come spring, they make the long flight back northward to nest and raise their broods.  It has been this way forever but, then, people got in the way and caused a bit of confusion, to say the least.  Canadian Geese were once a prime source of food for a lot of folks.  Because of their size and the sheer numbers (at the time), the geese were hunted to near extinction.  Alas!  People figured out a little late that their over-hunting was causing them a lack of hunting targets...the geese.  That said...something HAD to be done to remedy the situation.  The bright idea of captive hatching of goose eggs was the solution.  Yes.  It did solve the problem of the missing geese but the people doing the hatching merely released the young geese wherever they were hatched.   That was the beginning a problem for the geese and people who do not like geese pooping on their pristine lawns.

  Geese, like other migratory birds, do not automatically have it ingrained in their heads that they need to start a migration.  Migration is a learned deed and not instinctual.  Young birds follow what their parents do.  So when the elder birds take flight to avoid spending winter where food may become scarce, the juveniles follow.  The captive bred and released birds have no parents to follow so they stay where they were "planted".  No problem...except the birds are prolific when not faced with hunters shooting them.  Now people are complaining that there are too many geese when it is actually that the geese are just staying put in the only homes they have ever known.  No one taught them to migrate!  Yep, they do congregate in large flocks.  They do poop on the pretty, green grass.  They are loud, bossy and hungry all of the time.  In spite of all of that, they are pretty and rather interesting to watch.

  Here, we have resident geese.  Occasionally, a pair will attempt to nest in the marshes of the Bayou but, usually, their attempts are met with disaster as there are far too many predators roaming those same marshes.  The geese choose a slightly more inland nesting grounds around the many ponds, lakes and rivers.  Each year, the flocks grow in size and the birds appear to be healthy.  To answer the question as to why our geese fly west, we only have to understand just what is west of the Bayou.  Not far down the shoreline, there is a haven for wildlife better known as my cousin's yard.  Michelle feeds hundreds of geese and ducks that flock there twice each day.  She puts out enough grain for them, deer, raccoons and any other critters that might be hungry.  So, you see, our geese fly west to feast upon free food...I don't blame them!  Just because the geese do not have the instinctual habit of migrating north does not mean that they are stupid!  They just migrate where the food is!   Now you know!

His Compass Is Broken

  It is not unusual to see the common loons around the Bay and Bayou during the winter months but by early spring they make their way back up north to spend their summers.  There, they do all sorts of "loony" (and I mean that as a bird way not a crazy way) things like finding a mate, nesting and raising their young.  In fact, I cannot remember ever seeing one around here after the first of April until recently.  Once that warm weather sets in, they make haste in their migration.  

  Last year, however, one very young loon was injured and opted to stay on the Bayou a bit longer.  The bird rested, fed and healed but since there were no other loons around, its migration was put on hold for the entire summer.  Its plaintive wails could be heard ringing out in the night in hopes that at least one other loon was in the area.  Nary a return call could be heard.  So the bird spent the summer in "solitary confinement" of the Bayou.  When the weather started to chill a bit, I thought sure other loons would migrate here and our local bird could find its family.  It was saddening to know that the other loons never made it to the Bayou at all this year.  Our winter was far too warm, I suppose, and the birds never came this far south.  The resident loon spends its time wailing and wailing.   "I am here.  Where are you?"  Wait...wait...no answer.  Silence.

  While it is still early in the spring, it does not appear that the bird is going to migrate.  It is happily scooping up minnows and little mullet.  Unless, by some odd chance, other loons fly over, the bird will most likely spend yet another summer here.  Obviously, it has no idea where "home" is other than here.  While I am good with the bird hanging around, it has to be extremely lonely for my friend.  Perhaps his "inner compass" is broken!  Poor, sweet bird!  Here's to hoping the bird heads north!

The Feast Of The Mistletoe

  Mother Nature has thrown the Bayou plants for a loop.  For the past few years, we have had no winter, to speak of, so plants have no idea when to grow, when to blossom or when to produce.  The flora around here just sort of haphazardly throws blossoms out there in hopes that the weather is kind.  Some plants just give up hopes of having a normal life and don't produce at all since they have no idea when to do so.  The yaupon and other hollies did not produce more than a handful of berries which is sort of sad for the fauna of the area.  Come on, flora, get your act together!  Fauna depends on you!

  The lack of yaupon and other berries presented a problem for a flock of birds today.   While Son and I were out working on yard projects, I noticed forty or fifty birds fly into the yard.  Ahh, the cedar waxwings were making their annual appearance on the Bayou.  They come in droves to feast upon the many berries but, this year, they found scarce pickings.  After inspecting the area, the birds finally chose to fly to the tiptops of the white oaks.  There, among the bare limbs, the birds found their sustanence.  Mistletoe fills the tops of these trees and, obviously, this was a good bearing year for those plants.  The cedar waxwings feasted upon the pearly white mistletoe berries.

  Within the next twenty minutes, two more flocks came to the Bayou and were in search of food.  They promptly got word that there was nothing but the mistletoe berries so they, too, flew to the tops of the mistletoe laden oak trees.  The soft tweets were our music for the day!  After two or three hours, the birds moved northward.  They obviously believe spring is on its way and they need to head back home to nest.  Goodbye until next year, sweet friends.  Hopefully, we will have more to offer then.

Could It Be?

  It is the time of the year that the Bayou is a temporary home to a lot of migrating birds.  Among these are a lot of ducks and other waterfowl that we do not ordinarily see in these parts.  I am always happy to see the birds fly in to visit for a while and I try to identify each and every one.  Sometimes, I find that difficult as, just as soon as I think I have a positive identification, something throws me off.  That happened today and I am still in a quandary as to who my visitors are.

  Along about noon, I made a quick trip to the pier.  A happy surprise awaited me when I came across several ducks swimming near the pier.  At first, I had thoughts that my friends, the Hooded Mergansers, had returned but once I was near, I could tell that was not the case.  These birds were different.  Ok, so maybe a different group had drifted in for a stay.  Perhaps, these were not mergansers at all.  Perhaps, this was wishful thinking on my part.  

  After photographing the birds while trying to protect the camera from the drizzly rain, I headed back to the Little Bayou House with pictures that I hoped were clear enough for an identification.  It was disappointing to find that the photographs were not clear due to the mist.  Still, I had hopes.  After looking at dozens of pictures, a decision was made that perhaps I had some Common Mergansers as guests on the Bayou.  Well, that idea was short lived as it seems that we are out of their range even during migration.  Searching a bit more. I decided that maybe these are Red-breasted Mergansers!  That would be a first for us! They sure resembled the Red-breasted Mergansers.  Maybe some took a swing our way during their migration flight and opted to stay on the Bayou for a bit.  I can hope, right?

  Even at this late of hour, I am convinced that my birds may just have been a bit off course of their usual path.  Perhaps tomorrow, I can get better photographs.  My curiosity is nagging at me!  How nice would it be to have some new faces among the crowd??

I had ONE!

  I have always loved the photographs of the thousands of Monarch Butterflies clinging to trees as they rest during migration.  There is just something special about seeing them finally getting a well-deserved rest after their arduous flight.  In a way, it gives a sense of hope.  If fragile butterflies can make such a trek, surely we can face our every day trials.  At least it seems that way to me.

  While taking the old dog down for his afternoon hike, I noticed the Monarchs flitting overhead.  Several dozen of the orange "flying flowers" made their way across the marsh.  It seemed as if their migration was heading in the wrong direction, however.  The butterflies were coming across the Bay, over the marsh and, then, northward.  I would have thought that this was backward!  As I stood there pondering the misdirected critters, one came in to alight in the old oak tree,  A single Monarch hung in my tree.  This pales in comparison to the photographs I have seen but my loner made me smile.  You can do it, buddy!! Take a little snooze then catch up with your friends! Happy flights!

Goodbye, Hoodies!

  Hopefully, the critters are correct.  Recently, the critters of the Bayou have been declaring the "demise of winter" and are heralding in spring.  Birds are hunting for nesting sites, the squirrels are playing "chase" and my hoodies have flown.  The Hooded Mergansers are perhaps my favorites of the ducks that visit the Bayou during the winter months.  They fly in sometime during late November and hang around until they think it is warm enough to begin that long flight back to wherever their home may be.  I wish they would stay at least for a while longer.  I never tire of watching them.

  Yesterday, I noticed that there was quite the gathering of mergansers near the pier.  I knew this collecting could mean only one thing...migration flight was to begin again.  I watched as the males were already beginning their courtship displays.  The raising of the crest, the stretching of the neck and the calls all for the benefit of their ladylove.  Any number of males will perform for the favor of a female.  Since Hooded Mergansers are like most other ducks in the fact that they are seasonally monogamous, the courtship starts long before nesting.  The little female has to choose her mate from the many that attempt to catch her eye.  The males parade up in down in front of a female until she goes into a "prone" position on the water which means she has made her choice.  Then, the unlucky chaps move their parade to the next female.   But the gathering yesterday was not only for a mate choosing parade, it was to prepare for the homeward bound flight.

  I will miss my sweet hoodies.  Their absence will be far too long for my liking.  Hopefully, however their nesting business back home will be successful and dozens more hoodies will make the flight back to the Bayou with the onset of cooler weather next fall.  Love my hoodies!

Winter Friends Return to the Bayou!

  I will be the first to admit that since aging, my eyesight is not what it used to be.  Without the spectacles, I probably would not be able to identify the broad side of a barn.  Things are a bit fuzzy to say the least.  A visit to my optometrist got me glasses but trying to look through them is about as bad as it gets.  I see perfectly fine if I look straight ahead...not to the left. nor to the right...not up. nor down.  I do not blame the fine doctor that prescribed the lenses but rather the bossy lady who filled the prescription.  "You just have to get used to them." was her explanation as to why I could not see any better than before getting those confounded things.  But....it is purely my fault for tossing them on the dresser and going back to my old glasses.  All of this brings me up to this morning and a case of a misidentified critter.

  Early this morning, Mark and I headed fishing.  The sun was just starting to rise in the east when I spied a fine bird roosting on my brother's pier post. Aha!  I whipped out the camera and started snapping photographs of my new-found bird!  This was unlike any bird seen on the Bayou!  It was black with a grey wing bar and brown head.  While there are several birds that could worm their way into that general color category, the shape of this one was throwing a kink in the identifying process.  Since shape is a key tool in bird ID, I was in a quandary.  The bird had a "squatty" neck!

  Still photographs were being snapped in hopes that researching the bird would lead to us knowing who was visiting.  After a good ten minutes of thinking this was a rare sighting, the bird moved.  It was!  When my fine feathered friend unfolded its long neck, its true identity became known.  This was none other than a Anhinga!  This is a first for me!  What threw me off was the fact that the bird was resting with its head tucked beneath its wing.  Duh, that was no short, squatty neck, it was a tired bird!  

  The cormorants are starting to filter into the area after their long, migration flights. I am supposing that an anhinga decided to pay the birds a visit!  All sorts of birds will soon fill the Bayou and Bay areas and stay throughout the winter months.  While most fishermen do not care for the large birds munching the minnows and little mullet (aka bait), I think they are all interestig birds.  Both the anhingas and cormorants dive better than any birds I have ever seen and have a peculiar way of "drying" their wings while resting. Obviously, this one had come in sometime during the night and found a resting spot on the pier post.  There it was relatively safe from predators and could get a much needed nap. Rest easy, Bird Friend, rest easy.  Welcome!

One Way Ticket

  It seems that most of the South is talking about the hoards of dragonflies that have been visiting.  This mass migration is something to behold when you can view it from across the water or an open field. Millions upon millions of dragonflies come flitting across the area without taking a break until nightfall.  The critters fly southward on their long journey just like birds do in preparation for the winter.  It is an arduous flight for the insects.  They average a good forty or more miles in a week.  While this seems like pitiful progress according to the "instant" rate that humans and larger animals travel but when you consider the minute size of the dragonflies, you will come to realize that covering that distance in proportion to their body size is pretty amazing.

  The last few days has seen the migration in full swing.  Being on the pier gives one a perfect view of the insects as they buzz across the water.  Some grow weary and a strong wind can knock them into the Bay.  Those usually do not survive as a fish is ready to nab this tasty meal.  The others, however, welcome the marsh as a resting point. There, they can rejuvenate to carry on their journey at daylight.  While dragonflies fly southward for the winter, they do not make the return trip.  Those who fly south, mate, lay eggs then eventually die.  It is the next generation that heads north come springtime.  The dragonflies have a one-way ticket to the Deep South but they are more than welcome to come and just stay!  

  The recent rains have caused the mosquitoes to multiply substantially. Those and their larvae are a favorite food of the dragonflies and their nymphs.  The circle of life continues and Mother Nature always has an answer as long as humans do not interfere.  Silly Humans!  Stop meddling and let Mother Nature do her job!

Why Are You Still Here?

  It seems that Mother Nature has a lot of things in a state of upheaval.  Not only has the weather been a tad....ummm...different as of late, critters are acting a bit strange as well. Just a few weeks ago, I was confused by the fact that we had a lone loon seemingly staying the summer with us.  The bird had not flown north with its other loony (heehee!) friends and was evidently intending to make this its year round home.  I have no problem with that and actually was looking forward to having the loon around the Bayou.  Sad to say, that one perished from some unknown malady.  Now, I find we have another juvenile loon lurking about the place.

  Loons are not supposed to be in the area except during the winter months.  Come early spring and they fly northward to nest.  Both of the loons that have been spotted nearby this summer are juveniles.  Why these did not make the migration is questionable.  One appeared to be maybe injured or ill but the newest sighting seems to be of a healthy bird.  

  Yesterday, the loon came up to the pier.  It almost seemed to be trying to make friends with us.  This, in itself, is unusual.  The loons are usually rather skittish.  The familiarity that the birds have shown makes me ponder if these were both "released" birds.  Perhaps they were injured, rehabilitated and then released back into the wild.  In which case, the birds both may not have the fear that wild birds would and, also, may not have been associated with a migrating flock.  
  
  Whatever the case may be with the crazy loons being on the Bayou, I am happy with it.  I like the birds and it would be nice to have a mating pair call the place home.  It would be strange...but nice.  Their haunting calls give a certain ambiance to the Bayou that is missed during the summer months when they usually take their leave of the area.  Oh, Mother Nature, make up your mind!

Resting Up For The Big Journey

  Living in the Deep South, we get a good amount of migrating birds during the late fall.  They arrive, spend the winter with us and then journey back to their summer homes.  Here on the Bayou, the most evident are the water birds.  Waterfowl are abundant on the Bayou year round but come winter, we see many more.  Very few nest here and make trip back northward each springtime.  With winter being slim to none, the birds are a bit confused and are already preparing for the flight home.  I am not so sure that is a good idea after looking at the weather reports of some places in the northern regions.  We may not have had winter but it does appear that others are still quite chilly.  What are those birds thinking??

  For the past few mornings, (what I think are) scaups are gathering in front of the pier.  What started out as four or five has turned into quite a large raft of near a hundred.  The early hikes to the pier usually finds them adrift rather nearby but once they are alerted to our presence, the group slowly makes its way to the middle of the Bay.  It takes a few minutes for the "lookout" duck to alert all of the others since they are literally "asleep on the job".  Most are dozing with their heads turned backwards on their backs with their bills nestled in their feathers.  This is a common method of resting for both Greater and Lesser Scaups. (Since I could not get a great view of the birds, I could not distinguish which they were.)  Scaups and most other ducks will sleep in this position as to keep their wide bills warm!  (Smart birds.)  One or two of the ducks will be on watch to alert the others to possible dangers.  The birds will alternate the task so each can rest.  

  With hundreds of miles to travel, the scaups will congregate in the Bay until time to take flight.  Here they will spend the time resting and feeding.  Their flight northward usually occurs at night so one morning soon, my friends will be gone.  Rest easy, my friends.  You have a long journey ahead of you.

By the Tips of Their Tails!

  Recently I have been bemoaning the fact that the Cedar Waxwings have not made their yearly appearance on the Bayou.  I worried about them.  Usually, by this time of year, the birds have come and devoured every berry in sight and have filled the treetops with their whistling calls.  I have missed them.  But, then again, perhaps I am pushing the seasons once again and perhaps the birds are on time....I am not.  But I do not think so.  If I remember rightly, January is the month for these birds to grace the Bayou with their presence.  It is now late February and they are finally here.  This morning as I waited on Mark to join me for our morning hike, I heard the familiar calls high in the oak tree near the pier. Hundreds of the birds were filling every branch of the tall tree.  I had to sit right down and listen to them for a while.  It made me smile.  Having old friends return is good for the soul.

  Here's one for you!  A bit of bird trivia to lighten and brighten your day can be found right here! The Cedar Waxwings that were visiting today had yellow tips on their tails.  While there is nothing unusual about the yellow tips (Cedar Waxwings have yellow tipped tails), some birds have been seen with darker orange tips.  It seems that the change coloring is somewhat recent (in the study of ornithology anyway) appearing during the 1960s.  Scientists have discovered that the orange tips are a result of the birds eating red berries of a certain honeysuckle that was introduced to the United States during that time.  If a bird eats the berries while growing tail feathers, the feathers are tipped in orange.  Eating red berries changed their tail colors!  Imagine that!  I wonder if I ate those berries, it would cover some of the gray in my hair??  Maybe??

  Another bit of trivia....since the Cedar Waxwings are fruit eaters, they sometimes get into a batch of overripe berries.  This is not good. Overripe berries have a tendency to be fermenting thus creating alcohol. Let a flock of Cedar Waxwings devour a bunch of alcohol laden berries and you have drunk birds.  While that may not seem too very drastic, it can be. Some birds die from ingesting the rotten, fermenting berries.  

  The thought of intoxicated birds brings back a memory from my childhood on the farm.  Back behind Pop's big shed there was a huge mulberry tree.  My brother and I used to climb the tree to pick the berries for Mom.  One day while sitting in the tree, we noticed that the chickens below us were acting a mite strange.  They were wobbling and falling and clucking their fool heads off like a bunch of crazy birds.  Pop explained to us that the chickens were all drunk from eating the rotten mulberries that had fallen to the ground and we were warned never to eat any that "tasted strange" or we might act just like those drunk chickens.  That terrified me!  I did not want to go around falling and clucking.  Nope...no rotten mulberries for me!

  Back to the Cedar Waxwings....I am sure glad that they made an appearance on the Bayou.  It is only a matter of time before they will strip every berry dangling on any vine and then be off on their journey homeward to nest.  Thanks for stopping by, Birds! Safe travels!

The New "Karate Kid"??

  Anyone who has ever had to sit through the old movie "Karate Kid" as many times as I have (thanks to sons), should remember the infamous scene involving the "Crane Kick".  In the movie, the "Kid" practices an unusual stance of standing on one leg with his arms flailed out like some wimpy wings.  I never could understand why this was such a fantastic thing but, during the course of the movie, that kick was the spotlight of the whole fight.  Arms up and droopy, stand on one leg and kick your opponents head.  Yep, it was a tad ridiculous, if you ask me but, then again, I am an old lady and not too overly excited about these types of movies.  Still, that pose....that weird pose has come back to haunt me....almost, anyway.

   While on the pier this morning, I had flashbacks of that crazy old film.  It seemed as if every pelican was trying to do a "crane kick".  I realize that the birds were just trying to take flight after a dive but the position of their wings resembled that floppy arm pose from the movie.  I first noticed it on a pelican that was close to the pier and, later, found that every pelican was doing the same thing.  They were all "Karate Kids" doing their best to emulate the character, Daniel.  Most of the birds, however, could never get that leg up stance to work!  They have the wing...errr...arm thing down pat but the rest was a flop.  Perhaps this is all because the pose was merely the idea of a film director and not some true pose.  The birds keep trying, though, and yeah, I do have a vivid imagination!

  This morning saw hundreds more birds migrating to the Bay.  Several large flocks of ducks landed just far enough away to remain unidentifiable.  We are definitely in the "Winter Mode" here on the Bayou.  Even though we do not have the cold weather like up north, we see winter with our migrating friends.  It is all good regardless of the pelicans thinking they are karate experts or even cranes.

 

 

Here They Come!

  This time of year sees a whole new bunch of critters on the Bayou especially in the way of birds. Birds are migrating southward with the coming of winter and they either stop in for a rest before heading on their merry way or they spend the winter with us.  It makes me happy to see the thousands of waterfowl visiting the area.  Each visit to the pier during late fall, gives me the chance to see new birds.  Some of these are new to me while others are returning friends.  

  A couple of days ago, huge flocks of cormorants could be seen gathering in the Bay.  This is crazy since all of the flocks were flying in FROM the south.  Shouldn't they be heading south if they are migrating? Thousands of birds accumulated in the Bay.  I have never witnessed this many cormorants here at any given time.  Usually, there are at most a few dozen or perhaps even up to a hundred but never this many! When they landed in the water, they immediately started swimming toward each other until there was a thick mass of black as far as I could see. Then, as quickly as they came, the cormorants took flight and disappeared from sight....heading northward!

  The cormorant is a funny bird that will resort to diving beneath the water when threatened instead of taking flight.  They are excellent divers that can swim for long distances beneath the surface.  Perhaps this is why their collective name is a "Swim" of cormorants!  This ability and their hooked beak makes them experts at fishing.  While it was exciting to see so many birds in the Bay at one time, I am sort of glad to see that most have ventured on to parts unknown.  With their fishing expertise, my catches would have most likely come to a halt if they had stayed.  Happy fall...happy migration!

Is It Here?

  After our week long bit of bad weather, it seems that spring has made an appearance here on the Bayou.  The temperatures reached the high 70's today with plenty of sunshine and a charming breeze.  Some would say this was the perfect day...and I am not one to disagree with that proclamation.  About mid-afternoon, I meandered out to the gardens and was pleasantly surprised to see those reluctant squash seeds sprouting. Oh, happy day!  Then on to the greenhouse where I found things not as delightful.  The wind had blown rain up under the roof and soaked my box of seeds.  The packets were deteriorating causing all of the seeds to be mixed with some even starting to sprout already!  Well, I was not going to toss perfectly good seeds even if they were in one big wad.  A trench was dug alongside of the garden fence and the entire lot was strewn into it.  There is absolutely no telling just what will decide to grow out of this mess but at least I feel as if I tried.  Pumpkins, peas, squash, basil, zinnias, beans, watermelons and gourds might all fill the garden with goodness...or not.

  Disgusted with my feeble efforts at gardening, I headed to the pier. Here things were different! A good number of ducks were amassing on the waters.  Yep, spring must be here.  These were the large Canvasback Ducks that migrate here from parts unknown.  They spend their winters with us and then once the weather warms, they gather for that long flight back home.  I will be sad to see them leave.  Our bay seems a bit empty without the ducks from around the country.

  The long flight that these ducks face will be covered in a remarkably short time.  Canvasbacks are some of the fastest flying ducks and can reach speeds up to 70mph.  They have been known to fly for eight to nine hours before stopping for a break.  That should put them home (depending on where they are going) in a day or two.  My goodness!  I hope they are fully rested and have eaten well before they start their long flight!  Goodbye, my friends! I will await for your visit come late next fall!

Friends gone missing....

  For a number of years, the bird feeders were visited by numerous birds during their migrations.  In the springtime, buntings, finches and grosbeaks would set for a colorful display.  I enjoyed watching the birds and kept the feeders well-stocked.  We keep a variety of seeds and suet on hand to fill any sort of appetite.  For the past few years however, the feeders have attracted not much more than Red-winged Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, Cardinals and the ever-present Blue Jays.  Not one Indigo Bunting, Painted Bunting, Goldfinch or Rose-breasted Grosbeak has dined at our many feeders.  It saddens me but I am at a loss of what to do to encourage their return.

  The Rose-breasted Grosbeak was one of Mom's favorites among many. She would always delight in the occasional visit of one.  Mom did not have many feeders so any visitors were viewed with great happiness. My grandparents, on the other hand, had many feeders.  Granddad made a six foot long feeder out of an old sliding board and mounted it beneath the large picture window on the south side of their house.  This large tray feeder drew all sorts of birds and my grandmother could watch them through the window.  I recall how Mom loved to sit at that window when she visited her folks.  Seeing the birds always thrilled her and she came to recognize them not only by their plumage but also by their calls. She and Grandmother would watch the birds often...just like I do.  (I guess I come by this critter watching naturally!)  But now the birds are not making their annual migration by way of the Bayou.  Their route has changed.

  Once all of this purging of the excess from the Little Bayou House is completed, I have grand intentions of building more feeders.  Perhaps if I make a large tray feeder like Granddad's, the birds will return to the Bayou.  I will have to put a roof over the feeder, though, as I have a lovely Cooper's Hawk that will dine upon the fattened birds that I draw to the feeders.  This bird does get its share of the "not so bright" doves. When the hawk is in the area, the doves' major defense is to "squat" which makes them ready targets. 

  Hopefully, I will have the new feeders ready in time for what should be the spring migration. It would be nice to see some familiar faces back here again!  I would definitely welcome some Rose-breasted Grosbeaks!.....As an added note, did you know that a group of grosbeaks is called a "Gross"?  And did you know that the bird gets its name from the French word "grosbec" which translates to "large beak". Did you know that they use that large beak to eat berries, nuts, caterpillars, insects, flower parts, seeds and fruit.  Well, now you know!

Weird and Wonderful

  Mother Nature has this weird and wonderful thing down pat.  Mark and I went out to purge the spinach patch of snails when he discovered something that I found to be rather remarkable.  He pointed out a chrysalis that had been attached under the back porch railing.  Hmmm? Does it not seem to be a tad cold for a butterfly to be thinking of developing?  I pondered that thought as I photographed the tiny case.  

  The case appears to be that of a Monarch Butterfly.  The caterpillar also seems to be close to emerging as a full grown butterfly.  The chrysalis starts out as bright green but as the butterfly inside starts to develop, the case starts to show the colors of the butterfly's wings.  This one was already darkening so it should not be long before the side splits and the critter emerges.  It will hang for a while under the railing while it unfolds and flexes its wings.  Then off into the world it will fly...cold weather or not.

  Monarch Butterflies are a bit different that most other butterflies.  While they go through basically the same changes from egg to adult during the spring and summer months, come late fall, things change.  The average life span of the adult warm-weather critters is anywhere from two to five weeks.  During that time, the butterfly eats, mates and lays eggs.  The eggs will hatch in a few days and the critters starts life as tiny caterpillars.  For two weeks, the caterpillars eat milkweed.  They grow and grow until finally each will create a chrysalis.  Inside its chrysalis, each caterpillar will go through metamorphosis.  The change takes about two weeks then a beautiful butterfly crawls out to start the cycle all over again.  The late fall butterfly crawls out of the chrysalis, eats but does not mate.  Instead, it starts migrating.  Its life lasts up to eight months. During that time the butterfly migrates southward and mates once it reaches its destination.  The new batch of butterflies emerge usually in February or March. These will start the migration back northward.  They will mate, lay eggs and let the cycle continue.  Our friend seems to be a bit early.

  I am curious to see if the critter survives the next few nights.  Our weather has taken a turn to the chilly side which cannot feel too happy for the morphing butterfly.  Hopefully, since the chrysalis is dangling on the south side of the porch, it will be protected from the icy winds.  I will keep watch.  Oh...one obviously just did its metamorphosis since right next to this case was an empty shell.  Hopefully, that butterfly did well!  I better plant more milkweed!