Too Much Like Pop

  The drear has returned.  The morning started with heavy clouds and a light drizzly rain.  It was just enough to make hiking miserable so instead of my usual rounds, I headed to the greenhouse.  I had to tidy that up a bit so I could find a place for the few trays of tiny tomato and pepper plants.  I made the mistake of planting early.  Mom always warned Pop of the "Easter freeze" but he never listened either.  Growing up on the farm it was not uncommon to see us scrambling to cover the new plants in the field.  I should have learned.  At least, I have the greenhouse with 24 tomatoes and just as many peppers whereas Pop had hundreds of each set in the fields.

  This morning, the sunrise didn't happen and all I could find of interest was a lone mottled duck sitting on the pier.  This confused me a bit because these usually are in pairs.  It made me wonder if the female was already laying eggs somewhere nearby.  Perhaps the ducks were not prepared for the "Easter freeze" either.  They were probably just as confused by the 80 degree days lately.  Time for spring!

  Hopefully, this cold spell will not hurt the fruit trees that are in full bloom nor the spring flowers that are shooting out buds.  Also, hopefully, this IS our "Easter freeze" and there will not be another come next month.  For that...we shall have to wait and see and, for that...I may be scrambling to cover plants in the garden and not just moving trays of seedlings.  I will never learn.  I am too much like Pop.

The Busy Morning

  It was rather chilly out on the pier this morning.  With the temperature in the upper thirties, I had to watch my step for fear of slipping on the frost-covered pier planks.  I was fully not expecting others to be out on the water but, to my surprise, the place was quite active.  The north wind had pushed the tide far out exposing the mudflats for some distance.  Those mudflats and the shallows were teeming with activity as all sorts of critters were hunting breakfast.

  A group of mottled ducks were the first that I noticed.  It seemed that they kept their heads under the water more than above.  They were shuffling the bottom to muddy the waters.  This allowed them to confuse the small mullet and bull minnows swimming there.   Along with the mottled ducks was a pair of hooded mergansers.  These, too, were busy feasting on the little fish.  I was surprised to see the two types of ducks mingling.  The hoodies are a much smaller type of duck than the mottleds but they had no problem working together to find their morning meal.  I watched  the ducks for a few moments before I noticed yet another critter joining the feeding frenzy.  A snowy egret flew in to the open diner.  This gorgeous bird stepped gingerly in the shallows and dipped its beak often.  It always came up with a tasty morsel!  Imagine my surprise when a tri-colored heron joined this motley crew!  This bird, too, caught its breakfast with ease.  The sight fully amazed me.  I was so impressed that each of these birds seemed oblivious to the fact that it was dining alongside of those different than itself.  The sole intent was to fill the belly on this cold morning.  But...I was being chilled to the bone and decided to head back to the warmth of the wood stove.  I rose from the bench, looked up and was floored!  Yet another critter wandered to the area to dine.  A lone raccoon waddled out of the marsh and started scavenging the mudflats for trapped minnows.  After a few moments, the coon waded out to share in the bounty the others were enjoying.  All in all, six mottled ducks, two hooded mergansers, one snowy egret, one tri-colored heron and a lone raccoon feasted upon the minnows that had been flushed out of the marshes by the low tide.  It was definitely a busy, busy morning on the Bayou!

Is That A Good Idea??

  Camouflage is a good thing.  In the critter world, it is a necessity.  Either a critter will use camouflage to catch something to eat or hide from being eaten. Whichever the case may be, a good camouflage can save a life.  The bobcat's coloring can hide it while it lies in wait for prey to appear.  An ambush by the cat can take down even a much larger critter.  That element of surprise is heightened by its ability to sit perfectly motionless under a palmetto frond.  The spots on the bobcat closely resemble the sun dappled leaves that litter the ground.  It is hard to spy the cat due to that camouflage.  Then, there are those critters that use their camouflage to escape being eaten.   The Mottled Duck is one such animal.  This bird nests right in the midst of the marsh but finding a mama duck on the nest is nigh on impossible.  Her feathers are so like the marsh colors that unless you hear her, she blends really well.

  Camouflage can only go so far in protection, though.  A bit of common sense needs to be applied in there somewhere as well.  No matter how well that duck is hidden, if she quacks, her hiding spot is revealed.  The same with that bobcat.  Let that cat scratch an itch and supper will have to wait.

  Just yesterday, Son made the remark about camouflage gone awry.  A moth had plans to stay hidden on the fence post during the daytime hours.  It was well camouflaged because the browns of the moth's wings blended well with the wood of the fence post.  Perfect hiding spot...probably not.  The moth had decided to improve its hiding spot by crawling into a "crevice" only that crevice was not a safe place. The moth was between the fence post and the gate.  Had Son not seen the moth in time, he may have smashed it by closing the gate a bit to sharply.  Son, having a soft heart when it comes to critters, told me to "Be careful, there is a moth on the gatepost."  He knows me well.  The roles could have been reversed here.  I could have very easily been the one trying to save the moth.  

  The camouflage did not do too well in protecting the moth from potential harm but Son did, so all was well.  Nothing ate the moth nor was it smashed by the swinging gate.  It lived to flit around another night and, hopefully, escaped the bats!  Life's a struggle!

Sweet Couple!

  I cannot say that I get a lot of visitors to the Little Bayou House.  In fact, it is a rare occasion when anyone does drop in to say hello.  Most of the time, I have to be satisfied with the company of critters (which suits me fine).  I do not complain one iota about the lack of people around and am quite thankful that I have developed a sort of relationship with a good many of the animals of the Bayou.  They never...whine, criticize or gossip.  The critters merely try to survive and have a little fun along the way.  Sounds like a great type of friend to me!

  While out before the rains started today, I heard a familiar splashing in the waters of the Bayou.  Yep, the dabbling could only mean one thing. My friends, the Mottled Ducks, were busy hunting breakfast.  In the shallows, the pair were doing a great job of stirring up the mud as they gathered water grasses for their meal.  These ducks eat very few fish as compared to many of the other waterfowl.  They dine upon aquatic plants and the invertebrates that live therein.  Occasionally, they will snatch up a minnow or two that venture too close but not often.  They will eat grains and can be lured in closely with the promise of a handout.  

  This sweet couple has been nesting in the Bayou for the past few years. Some years, Mama brings the whole clutch out for a swim while other times, only one or two have survived.  The Bayou has many predators that will dine upon, not only the eggs, but the ducklings themselves. Snakes, gators, coons, fox, snapping turtles, coyotes and even otters will attack the little family.  Hopefully, the Mottled Duck family will be safe this year and raise their brood to maturity.  I like having them nearby and would love to see them just be happy.

Sweetness on the Water

  I have always said that humans can learn a lot from critters if we would only open our eyes.  We have always claimed that we, as a species, are "civilized"...sometimes I wonder.  Back in the day, when my siblings and I would squabble, we were reprimanded with "Stop acting like animals!" which was effective at the time but would cause me to ponder a bit nowadays.  In the wild, I find that it is a rare thing to find critters behaving badly just for the sake of it.  Sure, they instinctively munch down on the weaker if they are carnivores but they do not do things just for the sake of being mean.

  I was witness to a bit of sweetness on the water the other day.  Two Mottled Ducks were paddling around in the tide pool next to the pier when the tiny, immature rail wandered in to feed upon the bull minnows. The pool had very little water in it, as is normal for the winter months, but that did not pose a problem for the three birds.  They were just as happy to share the puddle as to be there themselves.  In fact, the two ducks seemed intent on "helping" the rail find a meal.  They stirred up enough mud with their webbed feet to shoo the minnows to the far end of the pool.  There, the little rail was able to corner the minnows with ease.  Not once did the birds squabble with each other.  Not once did they fuss over whose dinner was being eaten.  Not once was there conflict, jealousy or bitterness of any kind. The ducks and rail shared and shared alike. They exhibited good manners and that is something a good many folks lack.  They proved that you can be amicable with others regardless of the situation.  I like that.

  Sometimes in this crazy, topsy-turvy world, it is good to sit back and realize that with a little bit of effort we could all get along just fine.  Too bad I cannot get more folks to watch the critters.  Too bad I cannot get these ducks to teach lessons!



 

Yes, They Talk to Me!

   Every day I can head down to the pier to find some critter to befriend. Well, I try.  If Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, is tagging along behind me, not too many critters hang around long enough for me to even get close.  Today, however, she decided that the weather was a tad wet and she wanted to stay in her bed.  I headed out alone before the rains came.  On the pier, I found two Mottled Ducks resting a bit before heading to my cousin's house to feed.  I eased onto the pier.  At first, the ducks hardly noticed I was getting closer and closer.  Once I was about twenty feet from them, they stood and conversed between themselves as to whether I was a threat.  I guess I seemed amiable enough since they just ambled about three feet down the pier and waited.  I eased closer.  The ducks, once again, discussed their safety with me creeping closer and closer. At times they seemed to be asking me if I intended them harm. I talked softly...they quacked.  We had a nice conversation..I suppose. It was sort of a challenge to see if I could get the ducks to be confident enough with my presence to share the pier with me.  

  

  

I sat on the pier for a good while as the ducks grew accustomed to me. Every so often, I would ease a bit closer to them.  Keep in mind that these are wild ducks and just getting within ten feet of them is quite a trick.  I did.  The ducks were not easily frightened and I think would have stayed longer had the skies not darkened and had the thunder not started to roll.  I was the first to make the move.  I had to get off that pier...and quick!  Jumping up, I startled my poor friends and they took flight.  (And I took flight back up the hillside!  The pier is not a good place to be during lightning!) 

  The Mottled Ducks are quite the plucky ducks! They do not scare easily and eventually expect handouts of feed.  My cousin supplies a tasty feast for them.  I will not feed the ducks since she does but I will continue to ease my way into their presence. Hopefully, we can have many more of these...ummm...conversations!  I love my Bayou Critters!

  

Drop on by and visit for a spell!

  I often talk about the Yellow-crowned Night Herons that beg for handouts at the pier.  This started with one back several years ago and has multiplied steadily since.  Add the egrets, pelicans and various gulls to the mix and you can see that I have quite the menagerie of friends begging for food.  I do believe that I have them spoiled!  It really doesn't matter, though, as I love each of them and our times together.

  This evening, however, two new birds joined the group.  A pair of Mottled Ducks swam right up to the pier to greet me.  The pair were on their way home from my cousin, Michelle's house and their nightly meal.  She sets out a grand buffet for all sorts of critters.  These two are just a couple of the many that dine at her place but nest in the Bayou. Their nightly trek back home takes them past the pier but never before have they stopped for a visit.  This evening was quite special!  I like the Mottled Ducks as they are the only ducks that actually nest in the Bayou. Most others will journey away from here to brood their young. The Wood Ducks are the only other ducks that nest near here and they seem to prefer the privacy of the creek bed.  

  The visit of the two ducks made me think that perhaps the word has gotten out about my handouts just like the idea of Michelle's diner.  I have no clue as to why the ducks thought that they needed more to eat after leaving her place but I was so very happy to oblige.  I will be sure not to overfeed them, though, so they will make the journey back to her place each day.  She and I both love the wildlife around here and enjoy watching the different critters that come to eat.  

  The Mottled Duck usually raises one brood each year.  Nesting in thick grasses or palmetto thickets, the mother will lay eight to ten eggs per clutch.  These will hatch in twenty-five to twenty-seven days and the mother will have the little ones out in the water within twenty-four hours.  Not being able to fly for a couple of months makes the ducklings easy prey for so many critters.  Fox, coons, bobcats, hawks, herons,snakes, snapping turtles, alligators and even larger fish will dine upon the babies given the chance.  Mother Duck has a full time job keeping tabs on the youngsters. 

Storms hurt wildlife, too.

  I was ready to announce the newest addition to the Bayou Family this week but now, the news might be one of sadness instead of joy.  A pair of Mottled Ducks was nesting in the marsh not far from the pier but with all of the stormy weather of the past few days, I am not sure the nest of eggs survived.  Today, both parent birds were on the pier looking a bit lost. They wandered aimlessly about as if hunting for something..that something might have either been the nest or perhaps the little ones themselves.  It makes me sad to think that the little family might have been lost due to the high water.  The tide was extremely high and with flood waters barreling down the Bayou from the hills beyond, everything was flooded.  Poor little ducklings.  Only time will tell if we are blessed with tiny ducklings this year or if the nest was lost.

  The Mottled Ducks are the only ducks that nest in the marshes around here.  They stay on the Bayou all year and do not migrate like the others that come for our mild winters.  Although they are not as brilliantly colored as other ducks, I really like them merely because they are "our" ducks. I can always count on either seeing them (or at least hearing them) about the Bayou.  We started with a single pair several years ago and now have nigh on thirty ducks.  They seem to like the mudflats and also the free handouts of grain that my cousin, Michelle, gives them.  Several times a day they make the short flight (or swim) to her house.  There, they fill their bellies full and paddle around in a small pool that she has specifically for their pleasure.  Afterwards they head home to the Bayou where they nest, spend their days dabbling about the shallows and calling to one another.  I sure hope the little ones survived the storm.

   

Ducks in a Row

One thing that is pretty common in wintertime here on the Bayou is the ever present low tide.  The north wind pushes the water out of the bayous and bays and far out into the Gulf.  Not only does this make for difficult fishing (no water!) but, also, leaves a lot of exposed mudflats.  These mudflats are a boon to most of the critters that are hunting for a bit of sustenance to ward off the cold.  Tiny fish, crabs and water bugs are trapped high and dry making them easy pickings for the hunters.  This same low tide can change the habits of a lot of other critters as well.

Early this morning, Mark and I were meandering about the hillside when I heard the familiar quacking of our friends the Mottled Ducks.  These ducks are the only ducks adapted to nesting this far south.  I am happy to say that my marsh has been chosen as nesting grounds for a good number of the birds.  Several years ago, a pair of Mottled Ducks found the Bayou suitable to raise their first brood.  Since then, the number has grown to about twenty or so of the ducks.  This makes me happy as it means my marsh is healthy!  The ducks would not nest here if it were not.  Hopefully, the coming spring will see many more little ducklings added to the family!

After hearing the ducks announcing their presence, I slipped down to the edge of the marsh.  I wanted to do a headcount of my friends.  Sure enough as I was standing there, the ducks rounded the corner of the small stream of water.  One by one, the ducks swam past me.  Usually, the group stays together in a nice cluster or at least in smaller groups of five to six birds.  This time, however, there was not enough water for the ducks to mingle together!  They had to swim single file!  As they paddled by, I could see mud being kicked up by their webbed feet. The water was just a few inches deep!  Poor little duckies!  They had to literally "yell" at one another!  The leader went around one bend in the Bayou while the tail end of the line was far on the other side.  The old saying of "Getting my ducks in a row." came to mind!  I am happy to report that this raft of ducks had eleven birds and another group could be seen near the mouth of the Bayou!

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Many years ago..perhaps eons..when I was a mere child, whenever a group of children were together we played a game called "Duck, Duck, Goose!" All of the children would sit in a large circle facing inward. One player would be chosen to be the "Fox". The fox would walk around behind the children tapping them on the head calling each a "duck" and finally one as a "goose". The goose would jump up and chase the fox around the circle. If the fox made it back to the empty space before the goose caught him, the fox would sit in the circle and the goose would then become the new fox. The game would start anew with the new fox tapping each until a new goose was chosen and the chase would begin again! This was a great game as any number could play and it provided plenty of exercise! This was back in the day when children actually played outside! Yes..we actually did run around the yard, got dirty, smelled sweaty, got chiggers, had grass stains on our clothes and had a wonderful time!

Today when I was heading to the pier, I noticed two ducks just hanging out enjoying the sunshine! They have been visiting the pier for the past few days. Ms. Ez and I stopped and watched the ducks for a good while. They did not seem overly perturbed about our sharing the pier with them. Not once did they appear to be frightened enough that they might fly or make a hasty exit into the water. They just sat! Ezzy did her best to sit still and not try to "retrieve" these ducks. It would have been a natural instinct for her to chase them since this dog is part Labrador Retriever! She restrained though and sat at my side. The ducks appeared to be Mottled Ducks which will nest this far south so perhaps they will be my new neighbors! Last spring, we had seventeen little fluff-balls hatch in the Bayou! I am hoping that this tradition continues and we soon have hundreds of these ducks calling the Bayou "home"! My cousin, Michelle lays out a fine meal for the ducks each day so with the ready food supply and ample nesting areas maybe they will stay put!

As we were watching the ducks, Ms. Ez suddenly became extremely interested in something behind us. A sort of gurgled growl caused me to ponder just what she had seen. Since we just killed a cottonmouth moccasin in the yard, I was a tad concerned. I slowly turned to come almost face to face with a goose! A beautiful Canadian Goose was just paddling around near the marsh. Another waterfowl that had no fear of me nor Ms. Ezzy. This one, too, most likely feeds at Michelle's place. Usually the geese will be in pairs but I could only see the one. "Where is your mate, Goosey-goosey?" Ezzy and I pored over the marsh line...no goose. I silently hoped that one had not been killed. I will have to ask Michelle if the other has been coming to her place. It would be sad if there is only one.

Two ducks on the pier and one fine goose in the water! I do believe this was a successful visit to the pier! Duck, Duck, Goose!

Zig-zaggy Tracks!

Some days were just not made for outside work...outside play, now that is a different story! It was another grey, drizzly day here on the Bayou. The sun only made an appearance for about two minutes before it was completely engulfed by the thick cloud cover. In all fairness, I suppose garden work could have been done but it was far more fun to use the rain as an excuse to idle away the day. I piddled around inside just long enough to say "I accomplished something!", then I headed for my walk. Once on the pier, I noticed some odd tracks in the mud. One was a wide, smooth sliding track. I recognized this as the path of an otter as it slid along the soft mud. I suppose it is just a lot easier to slide on one's belly than it would be to walk in that muck! The path followed the usual path that the otters take when heading from the main bayou area to the small tidepools and mudflats. In the tidepools left behind during low tide, hundreds of little mullet and minnows are trapped. The otters will come in and feast on the easy pickings! Sometimes there are just so many little fish in such an little pond, that the otters will over-catch. I have seen times when the extra little fish were laid up on the mudflats but not eaten. Neat little rows of fish were left possibly for a later snack. Inevitably though, the shorebirds snatched them up before the otters return! A feast for all involved!

The other track confused me a bit. It was a long sliding track like the otter slide but was more zig-zaggy. It resembled a zipper track or the tire marks of some strange but tiny vehicle! I pondered the indentations..what could make such an unusual track? Whatever had gone through the area had come down the same cut in the marsh that the otter had and by the looks of it, not long after the otter. The track had me stumped! I started looking around the marsh..perhaps whatever made the track was still nearby!

Just beyond the edge of the pier, a lone Night Heron stared at me as I stared at him. "Did you make these unusual tracks?" I thought of asking. The bird was standing in about three inches of water so there was not following its tracks!

Just a bit further down the shoreline, another bird! This time, a large Snowy Egret waded in the shallows. "Did you make these unusual tracks?" The thought crossed my mind again. I thought of the two birds that I had just seen. Surely, they do not make tracks like that zig-zaggy thing. Their legs are too long and their toes too pointy!

A bit further down the shore, a pair of Mottled Ducks padded softly on the mud. Ahh..now we were getting somewhere! Their wide, webbed feet do leave large tracks! I, also, noticed that their fat "bottoms" were dragging as their feet sank in the soft mud. "Did you make these unusual tracks?" Hmmmmm??

As I sat pondering the possibility of the Mottled Duck tracks, I heard a slight rustling behind me. I slowly turned to venture a look. "Aha! Perhaps you! Did you make these unusual tracks?" The raccoon just stared at me as if I was a bit daft and carried on with its quest of breakfast!

Out in the marsh, I could see a turtle trying to catch any smidgen of sun that could warm its back. Now I might be onto something! The wide track and splayed out steps could have come from this guy! "Did you make these unusual tracks?" Nary an answer crossed his lips..or none would have if a turtle had lips. He said nothing.

I was perplexed to say the least! I was getting nowhere fast! The mist was getting heavier causing droplets to form on my hair. My light jacket felt damp to the touch and I was starting to be chilled.The tracks would disappear with the rising tide and I still had no answer. Ahh! What an enigma! A conundrum! A riddle! This would have to be solved at another time...but now, I was heading back to the Little Bayou House before I was soaked to the bone!

A New Denizen of the Bayou!

Just a month ago, I was lamenting the fact that I had not seen our local Bayou Gator. I was afraid that it had met some terrible fate. Then one evening of late, there she was! She kept her distance as usual but had made her presence known. Needless to say, I was elated! Gator had returned and she was still healthy.

This evening, Hubby and I went to the pier to cool off after a long, hot day. A nice afternoon thundershower had just passed through and the slight west wind made the pier a pleasant place to linger for a bit. I was busy taking pictures of a paddling of Mottled Ducks and a lone egret when I first noticed something swimming toward the pier. It was in about eighteen inches of water and was barely noticeable above the ripples. At first, I had a hard time figuring out just what was approaching..could it be a nutria rat?...maybe a very large moccasin?..or perhaps just a tree branch that was caught up in the current? I asked Hubby..he gave me the same three answers that I was pondering. So, knowing that my camera would pick up things that were obscured by the sun's glare, I started snapping pictures of the "unknown". After a bit, when it eased closer still, I came to realize that this was an alligator. What threw me off was the fact that this was so small! Gator was quite large..maybe about eight feet in length. When this gator was maybe thirty feet from the pier, I could see that it was only about two and a half to three feet in length. A baby gator! Now I know where Gator has been every Spring! Gator..aka..Mama Gator..has been nesting in the Bayou! This little fellow has to be from last Spring but I am quite sure Mama Gator has been busy guarding the current nest!

An alligator nest is usually a mound built in the marsh or on the edge of the shore quite near the water. Here Mama Gator will lay anywhere from twenty to fifty white eggs. Each egg is about the size of a goose egg. She will cover these eggs with a thick layer of vegetation that will incubate the eggs. Mama Gator will hang around the nest for the full sixty-five day incubation period protecting the eggs from any intruders. Raccoons, otters, skunks and foxes would love to eat the alligator eggs. Even the herons and egrets will make a meal of the eggs if Mama Gator is away hunting. After sixty-five days are up, the eggs start to hatch and the little ones "chirp" to let Mama Gator know it is time to dig them out. She will gingerly pick the babies up and bring them to the water. She knows that the sooner they are in the water, they will be safer from marauding predators. For a while, she will continue to protect them, but does not feed them. They can hunt on their own from the start..feeding on minnows, insects and small crabs. They will stay near Mama Gator for about a year before venturing off on their own.

This young gator has not learned to be wary of humans as much as it should and that could cause problems eventually. I have a feeling that this little varmint is what has been raiding my crab traps of bait each night. If so, it has found an easy meal and that will not be good. Hopefully, it will learn from Mama Gator that it should keep its distance.

Down by the Bay, where the watermelons grow..

Down by the Bay where the watermelons grow..Back to my home, I dare not go..For if I do, My mama will say.."Did you ever see a fly..wearing a tie?"..Down by the Bay........

My kids use to sing this little ditty all the time. They would not stop at the end of the song but instead made up their own rhymes sometimes singing verse after verse until I thought I would go nuts. Now, I wish I could hear them sing it again..not really..it probably would not be the same since they are all grown. But this brings us to the topic of watermelons growing by the Bay or Bayou for that matter! If you recall, there is a watermelon that is taking over the

garden space at an enormous pace. It had started in the tomato patch, made its way over the fence into the bell peppers, passed the green beans and into the pea patch. Well, now this entire area is a watermelon patch. It has encompassed everything including a fig tree..nothing is safe from the Marauding Melon! The small melon that was photographed is now huge..it is about twenty-eight inches long and still growing. Plus, today I noticed many tiny melons everywhere! They are under the peas, hanging on the fence and one is even in the fig tree! If the raccoons do not decide to have a party some night, we shall be eating watermelon quite often from this one plant!

Down by the Bay..there is also a family of ducks that are taking over the Bayou just like the watermelon is taking over the garden. These ducks, if I have identified them correctly, are Mottled Ducks. This is strictly a Southern species of ducks that usually stays put here on the Gulf Coast year round. Last year, I noticed three of them that spent most of the day in the Bayou. They would fly out two or three times during the day..always heading west..then would return an hour or so later. I soon found out that they were heading just a bit west of here to my cousin's house where she laid out a feast for them! Their trips were mealtimes! Each day they would head to her house to dine on the finest meals of corn that she puts out in pans for their convenience! She started with just a few ducks and a pair of Canadian Geese and now has

upwards of fifty! The three that stay in my Bayou nested earlier and as of today's count the three have now multiplied into seventeen! It is good to see the marshland thriving so well considering all it has been through recently..what with hurricanes, home construction in the area and oil spill threats. Dear Cousin..keep feeding those ducks! I enjoy having them in my Bayou and as long as there is plenty of free food they will stay!