… even if she had/has to give you a push to steer you in the right direction sometimes.

Yep, here you were thinking that only human moms do these things, nudging their babies, toddlers, teenagers, even adult children to toe the line. 🙂

Today’s post is part two of a long walk taken at Lake Erie Metropark on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2025 – part one was featured last week; please click here if you missed it.

At the end of last week’s post, I had just arrived at the Osprey nesting platform on Lee Road, down the street from the Marina. This was the first sighting of the pair that usually returns to this venue every Spring.

Upon my arrival, I saw the Osprey pair, Mr. and Mrs., facing opposite ways. Okay, I get it – someone got up on the wrong side of the nest. Yes, that happens with human too.

I hung out on the cross-street, Milleville Road, dodging the occasional vehicle that went around the curve and slowed down at the stop sign. Each driver saw me, with my head tilted back while craning my neck, hoping for a little Osprey action – perhaps the male dashing off for a fish for breakfast, or returning home to the twiggy abode with that perfect stick to finish the nest in anticipation of the incubation and hatching of the chicks. The platform nest at this venue is very tall – I’ve been unsuccessful finding out its height though. As a general rule, Ospreys return to their existing nest every year, just adding to it with new sticks and other nesting materials. Their nests can be up to five feet wide (152 cm). I stayed about 20 minutes, but I couldn’t tell if Mama was sitting on eggs, as she and her main squeeze perched on or around the nest.

The male Osprey perched on this stick and was looking mean, albeit also a bit comical with his feathers blowing about from the stiff wind that morning.

Every so often he turned his head around to his mate as if to say “did you call me Honey?”

With nothing going on, I told them “well guys, I’ll be back to check on you in a few weeks – perhaps you’ll give me some insight into whether there are eggs or chicks in the nest, along with a photo op or two and an attitude adjustment.” I returned on May 25th and June 1st and got more photos, which I’ve shared already, but I still had no clue as to the status of any Osprey offspring.

I retraced my steps, having left the Marina and marsh to stroll along Cove Point again. I was successful in getting a few more shots of Tree Swallows “reserving” the Bluebird nesting boxes for their respective mates, by plunking themselves on top of the boxes and not moving. Because of the wind along the shoreline, the Swallows had to brace themselves and hunker down, like these guys did.

I continued on my journey, headed for the Cherry Island Trail in search of moms and babies, if any were to be had. I knew it might be early for Mallard Ducks and ducklings and, just as I suspected, I didn’t see any that morning, but I saw one Canada Goose family with only three goslings.

Mom, Dad and the kids are seen in the photos below and Mom and the kids are in the image up top.

The goslings were all over the map, to the left, then to the right … they finally regrouped and zoomed to another area, lining up nicely between their parents, then following them.

Having watched the many Canada Geese families at Council Point Park through the years, I never cease to be amazed just how quickly the goslings go from tiny, lemon-yellow fluffballs to sleek, grayish-colored young geese. It’s hard to believe a steady diet of grass, with a dandelion or two tossed in, is that nutritious to grow so steadily in record time.

After a long walk, I knew I would be happy to sit down once I got to the parking lot and my car, but, at the last minute, I stretched my meander just a little longer, opting to walk over to the Offshore Fishing Bridge in the off-chance I might see the Sandhill Cranes. It would have made my day if I were to see the couple, especially if Mama was sitting on a nest on that grassy island they call home, but, as would happen many times in 2025, the Sandhill Crane couple was MIA.

No luck seeing the pair here, but I spotted something white across the marsh and hustled over. I saw a pair of Mute Swans, the female on a nest, the male lurking close by.

I hurriedly took some shots, even though I was far enough away that the male was not going to mess with me for disturbing his missus. I think he was sleeping in the above shot. Ever since the male Mute Swan chased me down at Council Point Park a few years ago, I always keep my distance.

At the time I did not realize this pair of swans and their offspring would become the subject of two blog posts later in 2025.

The first time, for a Wordless Wednesday post, the photo featured six small cygnets wedged between their parents. Here they were on June 1st.

The second post about the family, showed the cygnets all grown up, right at this venue where Mom chose to nest. (click here). It had photos from two more sightings.

I was amazed how quickly they grew in six weeks on July 21st, my second sighting …

… and when I saw them on August 28th, the six cygnets were almost as big as the adults.

I hope they return here to nest and raise their family in 2026.

I’ve done another watercolor painting – this time to use for my Mother’s Day post. I originally intended to split up the Mama and baby Bluebird within the post, but in the end, I left the image just as I photographed it.

I’ll leave you with a lovely quote by Robert Browning: “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.”

Happy Mother’s Day to you if it applies!

I am joining Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge: Pink and Pastels. There were no wildflowers that day, but I have watercolor birdies and blossoms in pastel shades. I am also joining Pepper’s One Step at a Time and will link to both later.