Originally, I planned to entitle this post “Mayfly Mayhem” but I decided perhaps that was a poor choice and, besides, the mayhem would be momentary, only as to those creepy-looking, featherweight creatures called Mayflies and/or Fishflies.

Besides, it wasn’t like I didn’t know about the influx of Mayflies descending on the western shore of Lake Erie. Michigan Storm Chasers, one of many weather sites I follow, had posted about the Mayfly swarm on radar as to this area just days before.

So yes, it was inevitable I was bound to run into a few on this walk. Quite frankly I had forgotten about MSC’s post when I left that morning. It was sunny, bright, not too hot and I was just eager to get out of the house, give the car a good run, get a long walk under my belt and take some photos, so off I went.

But, having pulled into my parking space and exited the car door, a few Mayflies flitted away, having already glommed onto the side of the car, probably enamored by their reflection.

It’s difficult to get up-close photos of Mayflies when they land on you … zooming too much makes them blurry and, if they’re too close, you can’t detect those filmy wings with bodies that appear to be golden if the light hits them just right. I got this Mayfly photo a few years ago at Bishop Park. I was looking downward, the fanny pack and camera pouch in the background.

I had an agenda for the morning of June 19th. I thought a nice walk along Cove Point would be refreshing. Part of that stroll would take me along the rocky shoreline, then through a shady area, past the marina and ending up at the Osprey nest where I could gawk at the Osprey and their offspring and they could snarl back at me. Then a slow walk back to the car.

After battling and batting away a handful of Mayflies from the front of my shirt (and once again the fanny pack and camera pouch) …

… one alighted on my sleeve where I had turned up the cuff.

One nervy creature had the audacity to land right on the camera – eww! I plucked that Mayfly off, said “enough already” and then turned my attention to a row of Mute Swans that was far from the Lake Erie shoreline.

They were having a meetup of sorts, in a neat little row, some preening, some stationary. Hmm – must zoom in to get photos of them.

However, as I walked toward the shoreline, I saw so many Canada Geese, all different sizes/ages, that this greedily grabbed my attention. I put any swan pics on hold … after all, inevitably most images would be a white blur of birds since they were far away.

I ended up spending an hour wandering the Cove Point area, marveling at what had to be 60 to 75 geese. These are some of them; there were more beyond that rocky area that juts out into the water where you see the dead tree; those geese will be at the end of the post.

The trick would be to approach this group quietly to try and get shots of as many geese as possible. Sure, that might sound easy, BUT, if I raised the hackles of the “lookout goose” my own goose would be cooked as the expression goes as they’d all bolt at the same time.

Cautiously I approached the shoreline, taking baby steps, trying to limit my hand movements, pretty much deciding not to look down as Mayflies landed and clung to my clothing – eww.

Soon I realized there was still another challenge: the Canada Geese seemed to blend into the shoreline, those big boulders and trees that had fallen long ago, their bark stripped and trunks bleached and weathered. All the colors melded together and it was difficult to tell the geese from their dull-colored surroundings. As I zoomed in, I could see many grayish-colored goslings embedded in the boulders.

I craned my neck to see them all …

… knowing I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on once they saw me.

They were “chillaxing” …

… oblivious to humans. I was actually the only person there that morning and it was also unusual that there were no freighters or pleasure boats around, even on the horizon, to create a wake. Pure bliss for my geese friends.

That is, until the sentry goose that watches over the flock spotted me, the unwelcome intruder, to their morning bliss … then all h*ll broke loose.

That goose faced its brethren with a plan to “get outta Dodge – the paparazza has arrived!”

The instructions were given, the lead goose turned around and thus began a semi-orderly exodus, which I did my best to capture.

This fuzzy-looking gosling gazed at its siblings (above), reluctant to move along and give up a coveted sunning spot on a flat rock.

But, mom and dad must have said “get down here” as that gosling soon waddled down closer to shore, but obstinately it soon found another flat rock where it perched and preened.

Some of the geese began migrating over to the fallen, long-dead trees …

… while other geese still hugged the shoreline.

A few geese thought it might be great fun to mix and mingle with the swans …

… so how did that work out?

Well, not surprisingly, the swans were feeling fractious with the geese invading their personal space …

… so, why not take your frustrations out on another swan? Yikes!

By now the majority of geese from this area had dispersed and headed out too far to get good shots of them, so I meandered along Cove Point to the other rocky shoreline that jutted out, as mentioned above. I was hidden from their view so I was able to get some closeups, but they’re hardly distinguishable from the boulders.

The last two geese, just like the swans above, clearly needed an attitude adjustment. Well, don’t we all sometimes?!

I am joining Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge: Animal of Bird of the Month and they’ll be another bird for Wordless Wednesday. I will also join Pepper’s #One step at a time hiking challenge.