Escape to Elizabeth Park.

Posted on May 17, 2021 by Linda Schaub

I was ready to escape somewhere … anywhere … just to leave the confines of the house where I had been battling an army of little black ants for weeks. It was discouraging to see them popping up everywhere, including marching across the kitchen table where I park myself days and evenings in front of the laptop. The little buggers were everywhere and just when it appeared they had taken a hike for good, they were back.

And, if the ant explosion was not exasperating enough, the furnace had begun a little two-step, shutting itself down when it felt like it, instead of running a full cycle and this was during a nine-day period where forecasters warned of frost advisories each and every night.

It was barely over the freezing mark when I left the house at 8:00 a.m. and headed to one of my favorite spots – Elizabeth Park. Here it was May 8th, and I had worn a Winter coat and donned a hat and gloves, but I knew I’d be strolling the boardwalk along the Detroit River and it was a tad windy. Having parked and exited the car, I glanced up quickly at the perfectly blue and cloudless sky, crossing my fingers that the Chinese space rocket debris floating around overhead didn’t decide to descend on the car … or me.

It was “Global Big Day” (and I was eager to gawk at goslings too).

At Council Point Park, it’s been a disappointing Spring. Usually by now, there are a least three or four families of Canada Geese parents with their goslings. There was finally a sighting for me Friday, but that’s all. Our City’s tree-cutting crew gave the Park trees a big haircut and removed most of the lower branches. So, any bird nests have not been in my line of sight. The Red Bud tree where the families of geese with their goslings gathered and made for wonderful photo ops, is gone, felled by the tree cutters last Fall. And, the geese and ducks continue to monopolize the treats I put out for the squirrels and birds … a change of venue pronto was needed!

As mentioned, May 8th was “Global Big Day” which was an event, if you were so inclined, to count what species of birds you discovered, similar to the The Great Backyard Bird Count back in February. I did not tote along binoculars, but did intend to note what I saw with my camera and submit it to the site. And … since I was looking for goslings anyway, any geese families would also be included in my personal bird tally.

Before I would return to the car, I logged almost six miles on my feet (and later would bop down to Council Point Park to feed the squirrels and birds as well before calling it a day).

A sign showed there could be ducks crossing my path …

… but no plump ducks were waddling across the path that encircles Elizabeth Park. The Mallards were, however, gazing up at me from the canal, while sending a few coy looks my way.

I stood on the vehicle bridge to scan the canal that runs parallel to Slocum Street. Nope, no geese, nor goslings – were they sleeping in on this cold morn?

Next, I headed to the main bridge that crosses the canal.

I climbed to the top where, from my high perch …

… I looked up and down the canal …

… then scoped out the area to get a bird’s eye view of the canal and Detroit River. Nary a goose nor gosling in sight.

So I started along the boardwalk – perhaps some geese families might be meandering by.

I saw Mr. and Mrs. Red-Winged Blackbird. Mr. was quick to strike a pose, but Mrs. first gave me the cold shoulder, then went behind a couple of twigs.

An inquisitive Mourning Dove peered down at me as if to say “got treats for me?”

A seagull drifted lazily overhead, likely surveying the boardwalk for kind souls who might like to part with some of their breakfast.

A White-Breasted Nuthatch inched headfirst down a tree and as I crept closer to get a shot, it bopped down to the ground.

So, if you’re keeping count … that was seven feathered friends, but zero geese/goslings. I stayed on course, that course being the boardwalk, where I passed a lone fisherman, then many more people fishing, then eventually I was back at the woodsy area again.

It was particularly picturesque with a brilliant blue sky and sparkling water.

I circled the island twice and was about to leave and head to the car, then to another riverfront park in search of goslings, when I saw one last fisherman, with two geese families nearby, each with a passel of goslings trailing behind them in the canal.

I hurried over to one of the smaller bridges to cross the canal for a better view.

I was lucky to get this image of these geese and a Red-Winged Blackbird that dive-bombed them just as I crossed over the bridge.

I got a treasure trove of shots of the three families. It was difficult as the trio of families hung out together, with three ganders giving me the stink eye. So, I had to be careful not to tread too close to any of the precious golden babies, lest I tick off any of their Dads. Here is one of the families and I’ll save the rest of the photos for Wordless Wednesday.

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Bleeding Heart #Wordless Wednesday #Live life in full bloom.~Unknown

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

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Stuck like glue.

Posted on May 9, 2021 by Linda Schaub

This sweet Mama Mallard and her fuzzy duckling, (which I’d like to think are a mother/daughter combo), were paddling around Coan Lake at Heritage Park on a visit I made there last Spring. When I saw these up-close shots on the screen, I immediately tucked them away for my 2021 Mother’s Day post.

I consider myself lucky because, as an only child, I had Mom’s undivided attention from birth until I started kindergarten at age 5 1/2; and, truth be told, she fussed and fretted over me for many more years after that time period. Just like this duckling, as a toddler, I never left Mom’s side, except to run around the house banging on pots and pans during “Romper Room” or while engrossed with “Captain Kangaroo” or “The Mickey Mouse Club” – oh, the fond memories of the characters on those shows and, now that I think of it, perhaps Mom was glad for the brief respite of answering my slew of never-ending questions during the time I was parked in front of the TV. In between naps, meals and TV programs, I had “preschool” courtesy of Mom and I memorized spelling and vocabulary lists and learned simple math using matchsticks or Smarties (the Canadian equivalent of M&Ms). “Smarties math” was rare as I wasn’t allowed to eat candy except on special occasions.

While I might have been fascinated with Mom defrosting the freezer, making me frothy egg nog using a handheld metal egg beater, or baking my favorite cookies, I guess I should have paid better attention to Mom’s cleaning and cooking skills, as these days I sure don’t excel in either. But I have Mom’s personality and for that I am blessed. (In my humble opinion of course.)

The family albums are chock-full of photos documenting me from a newborn through the decades and I cherish each and every picture. I’ve digitized those photo albums, so I can travel down memory lane on a day like today when I want to remember the special Mommy-and-Me moments all those years ago, like these two pictures circa late 50s.

On this Mother’s Day, I hope you are lucky enough to give your mom a hug, have a telephone chat or share a smile via Zoom. How I wish I could do that, but my mom passed away in 2010, so all that remains are the photographs and memories.

I’ll leave you with this quote: “Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” – Unknown

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Small fry artwork. #Wordless Wednesday #I’ll finish this after my nap. #Chalkyourwalk

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

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If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Linda Schaub

We all enjoy a good chuckle from social media memes, tee-shirts … even bumper snickers. I’ve seen the expression used today in my headline countless times. It claims to have Southern origins as early as 1850 – 1900 and was even parlayed into the 1998 song “When Mama Ain’t Happy” by country music singer Tracy Byrd.

Although neither the memes, nor the saying, are generally associated with Mother’s Day, this humorous expression begged to be paired with this series of images I saw while meandering around Coan Lake at Heritage Park.

After a quick stop at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to check out their fresh Spring plantings, I was disappointed to discover the blossoms from that park’s many flowering trees were scattered on the ground. There went that photo op. Hmm … the flowering trees in the ‘hood were and ARE still beautiful and blossoming.

So I decided to focus instead on getting images of cute and fuzzy goslings, though chances were slim they had already hatched and were following their parents around. After a quick tour of Heritage Park’s historical area and around Coan Lake, there were no gosling sightings, but I did find a Canada goose sitting on a nest. I mused this was the second sighting for me this year after never seeing a goose on a nest before.

But, unlike the goose on a nest at Lake Erie Metropark, this Mama goose was not out in the middle of a marsh with Papa goose guarding her and his impending family. Nope … not at all. This soon-to-be-Mama looked uncomfortable as she sat atop the big rocks at the base of the covered bridge.

Here is a photo of the covered bridge and those rocks …

… and here is Mama Goose incubating the eggs. If you look closely, you will see nesting materials beneath her belly feathers. Unfortunately there is a shadow from the bridge but this was my best and safest vantage point to take photos of her.

I knew her mate could not be far, so I dared not stray any closer to Mama and their nesting territory lest he attack me as ganders are known to do if anyone/anything strays too close to a nest. A few years ago here in Southeast Michigan, we had some young golfers out on an Oakland County course and one of them accidentally got too close to a Canada goose nest and the gander attacked him, sending him to the ground, golf bag spilling its clubs and he landed with arms and legs akimbo. Except for his wounded pride, the young man was not injured and one of his companions whipped out his phone and shot some photos of the attack, which was circulated nationally on social media. So, no … I was not going to end up as the viral video of the day because I ticked off a gander. So I stepped back a few more paces, hoping to get some shots, but of course ever mindful of an angry gander lurking nearby.

First, I observed the Missus basking in the morning sun’s rays. I obviously didn’t pose a threat to her as she glanced over, then slowly her eyes dropped to half mast, then totally closed them as you see below.

There were very few ducks about, which was very strange for early in the morning. I usually see them preening or snoozing on the grass near the seawall early in the morning. I stepped onto the covered bridge and checked out the other side … no Papa Goose, so I moved on. However, when I got ready to go home, I glanced over and there he was, under the bridge. See … I knew he was not shirking his husband responsibilities of defending his mate. Aah – all is copasetic in the goose world.

Or, so it would seem.

Stand by your man.” (But with an asterisk.)

You may remember the country western song “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette. During the 1992 presidential race, Hillary Clinton raised the hackles of Tammy Wynette and others when she made the infamous remark “I’m not sitting here, some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette” during a “60 Minutes” interview which raised the subject of presidential candidate Bill Clinton’s indiscretions. She later apologized for her comment.

Apparently Mama Goose was of a similar mindset as the former First Lady. It was all good as Papa Goose frolicked and bathed SOLO in Coan Lake, while she was plunked down on a bed of rocks with just a layer of nesting materials between her belly and those rocks. Ouch!

In fact this soon-to-be Mama was wistful … of course she would have liked a quick bath too, but there were eggs to be incubated, turned over every so often … sigh … a woman’s work is never done.

Then things got interesting …

Another goose appeared on the scene. Through the camera lens I watched the interplay.

Note the long and intense stares, even goo-goo eyes – the body language between the two geese was incredible.

And though it is difficult to tell a male from a female Canada Goose, I’m no dummy. I was convinced this wasn’t just another “one of the boys” so I decided to hang out and enjoy this developing drama. Not only did it pique my interest but it did that of Mama Goose as well. She lifted a sleepy eye to likewise monitor the scene.

“Let’s explore underwater … who can dive the most?” this newcomer seemed to say. The gander rose to the occasion swooping down, shaking his neck and tail feathers with much fanfare.

Then he followed up those shenanigans with this impressive wing spread.

Wow – all that for the other goose. (Smile.) I am sure Mama Goose was rolling her eyes at the display, though my eyes did not dare sneak a glimpse from behind the lens, as I didn’t want to miss this drama and all the while I was clicking merrily away as the words began bubbling up in my brain for this Mother’s Day week blog post.

Since Papa Goose was um, er … occupied, I took the opportunity to grab a few shots of Mama from another angle, just about the time she decided she’d had enough. She shot a steely glance in the direction of her seemingly philandering mate, a/k/a “Mr. Charming Personality” …

… Papa Goose knew that look meant business and that his brief dalliance was over. He hastily headed over to appease his mate. I say “hastily” because he didn’t even take the time to fly up onto the grass and pick his way over to her in the rocks … he flew right up onto the rocks instead to show his mate how much he cared!

Mama Goose shifted position and quickly resumed incubating the eggs with her mate hovering nearby.

Aah – domestic bliss had been restored.

The girlfriend, er … other goose was left behind …

To be truthful, nothing happened between the geese in the water … a little frolicking was all, though the pictures seem to tell a different story, don’t they? I took liberties at the expense of this gander, because in reality, the habits of Canada Geese are quite the opposite of how I have portrayed them in this post. Canada Geese are devoted to their mates, are monogamous and will stay with their mate for life. If one of the pair dies, most go into seclusion and remain solo the remainder of their lives. During the incubation period, which lasts from 28-30 days, there is usually a clutch of five to six eggs. The gander does not assist in the actual incubation process, but instead stands by to guard his mate and the nest from any predators. The female will not leave the nest to eat, drink or bathe during this time. The gander will fiercely guard his goslings once they have hatched.

What can I say to conclude this post except to use another popular meme saying: “happy wife, happy life.”

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My Little Chickadee. #Wordless Wednesday #Black-capped Chickadee

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged , , , , , | 72 Comments

How to wrangle a fish.

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Linda Schaub

Eight years ago today I discovered Council Point Park. In a prior post recognizing this date, I called it “serendipity” since what is amazing to me is this venue, established in 1994, is merely a mile from my home.

This 27-acre nature nook has become my go-to spot for my weekday walks and I usually make a quick stop on weekends, which time I generally reserve for walks at larger venues. I prefer going in the early morning when it is not crowded and that was my mindset even before the pandemic, plus my feathered and furry friends are out foraging (and/or looking for me hoping for breakfast handouts).

In these eight years of traversing the trails at Council Point Park, I have come across quite a few critters. Their images have been shared in countless blog posts. Long-time followers of this blog have come to know the quirky personalities and recognize the images of my favorite Park squirrels: Parker and his main squeeze Penelope, Stubby, Puff and Fluff. I would be remiss in not mentioning Harry the Heron or newcomer Rex the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. I couldn’t name all the squirrels I interact with as there are too many (and let’s be honest … after a while, they all tend to look alike). Nor do I name the geese or ducks (though of late I have called them a few choice names – just sayin’).

Magnificent Mute Swans.

A little info on these beautiful birds … although male and female Mute Swans weigh about 25 and 20 pounds (11 and 9 kg) respectively, they are not Michigan’s largest waterfowl. That honor goes to the Sandhill Cranes. While Mute Swans are beautiful to admire, they are very aggressive, so don’t cross their path, especially when they are with their mate or their offspring, a/k/a cygnets. They are considered an invasive species here in Michigan.

A visit from a Mute Swan at Council Point Park is a rare treat. In eight years of visiting this venue, I’ve only seen them three times. I figure they don’t visit here much because they mostly gather at the Detroit River, near Dingell Park and Mud Island, which is just one mile away. The Ecorse River is the proper name for the Ecorse Creek. It runs parallel to the walking path at Council Point Park, but, because it is such a narrow tributary, it is generally referred to around here as The Creek. It is 18.8 miles long and meanders through a few Downriver communities, dumping out at the Detroit River. So likely, when there is a Mute Swan sighting, they have paddled here from Dingell Park as opposed to a flyover and splashdown.

The prior two times I’ve encountered Mute Swans, I documented that sighting with a blog post and photos.

In the first instance, the male Mute Swan (“Cob”) and his mate (“Pen”) were paddling around the Creek on a sunny Winter day and I was taking pictures. I was far away, but my presence evidently angered the male and a minute later, after snorting a few times, he stomped up the Creek bank and chased after me. I may laugh about it now, but it was not funny since there was snow and ice and I was walking backward to keep my eye on him, while plotting how I’d hopefully scramble onto a park bench where he could not attack me. Some quick thinking and a pocketful of peanuts thwarted an encounter. Whew! You can click here to read about it if you’d like.

My second encounter with a Mute Swan was uneventful, but left me awestruck. In my post, “The Ice Cutter” (click here) I came upon a Mute Swan struggling to paddle through the ice on the Ecorse Creek. It pushed through the thick ice with its massive feet as it sought to forge a path to shore, occasionally spearing the ice to break it apart with its powerful beak. It emerged from the water with ice clinging to its feathers and began to preen, only to return to its icy journey once again. I believe it was a Pen, or female Mute Swan, as it lacked the large black knob a/k/a a “blackberry” above the beak that is characteristic of the Cob.

But on THIS Saturday afternoon visit, I saw Mute Swans fishing.

I arrived at the Park around noon after an enjoyable morning spent walking and taking photos at Elizabeth Park. I only intended to walk the mile-long path in the first loop and feed the usual gang, when a flash of white appeared in the corner of my eye. Through the bare trees I saw a pair of Mute Swans gracefully gliding along. So, I didn’t stop to chitchat with the squirrels, but instead tossed some peanuts and seeds to the usual spots and hurried over, camera in tow.

The pair was on the move with this one bringing up the rear.

And this swan was admiring its reflection in the still water (or perhaps scoping out a fish?)

Here they were together – I paused to revel in their beauty.

Soon it was evident they were tired of the same-old vegetation and since it was the Lenten season they were going to dine on fish. I thought swans only ate plant vegetation based on seeing them umpteen times at Dingell Park, their heads and long necks below the water level and their feathery butts in the air. But they would soon prove me wrong as each of the swans caught and ate the fish rather effortlessly, despite a little wrangling going on, as seen in the header image.

The Cob was the first to snag a fish or two …

… the Pen didn’t do too badly either. She added a little drama and flair to her fishing expedition.

As for me, my catch of the day was a treasure trove of photos thanks to being at the right place at the right time.

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Earth Day 2021.

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Linda Schaub

“The earth laughs in flowers.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I have always loved this quote. In a four-season state, there is nothing like the early Spring flowers poking their heads through the still-frozen soil and reaching toward the sun. So, when the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens posted an array of Spring flower planting pics on their Facebook site on Saturday night, I made an impromptu trip up to Heritage Park with my camera the following day to take a peek. I thought it would be fun to use this quote and the pics for Earth Day 2021. I also knew a snowstorm was predicted for mid-week, so there was no telling if those flowers would be bedraggled or dead, having been smooshed by the snow and ravaged by temps that had local meteorologists calling for a freeze warning for tender plants. As I write this post on Wednesday morning, we had several inches of snow and a ton of vehicle accidents. I was happy to stay indoors as the snow will melt with warmer temps tomorrow.

I’ll make this post brief as I’m bending my just-two-posts-a-week rule, but why not celebrate Mother Earth’s beauty?

I got to the Conservatory about 8:00 a.m. and the sky darkened and a few raindrops fell before I even opened the car door – grr! I waited for that big bad cloud to exit, then set out. Yay – the sky was blue here …

… but still looked a bit murky as I rounded the corner of the Heritage Park Petting Farm and through the parking lot of the Gardens.

The Weeping Apple blossoms, which vine entwines through the archway, were just beautiful. Here is how they looked from afar and up close.

I was serenaded the entire time by this Red-Winged Blackbird high up in the Conservatory structure.

The Spring plantings were in various container pots and will be replaced by colorful annuals once the temps warm up. There are plenty of perennials in the garden area and you may recall, this is a favorite venue for me to see butterflies and look for (but never find) hummingbirds.

These are a few of my favorite flowers from my Sunday morning visit – they are some of the colors of the rainbow, or at least the Crayola box

Enjoy Earth Day 2021 – I’ll try to walk this morning, but have no expectations since the temps dipped so low, so the slick roads and sidewalks take me right out of my comfort zone.

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Busy as a ….? #Wordless Wednesday #This eager beaver has sharp teeth!

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged , , , , , | 33 Comments

The Breakfast Club (no, it’s not what you’d think).

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Linda Schaub

My walking regimen not only benefits my health and gives me a year-end goal to strive for, but, as you know, I am a soft touch for those furry and feathered friends at Council Point Park.

When I first started walking at this venue in April of 2013, I decided it would be fun to feed the squirrels, who surely saw a friendly face (or more likely a sucker) and came bounding over to see me. Soon packages of Hampton Farms peanuts were flying off the shelf and into my grocery cart.

In the beginning, I started off with just a small Ziploc bag of peanuts for each visit. I’d divvy up that cellophane bag of peanuts into sandwich-sized Ziploc bags, then put the bags into a cookie jar, ready to grab-n-go every morning. Through the years my offerings morphed into larger Ziploc bags, then I got a following of songbirds and a Woodpecker, so I added a small Ziploc bag of black oiler sunflower seeds. Holiday photo shoots had me toting along cookies or pumpkins and even apples at harvest time. Sometimes I tuck an extra treat to share with Parker … well, just because.

The last time I shopped at Meijer, I made a beeline to the wild bird feeding supplies to buy cracked corn. The cracked corn purchase, however, was not because I was overly indulgent to my Park pals. Nope – I had method in my madness as you will see later in this post.

“Wheaties, the breakfast of champions.“

You’ve likely heard that slogan for Wheaties breakfast cereal. I always have a hearty breakfast, and, even though I’ve eaten Wheaties in the past, I am a big fan of oatmeal and have it every morning. During the course of last Winter, I noticed something new as I walked along the Park perimeter path – breakfast cereal was making a regular appearance on the trail. The squirrels and birds were lovin’ it, an indulgent sweet treat that helped break the monotony of peanuts and seeds while February’s brutally cold winds swirled about and mounds of snow piled up.

“I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!“

I dug into my zippered coat pocket to drag out the camera and get these shots of the “Kix Corn Puffs” and “Cocoa Puffs” which some kindly soul had strewn on the walking path.

I watched Puff’s head swivel between the offerings and he lapped up a few Cocoa Puffs, then planted himself in the snow to enjoy them, even glaring at me, lest I try to take them away.

A few days later, heart-healthy “Cheerios” magically appeared in the small recess of a dilapidated old tree where I usually dump peanuts when the ground is wet or snow covered.

And, hopefully my Park pals paid attention to another “drop” – a Clementine. Nothing beats some fresh OJ with your breakfast cereal … just sayin’.

Breakfast is served my little friends.

In life, all good things must come to an end (often through no fault of our own).

I believe this dilemma began the day I took the photos for my Easter post.

As you know, last Fall I knew I had to find a safe haven or two to spread treats, after Cooper’s Hawks were regularly gliding through the not-so-friendly skies over Council Point Park. They were in pursuit of prey, eyeing my furry pals and making a few unsuccessful swoops in my presence. I had always used the picnic tables under the pavilion roof to spread out treats during the Winter or inclement weather, but the tables were hauled away in early Fall, likely due to COVID and they only recently returned a couple of weeks ago.

So I resorted to spreading treats under The Safe Haven Tree, a/k/a a Weeping Mulberry with its spikey branches that nearly sweep the ground. I also doled out treats in a small alcove with a couple of tree stumps and a fallen log. These two locations not only provided a secure place for my furry and feathered friends to feast, but it also gave me some fun photo ops.

Unfortunately, I now need to have a Plan “B” due to The Interlopers.

The Interlopers – who are they?

When I’m toting cookies which will be used for a holiday post, I spread out all the goodies at stop number one, then go to the next stop, clear across Council Point Park. That way, each subsequent loop that I walk, I can monitor the action and take pictures.

However, for the Easter shoot, I did this process in reverse. That day, I stopped at the alcove first, then bopped on over to The Safe Haven Tree. I was spreading the treats under the tree when fellow walker Joann stopped to tell me to get over to the other side of the Park as “I just saw the most peaceful scene – ducks on a log and geese gathered around them and the sun was shining down – it was nice Linda. Go get some pictures!” “Wait! What? Where was this Joann?” She explained and I sighed “oh no, the geese saw the treats – but you said ducks are there too?” I left the Safe Haven Tree, then hustled clear across the Park and this is what I saw.

Well, yes – it was idyllic all right. The ducks were clearly positioned for more handouts. The cookies did not appeal to them in the least, just the seeds and peanuts. After I took these pictures, I shooed them all into the water. Yes, it was not nice of me, but I was not feeding the waterfowl – nope, not gonna happen!

A few minutes later, the squirrels, who were aghast over these shenanigans, came out to see if the coast was clear and they could gain access to THEIR treats (what was left of them).

You can read Fluff’s face like a book in these photos … “OMG – is the coast clear now Linda? Why were they eating OUR treats?”

I always keep some peanuts handy in a pocket in case some squirrels and birds slept in and come begging at my feet, so I poured my “reserve” out.

When I’m taking photos for a holiday post, I go on a weekend, so I can walk a few more loops without watching the clock and I can monitor the progress of the feasting and take more pictures. I stayed at this feeding area a little longer to ensure I didn’t have to shoo off the ducks and geese a second time.

When the waterfowl didn’t return, I continued on my walk, leaving for home about an hour later. Little did I know this scamming by the waterfowl would become a daily and annoying occurrence.

Treat buddies.

The very next day, I scoped out the little alcove area before laying down peanuts and seeds. Happily, the coast was clear of any waterfowl, so I laid down the treats, watched a few minutes, camera in hand. After a minute’s time, a few squirrels came over, eager to chomp on some peanuts.

When I laid the seeds down, I noted the new handiwork on the log, i.e. this lovestruck scribble.

I stood back a few paces and awaited the arrival of the Chickadees and other birds to feast on the sunflower seeds, hoping the encroachers were merely a fluke.

But then The Interlopers returned.

First, I saw the head of a male Mallard as he waddled up the Creek bank and joined the unsuspecting Fox squirrel who was blissfully munching a peanut.

Then, the female Mallard tentatively peeked around the corner and waddled over to join the party.

Unbelievably the Fox squirrel didn’t pay attention to either of them as they feasted companionably, with no one moving about as I was busy taking photos. I was willing to live with the ducks scamming a few sunflower seeds and nuts, but then a pair of Canada Geese emerged from the water and sneakily inched up the Creek bank and headed over to see what was for breakfast. I raised my voice uttering a few choice words and lamenting “I don’t recall sounding any dinner bell for ducks and geese!” But my words fell on deaf ears as clearly they were here to stay.

Thus, I bought cracked corn to lure the geese and ducks from eating the peanuts which has become a nearly every day occurrence at this location. So how’d that work out you ask? I’ve began making little piles of seeds, peanuts and corn to strew along the path believing it would both foil and frustrate the waterfowl and I rather enjoyed thwarting their efforts to monopolize the food. BUT … the squirrels like the corn and the geese are eating the peanuts! My efforts have been abysmal. For example, this past Saturday, a Canada Goose marched over to the pile of peanuts and began crunching and munching on them. Your Roving Reporter whipped out her camera and those shots will be a future post which I’ll entitle “The Peanut Party Pooper” – so please stay tuned.

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