We went hoping to see green herons having returned after the winter, but we found none. However there was other bird activity. Plus a bonus snapping turtle performance.
Two Canada geese were on nest
A gander (?) was on the retaining wall halfway between the nests, not sure which female he belonged to.
Another goose was playing "King of the Castle" way up on the top of a very tall dead tree. We've seen smaller birds up there, some great blue herons, but not a goose. At the base of the tree was another goose, plus some common mergansers and a mallard.
There were a few common mergansers along the shoreline. Why the female laid so low when swimming with her made, I don't know.
Lots of mallards...
Plus many smaller birds as well
Robins
Red-winged blackbirds singing
Grackles
There was a muskrat or two swimming about
But the "highlight" was two snapping turtles interacting
We hadn't seen snappers there before as the ponds are perhaps not the most conducive to them, but below the last pond we spotted some movement in the water and quickly discovered it was two snapping turtles in the throes. As is common, it went on for over an hour. We weren't there for the actual mating, but there certainly was lots of slow action.
