The green herons have successfully nested again this year. Apparently there are five young. (From two nests?) Same number as last year I think. However none of them deigned to make an appearance while we were there. But there were a number of adults fishing and flying about
A cormorant was playing "king of the castle" with the herons.
After each shower the cormorant would spread its wings to dry
Finally he went fishing, but didn't stay down too long each time
Because of their relatively inefficient wings, it takes cormorants quite an effort to get airborne
A family of four recently fledged knigbirds and a Mum trying to feed them all, were using a dead tree as a roosting spot
Eventually they headed down to the shoreline reeds and weeds, closer to the food source
I have a hard time sorting outing the black ducks from the mallards during molting. The females of both species are very similar. I believe the following photos are of mallards.
There was a good mixture of duckling ages on the ponds. From fully fledged, to a lone teenager down to recently hatched (late in the year) ones.
There is one elusive egret keeping out of range, but a lone great blue heron was sitting high up on one of the dead trees
Couldn't pass by the various flowers while scouting for birds.... (Scroll over for ID)
Mallow
Himalayan balsam
Burdock
WIld bergamot
Field thistle
Dock
Orange dalilies
Smooth sumac
Staghorn sumac
Evening Primrose
