Goslings

The first ever Canada goslings have been hatched at Lake Murray recently.  You may remember me posting about the mother goose on a nest earlier.

Dad goose kept photobombing me.  He frequently put himself between me and the goslings:

Skinny-neck mom and dad:

Copying dad:

This juvenile heron was actually hanging out by a trash can with the gulls.  He actually was nibbling at food in the trash and on the ground.  Someone needs to tell him he's not a gull, but a heron and they only eat fresh food.  He did show interest in catching the grackles flying around:

This gull has an overgrown bill.  I've been watching him a while and he seems to be able to eat OK:

Earlier last week, someone found a duckling wandering around the lake road where it could get run over. There was also another duckling all alone, but he couldn't be caught.   After a few hours, I found Butterscotch and her day-old ducklings.  I released him to her and he seemed very happy to be back with his siblings and mother:

They stayed alive for several days, but after about five days, only two were left.  Today, I saw none.  At least that one duckling got to spend time with his family even if he didn't make it.

We had some terrible fires and hot and dry weather.  People lost homes and many birds nests were destroyed.  I think the dry weather was a factor in a hummingbird nest I was monitoring because it fell apart and the baby fell out of the nest and died.  The other egg was already internally pipped, but abandoned.  Here is a photo of the little baby.  He has some nesting material attached to him:

Fish Food Mama's Ducklings

Fish Food Mama, the mom of the three ducks Peaches, Caramel, and Butterscotch, is still doing well with her five little ducklings now about 9 days old.  I am so surprised that they have survived so long is such a dangerous location with herons, ravens, crows, gulls, and human children who like to chase and throw rocks and them.

Neo Update:


No sign of Neo's mom at all, but Neo seems to be healthy and not in distress.  He is now 25 days old and totally alone.  He comes out of his hiding place for about 10 to 15 minutes and then disappears.

Saw 4 baby green herons in the reeds, 3 of them pictured here:

Later, I came back and only saw one of them:

Squeak and Pollux are still taking care of their chicks, which are hiding:

Squeak

Pollux

I saw this California king snake.  Junior's mate was really upset about it as it is a threat to her chicks or eggs.  I didn't see it trying to get any chicks or eggs, it seemed to want to cross the road.

I also saw what I think might be Bob's mate and Bob herself nearby.