Photos taken over the last couple of months during walks to the state park and along the bike trails. I’m usually keeping an eye on Gaby to make sure she doesn’t scarf up goose poop–Life With Dogs–but I try to keep an eye out for the usual and unusual sightings.
Morning confab
Canada geese live here the year ’round–there’s plenty of food in the local ponds and yup, some folks feed them.
Watchful
I didn’t see much of the local deer over the winter, but at least one stopped by to chomp one of my shrubs to bits. I saw this watchful gazer along one of the bike trails.
Winter guests
Pretty sure these are black ducks, which weren’t supposed to be in this area at this time of year. But they sometimes settle in with mallards, which also occupy local ponds through the winter. They’re about the same size, and occasionally interbreed. The pair I saw stayed in the water or on the ground, so I didn’t get a chance to see the purplish secondary feathers on the wings. What a lovely color.
A welcome sign of spring
The bloodroot are finally opening along the wooded trails. They’re a few weeks later than last year thanks to the chill. One of my favorite woodland flowers.