Life at Boomer Lake with Deb, Sunday November 25, 2012

The Southern Cove has nearly disappeared for lack of rain. All that is left is just a little more than a mud puddle, and the only one visiting now is the Great Blue Heron. He got a very small fish from it, so there is still a bit of food, but there cannot be much more. I don't think any water will be left in a couple of days in the cove.

Yesterday, over the heron’s head was the Krider’s red-tail and to his right was a Cooper’s Hawk. They were watching a couple of Mourning Doves. The funny thing was, they struck together, and one of the Mourning Doves ended up hiding in the red-tail’s original observation spot. Doves two, hawks nothing.

I found a couple of whole clams still in the water that a raccoon had been trying to retrieve, both of them rather large. I didn’t see the raccoon, but the tracks were unmistakable.

The Northern Reaches were visited again, and I got fairly good shots of both male and female Downy Woodpecker. There were a number of them in the woods, along with Carolina Chickadees, that were just to darn rapid for me to capture. Every time that I thought I had a good chance for a photo, they’d dart away just as quickly as they had come. Sooner or later, I keep telling myself!

There was a very heavy fog early Tuesday morning, so I thought that you might enjoy a shot of the lineup of Baldcypresses in fall colors. I’ve been taking every chance for photos whenever the fog comes, as it casts such an ethereal view of things. I also got a few shots of birds in the fog, too, but I will omit those this time.

When the fog lifted, I saw a Western Grebe, all by himself. He didn’t stay long, but all that matters is that it was long enough for me to get a picture. This was another first time for me to see one of these at Boomer Lake. It’s a good looking bird, don’t you think?

Here’s a couple of better photos of the Buffleheads. I observed them for a good half hour today, and you know, it certainly appears that mating rituals are occurring. Males were chasing each other away from a lone female, and there were a number of skirmishes, along with further attempts to seem to win her favor. She seemed to ignore all the males, and just continued on her merry little way. Hey, it’s her choice, so why not make them work a little?

I got a better photo of a Dark-Eyed Junco this week. Today, they kept just ahead of me as I was walking, so I never had a chance to get any more shots of them. They were being very vocal, so it was easy enough to keep their whereabouts. They were just a little too fast for me. It was a little warmer this morning, so that could have had something to do with it. Today was 42 degrees F when I went out, compared to yesterday’s brisk 30 degrees. I was so chilled yesterday, I was having trouble snapping pictures, since my fingers just didn’t want to work.

These are large shorebirds known as the Greater Yellowlegs. There were three of them together at the lake yesterday, and I was trying so hard to get all three of them in one picture. It was so cold, I was having trouble getting these pictures since my fingers didn't want to move. As you can see, I was successful. They disappeared right after I got the photo.

This is a common bird to these parts in the winter, so that foreboding time of year is nearly here. However, once the winter birds have arrived, it is an entirely different ballgame!

Now I must leave you for the week. Keep your eyes to the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding!