Life at Boomer Lake with Deb, Monday March 17, 2014

The Wonder of the Snow Geese

Clouds of Snow Geese, numbering in the tens of thousands, is a sight that will take your breath away. They have been known to stay on ponds and marshes for a few days in order to recuperate. Then like an unspoken flash, they are on the wing once again. Join me in the beauty of the numbers, and one day, may you be so lucky to witness this yourself:

Two Whooping Cranes were shot in Louisiana last month. These are protected birds and this is a heinous crime. There is a $20,000 reward for information leading to arrests, which I sincerely hope will bring convictions. If you do not wish to go to court, I will speak on your behalf. Contact me and I will get the necessary information, as well as any proof that you might have. Also, please consider donating the reward back to wildlife. They will thank you many times over with their presence.

Have you ever wondered why huge flocks of the black birds always seem to gather? It doesn’t matter if it is starlings, blackbirds, or what have you, but I think we have all seen it. Curious?

Weather is weather, and to be honest, we have had more than enough of it this winter. Let’s face it, folks, the world has had its share of the old man, and the sooner that it blows out of here, the better. Ask anybody that you know, and they’ll tell you the same.

In the meantime, this has been a relatively good run of luck. The American Robin has been visiting regularly, and has even been taunting me from the back door, asking for nesting material and seeds. They even follow me to the lake, in hopes that I will speed things up for nesting. Seriously? Yes!

The Northern Flickers have been back as well, seeking ants. They have had to dig quite deep, but they have found them. Take a look at this portrait, and tell me if we have a happy camper here in our midst?

The Northern Cardinals are also doing their part. This beauty has been around for a few days, and has been sharing a number of beautiful poses. Unfortunately, even with a little snow in Oklahoma(yes, we DO get snow here!), I have still been unable to get a white backdrop for this gorgeous bird. Will next year be my lucky year? We’ll just have to see how that plays out.

Our wonderful Red-winged Blackbirds have been giving up an inordinate amount of striking poses. The female looks nothing like the male. Here is a classic shot of Her Ladyship. Now you can recognize her anywhere.

The American Coots have been back and forth, but I have managed to be in luck to capture a couple of good shots. This is a nice action click with a Ring-billed Gull, who actually scared the stuffing out of this coot. Gulls can be trouble to some degree, and since I saw this in person, I know that this was done deliberately.

Even the squirrels have been romping, and to me, this was a picture-perfect photo opportunity. Even those of you that think of these characters as tree rats have to admit that this is a cute pose.

The Northern Mockingbirds have been with us the entire winter. They are gearing up for nesting now, and I have heard via excellent sources that we will be inundated with them this year. I have personally seen them communicating to the rest of their neighborhood that there are yarn pieces as well as fallen nests at my place. There are two pair getting ready for spring right in the general area, and with any luck, I’ll be able to let you see a baby mocker or two this year.

Take a gander at this shot. Yes, I know that it’s a bad pun, but I’m doing my best to prepare you for what lies ahead. This was a perfect photo opportunity, and a one-shot wonder, if you want to know the truth. The Canada Geese are readying themselves for nesting, and the population has been increasing. I’m really looking forward to this year’s crop of young ones, and I know that many of you join me in those future plans.

It looks like we just might be enjoying some warmer weather and with that should be some upcoming exciting photographs for your viewing pleasure next week. So in the meantime, keep your eyes on the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding, and be gosh and begorrah, Happy St. Patrick’s Day to ye!