Friday, June 4, 2010

neighborhood wonders... plus, egg update!

each and every day,
i am amazed.
just a few steps from my front door,
the wonders never cease.

~ unfurl ~

do you know what this loon-like bird is?
sometimes we see only one,
other times, two or three.
it dives underwater for about 30 seconds.
(it almost fits the description of a "scoter")

ned is always thrilled to feed the ducklings.
these almost hopped up into his lap.
can you see the size of this great blue heron??
yikes!

~ egg update ~

yes, there are two eggs.
we found egg #1 on may 10.
we found egg #2 on may 25.

after 20 days of incubation (may 30),
egg #1 showed no sign of development
(a "yolker" - an infertile egg)
and was removed from the incubator.

we found egg #3 on june 2.

egg #2 shows definitive signs of development
(i.e. very clear veining when candled).

it's too soon to tell with egg #3.

and, in case you are wondering,
i am not an egg thief.  really, truly.
each egg we have found
has been obviously abandoned -
in the regularly-mowed grass,
no nest, no other eggs, no mama.


3 comments:

Pam said...

i believe it is a cormorant...google it. and blue herons are huge! their wing span is like 6 feet! so pretty to watch them take off...love the baby ducks! xoxo

catie said...

pam ~
i think you are right!
i googled cormorant and it looks very close.
we had cormorants in california, i just thought they were an ocean bird.

Dawn said...

How lucky to have so much nature right in your own neighborhood!!

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