thegreatconnection.com - Photo Archives April 2022

12 April 2022
It took us twelve days to get away from the house. Fortunately, in the meantime, Spring had decided to make an appearance. We went to one of our favorites, the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve. This time we took a trail that we hadn't been on before and were rewarded with a bright and cheerful Robin, and a Great Blue Heron. Back at the house, for the record, I shot a Red-winged blackbird and a Common Grackle.

Photo 1 - American Robin at Vischer Ferry
Photo 2 - Blue Heron at Vischer Ferry
Photo 3 - Red-winged Blackbird at Jockey Street
Photo 4 - Grackle at Jockey Street

13 April 2022
Today was alive with the musical notes of many red-wing blackbirds as they flitted from tree to tree throughout the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve. Actually, it was quite a symphony as a chorus of frogs joined in with their usual deep croaks accompanied by a backgound of repetitive low drumbeat-like sounds. A sound that neither Tar or I had ever heard before. After being frozen in throughout the winter, it was a joy to see the Preserve coming to life again. Snake, beaver, muskrats, frogs, and various migrating ducks. Later, on April 15th, our neighbor related that she too had heard this same helicopter-like sound in the swamp across the road from us. Gail was as puzzled as we were. She had grown up in Minnesota with plenty of frogs and toads in the marsh behind their home and did not remember ever hearing this percussion sound either. Internet to the rescue! It is the advertising call of the common Northern Leopard Frog. Learn something new everyday!

Photo 1 - Tree in Marsh at Vischer Ferry
Photo 2 - Northern Water Snake
Photo 3 - Beaver
Photo 4 - Ring-necked duck
Photo 5 - Ring-necked ducks
Photo 6 - Wood ducks
Photo 7 - Blue-winged Teals

17 April 2022
A fascinating form of water fell from the sky today in the shape of snow pellets, offering another quick glimpse into one of the many manifestations of water. The winds that blew this in, also toppled a bird's nest and filled it with a few of these tapioca-like crystals.
Photo 1 - Snow pellets on Jockey Street

25 April 2022
The cowbird in photo 1 below didn't react at all when I walked out onto the deck, so I went back in, retrieved my camera and shot from a few feet away. For the goldfinch, I was lucky to catch him thru the window and this time he wasn't hiding behind a branch. The woodpecker was another wide-open shot through the kitchen window. Do enjoy these head-on stares.

Photo 1 - Brown-headed Cowbird
Photo 2 - Goldfinch
Photo 3 - Goldfinch
Photo 4 - Woodpecker

26 April 2022
A very light rain had just started when I glanced out the west window and spotted something black on the side of a dead tree in the marsh across from us. Picked up my camera and walked across the lawn but didn't cross Jockey Street. Shot a few pics through an opening of the brush on our side of the road. Was happily surprised to see it was a Pileated Woodpecker investigating the remnants of the decaying tree.

Photo 1 - Pileated Woodpecker
Photo 2 - Pileated Woodpecker

30 April 2022
What a fun way to start the day! Instead of going outside to wash the windows, I shot through them. Just after eight this morning, three birds landed in a tree south of us. Turned out to be a mama Mourning Dove with her two fledglings. So cute. Then as I was walking through the living room, a fast strutting turkey came right towards the house. I ran from window to window trying to get a shot. Fortunately, the first one captured him as shown in photo 2 below. I wonder what more will present itself throughout the day. Check back later.

Photo 1 - Mourning Doves
Photo 2 - Turkey in our yard