BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Animal Life Mr. Bald Eagle Knows When It's Time To Stay Home

I had a nice escape from home this past weekend. Spending time with my dear friend always is a pick-me-up. Now it's time to crack the whip and get real busy on two term papers for my classes.

As for wildlife, it was the usual moose, Bald Eagles, Magpies, Ravens, Redpoles, and Black-capped Chickadees spotted along the way. The eagles seemed to be getting ready for spring. They were beginning the early signs of courtship. Even though they mate for life, it doesn't mean they don't have to work on their relationship. Like us humans, if you don't spend some quality, romantic time with your spouse, the relationship suffers. Mrs. Eagle is saying, "Honey, if you don't wine and dine me, future generations may not happen." So, dear old Mr. Eagle is starting the wineing and dineing now with none of that going out with the boys. He is wisely sticking close to home and telling her that she looks good in her late winter clothes, loves the smell of decaying fish she wears, and thinks she may have lost a little weight too. I even saw one smart fellow snuggling up to the Mrs. on a gravel bar in the middle of the Kenai River. Don't know if he had brought her gifts or not, couldn't tell as I drove by. But I wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't.

Ahhhh spring time, love is in the air......

Rose

Yes, Rose, spring is in the air here in WV too. As we were nearing home late last night after our long weekend of travels, my neice (house/pet sitter) called our cell phone to let us know how things went.

She said that she thought one of the female ducks had been eaten by something when she didn't appear one morning with the other ducks. But then later in the day, she came out of the woods on the other side of the pond and her mate anxiously swam over to greet her upon her noisy appearance. So that tells me she was laying an egg somewhere on a hidden nest. (Just wish she wouldn't nest so far away from the house. Dangerous creatures lurk in the woods.) She also said she found two other duck nests along our side of the pond, with eggs in them! I haven't seen them yet, but will look once I get home from work today.

Also there were only four of the six geese on the pond today. I'm not sure which four they are, but I'm also wondering if mom and pop goose are nesting on the pond over the hill and the four left on our pond are the younger ones. I'll keep you all informed.

Spring is in the air!

Hi Lois!! Welcome home!!

On my way into work this morning, I saw a flock of geese, in *V* formation flying overhead. But I also saw a familiar sight: I saw what looked to be about 10-15 geese hanging around a small grassy parkette (small grassy open area between a bunch of apartment buildings). Some were sitting on the ground, as if nesting (but of course, they weren't!), some were drinking out of a few puddles, some were just strolling about. I used to see them there every day on my way into and home from work. I love that they're back in town! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

(as long as they don't find their way to MY lawn! <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> )

Well, I walked around the pond this afternoon when I got home from work. I found three duck nests. One had eggs, the others didn't. The eggs that I did see were the pretty pale blue color. That's the first I've ever seen that from ducks. All of our other ducks laid white eggs. I get my eggs for cooking from a teachers aide at my school that keeps chickens. They are the prettiest deep brown and green color. But I've only seen blue in small wild bird eggs.

I didn't find Blossom's nest across the pond though. I'll have to keep looking or just happen to see her come off of it one lucky morning.

Lois, I don't know much about duck eggs. Ours were always white too. Hope you find out who laid yours.

We had winter set in again for a couple of days. Not too cold, but a lot of snow.

I spent over an hour yesterday watching a little vole scurry from it's subnuvian hole under the feeder gathering seeds dropped by the birds. Today the hole is covered with snow again.

We won't really see spring for at least a month from now. It has snowed in May here before and often snows in April.

Rose

Rose, I remember winters like that when I lived at Snowshoe, WV, at 4800 feet. I would drive down 2000 feet to work and drive into green grass and daffodils and leaf buds on trees. Then I'd drive home and back up the mountain into winterland with its grayness and brownness all around. I would get so depressed sometimes. Then it would snow in late April and I'd think winter is never going to end. They have recorded snow in every month of the year at Snowshoe except August. Thank goodness it didn't snow in summer when I lived up there.

I enjoy living in the Ohio River Valley because spring comes early and fall stays late. I could do without the pollution here though.

When I was a kid my folks kept ducks.They were White Peking ducks. Their eggs were always a pale bluish/green color,larger than our chicken's eggs.
Do any of your neighbors have doemestic ducks? They will roam,and there is no telling what their preferences are! We used to go gather them up and bring them home. While we tried to do whatever we thought they wanted, they never seemed happy.

~~~ruth~~~

None of my neighbors have ducks. Our ducks are mixes of mallard mixes (does that make sense?). These have stayed pretty close to home since we got them last fall. They do occassionally wander down to the spillway stream, but that's about it. Blossom is mostly white with a few black markings. Perhaps she is part pekin and she's the one laying the blueish eggs.

I found a white egg on the other side of the pond from our house. I put it in my pocket and carried home to our fridge. It will be part of a tasty breakfast soon. I also looked in the nest that HAD the blue eggs. They are gone now. Some raccoon, or possom, had a full belly last night and slept very well.