The Smallest Things Can Fill The The Biggest Holes In Our Heart
A Bald Eagle is one of the many birds that you see on Fighting Island. This mama eagle wasn't too thrilled with me standing in a just plowed field not far from her nest but as she circled - screaching all the way I managed to get one good shot out of several. There was a young eagle not too far from the area and he did make his presence known - but as fast as he swooped in - he swooped right out again - no time for a photo. I'll get another opportunity in August and hopefully I'll have a better day. Til my next outing.
nd keep scanning the area. As I reach the gates I decide to turn around and head back down the road. I decided to park my car at the corner of Campau Rd and Pte Mouillee, set up my tripod and scope and waited. Like clockwork I suddenly hear the singing of the Indigo Bunting, now this becomes a waiting game to see when and where she will appear. Sudden up from the bushes in front of me she rises and lands on the support wires of the pole. I focus in, get my Coolpix ready and attach it to the scope. Unfortunately my tripod was not being cooperative, I needed to balance the tripod head and the scope with one hand and fire off shots without loosing it. Out of about 24 shots that I could get before she split I managed to get at least two good ones. Hung around a little longer to see if she would return but by that time the sun had set and it was time to go home. So til my next post.
Headed up to Mio for the Fourth of July weekend. I really was hoping for some interesting shots this weekend but all weekends can't turn out the way we plan or hope for. Friday started out with the vocal sounds of the Great Crested Flycatcher and kin. It really was nice seeing them still flying in and out of the bird house. The next bird on the scene was a Rose Breasted Grosbeak male, shortly followed by an immature female. That was pretty much the bird sightings for the day. Later went fishing in the Ausable where across the river were ten female Hooded Merganser frollicking in the water and then later sitting on a log close by. The sunset o the river was beautiful but unfortunately the mosquitoes were hungry and made enjoying the view a little impossble.
Saturday morning the Flycatchers were no where to be seen, in fact all of the birds were no where to be seen. A single White breasted Nuthatch sought out seed from the feeder and then disappeared. Took a ride over to the Kirkland Warbler Wildlife Refuge and drove around some of the trails. Saw the Kirland Warbler flying but of course when they landed they didn't land where you could get a photo or two. So for the time being (until next year when they do the guided tours again) I will have to settle for seeing them in flight - who knows maybe I'll get lucky. Later took the canoe down the Ausable River to do some fishing and of course there were birds everywhere and I with no camera.
Sunday brought a single Black-capped Chickadee and that was pretty much it for the day. If it wasn't for the butterflies and the chipmunks I probably wouldn't have taken a shot of anything. I had a couple of cooperative subjects and I did take full advantage of them. The two most cooperative subjects were a Red-spotted Purple and a Little Wood Satyr (to the right).
Today - June 20th I had to make a decision that has left me empty and broken hearted. Today I put my companion of 16 years to her rest. Nutmeg came to me when she was 8 weeks old. She was a little ball of orange fur whose tail was so long that when she laid down she could wrap her tail around her and still touch her butt with the tip. She would sleep along side me with my arm wrapped around her for the 16 years of her life. Her purring at night was relaxing and seem to make problems lighten so I could fall asleep. She definitely had a calming affect. She was with me through a divorce, a move into a new house. She comforted me when my mom passed away and then my dad. She has always greeted me at the door when I came home and yelled at me when her litter box needed cleaning. Nutmeg was diagnosed with Diabetes last January and needed two shots a day. She started out at one unit twice a day but in the last six months she's needed 15 units twice a day. In the past couple of months she developed problems with having a bowel movement and needed to have enimas within a month apart and an anal extraction in between. There were options to consider but to see her go through all of this just didn't seem fair and there were no promises that this would cure the problem. So with all my love and a broken heart I made the decision to put her to rest. She is now in a better place and no more discomfort. She will be missed more than anyone can ever imagine.I will always love you Nutmeg.With all my heart, Mommy
Decided to take a run up to Pte Mouillee before the big weekend and before I head up north. Thought I'd give it a shot to see if I could see the Black-necked Stilts that I was lucky to get a photo of on the 15th of June. Weather isn't looking good and there is a chance of rain but as long as it was clear for a while I thought I'd give it a look. I took the path from Sigler Road and traveled between the Vermet unit and Long Pond, thought I'd have a better chance of seeing the stilts if they were indeed out there. In Long Pond there were quite a few of Green-winged Teals and in the Vermet Unit just behind there was a Common Snipe. In the distance of the Vermet Unit there are at least 2 dozen Caspian Terns and about a half dozen Black Terns, along with Cormorants and American Coots and a number of various ducks (sorry couldn't make them out). Weather started to kick in so I decided to ride back to my vehicle and call it a day. If tomorrow is any better may I'll give it one last shot. Til my next post.
