We came off the Wolf River exhilarated with the warm day's adventures. We didn't want to go home just yet, so we drove to the Navarino Nature Center which is north of Highway 156. McDonald Road runs through the area. It is a swamp with big swatches of water.
Almost immediately we found common goldeneyes near the road, but we wanted to get a better look so we parked and walked into a viewing area built years ago by an Eagle Scout. From there, using our binoculars we could zero in on the various water fowl.
Across the water, we could see the "seven swans a-swimming" of Christmas fame. Closer were lesser scaup and to my delight, a hooded merganser.
He is one of my favorites. Later in the summer, his hood is smoothed back, but in the spring, he puts on his Easter bonnet to charm the ladies.
The usual Canada geese, red-winged blackbirds and sandhill cranes were there, too, plus some sleepy muskrats checking out their huts for spring repairs.
Next we went off of Van Patten Road near Shiocton to see more birds. The gnats have risen and with that the first tree swallows made their appearance, too.
All of the birds we've been seeing arrived at least a week earlier than last year. We'll keep on checking to see what's happening. With warm weather continuing, we may even get out on the river again next week.
******
Be sure to check out "Stroke, Stroke, Breathe" by Wade Peterson at Black Coffee Fiction http://blackcoffeefiction.blogspot.com
Almost immediately we found common goldeneyes near the road, but we wanted to get a better look so we parked and walked into a viewing area built years ago by an Eagle Scout. From there, using our binoculars we could zero in on the various water fowl.
He is one of my favorites. Later in the summer, his hood is smoothed back, but in the spring, he puts on his Easter bonnet to charm the ladies.
The usual Canada geese, red-winged blackbirds and sandhill cranes were there, too, plus some sleepy muskrats checking out their huts for spring repairs.
Next we went off of Van Patten Road near Shiocton to see more birds. The gnats have risen and with that the first tree swallows made their appearance, too.
All of the birds we've been seeing arrived at least a week earlier than last year. We'll keep on checking to see what's happening. With warm weather continuing, we may even get out on the river again next week.
******
Be sure to check out "Stroke, Stroke, Breathe" by Wade Peterson at Black Coffee Fiction http://blackcoffeefiction.blogspot.com
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