It had just stopped raining when I arrived at Aquarena today. A Gadwall was feeding on the left side of the entrance to the boardwalk. I was happy to have seen it this early in the morning. I stopped and stood inside the covered boardwalk entrance to observe the bird. However, the duck sensed my presence and flew toward the Great Blue Heron’s territory. It was the first time for me to have seen the Gadwall near the boardwalk. They are shy and rarely venture near the feeding place or boardwalk. They usually stay close to the Great Blue Heron’s territory and feed on the other side of the wetlands, as well as along the hillside.
A Great Blue Heron was hunting in the feeding place. I thought that it was the same mother that I saw in its territory yesterday morning.
I was glad to see the morning procession of the American Coots! It occurred a little later than it usually does, so when I finally saw them I was glad to find that they were alright. After hunting at the feeding place together for a while, one swam in circles around a large opening in the Algae on the surface of the water. There seemed to be more of these openings this morning than there have been lately. I am glad that it seems to provide better hunting areas for the aquatic birds, plus I can now see the more of the underwater activities that are taking place.
When the Gadwall saw the American Coots it swam near them and started hunting. I looked around the wetlands and realized that it was alone. Gadwalls usually stay in pairs or in larger groups. I was glad that it could share the area with the American Coots.
The mother goose had decided to take a rest on the dry cobble stone in front of the Landing, instead of on the wet grass, as she had been doing the last few days. Her young followed her, but the father goose chose to stay on the grass under the light post. All three geese then took an early morning nap.
I was surprised to see two Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons standing on the barrier near the biological research site. Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons are solitary birds, and this was my first time to see two standing together, side by side. The both birds were facing the water and resting, looking as if they were full. I walked a little closer and was surprised to discover that it was the older and younger one dot Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons that I often see during my visits to the wetlands. Suddenly, the younger bird walked a couple feet toward the end of the barrier, and the older one followed. They both returned to resting while facing the lake. A few moments later, the younger one walked a couple more steps, as if it was following the movement of a crayfish. The older one followed closely behind. Then, they both stood side-by-side for quite a while. I was glad to see that the two were politely sharing the barrier with the each other while hunting.
The lower branches of the Century Plant have turned a darker brown, shrunken, and dried up. The tall pistils on the upper layers are still attracting several bees. Again, I did not see the Blue-Throated Hummingbird this morning, and wondered if the reduced production of honey might be the reason why.
Mr. Aaron Wallendorf, the lake manager, was on the way to clean the bottom of the lake with another diver, as usual. I enjoy visiting the beautiful lake and wetlands, but have realized that behind the scenes, many people are working hard to keep the lake and the wetlands in a healthy condition. I appreciate their dedication to preserving and protecting Spring Lake.
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