Catar-action and It's Triplets!

Well, cataract surgery, part one, took place this week. My friend Kate took me to the surgery and  friend Jan to the follow-up appointment after. (Rick is on a bike hike from Nashville to Tupelo, MS, on the Natchez Trace with his friend, Nino.) 

I went in my email to sort through comments on the last post (the Tornado post) and somehow I deleted all of them. Note to self. Do not go NEAR the delete button when the eye that can read a computer screen is covered by a patch. I'm sorry, gang. If you asked a significant question, ask again and otherwise, thank you so much for commenting and sharing your memories on that post.

Before the surgery, our weather took a turn for the really-terrific so I headed back to the Ditch. I was surprised and delighted to see the return of Ellie the Egret.

I've only seen her before in the fall -- never in the spring. I hope she sticks around.

She was having quite a successful day fishing -- and you can see that the fish are fairly good sized in the Ditch. 

 

Here's a better, if less attractive, view. 

Of course, one of my better informed bird friends might tell me this isn't an egret but something similar, even a weird heron! So if I'm wrong, please correct me!

I'm not sure if the unknown commenter who came by my post on the ditch is a regular reader or a new one (if you are new, welcome!) but he/she asked a question: "Is the Ditch a dedicated nature reserve?"

Yes and no. It was developed as a drainage ditch for our subdivision in an area that had been a woodland. It is pretty much entirely human-made, though it was a bit swampy and the area had plenty of trees to start with. The park itself includes five connected ponds and covers over 12 acres with a paved path circling it. One website said the path is a mile long. It doesn't feel that long to me -- I'd put it at more like half a mile.

Although it wasn't designed as a nature reserve, (it is actually a drainage ditch for the neighborhood golf course, among other things), that's how most of us think of it. On any given day, nature abounds, from waterbirds like herons, egrets and ducks, to an array of birds. Right now we're seeing a lot of red-winged black birds.

I checked in on Mother Goose on that walk. Mr. Goose was still standing guard.

He's always on patrol!

It looks as though she's finished her nest and is now sitting. We'll see goslings soon! And here's news -- it will be triplets!

How do I know this? Well, on one of my walks, I was fairly close to the geese and had started to move on. All of a sudden there was terrible squalking. I thought maybe someone got too close but no one was near, although two other geese had just flown overhead (loudly). They didn't seem to be picking on our family but whatever triggered them, BOTH mom and dad took off toward the south pond (or beyond). I took the vacancy as a moment to check out the nest. I didn't get too close and I cleared out quickly. I didn't want to be that close to an unattended nest when they turned up! But there they were -- three eggs! 

(In answer to someone's question, this is the first time they have nested by the viewing bench. Someone else asked how I knew it was Harry. For me, all herons are Harry!)

He, too, was having a good fishing day. 

I love it when he fluffs out all his feathers. He's a big guy!

Of course we have the ducks, too. Word has it that a new duck family has hatched so I'll check them out!

So, spring has come, at long last. It's not that warm and it's not always sunny or dry, but when it ticks all those boxes, you can't beat it.

Just a word of warning....

....don't mess with Mother Goose (or Papa Goose, for that matter)!

Sharing with:   Friday Face Off    /   Share Your Style   /   Saturday's Critters   /   Love Your Creativity   /  Will Blog for Comments   /   Talking About It Tuesday