On many of our recent meanders around the countryside, we have been looking for birds.
Although most of the very specific searches were frustrated, we have never had a disappointing drive which was true this past Saturday.
This time we were not looking for snow geese. Our next chance of seeing them won’t be till late October or early November. A large flock of waxwings had been seen by Lake Champlain and we hoped to catch up with them, however in that regard our trip was another failure.
But never mind, there were other enjoyments…
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You can never go wrong taking a drive in the country on a fine Spring morning.
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Living in the tropics you seldom feel cold, but you are deprived of the four seasons, which to me is one of the great pleasures of life in the country.
Though in my view there are many more than four as each of the seasons could be sub-divided into three distinct stages, all equally delightful.
Currently, we are nearing the end of early Spring. Soon it will be proper Spring .
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Early Spring is high on my list of favourites but I cannot say that there is an ultimate, top favourite, because each season has wonderful aspects that cannot really be compared, as apples and oranges should not be.
The green of Spring has a special freshness that speaks of joy and renewal. I sigh when it passes, yet then comes the lushness of Summer.
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Generally speaking, I would be happy to fast forward through Summer which tends to be too buggy, noisy and hot, but old people in particular should not wish life away and I remind myself that even the season I like least holds many enjoyments.
Saturday was our first really warm day. In the afternoon as we drove home, the car grew very hot and we turned on the air conditioner . Such luxury. In the old days you opened the windows and got blown to bits.
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At Dead Creek, we stopped to see who was around but it was mostly very quiet.
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Nearby, an osprey sat in its nest which had incorporated discarded twine.
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Below the nest, the osprey’s mate was eating a recent catch.
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Then sat for some minutes preening and seeming to enjoy the bright windy morning.
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We watched from a viewing platform which was quite close but the birds paid us no attention.
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Replete, the diner remembered its mate and flew up for – changing the guard?
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Relieved, the other flew off to find its own meal.
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Leaving the replacement in charge.
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We carried on toward the wetland….
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Which had become exceptionally wet from recent rain and snow melt.
Perhaps this was the wrong time to be looking for waterfowl.
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But it was certainly right for ospreys.
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Thank you so much, Carolyn, for the beautiful landscapes with the interesting sky, a single tree, and the amusing video of the scratching of an osprey with its talons! For me, early spring is the best because the colours are so vivid and it is not too hot.
Joanna
I know I say it often on here, but I am always amazed at how little traffic you encounter. Even on the country ‘B’ roads around Norfolk, we see other cars all the time. You are so lucky to be able to capture the Ospreys, especially when feeding. I have never seen one in the wild, after 74 years.
Best wishes, Pete.
Lovely photos of the mallard and ospreys – I don’t think you should feel too bad because you didn’t see the snow geese – you had more than enough other entertainment. I also enjoyed the video – it’s amazing to see how much balance the osprey has by standing on just one leg while the wind blew.