A Wood Duck Pair

Isn't he stunning? Like tropical fish, these are the most painted of common ducks. When I was a little girl my dad had all kinds of wooden decoys on the shelves and his desk in his den. I'd seen one like this in his collection but didn't realize then that it wasn't all from the imagination of the artist.


As it often is in the animal kingdom, the female isn't as colorful. I don't know if this still picture quite captures it, but she does appear soft and feminine and pretty in person.


These two showed up at the park about a year and a half ago. Before then I had never seen one up close. At first I only saw the male but within a few months I saw her with him. I don't know if they came from somewhere to nest and she was busy with that during that time or if they met through E-Harmony and she moved to be with him...

I've read that they're the only ducks that nest in trees, near or over water. The mother hatches anywhere between 6 and 15 or more eggs, then gets on the ground and calls her babies to jump. The little ones can drop up to 290 feet and apparently be OK! Amazing isn't it? They then make their way to water.

Last spring I saw her in a sheltered little side pool where many smart mothers have their babies (it's off the beaten path -- free of people and predators -- and it's a small, quiet, shallow cove). Sticking close to her side were three gray fuzzy ducklings. I was delighted to see that they had indeed mated with success, but after a week or two I never saw the little ones again. Wood Ducks usually produce two broods a year so maybe they'll have better luck this coming spring.

A Little Snack (literally)

I got to feed this fine feathered fella his noon-time treat... a few little meeces.

I don't mean to freak anyone out, but this is what happens in the wild, part of the old food chain. Hopefully instead the focus will be curiosity in seeing an animal like this up close doing what it naturally does, something we would probably not often have a chance to see. He's not in a cage, but quite happy to sit on this perch and watch everything going on. He's a very good bird.

He came in to the wildlife rehab center hurt and was lovingly nursed back to health. Though his wing was damaged so he could not be released into the wild, he's alive and well cared for. While he doesn't spend his days in the forest, he also doesn't have to worry about predators or injury, extreme heat or cold and he never goes hungry... His meals come to him, fresh, without risk of disease. Not so bad, when I think about it...

Squeaky Beaks: West Side Story

Below is a family of what I call Squeaky Beaks (You'll know why once you hear their little sounds they make). I learned they're actually black bellied whistling ducks. I was close enough, right?

Unlike lots of waterfowl I've observed, where the mother is on her own with a brood up to 21 ducklings, these ducks seem to only have one or two... but TWO adults guard themm and fiercely. There is always an adult (orange beak) on either side of the baby (grey beak) which you'll see in the movie below. They let the baby eat while they watch the perimeters, like secret service parents. One adult may eat with the baby, but the other one always keeps watch for a threat. As a result, their population has grown to outnumber the previously dominant Muscovys at the park. And they travel in groups of 7 and 12, so the familial bond remains long after they're all grown.

Here I am throwing bread to a typical family, adolescent in the middle. A hungry party approaches, and you'll be as astonished as I was to see what happens.




Sing along with me: We're gonna have a rumble tonight!

It seems like the parents decided to try to let their offspring try it's hand at self protection for the first minute, but obviously it went too far for the adults comfort and they began to fight (I've never seen 2 birds fight, in the water on top of it). Then back up arrives, then more and more.

Amazing that the group flies in and then just before it ends you see another group of 7 or so floating in formation on the right. I've seen gangs of up to 30 (each side) fight each other. Just makes me wamt to learn more about their society. That's what's so great about taking time to be in nature. It makes you want to learn and by doing so, you GROW.

Where are The Velvet Ropes?

When we were in New Zealand we rented a little camper van and drove from the north island to the south, stopping wherever we felt like it, for 11 days. We saw a little sign on one of the many long, deserted roads. It may have even been handwritten, with alittle arrow. Well, we parked and walked a short distance and saw this...



I can't possibly describe in words just how palpable the energy created by this water was. I could FEEL the power as much as I felt the fine cool mist rising up from the spray on my cheek and eyelids.The water was the clearest I'd ever seen, sparkling, icy blue, fresh as if we'd literally happened upon Eden.

It was a magnificent experience, one that makes you want to do whatever is necessary to protect this beautiful planet. It looks amazing in the pic above but you have no iea how big it really was. To give you a better idea, here's a picture I took of my husband, standing in the same place as I was.



My husband joked (though he's right) that in America this would be roped off basically as far back as the street and we'd only be able to view it through a thick plexiglass wall. Not far from the truth. We're such a litigious society, we can't let people do things due to the small percent of the population who'd do something stoopid of their own free will then sue for it. At least in NZ, you're allowed to stay safe or mess up according to your own level... Natural selection at its finest

Can you see the Blue Jay in this picture?

The one who is waiting on the branch, looking at me, wanting me to throw him or her some bread or a piece of a nut?

I've joked about feeling like Snow White when I walk in the park near my house, as all the animals come out to me and take food from my hand. When other animals are getting fed, some kind of word goes out because before long, layer upon layer of the animal kindgom shows up to get theirs. If I'm feeding ducks the geese come, then the squirrels, then Grackles, then Blue Jays and then, if I'm really lucky, the red headed woodpeckers show up. The Grackles are smart, as I wrote about HERE, and they eye you and wait for that bread and go after it. But the Blue Jays bomb dive from the branches and nab their own.


Here is a close up.
His head is tilted slightly so he can eye me... I will hold up the bit of bread (or morsel of an almond I've cracked to size with my teeth if that's all I have on me) and he will do the amazing thing of letting me know quite clearly that he sees it. I toss it in the air and he flies off the perch at the right time to get it.

I've had the rare treat of having red headed woodpeckers do this too. Woodpeckers one up the Blue Jays though.

Forced to perch parallel on a tree trunk, their beaks pointing at the tree itself, it's a trick to look at me at all. But they too fix their sights on what I hold up... but when I toss it to them, they soar off the tree, catch it in the air and sail off like a streak of lightening to land on the closest trunk with it. Once they gulp it down, they're back staring me down for another. Again, catch my offering in mid air. I was absolutely stunned when this first happened... and honestly, I'm stunned every time it does.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Beauty in The Eye of the Beholder

I love watching birds take their baths. They find water anywhere and turn it into their own personal spa. Here is a perfect example. A little grassy pool, where several grackles are at play....

But when I broaden the view you'll find it's actually roadside ditch, astride broken pavement and wire fencing. What you don't see is that this area is under a bunch of toxic electrical wires and across the road is a recycling plant filled with overflowing dumpsters...

The secret to life is to find the beauty and screen out the rest when you can.

Dainty-poo

On the streets of New York, the police do their job by car, on foot, via bicycle and helicopter... and on horseback. Adding to the endless paradoxes found in this city, on occasion one sees, smells or steps in things that one would expect in a farm field but certainly not in a wildly opposite place like the neon and LED laden Times Square.

What drew me to take this pic was not so much that, but the subtler contrast of these dainty stances among the muck.

Never in my life have I seen a hedgehog. Have you?

On my morning feeding/cleaning rounds at the Wildlife Rehab Center, the last thing left was a glass tank covered entirely with a sheet, with a sign saying "Hedgehog -- Wear gloves!" Rather ominous compared to 19 darling, tweeting baby ducklings.

I put on thick gloves and advanced with trepidation, having no idea what I would find. Gingerly I lifted the lid, and saw a large lump under a roll of newspapers, covered with a navy hand- towel. I had no idea where to grab if I were to pick it up, so I started by slowly sliding the towel, pulling by it's furthest end. The thing burrowed beneath the papers started making a low, constant hissing type of noise like some kind of alien. I didn't know if it would have fangs or lash out to bite me or have long claws...

You gotta to be tough if you're going to mess with the animal kingdom, so I figured I'd pick up the papers with him in it, deliver the whole thing to the temporary tank and then see what I had... which I managed to do. I whipped off the papers and this was what I saw.


A white spiky ball, slighlty quivering. I didn't even know if this was IT -- it looked like some kind of spiny, poisonous sea urchin --or if this was it's back. IF it had a head or anything else, I had no idea where to look. I stood there for about 45 seconds, perplexed and suddenly, slowly the thing began to unfold.



The lady that runs the rehab place came over, having no idea I was in the dark and said, now how did he get stuck on his back. Looking at the footage now, I guess he was stuck, and his little motions were not just part of coming out of the ball, but to turn himself over.

Later, I saw him in his relaxes state, still like nothing I've ever seen but with a face, feet apparent and up right, doing something cute.



Hey, I'd never seen a opossum before last month either. It's funny how out of place a city girl can feel.

The Tell Tale Tongue

As I wrote about HERE, and HERE, owls fascinate me, and I'm quite certain I'm not alone in that. The other day the head of the wildlife rehab shocked me when she told me I could pet the owl. This is one that is used for educational purposes, so getting used to different people is part of his or her life (She said you generally can't tell if owls and hawks and such are male or female -- unless there is a major size difference -- without it being determined surgically. Females would possibly be bigger, to better cover and protect her nest).


Anyway she told me to scratch with my nails behind the head, as owls do that to each other. She also scratches them under the wings. I tried these as you will see below. He got something in his eye when we brought him over to the perch, some feather fluff or something, so he keeps it closed. Would not do that normally. Too bad, as you can see from one eye how intense it would be if (s)he had both open!


This was the second time I did it. The first time, the owl's mouth was open a little, but the tongue was not so obvious. This time I didn't feel right when that was happening, so I tried a few calmer strokes and wrapped it up quickly. Didn't want to upset the bird. I'm just now wondering if my holding the little silver camera was the problem. Maybe it looks like something a vet would use!

Getting the chance to see these birds without a cage and up close is a magnificent thrill. To touch one was utterly surreal.I can't get over how lucky I am. My life has been enriched beyond measure to be able to be near, help, love and share the world with all of these animals.

This is my 108th post. 108 is a significant number in many spiritual teachings. Since I missed my hundredth, I thought the 108th would be something to mention. One hundred and eight stories about animals. I look forward to ten times more.

This morning I arrived at the WIldlife Rehab center to find someone had brought in 19 baby ducks. While I've known them to be quite afraid of people, I was surprised to see all of them running right up to me. It was time for fresh food and water... but not before I cleaned out their lodgings.

Once I got all their tanks clean with fresh newspaper down and a soft towel covering half of it, I put in shallow dishes of chick feed and water and put the babies back in. They came running over to have a drink and their delicate little sips, and the long time that they helped the drop of water get down their throat cracked me up... Here is a little clip of that... It's the guy on the left that made me grab my camera.

And Now, A Moment of Hitchcock

I have come to love Grackles, and am amazed at their numbers in certain areas -- most notably by Kroger stores come to think of it -- when they alight in trees and on electrical lines at sunset.

At certain times of year there are flocks of some kind black birds that fly together in what looks like a dark cloud (they could be grackles but seem smaller). I will have to ask someone at the wildlife center or the zoo who knows what they are and what the cause for this pattern is. The cloud morphs in front of your eyes as the birds change direction in unison. A few days ago I saw a group who had come to rest and had to pull over and shoot it. I bought a fancy high def movie camera but so far only shoot the little movies you see here with my digital camera...



I love how the tight black lines criss cross against the canvas of blue and pink sky while black dots become black bodies with wings. Very arty of the gods to juxtapose such elements, to delight the souls who notice. If only there was a way for you to view these videos full screen...

For their number, the birds were relatively quiet -- much quieter than the wind and traffic. But there is a deafening chirp-fest that goes on in the trees at dusk that clearly reveals that the branches are full of birds, though it's really hard to see any. It always makes me smile, and I often stop to marvel at it. I have come to call it Grackle Happy Hour. I managed to snag an example of it for you.

Today I was driving home with frozen yogurt and went by a tree in the middle of the road where you could really hear them. I had to capture it for you. I did a U-turn, flicked my camera on and hung my arm out the window (I wasn't seeing what I got, just hoped for the best as it was about sound anyway) and drove slowly by this tree. I think I've got it (turn up the volume) and the ice cream didn't melt too badly in the process.



And notice --- you don't see ONE bird, do you???? Has anyone else observed this phenomenon?

Partial View

In New York, you often get your view blocked by crowds, trucks, other buildings... And scaffolding everywhere.

You make do. You do this so well, you start to forget there is even an obstacle there.

This kitty is a New Yorker, for sure.

Nesting

I've never before seen a squirrel in the process of building a nest. Have you?

I haven't even seen a nest until recently. After feeding so many orphans post- hurricane Ike, I started to look for where they'd been flung from during the storm. It was a bad time to look, since almost no leaf nests would have survived the 110 MPH winds, but I did see what I imagined was one.

Then I noticed that there were far more little knobby holes in tree trunks than I'd realized (I guess I thought that was something that only happened in fairie forests or animated films). I've been astonished to see little gray heads sticking out of those when I looked. What timing! That kind of crib I can understand. It has sturdy walls, and a roof to shelter babies from the elements and to stay secure and comfy once grown.

But the other option amazes me -- a large nest suspended between two frail external limbs, woven in some crazy pattern with mere twigs and leaves, done one tiny mouthful at a time. Even birds nests seem comparatively tighter and somehow glued together.

This takes great industry and dedication.

We were strolling Central Park and I was amazed that I hadn't seen one squirrel. Just as we were leaving I saw one digging in a little pile of debris by a barren bush. I watched her scamper up the nearest tree and go all the way to the top, then hop to the next tree and run all the way down to one of those twigggy nests...

Working quickly, she came back again to the patch of leaves by the bush and began to gather what she deemed to be suitable materials in her mouth. I whipped out my digital camera and caught a little bit of it.

She continued up this tree to the skinniest, top-most branches which wobbled under her feather weight, deflty skipped across again to an equally frail branch at the top of the next tree, navigated down a network of barren branches to add them to the complicated little nursery she was building.

It was so cold out, and only January 2. How could tiny, vulnerable babies survive and thrive in this kind of cold? How could twigs and leaves possibly hold in strong winds as perched here? How can a one pregnant little she-squirrel perform this arduous task? Apparently they do and it and she does.

It's all one big miracle to me!

New York Squirrels

While in NYC the first few days of the year, we were walking in Union Square where back in November I reported feeding squirrels with big thick coats and white tufts of fur behind their ears there (click here to see). Now it was really REALLY cold compared to that last visit -- about 22 degrees and I wondered if the squirrels would be out.

I only saw one on the ground, and of course, I threw him/her a nut (I always have nuts and bread in my pocket, just in case). I scanned the tree tops but didn't see much until we were at the southernmost end of the park.

High in the branches was all kinds of activity.

I noticed that someone put a little squirrel house up in a tree, and there were two crawling on top/around it. I snapped a few pictures, since they're so fast I've learned that you have to take several in hopes of getting one that's good. I didn't know until I got home and reviewed the shots that there was also one inside the house, peeking out. I laughed out loud. Hopefully you can click on the picture to enlarge it and get a better look. This is very similar to the little houses we have Boy Scouts make for us in spring and fall at the Wildlife Rehab and Education Center. That is the time we get a lot of baby squirrels who have been hurt or abandoned. It takes weeks to months of care til they get to the point where they are big enough to release into the wild, but we start them out with these kinds of houses (stuffed with their favorite soft flannel rags inside so they have some protection while making the transition.

I have some more from Central Park that I'll put up later in the week. Hope you'll stay tuned!

Animal Rescue Site -- PLEASE CLICK DAILY

Hi there my fabulous, animal loving bloggy pals.  

The New Year is a good time to start new habits and I have one to propose! I don't know if you've noticed the purple icon to the right that is for the Animal  Rescue Site. 

If you click simply it every time you come to visit my blog, then money goes towards feeing abandoned, mistreated and rescued animals.  

The site is having trouble getting enough clicks every day, so I am asking you to make it a habit whenever you come to visit.  I posted it up high so it will be easy to see and remember and DO! 

You can also download the icon to your own site (I think some of you already have it)

You can sent the link in an e-mail to 5 friends (or 10) and ask them to forward it to even a few others. 

You can add other ideas to spread the word or get into the habit in the comments area if you think of more. That would ROCK!

It is such a simple way to help the animals I know you ALL love.  Their advertisers get seen that way and then they donate amounts based on the number of hits that goes toward helping animals desperately in need. It costs you nothing and makes a big difference. Please please and please.  Thank you!