The Rest of the Story!!!

After our last great, free breakfast, we sat by the fireplace playing scrabble before we had to check-out and head home.

Comfy rocking chairs...and a fire that never dies...who could ask for more!  Well I did.  I know. After a great stay at Deer Creek but I wanted to end the week-end with drama and excitement!










On the way home we decided to check out Canal Rd. (one of our regular places we go).

The falls were running and it was beautiful on a pre-spring day!
Then we noticed all this movement around the falls.... Oh My!!
Could this be what I was hoping for???

It was this cute little Chickadee.  Hanging around and doing tricks for us!
What was that!

A cute Titmouse...and then some Downy Woodpeckers (who wouldn't let me take their pictures). There was this cute Nuthatch there too.

  Then there was this tiny bird flying around everywhere.  We walked down the trail tracking him trying to figure out who he was...

After checking with Birders who know....He was identified as a Golden-crowned Kinglet.  A new bird for us and excitement!  So I was feeling better about the week-end coming to a end.

Here is the Scioto from Canal Rd. Park.  Then we decided to drive by Charlie's Pond before arriving home.
Hundreds of Mallards were there and we saw a few Horned Lark.

The Horned Lark blends into the background that they are very hard to see.

In the tree was this couple, American Kestrels.  They were watching us to see what we were doing.  It was very windy that day too.  Think the wind was what kept them there long enough to get a picture.

The Male, I think.

And his bird bride... ;)




















So by now we were very happy people...so turning the car around and heading back.....What is in the field over there....????

Looks like Deer! About 6 deer and they saw us!  As I was trying to zoom in to get a good picture they decided we were too close and turned and ran away.  I love this picture of their white tails waving good-bye to us.








I had gotten my excitement and drams I was hoping for and was ready to go home......when  Oh My!  What is that? What are those dark shapes in the field?

Could it be!  Yes! It is Sandhill Cranes!  Oh My! There were 8.  

We drove around and found a closer view (not much) but I zoomed my camera in.  While the others were eating, this one looked like the lookout....then we noticed the Northern Harrier flying around over them.

He had been in a tree near by earlier...

He is looking in the Cranes direction.  

The Harrier had just flown over them.  We thought maybe he was hoping to pickup some food that the Cranes might come across.  Anyway it was a very exciting sighting and we went home happy and tired.


 And that is the rest of the story. ;)