Drama in the Park!

This has been a very long winter.  And so much snow!!!  I have visited Yoctangee Park often to see how the ducks are doing and if there are any new visitors...This has been an exciting time in the park.  When you stop, you always know the regulars from the visitors!  The regulars come running to your car, they are hungry and hope you brought something to eat!

There has been a great variety of ducks stop at the park lake.

First there are always Mallards in the park.  They are so pretty...

Then the Great Blue Heron was in the Park...

This American Coot has been hanging around for a while.  I think he got lost last year and just stayed.

I have seen the Wood Duck in the park many times...Here he is looking for food..

In these next two pictures, you can see the ducks on the other side of the lake...these are the visitors....and such beautiful visitors they are!

A couple more regulars....

This couple I have seen for a couple of years now.  I would love for them to have babies this year!









And the large Geese.....

Now for the visitors......
                                            Bufflehead, a diving duck, and breeds in Canada.

These are Redhead and Canvasback (the one with the white feathers)








                                      Canvasback, diving duck and  breeds in Canada.

                                        Redhead, a diving duck, breeds in Canada.

Breeding male, Hooded Merganser and companion.... ...his crest is down. He breeds in Canada.

Another picture and the Hooded Merganser in the middle right still has his crest up a little.

Ring-necked Duck, a diving duck and breeds in Canada.

These migrating ducks are headed to their breeding grounds in Canada, some all the way up to Alaska.
While I was enjoying watching them and getting frustrated when I focused in on one and then it would dive and my picture was of water!   LOL  

Of course I can't forget the Swans....When I got to the park I noticed a pair under the bridge.

They were enjoying being alone and having the little space all to themselves.  I didn't really think anything about it at the time... I saw two single swans.  What I mean is they didn't act like they were a couple...and then I saw the other couple....

So beautiful, so serene or at least I thought so!

All of a sudden the geese started making noise and this is what I watched...The one swan chasing one of the single swans away...It was very exciting and scary!

Now I understood why the others were under the bridge....territory!  Once the swan was chased to the other side...all went back to normal and the geese got quite and I was given the picture pose .

Looks like we will have two nesting Swans this year....a couple of years ago we did...one on one side of the bridge and the other on the other side....should be an interesting spring.  I don't know if the 2 single swans will stay...they may go off in search of their mate....
As I turned to go back to my car...I got the Swans ... Cob (male) Pen (female) ...both with their heads under water....

I thought this was such a beautiful scene...I really enjoy our city Park and hope you all enjoy me telling about it....

Here is is almost the middle of March and I am getting itchy feet to get some warm weather so I can head out to find wildflowers and migrating birds and such.....

So while I daydream of spring and summer....I hope to be back soon with an update!