Yoctangee after the Feast and the Storm!

I hadn't gotten back down to the park until today.  My husband fell and fractured his ankle and have been taking care of him...but today I was able to sneak down to the park while out getting his medication...

The storm we had really filled the lake!

Picture of Gazebo from across the lake.....
The Park bridge......

I noticed the stones missing on the left side of the bridge...I don't know what happened...but

They are in a pile ...maybe they are getting ready to due some repairs...not sure but will update you when I find out....
This is the other side view of bridge...both sides have the stones missing....

I noticed how quite it was...no ducks on the lake...I went looking for the Swans...was wondering how they were after the Feast and Storm.  I walked over the the South nest first...the eggs were still in the nest and the poor Mallard was still sitting on her nest!

I was surprised to still see the unhatched eggs in the nest....




This was not a pretty sight!

So I went in search of the Swans and ducks!

Found these Mallards all curled up sleeping...I think they were exhausted from the Feast and the storm.

Saw this Squirrel just sitting in the grass.  She didn't move, just watched me take her picture and walk on by....

This turtle was sunning himself ....

And then I noticed something move in the mix of branches floating in the lake...look close...a baby turtle!  He looks just like the ones I use to have as a child...

Several dragonflies were flying around also....

But I still hadn't seen the Swans...the single Swan was sitting in his usual place ....

There is a new attraction in the park now!  While the Feast was going on there was a man that carved using a power saw....You've seen them...amazing...
Well there was a tree that was cut down this spring....
This is the stump in early April.....

This is what I found today!  How wonderful of the person to do this wonderful turtle out of the ugly stump!  I wish I could thank him...Would be wonderful to turn all the stumps into something so fun!

I just love this!  If you get a chance be sure to drive by and see it...The park people need to clean up around it...maybe a flower bed around him.....

Well still no Swans...I was getting worried...so I walked over to the Y where the North nest is....and there is where I found the North family....only there were just 3 babies now....

Is sad but the bigger they get the better chance they have of surviving to adulthood....

But the other Swan family was not found....If their one baby didn't make it through the Feast, the attack from the other swan or the storm.... I figured that the South Swans left.  I will double check again but I walked all around the lake....

The other ducks were just curled up resting under the trees by the lake...

It has been a stressful couple of days for wildlife in the park.....

Well it is almost June!  Hoping for warm weather! 

 I will keep my eyes open to new and exciting things to share with you.....

Till next time! Happy Summer Time!!!!!

Drama at Yoctangee!

The Feast of the Flowering Moon was this past week-end.  I was up at Lake Erie all week and got back on Friday and my daughter and her family came down on Friday for the week-end to attend the Feast.  I was excited about going down to the park to see if the South Swan pair had their babies yet.

There were a lot of people in the park and paddle boats on the lake.  I saw the North family and their 4 babies swimming.  I hurried over to see if I could see if the nest was empty...It was but I couldn't find the family.  I looked and looked and then realized they were up on the hill.....

I couldn't figure out why they were up there so close to the people???? I saw only one cygnet.  I was a upset because she had 6 eggs....People were trying to pet them and sitting by them to get pictures taken...the people  are lucky he wasn't aggressive...the Male Swan can hurt a human badly if he feels threaten and is protecting his family. The Swans are beautiful but they are wild.

I watched for a while and then found out why they were up on the hill.  The North Swan male would not let them in the water.  He was chasing them up the hill....

He was at the water edge by their nest and the people renting the boats were on that side too. There was a lot of traffic walking past that area to the boats and back.  A strange place to set up if you ask me...Walking on that ledge is dangerous.

He was going after the baby.  

Here he has the baby down on the ground.  He was shaking the baby too.

People came down the hill to chase him away from the baby.

Then he came back and this time he went after the Male of the South nest.

 Here he has chased him into the crowd and attached him.

He is going back down the hill.

 He chased her and the baby around this tree....

Got the baby again...then all of a sudden he stopped and went back into the water to his family.

 The South Swan couple were finally able to relax and destress.

I walked over to her nest and there were two unhatched eggs in the nest...Don't know what happened to the other 3?

The Mallard duck is still sitting on her nest...tucked away in the Swan's nest....

There was another Mallard duck with newly hatched babies.....

She then showed them how to jump into the water....

And they followed one at a time...so cute!

As I was walking back across the park to go home, I saw the North family swimming to the west side on the lake.  I think that all the people and boats had stressed them to the breaking point...

I hope to get down to the park very soon to see how things are...hope the new baby survived...


As soon as I get my pictures organized I will be back blogging about what a wonderful time we had at Lake Erie.....

No new babies....

I took off to the park this morning to see if the South couple had their babies hatch...no she is still sitting on the nest.....

Her mate was over to the side grooming himself...getting ready for a day of keeping the bigger ducks away from his family.....

As I was walking along the lake......

I spotted a white spot out on the lake......

                                       Hooded Merganser!

He and his mate were out there swimming around....

The male is so striking....this is his non-breeding look...when in breeding that white  crest is up and beautiful!

So I went looking for the North family and their babies......

I walked past the Single Swan...in the usually place I always see him/her in...

Then I found the North family.....

They were showing me how good they had become after their lesson the other day!

They sure have mastered how to do it....."upending or tipping up"










Then I figured Mom thought they were showing off to much and gathered them up and took them to the other side of the lake.

Looked like this was was ready for a nap....

 Mom keeping a close eye on her young ones.

Meanwhile, Papa was busy with his task of chasing the geese away......

I looked for the Mallard duck and her babies but didn't see them...but they could have been curled up somewhere and I didn't have time to go looking...on my way back to the car I did spot the American Coot who seems to like our park.....

On the left side of the Coot is something on the rocks...I couldn't figure out what it was....?????

 In this picture it looks like a turtle!  A very big one.....

If you look close you can see the foot and head....If anyone knows what kind of turtle this is let me know!

                                         American Coot.

View looking south from the bridge.....

View looking north from the bridge....

One of my favorite duck couples in the park....all snuggled up......

I am going up north and guess I will miss the birth of the other Cygnets.....sorry...but will get pictures of them when I get back and hope they survive the Feast.

Here's hoping that the weather turns warmer...and sunnier ... and visit the parks...