Wildlife at Home, the Wetlands and Lakeside Park

For a week or so now I have been aware of an unusual croaking noise coming from way up high in the trees. I had been unable to locate the owner of the croaking. And even though the sound did appear to move from tree to tree, I never saw any movement, or was that perhaps because it was one communicating with another?  Some kind of tree frog maybe, or was I possibly starting to lose my mind? I was not going crazy and I did finally catch up with the owner of the croaking noise a few days ago, more by chance than anything else. I was in position, neatly hidden in the undergrowth as I waited for a northern flicker to return to its nesting hole. And then I saw it, partially hidden, high up in the leaves of a willow tree. It possessed a really long tail that was broken with patches of white, a curved beak and a definitive line under its eye separating the colours on its head. The only bird that sprang to mind of being anything remotely like that was a bee-eater, but that was impossible....

This morning started well enough at Lakeside Park. An encounter with an endearing chipmunk who, as the weather had taken a turn for the cooler, was catching the first rays of sunlight on the chipmunks favoured log pile. My morning then took a turn for the worse, and suffice it to say that I felt the need to keep one eye on my car. I did not want to backtrack, so I decided to take the long trek along the rough path on the far side of Shoemaker Lake. From that side of the lake, I could easily keep watch over the parking area. I took the shortest route that I could, cutting across the boggy wetland now hidden by the ever taller reeds and grasses at the top edge of the lake. A route I had taken many times in the past. My mind was not focused on photography as I hurriedly stepped out from the cover of bushes and reeds, and then became instantly aware that I was being watched. I was surely heard long before I was seen as I was not being that mindful of my approach. Two eyes caught ...

I made a claim in my last post in regards to the timing of the snapping turtles nesting and the full moon. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps I was a little presumptuous in that assertion, or maybe I was correct in that it was the full moon that triggered the initial nesting. Anyway, as always it was awesome to see the snappers out and about and here is one more photo from that morning and an explanation of why I now believe I may not have been completely correct. A few mornings have come and gone since the snapping turtles left Shoemaker Lake and made their walk up the bank to nest. There were, unfortunately no more sightings of the snapping turtles since that morning. I'd taken an assortment of photos during that time: A series of shots of a great blue heron as it lifted itself clear of the lake. And also this beautiful little killdeer feeding; taking full advantage of the waterlogged ground at the base of Shoemaker Lake. Then a storm hit us on Tuesd...