The Goslings are Here

This pair of Canada Geese had way too many goslings for just one pair, but maybe they were gosling sitting while the moms went out for Mother’s Day.  I couldn’t get them all in one picture, but can count about 15 in one of these pictures – so there were certainly at least 25 here.   I was too busy taking pictures to stop and count at the time. They are sure adorable!

Canada Goose and Goslings

Canada Geese and Goslings

Goslings

These pictures were taken when I took a quick trip to the Assiniboine Park Zoo on the weekend on a beautiful sunny day.  These are wild geese, but they sure seem to like to visit and breed at the zoo.    I guess it is a perfect place for them – no predators.   I stood still and they walked right past me without any concern.

House Sparrow

Chester and I only found 1 Canada Goose on our walk along the Red River yesterday morning.  But, when we returned to our yard, there was a House Sparrow chirping away in the plum tree in the back yard.  I’ve never really taken a picture of a House Sparrow, so I snapped a couple.  He was quite cooperative.

Chester has now reached 6 weeks from his last seizure.  His blood test will be later this morning and I am sure hoping the levels have stabilized.   He is a happy dog who loves his toys and his blanket.

Ok – I have one picture of a Canada Goose and 3 pictures of the sparrow. 

Canada Goose April 25

House Sparrow April 25

House Sparrow April 25

House Sparrow April 25

So far on Africam today, we have seen, Elephant, Waterbuck, Martial Eagle, Nyala, Blacksmith Lapwing, Impala, Wildebeest, Hadeda Ibis, Kudu, Cape Turtle Dove, Side-striped Jackal.  Click here to see all of the pictures from the 26th.

Highs, Lows, Gulls, Geese and Beavers

This high is that my flight is now booked for Africa. 

The low is that Chester had another seizure.     It had been almost 4 weeks since his lat seizure and I was beginning to relax.

On our walk yesterday, we saw Gulls, Geese and Beavers.  Everything was a long way off though, but through the magic of zoom and crop we can see them fairly well.

Gulls Nov 5

Gulls Nov 5

Canada Geese Nov 5

Beaver Nov 5

This is the beaver zoomed and below is the beaver cropped.

Beaver Nov 5

At first I was looking at this picture and thinking that he was swimming on his back, but then I realized that he had a log with him.  It is V shaped log.  I think the beavers have decided to build another lodge on the far side of the river and are moving their materials across there.  I saw 2 beavers again, but they were too far away to get a real clear picture of either one and the 2nd one was behind enough branches that I couldn’t even get a 1/2 good picture of it.

One gull decided to take pity on me and fly closer, so I end with a better gull picture.

Gull Nov 5

The flights to and from Africa take 4 planes each way.  Winnipeg to Toronto to Frankfurt to Johannesburg to Nelspruit going there and arriving 2 days after I leave.  The return trip is Hoedspruit to Johannesburg to Frankfurt to Toronto to Winnipeg, again arriving 2 days after leaving.  Total flight time going is 22 hours with 14 hours in assorted airports.  Total flight time returning is 22 1/2 hours with 12 hours in assorted airports.  The time in Africa is 7 hours ahead of our time.  Actually, these calculations were done when my brain is a little foggy, I may look the times over again later to confirm.

So far on Africam today, we have seen Cape Buffalo, Terrapin, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, African Spoonbill, Egyptian Goose, Nyala, Baboons, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, White-tailed Mongoose and Common Duiker.  Click here to see all of today’s pictures.

Birds, Birds, Birds

Everywhere I looked on our walk along the Red River and even away from the river, I saw birds.  A lot of ducks, but other birds too.  It was 12C when Chester and I set out on our walk.  We took a little detour along the way – to check out a bird (of course).   

After the walk, I get home to see scaffolding going up at the block across the street again.  I think this block is in its 3rd year of fix-up now.  Wonder if it will ever be finished.  I don’t know if it sold and someone new is now working on it or if the original owners finally got their act together and got things started up again.

3 Mallards and a Wood Duck

I think these are Mallards

I have to see the mom with them when they are young, to know for sure, but I know both the Wood  Duck and the Mallard have similar sized babies now.

Wood Ducks

Mallard

Crow

Mystery Bird

Have to have a mystery bird in the bunch.  I don’t know if s(he) is a Kestrel, Falcon or Hawk of some kind.  I also don’t know if this is a good enough picture to be able to tell for sure.  This bird is the reason for my little detour.  After I took this picture, I walked to the end of the block and then walked back down the lane in the hopes of getting a picture of the front of the bird – but by the time I got back to this house, there was no sign of it.  I did see it flying a few minutes later, but it was very quick and no chance of getting a picture.

Barry from Africam has ID’d this bird as a Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk.  Thanks Barry.

So far today on Africam, we have seen Kudu, Warthog, Waterbuck, Elephants, Nyala and more, and since this is about birds today, I’ll list some of the birds too – Egyptian Geese, Hammerkop, Black Eagle (the chick is getting big) and Osprey.  Click here to see today’s pictures.

This and That

It was 14C this morning when Chester and I went for our walk along the Red River.  The sky to the east was a friendly blue and the sky to the west was threatening.  I didn’t think I saw any birds until I looked at one of the pictures I took and I didn’t see any beavers (even in my pictures).

Sky to the East July 11

Sky to the West July 11

Since the sun is coming up in the East (obviously), the sun shining on the dark clouds to the West brighten it up quite a bit.

A rower was going past my big tree just as I took this picture (the water is still very high) and when I looked at the picture, I saw several Canada Geese along the riverbank too.

Tree, Rower and Geese

July 11 Lilies

Back in the yard, we have the last of the lilies and a bunny in hiding.

July 11 Bunny

On Africam today, we have seen Elephants, Giraffes, Hippo, Baboons, Waterbuck, Nyala, Impala and more  Click here to see today’s pictures.

Goosey Day

It was 22C already this morning when Chester and I walked along the Red River.  They are still saying 33C – followed by thunder showers tonight.  It has gone for long enough without rain now (finally) for the ground to actually dry out, so some rain would be appreciated.

Today, we saw 2 Canada Goose families and I also took a closer picture of the pile of sticks that may (or may not) be the beaver’s lodge.

Beaver Lodge?

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

On Africam today we have seen Elephant, Duiker, Vervet Monkey, Impala, Squirrel, Zebra and much more.  Click here to see today’s pictures.

Geese and Stuff

Chester and I had our walk much later than usual today because I had an early start to work – only not actually AT work.  I had a training session at the Workplace Safety and Health office, which started 2 hours before I normally start work – and it was about the same distance from home as my normal workplace.  I had originally decided I would walk there because parking downtown is very expensive and the bus that would take me closest just wasn’t timed right for me  – but it was pouring rain in the morning.    I thought about it and finally decided that I probably wouldn’t melt in the rain and I walked there anyway.

The session was called “Investigating Workplace Incidents” .  I found out that injuries at work are called incidents instead of accidents, because incidents are preventable whereas accidents are not and almost all injuries in workplaces are preventable.   It was a very interesting course and I now have to make a report to the rest of the Workplace Safety and Health committee at our next meeting.

So, I walked all the way there in the rain and then walked all the way home after the rain finally ended and then took Chester for a walk along the Red River.  Again, I found 2 different birds with several of one and only one of the other, but different birds from yesterday.

We have a couple of Canada Goose families lounging on the river bank and they weren’t concerned about us at all, which really surprised me.  They knew we were there, but chose to ignore us.  I don’t know if the babies are still called goslings when they get this big or not.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

Our sparrow for the day is the Song Sparrow – again, the name is made possible by my bird book that has been recently discovered. 

Song Sparrow

Then he very conveniently gave me a slightly different view to help in identification. 

Song Sparrow

On Africam today, we have seen Elephants, Nyala, Wildebeest, Zebra, Duiker, Rhinos and a great selection of different birds.  Click here to see today’s pictures.

Tracking the Beaver (and Geese)

It was 15 C and partly cloudy when Chester and I went walking along the Red River this morning.  We are not expecting any rain for today or tomorrow, so I’m hoping they are right – but hope they are wrong about the rain on Saturday and Sunday.  It would be wonderful to have the ground dry for a few days.

When we go for our walks, there is no way to know what we are going to see, or if we are going to see anything at all. The first part of the walk, there was nothing, except the river and the sky – we didn’t even hear any birds singing.  Then we got to the bush area, where a few days ago I finally got a picture of the beaver I had been trying to find.  Today, I looked closely at the spot where I last saw him and it sure looks to me as if he is building a lodge there.  What do you think?

Beaver Lodge?

I’ll be able to keep an eye on this spot to see if more branches are added.  I fear that he is just wasting his time here though because the river is still very high now and by the time it gets down to the summer levels, this home is going to be high and dry. Summer will be 1/2 over by the time it gets down to summer levels – unless of course, we don’t actually get summer and then I have no idea when it will get to that level.

I barely stepped away from the beaver lodge when I saw some Canada Geese swimming from across the river.

Canada Goose and Goslings

First came the one goose with 2 little goslings and then a much larger family with much larger goslings.

Canada Geese and Goslings

My late blooming lilac is now blooming 

Lilac June 16

On Africam today we have seen Hyaenas, Zebras, Elephants, Nyalas, Kudu, Warthogs and much more.  Birds seen include Woolly-necked Storks, Egyptian Geese, Fork Tailed Drongo, Oxpecker and Helmeted Guineafowl.  Click here to see all of today’s pictures so far.

Its a Beautiful Day (so far)

It was 18C when Chester and I went for our walk along the Red River and it is now 20C when we got home.  The sun is shining, there is a light wind and it is beautiful out.  The temperature is supposed to go up 2 more degrees to a comfortable 22C and it is not supposed to rain (but that’s what they said yesterday too).

We didn’t have to go far to find our first critter this morning.  A little bunny stayed still in the neighbour’s yard long enough for a picture.  He knew Chester was watching him, but he also knew there was a fence between him and us.

Bunny next door June 3

I could hear geese as we approached the river and as soon as I could see, I saw about 15-20 Canada Geese swimming fairly close to us.  I opened the camera right away, but they started taking off before I had it up and ready.  I did get 2 pictures that aren’t too bad as they flew away.

Canada Geese June 3

Canada Geese June 3

I had only taken a few steps along the river when 2 Mallard Ducks left the bank for a swim.

Mallard Duck June 3

Mallard Duck June 3

I love living close to the river – you really never know what you are going to see.

On Africam today, we have seen Lions, two of the big tusker Elephants (Induna and Isilo), Warthogs, an adorable baby Zebra, Waterbucks, Baboons and much more.  Click here to check out today’s pictures.

Something Different

By something different, I mean we didn’t walk along the Red River today.    It is cold (3C and feels like -2C) and drizzling and windy but we went to Birds Hill Park – just north of the city in the hopes of finding deer.  Also, yesterday afternoon, we drove back to Lockport in case any pelicans showed up.

So – today we have no pictures of ducks, but we have pictures of the Red River at Lockport and we have pictures of pelicans and deer.    So – that’s different – right?

So, we have yesterday’s pelican pictures first.  There were only 2 of them out there – but that is 2 more than there were on my last trip 

Pelicans at Lockport May 12th

Pelicans at Lockport May 12th

Canada Goose at Lockport May 12th

OK – so the Canada Goose isn’t really different – but he was on the Red River at Lockport instead of Winnipeg.

Then late this morning, Chester and I headed to Birds Hill Park.  The Provincial Parks have free entry this year.  I think they did last year too, but I haven’t been out here for years.   Chester and I got out to stretch our legs at an open area.  He was on a 12 foot leash and used every bit of it to race around.  I used to have a 25 foot leash for Dakota years ago, and that would have been good to have.  To get the 12 foot leash, I just attached 2 – 6 foot leashes together.   While out in the field, I saw deer dropping and what I’m pretty sure was bear droppings.  After I got back here, I realized I should have taken a picture of what was probably bear droppings and I could have checked it out and known for sure.    I’m going to pick a nicer day and go back there – maybe earlier in the morning on my next weekend.

I saw 2 deer, but only got a few pictures of one of them. 

Deer May 13th

Deer May 13th

Deer May 13th

Deer May 13th

I’m guessing that the reddish spot on her side is where she has started to shed her winter coat and is showing her nice summer coat there.

Well, its not nice enough to plant my flowers outside, so I guess I get a bit more viewing time at Africam today.  If you would like to see today’s pictures, you can click here.