Quiet Discoveries

Maisie and I must be fairly quiet, because we surprised several residents this weekend at North Shield Ponds. I don't know that we mean to be extremely quiet, but the slow strolling must just lend itself....

Lots of Red-winged Blackbirds on the move lately, many of them

sporting their Starling camo.

Our first surprised resident, this pterodactyl....er GBH. We unknowingly

shocked him from his first perch close by. He LOUDLY protested as

he found this second spot.

and he's off again!

Next, while Maisie napped, I observed from a bench. I rarely do that....(or at least I used to rarely do that...) I see different things though, when I do! (Like this Mink)

Or this Bullfrog, who we initially shocked into the water. He warily observed

us from a safe spot. (Though maybe not too safe - later on I shocked the mink,

now several feet away, apparently on the hunt for FROG.)