Birds of the Lake

The title of this blog sounds a bit like a poem but this will not be one.  Instead of telling you about our day at D's father's home where we continue to work on clearing it out for the new owner, I am going to show you some of this year's photographs taken in Vermont.

 

The first is a red-tailed hawk who posed for us on the top of a grave stone.  We weren't at the lake yet, but since we were on our way, I thought I could fudge it a little and add him.

D and I always stop in this particular cemetery where my parents are buried to plant a rosemary plant (rosemary is for remembrance).  This year as we were getting back into our car to leave, I glanced up and this glorious hawk was not more than 15 feet away from us.  Very slowly I gathered my camera, stood up (my car door was still open), and took several pictures.  What a thrill!

 

At the lake we invariably see at least one family of mergansers (a duck), but I've not looked this water bird up to find out the usual number of chicks hatched each year.  So I don't know if we see one or two families.  They swim near the shore and dive for the small fish that live and feed in among the rocks in the shallows; here is a shot of them as they made their way by one cloudy afternoon.  You can see their russet bills and matching crests (sort of like a mullet!).  Who knew birds were into color coordination!

But this photo of three mergansers looking for fish is my favorite.

 

This next picture was taken the same rainy day.  I was so excited it's a wonder I got any shots at all.  My brother and I were out on the deck taking pictures when, like a bolt from the sky, this huge bird plummeted down, grabbed a fish, and took off again.  My brother retained his calm and got some very fine shots (he is an excellent photographer and his camera is better at long range close-ups than mine), but I managed to take a few, too.

 

Here the osprey (the first one I've ever seen on this lake in the almost 30 years we've been going there!) with his catch in his talons is lifting off from the middle of the lake.

 

Now this one is another favorite.  If you click on this photo and look at the lake's surface behind the osprey, you will see where the bird dropped dropped the fish into the water.   All that effort for nothing!

 

Finally, it wouldn't be right to leave you without a photograph (or two) of my favorite sighting which really needs no introduction.

 

And another, for good measure.  Say good night , Gracie!