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Thread: Today's adventure

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    40,827

    Today's adventure

    This afternoon was a nice sunny but not too hot day, so we went as we sometimes do to Broadmoor, a local Audubon Society sanctuary. We always see turtles, sometimes frogs, and earlier this summer had seen the cygnets (baby swans) when they were small grey and fluffy, with their parents standing guard. Saw some ducks and some frogs.

    Today Paul got some great pictures, the swans are considered an invasive species and so are not beloved by the Audubon folks. We watched them eat the algae and small plants for a while, then they all lined up to change spots -- it was neat how they just naturally all fell into line!

    Papa is in the lead, and the fourth cygnet then mama are just out of the frame:


    It's amazing how big they are, but they are still dark grey.

    There were a couple very small painted turtles sunning themselves, here's Paul's best shot of one



    And the biggest delight was seeing a Great Blue Heron - it was pretty far from us, way out in the middle of the marshy area, so I think this shot came out extremely well ...



    And just a few others of it ...

    I've Been Frosted

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Santa Paula, CA
    Posts
    27,648
    Great pictures. Thanks for sharing these with us.

  3. #3
    Nice pics! I love turtles!
    http://petoftheday.com/talk/signaturepics/sigpic9646_1.gif
    Forever in my heart...
    Casey.Ginger.Corey.Mandy.Sassy
    Lacey.Angel.Missy.Jake.Layla

  4. #4
    We have a great blue who hangs around the pond on occasion. Haven't seen any turtles lately, though.

    That reminds me, I have to get some tree wrap to protect our apple trees from the deer this winter.
    The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Northern cyberspace
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    1,967
    Good shots, I had no idea swans were considered invasive, we don't have any over here. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
    Asiel

    I've been frosted--- thank you Cassie'smom

    I've been Boo'd----

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    11,191
    Great shots, Karen and Paul!! I love these pictures. I can never capture pics of a Great Blue Heron, so kudos to you for getting that shot, Paul!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2000
    Location
    New Jersey
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    596
    Enjoyed looking at these beautiful photo's Kare,, I love seeing animals or birds that we just don't see every day.


    "Happy is the home with at least one cat" - Italian Proverb

    Every life should have nine cats. – Anonymous

    "I've been frosted."

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Illinois, USA
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    Wow, I didn't know swans could be considered invasive. There is a park across the street from where I work. It has a pond, and a pair of swans were brought there to help dissuade too many Canada geese from sticking around. These are terrific pictures! I hardly ever get to see a turtle in person.
    Praying for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine, and around the world.

    I've been Boo'd ... right off the stage!

    Aaahh, I have been defrosted! Thank you, Bonny and Asiel!
    Brrrr, I've been Frosted! Thank you, Asiel and Pomtzu!


    "That's the power of kittens (and puppies too, of course): They can reduce us to quivering masses of Jell-O in about two seconds flat and make us like it. Good thing they don't have opposable thumbs or they'd surely have taken over the world by now." -- Paul Lukas

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    trenton, new jersey
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    7,867
    What a beautiful place! I had no idea that swans are considered invasive! Around here, that's the general opinion of Canada Geese. Love the turtle! It made me think back to high school, one summer I got to babysit the turtles from the biology lab. Great pictures, Paul.
    FIND A PURPOSE IN LIFE.....BE A BAD EXAMPLE

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    Swans are not native to North America, but to Europe and Russia specifically. Think Swan Lake!

    Here they were imported for their beauty, but in some places they can be destructive of underwater plants that native species prefer. The Canadian Geese are also getting to be a problem, numbers-wise in some places, and have extended their range further south than it traditionally existed. Swans, funny enough, have been brought in in some places to cut down on the number of Canadian Geese, as swans are monogamous and very territorial, unlike the geese who can hang about in ever-increasing flocks.

    Paul is by far the most patient photographer ever, so gets better wildlife pictures! My camera batteries were dead, so I didn't take any that day!
    I've Been Frosted

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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    4,789
    Fabulous pics Paul. Thank you Karen for sharing them.
    Gayle - self proclaimed Queen of Poop
    Mommy to: Cali (14 year old kitten)
    (RB furbabies: Rascal RB 10/11/03 (ferret), Sami RB 24/02/04 (dog), Trouble RB 10/08/05 (ferret), Miko RB 20/01/06 (ferret) and Sebastian RB 12/12/06(ferret), Sasha RB 17/10/09 (border collie cross), Diego RB 04/12/21

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
    Posts
    20,163
    Oh, what a lovely day.. and what beautiful photographs of so many beautiful creatures! Thank you, Karen and Paul!

    I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
    Death thought about it.
    CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

    -- Terry Pratchett (1948—2015), Sourcery

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Methuen, MA; USA
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    17,105
    Great photos! I've not heard of Broadmoor before.

    Some turtles feed on the cynets when they are very small. We have the turtles, Canadian geese, ducks, swans and herons at Turner Reservoir (where I walk the dogs at Bridgham Farm). I hate going in Spring as you see 9 cygnets and then there are only 8 . . . . I know it is Nature, but it makes me sad.

    Did not know swans will move the geese out; that hasn't occurred at the Reservoir, lol, they all seem to co exist.
    .

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Michigan
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    11,191
    I can vouge that Swans are very territorial and just plain nasty. I interned at a wildlife refuge last summer and was attacked by a Swan every other day walking into the building.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Westchester Cty, NY
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    8,738
    At one of my old jobs we had a pair of swans in the pond; they always lost their cygnets to the snapping turtles who also made that pond their home.

    Great pics!
    I've been finally defrosted by cassiesmom!
    "Not my circus, not my monkeys!"-Polish proverb

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