Woodies return

Couldn't decide if I should post here, or on my other blog, but finally landed here because I haven't posted for awhile. We've had alarmingly warm weather here in Maine, so the ice on the pond melted very fast, the peepers and wood frogs are going crazy, and the turtles are elbowing each other on the log to soak up the sun. This morning, the wood ducks returned. I love them--they look hand-painted. Very skittish, though, so I have to photograph them through the glass door 60 feet away. There were three drakes and two hens. At one point they flushed, and the hen flew up in a tree.

Last year we had a nesting pair, and thirteen ducklings arrived! Might these be returning woodies? I do hope they stick around and nest again!

From SCOOT! published by Greenwillow Books, 2008.

Pond Babies!

Just in time for the release date of Pond Babies:

The wood duck ducklings have hatched on Frog Song Pond! Mama and the kids are rather camera-shy, but here's a glimpse of them shot from a distance. There are at least a dozen--maybe 13. We are thrilled to see them! In the fifteen years we've lived on this pond, this is a first. Many mallard duckling fleets have been raised here, along with a couple of Merganser families, but the elusive wood ducks usually only drop by for a few days. Please wish them well!

UPDATE: Just added another photo, taken by the dock this morning!

Spring, spring, SPRING!

In case anyone has wondered why our pond is called Frog Song Pond, listen to the wood frogs in this short video. These chatterers are Spring's first arrivals, followed very closely by the peepers. I'll try to get a recording of them next. The pond is FULL of frogs right now! Here are two up close. And all those little shiny spots on the photo with the turtle in the middle? FROGS! Hundreds of them! While walking around the pond this afternoon, a sudden whistling and a flash of flushing feathers caught my attention. Five drake wood ducks! Here's a glimpse of the one that remained on the water--the rest sprung into the sky. Isn't he gorgeous?