Duck Duck GOOSE!

On our most recent visit to Mud Lake, DW and I saw and heard so many varieties of birds—more than we had ever heard on any previous walk through this wooded wonderland.

DW has a new app on her phone that can listen to a birdsong, or several birdsongs, and come up with a list of what it hears. On this walk, we heard, cardinals, red wing blackbirds, and the usual suspects, but the app also detected warbling bireos, yellow warblers, and possibly an American redstart, though we didn't actually see it so can't confirm.

The app also provides pictures of the birds it thinks it detects.

We also almost always see ducks: mallards and wood ducks. And while we didn't see the wood ducks, the mallards were in full attendance.

Sitting duck.

I almost stepped on a female mallard that was lying in the middle of the path.

We were also treated on this walk by a few black-crowned night herons, which we spotted on our last visit to the lake but couldn't get a clear view. This time, they were close and even flew close by.

Unfortunately, I only had my 24–70mm lens on my camera so I couldn't zoom in. I'm still waiting to see how DW did but she hasn't accessed her photos yet.

As we were crouching low, near the edge of the lake, trying to get the best vantage of one of the herons, who was standing near a swimming muskrat, we noticed some Canada geese honking loudly at one another and one of them seemed to be chasing the others off, as though it was staking that part of the lake for its own.

It was strange that it was leaving the black-crowned night heron, the muskrat, and a few mallards alone.

We were focused on the heron so we didn't pay much attention to the aggressive goose. Though, we should have.

Eventually, the honking subsided and this part of the lake grew quiet. DW and I whispered softly to avoid spooking the heron. We both snapped away, even though I knew I was too far away form my lens.

And then, the heron took flight and passed within about 10 metres from us, or closer. I really wished I had my 70–300mm lens on me.

As we turned to watch the beautiful bird fly by, my eyes fell to something else moving in the lake. It was large and its body was low to the water's surface.

It was a goose.

Typically, Canada geese swim with their long, slender, black necks up high, but this goose had its head just above the water's surface. And it was headed directly for us, its beady black eyes fixed on us.

I've never been attacked by a goose (I've had one smack my cycling helmet as it tried to take flight and climb out of my path) and I wasn't about to let this day be the first time. DW and I backed away before it reached the shore and we continued on the path, back toward our car.

That was enough wildlife for the day.

I'll post my other photos sometime soon. Happy Tuesday!