Be forewarned. For reasons beyond my control this is going to be a very yellow post. If you find the color yellow or its off-shooting hues to be offensive or irritating, turn back now. If thou art brave and not yellow, proceed.
It was a pretty mellow morning of birding. By funny coincidence, all of the birds I photographed on Saturday happened to be yellow. The usual bevy of Hummingbirds, Gnatcatchers, and Sparrows were no where to be found, but the yellow birds seemed more than willing to take up the slack.
To supplement the muted birding, Maria and I decided to stop by Encanto Park, where I had seen some goslings a couple weeks ago. It took a little walking, but eventually we rediscovered the brood. There were eight chicks in all, and they seemed to have a Chinese Goose mother, though there were also five Embden Geese (don't know the gender) keeping a protective watch around them.
This is the first batch of new birds I've seen this early spring, and what's not to love? These fuzzy butterballs were floating around without a care in the world (granted, that's also the way their parents float around). Even the most rabid ravenous angry crazy wolverine would think twice about eating one of these puffballs, such is their cuteness.
It'll be fun to check up on these goslings over the next few months. This sort of things cushions against the loss of the wintering ducks, and it really has me looking forward to other spring perks, like Quail chicks. It was a brief but enjoyable bit of birding, even if it was a little bit monochrome.
Oh my, those chicks are beyond cute!!! Very nicely captured as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tammy. I enjoyed your post today with the Pied-Billed Grebe chicks. I'm looking forward to the rest of your Florida spring time!
DeleteWonderful and very sweet:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy, glad it was wonderfleet.
DeleteGood thing yellow is one of my favorite colors! Who doesn't love a ball of sunshine? And those goslings are super cute. =)
ReplyDeleteIt's not Ryan Gosling...but maybe the next best thing eh?
DeleteVery lovely images Laurence!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mia
DeleteThe very definition of cuteness!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! I wish they were floating in my bathtub
DeleteI love yellow. It is so sunny and who can resist that cuteness!
ReplyDeleteNobody can! : )
DeleteI always look forward to reading your posts. It's funny how themes seem to take shape on outings.....whether it be geese day, heron day....and the lighting is tricky:) I've finally figured out the differce between the two blogs....both are really fun...Birding Is Fun is the network that you all contribute to, isn't it? Great idea. Anyhow, it's fun reading about another birder's nearby experiences. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris. I'm sure some day we'll run into each other in the field.
DeleteBirding Is Fun is a multi-author blog to which I and many other bloggers contribute once a month. The main editor and author there is Robert Mortensen. It's a nifty network, a good site bringing all kinds of different perspectives and experiences together.
Great photographs and a nice post...thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have you stop by Gene, thanks for the kind comments.
DeleteThose babies are adorable! I love the yellow theme, very cheerful and spring appropriate. Too funny about cushioning the loss of winter ducks - so true!
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by Lauren. You get the best of that world now up North--the ducks AND their chicks. Some burly birding to come this spring!
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