Summer Break

 

July and August are the months I close the doors to my longarming business and enjoy the warm summer days.  We have been heading out in our kayaks and taking along my camera to capture any wildlife encounters.  We have been checking in on a loon family on Clearwater lake along with the otters, turtles and a muskrat.

Snapping turtle sunning on a rock.

Muskrat heading into an abandoned beaver hut.

I have been stopping by the rookery to see the Herons every Sunday and watching the chicks grow.  They are still in there nests but ready to fly any day now.

June 4th - returning to the nest with sticks to fix the nests.

June 18 - chicks are starting to show their heads.

Adults busy flying back and forth with food.

June 25 - Chicks are growing and very hungry.

The chicks in these two nests are a few weeks older than the ones pictures above.

July 2- Nest are getting pretty crowded with 3 and 4 chicks. They are getting aggressive with the other chicks as well.

This is where I take my photos from, along Highway 71.  We have had a few cars stop to see what I was taking pictures of, most have no idea this rookery is right there. 

My view from the road.

July 9 - Chicks are almost the size of the adults.

 Photos are a bit blurry as they are taken through a lot of dead trees ( see photo above)  to get a view of this particular nest. 

She is making her getaway as there is no room in the nest for her.

I can't believe there is still 4 chicks in this nest.

I didn't go check on the herons today as it was raining but noticed them in the nests yesterday when we drove by.  Hope to get one more day of photos to complete my photo journal of their development. 

And as always I love photographing my hummingbirds!

 

Today Tim noticed that when it was raining one of the male hummingbirds was hiding in the sunflower by the garage.

He was preening his feathers and  keeping dry under the large leaves.

Oh and I had a cute porcupine visit the yard last week.

I have been getting ready for another craft sale and busy making more bags.  I'm also working on finishing one of my own quilt which I will share when that is done!  

Hope you have having a lovely July!