House of Feathers - Episode 3
You guessed it - I was up very early to head back to the nest to arrive well before sunrise.. This was Mother’s Day morning and there had been a light frost in Ashfield. As I drove up past the various streams and wetlands fog and mist was rising - I absolutely love these mornings.
As soon as I arrived at the back of the swamp I could see that I would have to find a slightly different tree to set up against. They are certainly confined to their nest but when they are resting on it at a slightly different angle it totally changes how I can peek into their world. I was having a difficult time finding a way to see as clearly as possible into the nest. I finally found a tree that was set back a little with large tall roots that gave me a little more elevation to look down into the nest.
And there in the rising mist and fog was the parent - soaked from the frost and from all of the cool damp moisture in the air.
Of course I was wondering if I had missed the birth of the second chick. About 10 minutes later it was confirmed as the parent stood up - still one chick and one egg!
The parent went to work immediately rolling the egg to get it just right in order to cover it again.
To give you some idea of what it looked like from my spot with the naked eye.
As the sun was rising and filtering glorious light throughout the swamp this beautiful moment happened with the chick.
I caught a glimpse of 2 shadows from above coming in for a landing to my right. I was boxed in behind all kinds of branches etc. but was able to locate and get off a few quick shots of these magnificent male wood ducks as they were gliding along this magical still water. All I could do was shoot through the branches and try as best as I could to catch these incredible moments with these ducks.
As quickly as they had flown in they flew out again…
Back at the nest… this precious sight.
I had to include this one for you…. :)
Clearly this little one just loves being on a parent’s back - just so sweet…
A few minutes later this magical series happened…. This is the other parent coming in to take over tending to the chick and to sit on the egg… The dark edge along the left side of these shots is another tree to my left - I was wedged between two trees to capture these shots.
Immediately the big foot comes in to roll the egg…
Getting read to sit on the egg now that it is just right…
Immediately the chick is trying to get up on this parent’s back -
But the parent needs to readjust and the chick goes tumbling down! More times than not, once the parent sits on the egg it does get up one more time to readjust to find just the right position.
I have only seen this happen one other time in my years of watching these magnificent birds. This is the parents teasing each other with food (the one off of the nest has found a little something to eat) so that the chick will learn not only be the parent teasing them with food but also learn by observation.
Now the parent at the nest has the little ant from the other parent. It is at the tip of its beak. You might just be able to make it out against the egg…
And now passes it to the chick…
This was my last shot of the morning… as much as I hated to leave I knew that I would be returning again later that day! I also needed a break from shooting into such direct bright sunlight.
Next - Episode 4 - Mother’s Day afternoon at the nest