July 14, 2013

Lake Wicwas is enveloped in a summer weather pattern.  More hazy, hot, humid days with strong thunderstorms.  The result is the lake is still 8 inches above full level in the middle of July.  When the thunderstorms are at bay, like the past two days, we've had some very calm and quiet days.  I've been entertaining myself watching the fly catchers around the lake.  A small flock of King Birds has been in the area, sitting in the tip-tops of the oak trees in the afternoons and evenings, flitting out and catching numerous insects large and small. 

King Bird

 

One pair was bringing tasty morsels their chick.  One evening they were joined by a group of Great Crested Flycatchers.  These birds were also catching insects on the wing, but they also hopped around in the branches, picking caterpillars and other bugs right off the leaves.

Great Crested Flycatcher

Here's an insect that managed to escape the birds, collecting its own sustenance.  I wonder if the birds would go after a bumble bee.

Bumble Bee

All the animals around Lake Wicwas are taking advantage of nature's summer bounty to fatten up.  Look at the size that the Water Spiders have attained in just a few weeks:

Water Spider

I saw a blueberry bush shaking on a perfectly calm day, and found the culprit - a chipmunk enjoying a good anti-oxidant meal. 

I see you!

Look at those fat cheeks:

There goes another one!

On a visit to Arbutus Hill a generous farmer shared their crop of fabulous blueberries with us - much easier than competing in the wild bushes with chipmunks and mosquitoes!  On the plus side, although still plentiful, the deer flies have started to decrease in number.

The summer flowers are still blooming, but some of the best color can be found at, or on the water.  The water lilies and pickerel weed are bloonming, as is a pretty pink flower I have yet to identify.

Pickerel Weed

Did you see the little fly?

Unidentified - Any ideas?

 After another great summer weekend, I just can't resist adding yet another warm summer day sunset.

July 17, 2011

It looks like July of 2011 will go in the books as a great summer month at Lake Wicwas;  the beautiful weather keeps on coming.  Thankfully there has been enough rain in the thunderstorms to keep the lake level full.  It's only starting to go down a bit now.

All the animals are growing rapidly, including our new loon chick, although the parents are still watching out for it very carefully.  When a boat approaches at all closely, the adult still swims out to the opposite side of the boat from the chick and puts on a good display.  When one boat came into the cove, the parent put on a ridiculous porpoising show, lifting its body high out of the water, diving down forward, and repeating multiple times.  There's no way someone could ignore that show, which is just what they want!

I watched one parent and the chick for quite some time one morning this week.  They were fishing quietly until the parent saw a boat come into the cove,

 at which point the parent told the chick to keep its head down while it went out to do its job,

 which junior obeyed quite well.

 The adult put on its show,

and when the coast was clear, the parent returned, and junior said, look dad, I can do that too! 

Dad then spent the next few minutes giving a grooming lesson (I think junior saw me on the dock!),

 with junior following dad's every move.

 

Once they were clean and well fed, they headed out down the lake to see what mom was up to.

The water spiders are growing as well, as proven by the exoskeleton that was left on our dock.

Water Spider

And today, a heron flew off the shore - I just love how these prehistoric looking birds spread out their giant feathers to get enough lift to fly.  They also seem know know they get more lift if they fly low against the water until they pick up more air speed.  (Do you recognize anyone in the background?)

Great Blue Heron

July 23, 2010

All the animals around Lake Wicwas are getting larger as the summer progresses.  I saw the fawn this morning; it's getting big - it now bounds quickly and directly to the thick woods rather than bouncing every which way.  And the small creatures are growing also, including the Water Spiders.  Last weekend I found a discarded exoskelton on the dock

and this weekend I found this guy in our boat.  Note the deformed left rear leg, although it doesn't seem to be holding him back much.

I also found a large egg mass in about two feet of water.   It is about six inches long, and attached to a stick they way salamanders deposit their eggs, but I don't know if that's what these eggs are.  I'll watch it over time and see if I can figure it out.  Any ideas?

With the little bit of rain we had there were lots of Red Efts on the trails today, but not much other wildlife visible.  And the Blueberries are still going strong - plentiful and sweet.  This afternoon I picked a beautiful batch; we'll be having blueberry dessert tonight!