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Open wide! Watched this family for some time. Saw the delivery of a fine fish and observed the youngsters in the water.

Made to swim (and eat fish). Watched this family for some time. Saw the delivery of a fine fish and observed the youngsters in the water.

Yesterday I went by this house and observed a grackle paying it particular attention. Today I saw a grackle enter and leave the house a couple of times and began to wonder if there was a nest in there. Later I returned to see sparrows coming and going from the house. Ultimately I deduced there was some kind of food in there, maybe chunks of bread.

Perfect profiles. Watched this family for some time. Saw the delivery of a fine fish and observed the youngsters in the water.

When I grow up I'm gonna be a red-neck! I visited this family again today and only saw two youngster. I'm beginning to suspect that third egg didn't fully hatch. As I watched the parents and the kids, grackles visited the nest and appeared to be collecting food (bugs)? Twice the unencumbered, adult grebe attacked the interlopers. On one of those occasions the grackle was momentarily captured in that wicked beak.

Yesterday I went by this house and observed a grackle paying it particular attention. Today I saw a grackle enter and leave the house a couple of times and began to wonder if there was a nest in there. Later I returned to see sparrows coming and going from the house. Ultimately I deduced there was some kind of food in there, maybe chunks of bread. After the sparrows left, this grackle came and entered the house but may not have found more food.

In my experience it's the males that do most of the attacking/chasing. This hen took a few runs at the big, bad bird that got too close to her nest.

Observed a lone male well off the shore on Beaumaris.

Hey...I can see my reflection! Watched these guys for quite a while trying to get a glimpse of the third youngster, which I have yet to see.

Putting your best wing forward...

Most of the grebe nest on Beaumaris are out in the open. This one is hard to spot but the occupant is watching those that approach. Can you find that alert eye?

This little guy looks rather pugnacious but was only in the process of grooming.

I got some good looks at this bird but they are sure hard to catch.

Each day brings new batches of mallards.

Observed two males but saw no female...hope they are setting nests here at Beaumaris.

Heard a bit of a fuss and found this one looking at me over its shoulder.

These goslings are getting big; counted 28 youngsters in this gaggle.

This gal had just been for a dip.

This gal had just been for a dip.

Heard this guy singing before I spotted him way up there.

Was told the pelicans were back. Later I saw these but they are not the same two we have had at Beaumaris recently. These don't have the protrusion on their bills. As I watched a male red-winged black bird harassed them as they had approached the reeds where there was a nest. One of these birds snapped at him with that big bill, which he easily avoided.

Since the egg is starting to hatch, I'm calling this 3 youngsters. I happened along just as the shift was changing. The lake is up considerably and the adults are building up the nest.

The race is on!

While I'm watchin' the grebes this guy lit at my feet. Had to back up to take the picture.

Check the resemblance...our profiles are identical.

A pair I have been watching for several days is starting to rear kids. I watched the adult take the bug out of the air and offer it to this youngster.

Ironic, as one pair starts to rear kids, this pair is just establishing a nest.

When the adults traded places one of the youngsters was dumped into the water. In that process the adults seems to have caught another bug.

The big 'family' was grazing between showers.

Spent about 25 minutes (between rains) watching the comings and goings of this pair. Often they brought caterpillars. This departing birds is carrying what I suspect is processed food.

Spent about 25 minutes (between rains) watching the comings and goings of this pair. Often they brought caterpillars. This departing birds is carrying what I suspect is processed food.

Spent about 25 minutes (between rains) watching the comings and goings of this pair. Often they brought caterpillars. This departing birds is carrying what I suspect is processed food.

Saw a bird disappear into this hole and waited...

Only saw one pelican today but I wasn't the only one looking.

These two have been here most if not all of the day. I'm not certain what purpose that horn serves but it would seem to be a nuisance, picking up weeds.

Whenever I pass this box, now that it has residents, a head is protruding from the hole. That causes me to suspect nesting material has been stacked, from the bottom up, to facilitate a vigil.

Glanced out my window to see this pair on Beaumaris.

The kidnapped kids, the kidnappers and some of the birds that lost kids are doing well and helping to manage the grass.

Watched this pair by their house. The first time I have seen either of them for a few days.

Assume these birds are nesting but have yet to see definite signs of that. Said another way, I have yet to be attacked as I walk around Beaumaris.

Caught a dabbling demo at the goose daycare. I got a shot of this batch on the water last evening...I will post it below.

Sometimes it's a lot of work to get to the good grazing.

Dug this out of my archives in response to a query and thought I should share it here. This youngster had fallen through a grate on my condo's property. I took this shot after the rescue.

Almost like a parade.

Seems only one showed up today.

Too cute! There were 8 youngsters with the hen.

Too many! I counted 28 geese in this immediate area. I think there are 21 goslings in this shot. The dominant pair, I believe, are the birds I first saw with 15 youngsters. I suspect they have been kidnapping to build the brood. The gander tends to chase off other geese that approach the youngsters.

Not much left, nary a bone. When I suggested coyote a passer-by claimed to have heard coyotes hear last night.

Observed in flight at a distance, seen to land twice from afar but the scum of floating pollen, left by yesterday's heavy rain, made fishing well nigh impossible. I'm posting the shots of the bird merely to brag on the zoom of the Nikon P510. This bird, on shore, was not visible to my unaided eye. I'm also posting a shot of the pollen scum that impeded fishing.

Observed in flight at a distance, seen to land twice from afar but the scum of floating pollen, left by yesterday's heavy rain, made fishing well nigh impossible. I'm posting the shots of the bird merely to brag on the zoom of the Nikon P510. This bird, on shore, was not visible to my unaided eye. I'm also posting a shot of the pollen scum that impeded fishing.

Observed in flight at a distance, seen to land twice from afar but the scum of floating pollen, left by yesterday's heavy rain, made fishing well nigh impossible. I'm posting the shots of the bird merely to brag on the zoom of the Nikon P510. This bird, on shore, was not visible to my unaided eye. I'm also posting a shot of the pollen scum that impeded fishing.

These two have been at Beaumaris a few days.

There's work to be done...don't just sit there lookin' pretty!

Seems the tree swallows have occupied another box, near the nuthatches.

Seems the tree swallows have occupied another box, near the nuthatches.

Production is pickin' up. I suspect some of these just got out of the egg today.

This little guy was chasin' bugs and a larger version of this pic shows one in his mouth.

This is not a great shot but they would not sit still. I opted for Forster's but it may be a common. Help.

Just posing...

The males are still on the prod...he's comin' in and she's leavin'...

Seeing more of these this year.

The males are still on the prod...he's comin' in and she's leavin'...

She has 3 more under her...they hatched yesterday.

This one was just out of the tub.

I think this one was lookin' back at me.

This guy was feeding in the grass. Every once in a while he would stop to sing...

...then he flew off.

This hen has 10 youngsters but I couldn't catch them all in one shot. These are the first young mallards I've seen this spring.

The goose nesting on the Junipers, near the Beaumaris boat launch has five hatched youngsters and the gander is waiting and watching nearby.

Looks like the grebes using the raft have at least 4 eggs.

This is one of the few Beaumaris hens not setting a nest. It looked to me like she was contemplating the web missing from her left foot.

This crow also seemed to be interested in the young geese.

This crow also seemed to be interested in the young geese.

This crow also seemed to be interested in the young geese.

I watched these youngsters and their parents for over an hour hoping they would take to the water. During that time the gander chased off several immatures that ventured to close.

As soon as I saw the tree swallow I wondered if it/they might be claiming the birdhouse where I had seen the nuthatch a while back. This is evidence that the nuthatches are still the occupants.

Just too fine to pass up.

As I took several photos of this brood I thought I counted 16 youngster. This photo shows 15 and you have to look closely. There is nothing to suggest this is not a single brood. If it is it's the largest Canada Goose brood I have seen

These folks started shooting at a distance and worked in closer.

This pair has been in the same spot along the Beaumaris shore for over a month. Today I watched them diving and took several shots. They are hard to catch just right in that process.

Methinks this pair will be glad to vacate this nest!

This pair has been in the same spot along the Beaumaris shore for over a month. Today I watched them diving and took several shots. They are hard to catch just right in that process.

This pair has been in the same spot along the Beaumaris shore for over a month. Today I watched them diving and took several shots. They are hard to catch just right in that process.

First observed bird production @ Beaumaris...a pair with 4 youngsters but I couldn't catch them all together.

First observed bird production @ Beaumaris...a pair with 4 youngsters but I couldn't catch them all together.

There is often much competition for this house before a nuthatch or a tree swallow occupies it. Haven't seen a tree swallow at Beaumaris this year.

Seems grebes are nesting on the Beaumaris raft.

Mainly males...most of the hens are settin' nests.

...lookin' back to see if I was lookin'.

Left my camera at home but my trusty phone caught these.

Seems the females have arrived and this guy was trying to keep an eye on some of them.

The splashing behaviour lasted a few minutes prior to copulation. I recall similar behaviour with mallards.

This, and the next goose shot, was taken on May 2. The splashing behaviour lasted a few minutes prior to copulation.

At least 5 loons remain on Beaumaris. The forage fish must be thinning what with all the loons, mergansers, grebes and cormorants.

I couldn't catch them all on the raft at the same time although each spent some time there, dryin' out.

Hope a few of these birds will nest on Beaumaris this year.

Saw two pairs in different areas. The males were sleeping or pretending to do that.

There may have been two birds in separated areas.

The GPS feature pinpoints the location of the photo.

A closer look...

I didn't see the heron today but as I looked at yesterday's shots I detected a wee fish in this bird's beak. How many of those would it take to satisfy the needs of a bird this size?

Up, up and away.

These birds were fishing, right up by the shore.

Got many shots of this bird in two locations...probably the same bird as yesterday.

Several cameras chasing this bird around Beaumaris. Tried to catch it in flight but missed.

These are the first Red-breasted Mergansers for me on Beaumaris.

I suspect this is one of the birds I saw earlier...showin' off to a lady sitting on a rock.

...the object of his attention.

Fishin' was good!

Fishin' was good!

Lethal weapon!

This shot was taken April 25 but thought I would post it as the fish is not typical for Beaumaris.

The wouldn't bunch up but they were traveling together.

Mostly pairs.