06/09/04

Have current photos of the pond, but might not be able to get them posted tonight. Just imagine green. Beyond that, I haven't been able to photograph some of the most interesting parts. The first group of red winged black birds has hatched, and the chicks are already out of the nests. They have been here for a couple of years now, and this is the first time I have paid attention to their social behavior. For example, the males seem to be the baby sitters. Every day the males will each lead one chick at a time around the different areas by the pond. The male eats, and the chick hops along behind it and gets fed occasionally. It is genuinely interesting to watch, and often comical. The hard part is convincing the local dogs to leave the babies alone. My dog doesn't really want to eat them, she just doesn't want them in her yard.