Wildlife

 I spent a big part of Wednesday afternoon playing down by the pond with the camera trying to get pictures of the wood ducks.   They avoided me again!   I'd glimpse them occasionally but they would glide smoothly behind some sticks and completely vanish.  It was pretty amazing how such a striking bird as the male could disappear so completely.  I discovered the white streak on his head looks exactly like a marsh grass.  The female, who is brown, was even harder to see.  

The pond and barn.  Wood ducks are hiding somewhere in there

Rock holding up a tree?

Pond

Tree fungus

Moss photos for my dad

Moss

more Moss

Some sunning turtles, most likely Painted turtles, but they were pretty far away

Killdeer

A chipmunk stuffing his face

Goldfinch

And then, finally, Thursday, in the rain, I sat in the car and took pictures of the male wood duck.   The ducks were not as alarmed by me in the car as they were by me on foot.  The female was still impossible to see in pictures.   Hopefully my neighbors recognized my minivan and did not think some weird person was taking pictures of my house. 

I see you, Monsieur Wood Duck!

peekaboo

And to finish off, I can't leave out the dog pictures:

Crew of girls

Just a couple of pictures of Kip about to be sent on an outrun to bring in the sheep.
Looking for sheep

"I spotted them, now can I go?"