The MarshMaster

Wow, been a long time since I've done this.

My first post in a couple years.

Hope you all are doing good.

The 2021 duck season opens Saturday the 23 of Oct, so I did a little scouting.

Made a new friend, meet the Phragmites Duster (hehe).

He operates the MarshMaster, a track vehicle used to treat areas infected with invasionary plants, 

in this case phragmites grass.

Can't wait to witness the marsh to return to it's natural state.

 

  

 

Mallard Nest Tubes

Late March, made a few Mallard nest tubes. Was able to set up one nest tube. Harder than I thought it would be. Had to hold off a day or so, before putting up 2 remaining tubes. Watch my Nest Tube Video at the link on the bottom of the page.

Click-on photo to see enlargements.

Buffelhead Duck speeds by as I cross the marsh.

I had this feeling of being watched.

Mother Goose giving the EYE.

Mallard Duck Nest Tube.

The Muskrat, the keepers of the marsh.

Ring-necked Ducks.

Migration stop-over.

Moving to another hole in the marsh.

Click the link below to view my YouTube video:

Mallard Nest Tube: 
Making and Setting-Up 

Thanks for the view.

October Slough Gills

While hunting the Slough during the early waterfowl season. I told myself  that I better return between the end of early waterfowl and the duck season closing. The 2nd of October, I returned to catch a few of those "Slough Gills". After a couple hours, on my knees, preying, I had a nice mess of tasty "Slough Gills"  ( Willow Slough Bluegills ).

Well, storm clouds appeared in the west, a cold hard wind began to howl and I've got no rain gear. So I assume the "lazy boyee" position ( my canoe has oar locks and the paddles are oars ) for the 2 mile row off the lake. The threat of rain passes making for a  very comfortable canoe ride.

Willow Slough is a major, natural migratory bird resting area.  I was ducking birds left and right. In the end I happen by a Bald Eagle on a cattail raft having dinner.

I hope you enjoy my little trip "October Slough Gills" as much as I did bringing it to you.  Please like and subscribe. Thanks, Garnie.

Visit my YouTube Channel and watch more of my videos:

http://www.youtube.com/gmvideos06

Ranger's Marsh 4-6-2013

Took a short hike at Ranger's Marsh on the Little Calumet River. Warm, windy day. The marsh is dry as a bone. Water only in the Dead Cottonwood grove. The flooded wood is holding a few ducks and boy are they spooky. The first group of ducks began to get in the wind when I was 100 yards away. Group after group followed. I saw about 300 ducks catch the strong south wind for the next step north.

Drake Mallard Duck

Hen Mallard Ducks

Mallards

Mallards

Gadwall Ducks

Blue-Wing Teal 

Blue-Wing Teal in dead Cottonwood Grove

Blue-Wing Teal Drake

Mink carcass 

How dry is the marsh? Well, here's a photo of Mink ( Neovison vison ) jerky. A sun dried carcass of the nocturnal American Mink. Years ago, this little guy would have been worth his weight in gold.

Dry Marsh

This photo shows the condition of the marsh this spring, bone dry. Typically, there would be two foot of water covering the cattail humps.  

Author

Me after a the hike. I'd like to thank you for viewing my blog. Thanks!

First Week of Spring

The Cooper's Hawk are still hunting the block. I think I know where their nest is. I'll stop taking photos of them until the chicks grow large enough fly, should be a couple months.

The hawks are a good watch but I've got enough photos of them as it is.  No, I will not tie little animals to a stake in the ground, for hawk attack photos and you shouldn't either, keep it wild.

Lone Canada Goose flying over Caddie marsh, lots of northern birds in the marsh, resting before the flight to Canada.

The only area of the marsh holding water, migrating ducks are using the flooded dead cottonwood grove as a resting area.

Here a hen Mallard Duck is locked in to her landing spot in the wood.

Pileated Woodpecker

I saw an article and film earlier today.  The film was of the Imperial Woodpecker. The article also mentioned the Cornell Uni. search to find the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the impenetrable swamps of Arkansas. These were extremely large birds and they were dependent on the old growth forest. Loss of  habitat caused both bird's extinction. 

Pileated Woodpecker hunts for insects

Well, during a duck hunt in an impenetrable swamp in Indiana, the silence of the flooded timber was shattered by the laughing call of a pair of very large woodpeckers.  Wish I could say  I saw an Imperial or Ivory-billed but I can't , they're extinct. The bird I did see is now the largest of the woodpeckers in North America.  One of the bigger birds to be seen, it was a Pileated Woodpecker.

Big bird makes a big hole

About the size of a Mallard. Body and wing feathers are black and white,  its head is topped with a crest of red feathers. They are an impressive bird. A three inch bill is used to chip away wood in their hunt for insects.  The holes made in the trees are large, in a matter of a minute or two, this bird's hole was a six inch square and four inches deep. 

Many species of ducks nest in woodpecker holes

Many animals benefit from the work of the woodpeckers, other birds find grubs in trees that have been chipped open by the Pileated Woodpecker and many other animals expand the woodpeckers holes and use them for nesting hollows.

Black wing fringe, Pileated Woodpecker(Dryocopus pileatus)

Yea, this picture is grossly over-exposed but I like it. It's a good example of the identifying feather pattern of the Pileated Woodpecker. The black fringe on the flight feathers is characteristic of the Pileated.  The Imperial and Ivory-billed  wings are white fringed.  

2 Mile Walk

Found a trail along the Little Muddy River. It's a mile from start to finish, making it a two mile round trip. An easy walk when dry. Not so easy during high water. A good walk none the less.

Wild Chicory

Common chicory(Cichorium intybus)

Mid-July and the wild Chicory is in bloom. Chicory is used for salads, coffee and greens. It's  a non- native species  from Europa.

Double-crested Cormorants

The dead Cottonwood tree that is used by the cormorants as a preening tree is the half way point of the walk.  Turn around here for a short one mile walk.

Cormorants drying feathers in dead Cottonwood tree.

 Double-crested Cormorants(Phalacrocorax auritus) sunning.

Painted Turtle

I encountered a couple Painted Turtles taking a stroll in the meadow, a ways from the water. Why ? Maybe its turtle making turtle season.

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)

Wood Ducks!

Common to the river and marsh are Wood Ducks(Aix sponsa) A perching duck that nests in tree hollows. A day after hatching the baby ducks climb to the opening and jump to the ground, sometimes from a height of more than 100 feet. Once the ducklings are on the ground, mama duck leads them to water. 

Male and female Wood Ducks(Aix sponsa)

July is the time for Eclipse. The adult ducks shed and regrown their feathers and until the flight feathers grow back the ducks can not fly.

Drake Wood duck in eclipse.

Male and female ducks look similar because the brightly colored feathers of the males are dropped and the males are brown and gray like the females.

Wood Ducks

The white eye patch will help identify the female Wood Duck.

Female Wood Ducks

A cattail marsh surrounded by woods is the preferred habitat of the Wood Duck.

Cattail Marsh

Well, this is the 1 mile point. Now I turn around and finish the 2 mile walk.  
(If you would like to see enlargements, just click on photos.)

My Mississippi Gal Friends, 06/30/11

Was about to start my near daily conditioning walk at Ranger Marsh, when I crossed paths with two Mississippi Gals out for an afternoon of fishing at the Little Muddy. I stopped and asked them if the fishin' was good. Just starting, if we can get this tangle out of this line, they replied. So, I ask to let me try. While I rassaled with the tangle, a riverside conversation in sud.  Turned out they were both from Mississippi, not too far from where my folks were from. They missed Mississippi and loved to fish.

(Click on Image to see enlargement)

Mississippi Gals

Fishing the Little Muddy.

I untangled the knot(crow's nest) and cleared a little brush from the river bank, so they could safely get closer to the water. I saw them catch one yellow bullhead, wished them luck and took my walk.

(Click on Image to see enlargement)

Oxbow Lake

About a mile walk on the levee is an oxbow lake. It is actually the old river bed. What's called the river, is a drainage channel that was dug to convert the marsh into farm land some years back. 

(Click on Image to see enlargement)

Bowfin unnecessarily killed by fisherman.

Lots of people fish the Little Muddy, I've heard many a fish story about how good the fishing can be. Today I found the charred remains of 3 Bowfin (Dog fish),Amia calva, that someone caught and burned in their fire. Amazing what fishermen do to the fish they fear. The Bowfin is a prehistoric fish, that was swimming the waters of  eastern America before the dinosaurs and man crawled from the mud. They are able to live in water conditions that will kill all other fish. During low oxygen levels the Bowfin can gulp air at the water surface. Yes, breathing air for its oxygen supply helps it to survive the low stagnant waters of summer.  It's called a Dog Fish because it has teeth like a shark and can bite thru wood fishing lures. Scary fish! (to some)  

(Click on Image to see enlargement)

Painted Turtle contemplates stealing a snack.

When my walk was complete, I revisited my Mississippi Gals, still in their 'serious fishing' mode. Talked a short while more and watched a small painted turtle steal bait from their hooks.

Marsh Walk, 06/29/11

Hot morning walk, temp in the 90's. revisited the Goldfinch nest that had two eggs in it several days ago. One has hatched, the other did not make it. Here's the rather large chick, getting plenty to eat. When the shutter clicks the chick flinches. Took 3 quick pics and let it be.

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 Chick in GoldFinch nest.

Not long ago, the Snowy Egret was non-existing in this far north. The clean air and water regs must have worked to these birds benefit.

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Snow Egret drenched in sunlight.

Scare one duck you scare them all. These Mallards have no intention to hang around any longer. One wing beat and they're doing 30 mph up and away.

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Love the sound of whistling wings.

First time seeing a bird like this. Black head, red body, I think it's an Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius. 

(Click on image for enlargement)

 

A Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, sizing me up!

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Horsetail, Equisetum, also called the puzzle plant. A living fossil, has been on earth since the coal age, back then it grew 30 meters tall or 90 feet, as large as most trees alive today. One of the plants that we depend on for our fossil fuel needs. Funny, old rotten plants power space age civilization.

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Bee Balm ~ Oswego Tea ~ Bergamont, Monarda didyma, a pleasant smelling plant in flower now. Will try to transplant to my garden. Thru the years it has been used to treat a number of ailments.

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Wood Ducks, Aix sponsa are in eclipse, shedding old flight feathers growing new. Unable to fly,  they run across the water to avoid me.

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A large colorful Garter Snake in my path. I've been bitten by Garter snakes many a time , now wiki tells me that they are mildly venomous. Learn something new every day.

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