Ponds by our house

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Northern Rough-winged swallow

Stretching his wings

Mallards on the pond.

Northern Shoveler, male

Female Green-winged Teal

Male and Female Shoveler.

Daffodils in our yard.

My orchids. This is one of the ones that was given to me my my Dad passed away in 2012.

The newest one I bought in 2014 at Hausermans.

This is one orchid that has re-bloomed on it's own.

Another one that I have purchased and has bloomed on it's own.

Northern Shoveler, Lake Patterson

 I decided to stop by Lake Patterson today, and look what I came across, a Northern Shoveler.  This is the first time I have ever seen this bird on our little lake. He is a medium-sized duck with a distinctive long, thick, broad-tipped bill. Bill is slightly longer than head, sloping forehead leads to short, very shallow, rounded crown. Large bill creates front-heavy look.

He was with a flock of mallards. At first I thought it may be a mallard that had mated with something else!

I had not realized I had a lifer, until I got home and started checking.