Ducks do it, squirrels do it.......

Today was a strange day in the park.  At the pond, just one wood duck, who was a joy to see of course, but I miss the days when there are two!

I did not see the red-headed woodpecker today on my way up, and just continued on towards the boathouse.  On the way to the boathouse I saw the hooded merganser over by the point, he saw me taking pictures and hid in the fallen branches.  I decided if he's that skittish when I was across the way, it wasn't a good idea to go to that side to get a better look.  I'll just leave him in peace.

But while I was deciding this, I took a look at two mallards mid-lake...... Courting, and then mating!  Okay, either ducks do it ~all~ ~the~ ~time~ or I'm pretty lucky, because I've seen quite a bit of courting and mating this year.  Well, mallards, anyway.

On to the oven, where a Cooper's hawk was hanging out.  Juvenile.  A birder there said it looked like the hawk had just eaten, because its crop looked full.  It also had a smear of blood by the base of its beak, and several white feathers in its talons.  It just sort of sat there for a while, then it got more relaxed with me there and got into the water, trying to get the feathers out of its talons.  Hey, everyone has to wash up after eating!

This hawk is hiding.

The turtles were out again, not in force, but I was happy to see them!

Also at the oven were some squirrels scampering about even though the hawk was right there.  After a while of chasing each other, they started mating too!  Ah, spring.....

After I left the oven I headed over to azalea pond, where this juvenile cooper's hawk had been hanging out for about an hour.  Hahahahaha, two of them, so close together!  It was awesome.

That was about it - no woodpeckers, very few other birds at all.  A strange day!