• Tuesday-What'sUP May 8 - 03:48 pm

I'm pleased to welcome a newcomer to the Pasty Cam today, Bryant Weathers, who recently made a visit to the Sturgeon River Sloughs, just south of Chassell and was rewarded with a great shot of a family of geese. It looks like there are six fluffy little goslings. They sure are cute when they're young and really look nothing like the large birds they will soon become. The black beak is the only thing that will stay the way it is, right to adulthood.

Bryant also spotted a pair of Trumpeter Swans in the marshland and was able to snap a photo of the two of them together, before one took off. He says he's been doing some research on their behaviors and knows more about shooting them without being so obtrusive, so there may be some more swan pictures from Bryant, in the near future. I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to getting a better view of them. Good luck on your quest, Bryant.

Such cute pictures. The other day we saw a family of geese walking across the road. So darn cute!!

Peaceful pics & chics!

Forgot to welcome, Bryant!! This is a great family to be a part of :-)

Yesterday marked a year since I lost my only love and best friend, and it was a hard day to get through.
Beautiful photos of the geese....which is also a sad reminder of the loss of one of our yearly pond 'visitors' and its gosling. I love the thought that geese mate for life also, but it's still sad in a way.

How not to be intrusive while photographing wildlife.... buy a bigger lens!! J

ohhh- I so enjoyed the photos today. How fortunate to have caught a pic of the babies and both parents! Awesome!I love the swan pics also.We have so many interesting critters in our area!

Is that a "Michigoose" and "Michigander"? <groan>

Q: If a person from Michigan is a "Michigander", how about someone from Connecticut?
… a "Connecticutian" (rhymes with electrocution?)? [I like that one!]
… a "Connecticutian" (Connecti-cut-ian)?

A number of sources, around a dozen, including the (click →) US Government Printing Office Style Manual¹, suggest "Connecticuter", but I can find no pronunciation guidance, is that "Connecti-cuter" (cuter than most?) or "Connecti-cutter" (sharper than most?)

Bryant Weathers....would that be the little kid that graduated with my nephew Aaron? WOWOWOW....

GREAT PHOTOS Bryant!!! Excellent job!

Shirley...God Bless...

Lovely birds. I especially like the Canada Geese's family. So cute.

FYI: The "Day in History" video link for Sunday, May 6, 2012 on this page points to the one for April 29, 2012. However, the "See previous day" link from the May 7, 2012 "Day in History" video correctly points to the May 6th edition.

Thanks for catching that, FRNash. I was just about to say something about it. Great photos today! Donna, regarding our newest photographer, do you mean "little kid" as in now or in the past?

Great pictures. Are there hiking trails at the sloughs? I noticed the parking but haven't gone in yet.

Thank you, Donna.

About the swans, I heard that all the swans in Michigan are descended from a pair brought here from England many years ago, by a lady who lived in Charlevoix.

Brooke (Lovethekeweenaw):
"… Are there hiking trails at the sloughs? …"

From MDNR: Sturgeon River Sloughs:

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Quote:

An observation tower adjacent to the parking area gives visitors a panoramic view of this wildlife area. A 1.5-mile nature trail and boardwalk begins at the parking area.

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Thanks, Frank!

Shirley:You are refering to Mute Swans "Cygnus olor" The one with prominent black knob at base of orange bill. Yes, an introduced old world species. Now facing a very controversial culling program to eliminate 1000s of them in MI currently. Many have already been shot! They are considered a nusiance, a pest, aggressive and harmful to other species (including humans!)including the Trumpeters shown here. Trumpeters were once common but recently saved from the brink of extinction and now recovering and being reintroduced. Tundra (or "Whistling") Swans are native to North America but summer in the Artic and winter in Texas, Mexico, west coast and points south. The occasional "Black Swan" seen is an Australian Native and are exotics that are escapes or released to the wild here.