Who visits your pond?

[perplexed ponder]

Besides the normal frogs and herons, who else visits your pond?
Post some pics of your wildlife! (even frogs and herons if you have great shots to share!)

Here's a little sparrow in my falls

[greenthumbnails]

Great pic!  I get squirrels and stray cats drinking out of my pond/tub and tubs.  I can never get the camera out fast enough to take the pic though.  The birds don't drink out of my pond/tub or tubs but do frequent the birdbath or water fountain.  I get blue jays and red cardinals usually and sometimes a dove (could be a pigeon). 

[Esther]

Last summer we came in the driveway from church and there was a robin taking a bath in the waterfall. I was so surprised because the flow is real strong there and I've never seen anything drink from it or land in it.

I'm not quick enough either with the camera. We do have squirrels that come to drink from the pond. It's probably the same squirrel who stole two suet blocks from the feeder in the back yard before I finally figured out how to keep the suet basket locked tight.

[mcp]

Here's a couple pictures from last year of chipmunks by pond. First one you might have a little bit of a hard time seeing. The second is one with  cheeks full of sunflower seeds. 

[perplexed ponder]

 
Yesterday I had a HAWK fly over my shoulder (through my swing while I was sitting there!) swooped right by my feet and around the side to the lawn, grabbed a sparrow from the grass and flew off, all without making a single sound! It was amazing, and happened in a flash! Of course my camera was in my hand, but it was so quick I couldn't even get a shot!

I didn't even know it was coming up behind me.

[Julles]

#$^(%^@!! raccoons, opossums, and neighborhood cats.  And butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, toads, anole and other lizzards, an occasional turtle who's escaped from the turtle pen.  And every now and then, neighborhood children, who love to come feed the fish and pet the turtles.

[GarryT]

A cute little guy having his morning bath .....

[Mikey]

The Big and the small.....

A Great Egret


And a Yellow Warbler

[miguynmkoi]

Love the photos of MCP's chipmunk and GarryT's cutie bird.  Not too happy to see Mike's regal egret! 

Almost any animal or insect is welcomed in my pond except anything that eats fish or lilies.

[karen J]

Ducks.



Herons.


That's an old pic. Not too much Heron damage this year.

This is from today, he/she REALLY likes Parsley!  Yesterday I saw him catch a drink from the stream but didn't have the camera. I think he's the sweetest thing.
The pic was taken through a window.



And my volunteer turtle, who has stayed all summer long.

[perplexed ponder]

Karen, love the ducks, is that a baby in the water? they come to my pond every spring real estate shopping, but the dogs always scare them off. They try really hard, every morning for weeks before they give up and move on. I would love the babies in the pond but DH tells me they will make a horrible mess of everything.

Gary, nice shot of the bathing beauty, what kind of bird is that?

Mikey- GREAT shots of the Egret (oooo makes my blood run cold!) and that yellow warbler! We are supposed to have many kinds of warblers near me, but Ihave not been able to spot one yet in the 5 years I have been here.
What camera do you use?

[greenthumbnails]

I love these pics!...although I feel bad for the goldfish in the heron's mouth.  I normally like herons, I suppose that will change when I start raising large fish someday. 

[karen J]

Karen, love the ducks, is that a baby in the water? they come to my pond every spring real estate shopping, but the dogs always scare them off. They try really hard, every morning for weeks before they give up and move on. I would love the babies in the pond but DH tells me they will make a horrible mess of everything.

No babies. My ducks do exactly what your ducks do.  They stay a while in the spring and then move on. I'm sure they'd make a mess if they stayed, but I figure their two-week spring visit helps to jump-start the biofilters. 

I love Mikey's Great Egret. Great pic!
I also love the birds and the chipmunk pics.

Every weekend we all have our coffee outside by the pond, and it's just amazing how much life there is. Sometimes there is so much going on that we don't even talk. Just watch & listen.

[miguynmkoi]

   Holy big birds, Karen!!!  The photo of that bird with his long beak all over the red fish is horrific (sashimi anyone?).  I swear I would keel over before having the mind to take a photo!  If I had to shoot that bird it would be something stronger than a camera!     Good shot in any case. 

[perplexed ponder]

anyone get salamanders or newts? We are suppoed to have them in Mi but i have never seen one.

[clm]

Had this little fellow visit this evening.  First time in my 23 years at this house that I've seen a leopard frog.  I hope I see more.

Cindy

[Esther]

Nice pictures everyone. Isn't it nice that we can help Mother Nature out just a bit by having our ponds?

[MikeW]

Dragonflies, damselflies, bees, birds of all descriptions, and the aforementioned %$#*&@(!@ racoons - almost nightly now.

Cheers,

Mike

[Kat]

Great pictures!

Mike--I feel your pain!  I'm getting racoons every night, too.  They shredded my Fireball lily (again) that has been struggling all summer to live plus knock over plants nightly, try to eat my watonai, etc.

Here are 2 visitors I found yesterday.