Valley Pond Townhome Association » Wildlife

Deer in Hidden Valley Park: getting closer

Griff Wigley — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:29:00 +0000

At about 9 am on Sunday, I saw this deer trot across Hidden Valley Dr. at Peterson Dr. and head into Hidden Valley Park, startling a couple who were walking their dogs.

Toad entertainment

Griff Wigley — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:29:26 +0000

This little toad seemed convinced that the only way out of our basement window well was to climb up the face of our outdoor thermometer, to no avail.

Cheap entertainment for me. I finally took pity on it and ~~squashed it~~ picked it up and set it free.

An elusive doe appears to be making Valley Pond her home

Griff Wigley — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:17:26 +0000

Robbie spotted a doe wandering among the cattails around the pond last Saturday. I tried to get close for a photo but the doe spotted me and took cover. Crappy photo, I know.

A few hours later, when I was taking photos of the sunset after the thunderstorm, Gene Moninger said he saw her just a few minutes prior. He subsequently attached a comment:

The doe you were chasing came back this afternoon; ran very quickly from Heritage St.-north past the path and up the hill to Peterson St. Got those dogs excited! Don Starkweather caught a glimpse also, but alas, no cameras handy.

I blogged Gene and Earlene’s photo of a doe and her fawn a year ago and a month later, Robbie blogged her photo of a doe in our backyard.

I’m determined to get the best photo!

Our pond is alive with the sound of music

Griff Wigley — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:13:05 +0000

The rains have been plentiful this spring and thus making the frogs around the pond in the middle of Hidden Valley Park very happy. I captured their music while sitting in front of our backyard fireplace last week and again tonight while walking around the park watching the moon rise. Watch/listen to this 38-second video.

Mallard families (not geese) again making Valley Pond their home

Griff Wigley — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:12:00 +0000

Again this year, Valley Pond is home to a couple of new mallard duck families. And again, thankfully, no Canada geese have done likewise. The cattails that surround the pond are evidently doing their job to keep the geese away.

Egrets pay a visit to Hidden Valley Pond

Griff Wigley — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:30:18 +0000

Gene Bauer snapped this photo of two egrets in the pond yesterday morning. One was in motion and he took the photo through his window and thus, it’s a little bit blurry… but cool nonetheless!

An egret is any of several herons, according to the wikipedia.

Heron Island in Shields Lake is a Rice County park:

The Heron Island Bird Sanctuary was acquired by Rice County in 1968 and serves strictly as a bird sanctuary area. At one time Heron Island was one of the largest rookeries for the Great Blue Heron and the American Egret in the Upper Midwest. The park does not provide for public access.

More wildlife at the pond

Robbie Wigley — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:22:48 +0000

A few weeks ago Griff posted about the deer around the pond. This is an afternoon picture of a young doe; she was bumping the feeders with her nose to get the seed to spill. I was just barely quick enough to catch her leaving the yard.

We also have one or now we think more than one raccoon that loves grape jelly. He has been raiding my Oriole feeder every night and is quite messy. Sticky grape paw prints everywhere! Well we celebrated his capture and subsequent release many miles away… he/she was not a happy camper. We had put a rug down so that it didn’t tear up my outdoor rug on the deck. That worked but it took half an hour to get it out of the bars on the cage… it had pulled it through every little hole on the bottom of the cage.

Deer in Hidden Valley Park

Griff Wigley — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:46:02 +0000

Gene and Earlyne Moninger have spotted deer around the Hidden Valley Park pond three times this week. They managed to get some photos, including this one of a doe and her fawn. Click to enlarge.

Cedar Waxwing

Robbie Wigley — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:00:35 +0000

Two Cedar Waxwing

I saw these two fly in and land, otherwise I would never have seen them, they are so well hidden.

Spring Memories

Robbie Wigley — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:06:07 +0000

I thought I would post some of my pictures of wildlife from last spring. I am anxious to see green grass and critters. There are some birds I have no idea what they are…. maybe someone can let me know. If you have some pictures.. please share them by either commenting or sending them to me to put up on the post. Click to play this short slide show.