When the lake lever is below 657' the herons and egrets will return to feed. Many times we will see the egrets roosting in trees across the cove from us.
Ok, ok! So I put a chipmunk photo here :o)
How can anyone not enjoy seeing a chipmunk. And here is one of many herons we have and still have in the area. If the lake is at full pond (660' above sealevel) they leave for other, shallower places. When the lake is down below 657' then they return to feed along the shore where they can easily wade.
The first few years after moving in we had lots of hummingbirds. But for some reason, maybe the four plus years of drought beginning about 1999, they seem to not come around anymore. As for ducks, well we do get quite a few of them. This particular duck, which may be a Muscovy Duck, we see about once or twice a year. A rather large duck to say the least.
About the 1st or 2nd year here we discovered a Wood Duck sitting in a tree out back. We never could get its photograph as it would fly away as we approached. We knew it was a Wood Duck at it is, we believe, the only duck in the world that will roost in a tree.
The ugly ducks again but the photo on the right? Well, not sure exactly what it is but at least Jeanne did pick it up to a its photograph could be taken.
Occasionally, a Little Green Heron will stop on your dock while trying to determine where it will look for fish next. In September, 2005, while I was out watching Cali and Peanut during their morning exercise, the Heron flew over to our dock. Cali was close by but hidden by the brush along the shore. He crept ever closer to the dock and all the time the heron was "giving him the eye". Finally, Cali crept onto the dock and got within the heron's "time to leave now" circle so he flew away.