Spring has finally come to the Bear Lake Valley in Idaho. There still aren't many leaves on the trees since we live at nearly 6000' elevation, but the Canada Geese have been here for awhile, and now their babies are starting to appear. Linda and I drove out to Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge today, and while we saw hundreds of adult pairs, we only saw three with goslings.
It might be awhile before we see more goose families. The parents are very protective of their babies and swim with them in a tight group. After a minute or so, they swam into the bulrushes and the babies nearly disappeared as they blended in to the surroundings.
Who can resist these little balls of yellow fluff? They will stay with their parents for up to a year.
161 bird species have been counted here at Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Hay fields in the area are cut to provide feeding sites for the birds, and alfalfa, wheat, and barley are grown around the edge of the marsh to provide food for wildlife. We are lucky to have this resource so close to home.
Please note that my photos are copyrighted and should not be used without permission.
I just stumbled upon your wonderful blog with the exceptional photos...thanks for sharing so much of the wildlife - best regards from Northern Ireland
ReplyDeleteThank you for the nice compliment, Joyce. I'm glad you enjoyed this. Best wishes from Idaho.
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