The good thing about farm mysteries is...
they can most always be solved with the use of the game cameras!
We've had a mystery at the pond for the past several weeks.
You see, our pond was man-made about 17 years ago
(before there were rules about making ponds).
It is fed by several underground springs... one of which comes from our old log cabin,
whose basement serves as a springhouse.
Over the years we have raised several groups of ducklings...
Perkins, Cayugas, Khaki Campbells, Swedish Runners.
Only four domestic ducks remain.
Several wild mallard couples are amongst the many squatters that call this area home.
From time to time we have stocked the pond with fish to supplement
the "mysterious" koi that somehow made it into the pond.
(I am told that a friend may have slipped his little koi into the pond years ago.)
In the past 10 years these koi have reproduced and grown.
At the present time we have 8 huge koi.
A whole host of bullfrogs and spring peepers and turtles call the pond home as well.
And of course there are the transient visitors...
wood ducks, blue herons, and a whole host of mammalian immigrants.
On the edge of the pond is a structure that has housed baby ducklings from time to time.
It now houses duck and fish feed as well as a light that goes on at dusk to keep owls away,
and a radio that plays all night to keep foxes away.
(We try everything possible to protect our ducks from predators.)
I've noticed every morning of late that there is a bird that flies out
when I approach the hut to get feed.
This bird has picked an unusual location for it's nest...
and within the nest...
four tiny beige eggs.
Alas... I have rambled.
Let's get back to the mystery.
There is a black rubber dish in which we put the duck food
that has lately been moving during the night.
More mornings than not, we find this rubber feed dish
down at the water's edge and sometimes floating in the pond.
Hubbs was sure that something very large (like a bear) might be responsible for this mischief.
The only way to be sure was to place a game camera in the area to gather evidence.
After two days, I retrieved the camera and found it to contain 2500 photos.
Wow!
After perusing all of the images...
Our mystery is solved!
(To be continued....)
Comments
Here I am reading away and you got me so excited then WAIT? Oh for pete sake. Ok, I will be back tomorrow... Think it may be a bear..
Your photos are just beautiful.