2024 Prep work and training

[DComeaux]

After our Easter activities today, I did a few things with Remi in the yard then we took a walk out to the ponds for a little deep water swimming practice. The first time we were there she just ran around in the shallows. Today she launched like a rocket pretty far into the pond. I was a bit concerned at first when I saw her flailing and doing circles sometimes flipping over backwards snapping at the water she was splashing into the air. She eventually leveled off and made it back to me. After multiple launches, she began to understand how to dog paddle. After that first launch, I came very close to jumping in to help her out. She looked so damn clumsy.
I'm trying to remain patient, and I feel I'm working at her mental pace, but I may need to get a bit firmer with her in the next few weeks. I feel I'm way behind with training, but then again, I may be rushing things. She is wound tight and I'm hoping to see a little maturity start to show itself. I don't want to break her spirit. I see so many dogs that act like robots and look unhappy, and that's not what I want.

Remi and I jumped a couple of Black belly whistling ducks from the bank of one pond and they stayed and fed while we continued our activities. They may have eggs in one of my boxes.

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[Deltaman]

Nice to have your pond close at hand for training, and getting past the seriousness of her being unsure about swimming in deeper water, glad you didn't have to jump in

[Rick]

Always a bit anxious watching them learn to use their hind legs for something other than reaching for bottom. And what a blessing to have gator-free swimming water readily available.

My strongest and fastest swimmers have all done so high in the water, with most, if not all of their backs showing. Have to think that minimal displacement a help and perhaps a combination of inherent buoyancy and conditioned swimming technique. Since our new marsh venue, Cherry Ridge, features far more swimming water than my tiny mudhole did, it worries me some that Call, while fairly fast, rarely swims nearly, much less completely, level. May not be doing him any favors with so little of our time spent swimming him at the only handy deep, gator-free pond we still have nearby and so much of it with him in shallower stuff where he can nearly always push off bottom - and I can get in a few miles for my own conditioning. (Note to self: swim the poor pup more.)

[DComeaux]

My strongest and fastest swimmers have all done so high in the water, with most, if not all of their backs showing.

Ellie rode pretty high in the water and pushed a good wake in her prime. Head high when searching then flattened out and went into turbo mode when the target was spotted. So fun to watch them work.

I have to let Ellie out of the kennel alone or she'll get attacked (rough play) by Remi. I'm afraid shell hurt the old girl.

[MARSH BEAR]

DC - my previous dog to Abby - Sassy was a very poor swimmer at the beginning, but turned into a very good swimmer. At some point it just clicks and they know how to do it. Good luck

[DComeaux]

DC - my previous dog to Abby - Sassy was a very poor swimmer at the beginning, but turned into a very good swimmer. At some point it just clicks and they know how to do it. Good luck

I'm really not concerned about her swimming ability at the moment. That was her very first jump into deep water. She'll have plenty of time to get it right.

[DComeaux]

I just got this picture from Randall this morning. He went to our boat launch yesterday having brought his new bay boat down to the camp. It looks like our widgeon grass is back!!!!!!!!!!!


It's sort of a bittersweet feeling at the moment though, due to the upcoming hurricane season and it's uncertainty now with El nino. We'll have food this year if we get lucky with the storms.

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[Duck Engr]

Great news Dave! Better to have some to worry over than none at all.

[DComeaux]

Journey of a teal.

50 Ducks

Bird of the Day:
BWTE #30's Spring Yo-Yo Migration
Have you ever heard of ducks "Yo-Yoing"? Typically, this term refers to birds pushed south by cold fronts during fall migration that then head north again. However, BWTE #30, a Blue-Winged Teal, demonstrates that this phenomenon can also occur in spring (not necessarily due to weather). After being GPS tagged at the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, she initially headed due west for 40 miles. She then embarked on a 130-mile journey north to the Coulee State Wildlife Refuge on April 10th, where she stayed for two days before returning to her exact starting point in West Louisiana.
Undeterred, 10 days later, she attempted her northward migration again. This time, she pushed further, traveling an impressive 727 miles almost due north in just two days, next marking her GPS location near the Arkansas-Missouri line. Continuing her journey, she traveled over the next 60 days to Elmore, Saskatchewan, where she settled for the nesting season.
In total, from March to mid-July, BWTE #30 covered nearly 2,500 miles. Her journey is a remarkable example of the resilience and adaptability of waterfowl, showcasing how environmental factors can influence migration patterns in unexpected ways. Join us at 50ducks.com to follow more extraordinary tales of avian migration.

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[SpinnerMan]

Now we know where the corn pile is.


These satellite tracking maps are very cool.

[Rick]

Now we know where the corn pile is.

More likely the safe "roost".

[DComeaux]

Now we know where the corn pile is.


These satellite tracking maps are very cool.

I actually looked at that area on google earth then went to street view. It's beautiful prairie dotted with water filled potholes.

[SpinnerMan]

Now we know where the corn pile is.

More likely the safe "roost".

where she settled for the nesting season.

I assume that's her nesting area.

[Deltaman]

Typical female...........

[DComeaux]

Typical female...........

LOL!!!

[SpinnerMan]

Most of us have our own trackers in our pocket. I wish I could figure out how to put it on one chart like that.

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[DComeaux]

Remi and I made a trip (her first) down to the camp this morning to check on things, I also wanted to introduce her to the long drive and her second home. We did a short training session in the yard there and then I let her check things out. Shes five months and a week now and it seems her mouth is still tender. She's still wound tight and too puppy like for me to accomplish much of anything but the basics. I'm grateful for the few accomplishments I do get from her which are becoming more frequent. We still have a lot of work to do.

I drove out to our boat landing (2 miles west) and was really excited to see the big patches of wigeon grass in the neighboring ponds. When I exited the truck at the boat ramp to take a closer look at the beautiful wigeon grass in our boat slip I disturbed a 7- or 8-foot gator that was sunning itself on the limestone. It dove in and disappeared. This is only the second gator I've seen on our place and the first was at least five years ago, and it was tiny. Those may be an issue for this season with the brackish water we now have.

Looking south from our landing both east and west ponds in view were covered with wigeon grass as well as the banks of our now deeper boat slip. I plan to drag the boat down there in a couple of weeks to ride out to the blind and take a look around. The local crabber had put out a few test traps and only caught a couple of small ones. It may be a while before they return, if they return.

I found out a couple of days ago that a project for our lease property was approved and is moving forward to the next phase. The project is to pump sand/black shale from the gulf to fill in the large areas of water we now have and build smaller ponds. I also found out that this project was approved in part due to an endangered species of rail. This habitat will be constructed to fit their needs......... I pray we have a quiet hurricane season.

[Rick]

Curious which rail?

[DComeaux]

Curious which rail?

Black

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Rail/id

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Rail/maps-range

[Rick]

Have long thought the tiny, bleck sora-looking ones we'd sometimes flush briefly were "crakes". (Which google now tells me is something different on the other side of the globe.) Never had one in hand and also thought them black-black, so perhaps I dreamed them...

Anyway, here's to the black rail for being your marsh's spotted owl.

[BGkirk]

I’m excited for you on the widgeon grass.
Our water is stained a muddy brown in some ponds and nearly greenish tint in the others.
Was hoping to see some grass but did not. Maybe will catch them in between heading to and from your place


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DComeaux]

Remi working on her rope knots. She'll be tying the bow rope at the blind.




She had a vet visit today for her first proheart shot. She's a mess.

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[Rick]

You've captured my greatest fear these past several months on video. Sweet Chereaux rediscovered crochet about the time Call joined us and has been making blankets for all of the grandkids. Given the givens, I'm certain it's taken the Grace of God to spare us.

Knock wood...

But she's having so much fun being a puppy that I keep clicking on it.

[Darren]

Visited our lease Saturday afternoon and also found it full of wigeon grass; really promising given how much growing season is to come.

[DComeaux]

Visited our lease Saturday afternoon and also found it full of wigeon grass; really promising given how much growing season is to come.

Great news. Hope we have a calm summer and early fall without drought.

[DComeaux]

Thanks for moving this over DE!!! Here we go.

I also got my lease renewal today.........OUCH!!!

[DComeaux]

Interesting system.

[Ducaholic]

Buy me two of them for Christmas but I need longer leads

[DComeaux]

Buy me two of them for Christmas but I need longer leads

I was going to ask the same, but then I pictured myself deploying these, leaking battery box, tangled power cords, corrsion, and so on and decided I'll pass.

[Rick]

C'on, you're in it this deep, what's another $500?