December 11 - Tumwater Historical Park

I took a turn down into Tumwater Historical Park, where all of the small birds were keeping to shelter in the 45° F steady rain and 15-knot south winds.  Even the ducks seemed to be in ‘dampened spirits’.

Rainy Day Mallards

There was a flock of Canada Geese grazing on the lawn & getting gravel.

Canada Goose

Waterfowl, of course, have no teeth to grind their food, so eat gravel, which works in the gizzard to ‘masticate’ the grass and seeds they eat.  A bird’s digestive tract is somewhat more complicated than, say, ours.

Mallard Drake

Food is taken in with the bill, and swallowed.  A small bit of saliva and digestive enzymes are added as the food moves from the mouth into the esophagus.  From the esophagus food moves to the crop, an expandable storage compartment located at the base of the bird’s neck, where it can remain for up to 12 hours. The food trickles from the crop into the bird’s stomach (proventriculus or gizzard) where digestive enzymes are added to the mix and physical grinding of the food occurs.

From the gizzard, food passes into the small intestine, where nutrients are absorbed.  The residue then passes through the cæcum, a blind sack along the lower intestinal tract, where bacteria help break down undigested food.  From the cæcum, food moves to the large intestine, which absorbs water and dries out indigestible foods.  This remaining residue passes through the cloaca where the bird’s urine (the white in bird droppings) mixes with the waste.  Both exit at the vent, the external opening of the cloaca. 

Crows were also on the lawn, picking up the flooded-out nightcrawlers.

Tumwater Lawn Crow

At the edge of the goose flock, I picked out a pair of Greater White-fronted Geese

White-fronted Geese on left, Snow Goose on right

And an immature Snow Goose

Immature Snow Goose

The Canadas were obviously long-time visitors to the park, and showed little concern with my approach, but the Specklebellies and the Snow are winter visitors, and not quite as certain about having people so close to them.

Dubious Specklebelly

A little flighty . . .

 . . . and keeping its distance

It was stormy enough that after a half-hour I figured it was time for a hot chocolate back home.

Tumwater Park eBird checklist Here