Have been back at Rancho Jurupa Park in Riverside for the past two weeks. Wanted to get some things done. Plan to start heading North next week.

Above, an adult breeding wood duck that was by the marsh area at the park.

Think this is an adult, breeding ring-necked duck. Also seen by the marsh area.

There were several sets of mother and baby ducks. The ones above look like teenagers.

Came across a female goat that was in distress on park property. There are small ranches with all kinds of animals right next to the park. The goat must have gotten through a hole in a fence, then could not find her way back in. She was in distress and looked like she needed to be milked. All my pictures of her were a little blurry. Between her chasing Jake (and me) and my trying to keep Jake by my side, it was hard to stand still. I walked around to the street with the ranches and came across the son of the owner of the goat. He came and rescued her.

The two sets of mascots are still here. The male muscovoy duck is really dominant. Saw him chase down and bite some feathers off the large white male goose. He has also done this to the female muscovoy duck. Despite this, you often see the four of them resting together as a group.

Both sets of mascots were going from rv to rv looking in the screen doors, hoping for a handout. There have been less people at the park due to construction, so handouts may be harder to come by.

There only seems to be the one, full-time, blue heron here now. The ones that went gopher hunting here in April have probably headed North. Still plenty of gophers around.

Rancho Jurupa Park is right next to the Santa Ana River Wildlife Area. There are marsh areas on both sides of the river, along with miles of sandy horse trails that you can also walk or ride a bike on.

The herons were on gopher patrol again this morning. Two herons both caught one each. They hunt and swallow the gopher whole, just like they do fish. They have to be a little harder to go down than fish. In the picture above you can see the lump in the heron’s throat after swollowing the gopher.

Here is a short clip of the turkey-ducks muscovy ducks coming to the door seeking food.

Have been in Rancho Jurupa County Park for more than a week. It is not so much a destination, as a place to get things done. Have to admit I appreciate the California spring weather in the 60′s and 70′s.Top picture above, a tree with character that I see from my window. Below, what is behind the tree, lots of 30-40 foot palm trees that have never been trimmed and other trees all covered with some kind of vine.

Fellow campers bribe their cats with food to get them to come outside. The swans are always on the lookout for dogs and small children, but seem to know when an animal is no threat to them.

The female swan tried so hard to take a bath in the water I put out. She could not understand why she could see the water, but could not put her head through the side of the container. Not sure why the swans don’t go in the fishing pond here.

Two days in a row I have seen blue herons hunting in the field I see outside my window. Both days at least one gopher was caught. The picture above was taken through my window glass, hence the poor quality.

The herons cannot fish in the pond here because there are no shallow areas for them to wade in.

Movie below is called “I’m top duck here, don’t make eye contact”.