Donavan Lake's Animals and Wildlife

Prairia fox squirrell in a pecan tree Prairie fox squirrels are often seen in the middle of the day. These unusual color phases of the eastern fox squirrel love the pecan grove at the Donavan Inn.
   
Hay cutting days provide great birding as the raptors, vultures, and many other birds feed on numerous rats, snakes, and insects that are rousted from their lairs in the thick grass.

The sky is usually full of big birds fighting for the pieces of rats and snakes that the cutters churn up. It was wonderful to see an adult Swallow-tailed kite gliding above the cut hay. This large black and white bird with the long forked tail is rare and it is only the second one that I have seen (Thomas Wilson, 29 July, 2004)

Swallow-tailed kite
Photo by Todd Schneider, U. S. Fish and Wildlife (Georgia photo)
King Rails are often heard but seldom seen at Donavan Lake. This photo shows a mating pair of King Rails and thier 9 black chicks. I know the birds are small in this photo, but, show me another photo of a pair of King Rails with chicks.

P.S.- Members watched the rails grow to adults as they feed and played in the reeds beside the fishing piers.
King Rail mating pair and 9 chicks
   
Gaggle of geese on Sturdivant Lake About 30 pair of Canada geese raise their young each year at the Donavan Club. It is a joy to watch the complete episode of geese "family" activities. We watch the fights for the females, nest building, egg laying, incubation, hatching of the goslings, and then the wonderment of the mated pair teaching the little ones about life on the water.
   
 "Gander" is the Sturdivant Pier pet goose. Gander is a friendly goose that follows members around like he is part of the group. Judy and Joe Elliott from Brent are Gander's adopted fishing partners. "Gander"... the Sturdivant pier goose
   
Gander with his mate and goslings.
Gander's mate is a Chinese goose and it is fun to watch them raise their goslings on Donavan Lake.
   
This Black Swan appeared on Donavan Lake in April of 2005. This swan is an Asian species that must have escaped from a zoo or garden. It is a friendly bird and seems to enjoy being with Gander and the ducks.
A Black Swan that landed on Donavan Lake in April of 05.

 

Earl's World of Farm Animals

Fallow buck deer..."the boss" Earl Washburn, farm manager, keeps an exotic collection of animals at the Donavan Lakes farm. This fallow buck rules over a herd of deer in the wildlife pasture beside the Donavan Inn.
 
Fallow deer herd sheep and goats in wildlife pasture
   
fallow deer
Fallow bucks establishing peck order
   
 
Earl Washburn, farm manager, feeding the animals corn Earl feeds the animals
   
Earl feeding his animals Its corn time for Earl's animals
   
South African Boar
llamas and Earl Washburn
   
Lauren and Hudson Wilson feeding the animals in Earl's World
Hudson Wilson feeding llama
   
   

Thomas H. Wilson, Manager
1714 Prier Drive
Marion, AL 36756
334-683-6389


wils5789@bellsouth.net

© 2001 Donavan Lakes Fishing Club