Green

Goldfinches

Fall is coming.  Tell-tale signs are beginning to show up.  The days are now getting noticeably shorter.  The normally bold bright yellow of the male Goldfinches is already starting to fade a bit.  These two finches today were filling up on seeds.

Sunday Sippers

Super Saturday

It has been a good day all in all.  The morning started very foggy but quickly burned off.  The muted background of fog was a nice back drop for an Eastern Meadowlark preening on a fence post. They can look tattered when they ruffle their feathers.



















A doe was seriously working on an Elderberry bush.  She rose on her back legs to get to where she could pull down the seed head.  I guess she had a taste for them.














A little after noon I went back out.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a rainy day so I wanted to make the most of today.  Two young fawns were running about in the pasture.  One disappeared into the woods but the other just sort of meandered along the edge of the woods.








I was standing watching when to my surprise one of the young hawks flew to a tree very close by.  It fluffed and preened feathers.  I think it was also attempting to cool a bit.  They are certainly camouflaged against tree bark.

Tracking the Deer

Definitely a lull in bird activity however there are a few indications that birds are beginning to sense it is getting close to migration time.  Over the last couple of days I have begun seeing Redstarts coming to the disappearing fountain.  I have not seen any around the house since spring.

I have been working on my projects that I am going to enter in the fair this year.  Working on my gourd I did a slice and dice on my finger late yesterday.  I guess I should have stopped and rested but I get involved and keep pushing.










Deer activity is steadily increasing.  The does are beginning to bring the fawn to the feeding sight on a regular basis now.  They are so cute.  I watch out the window and laugh as the fawns jump and paw at squirrels that come up trying to steal a bit of corn.

One of the younger bucks comes up and tries to eat all the food first.  The does however have become quite aggressive toward him particularly if a fawn is present.

A Summer Saturday

Not too much going on today but more bird activity than the last couple of weeks.  A bit cooler with overcast skies and a drop in the humidity made being out fairly pleasant.  A nice gentle breeze also helped keep mosquitoes at bay.

There were lots of Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers out this morning.  Young ones following mom learning hunting techniques.  Some still would on occasion still beg for food but most were actively hunting.

The Mockingbirds are already scoping out the Elderberries.  They will become very possessive chasing others away.  It always make for fun viewing at the squabbles.

The eggs of a late nesting pair of House Wrenns hatched out at the first part of the week.  The parents have certainly been busy today bringing food.  I took the scope out so I wouldn't have to get so close to the box and watched them for a while this afternoon.  To be so small they are a noisy bunch.

The Fly

It gives a whole new level of disgust when you have these uninvited visitors show up at your picnic.

Fawns

Over the last couple of days I have spotted the fawns hanging out at the edge of the woods.  The does would come to eat but the fawns stayed hidden.  Just a few minutes ago, I say them edging out heading down to where I put food out.

I decided to go ahead early and take a scoop of food down as two adults were ahead of them.  As I started down the path they darted off just a little but I sat down when I came back up and waited just a couple of minutes.  Sure enough here they came.

I wish the light had been a little better but it is fairly deep shade and the sun had gone behind some clouds.  I was glad to finally get a good look at them.  Soooo cute!

Fun with Macro

My new lens arrived close to 1400 so it was too late to go anywhere and really give it a good try.  I walked out  in the yard a bit just trying various things.  I am quite pleased for first shots and hand holding.  I can see though that once I start making some serious efforts a tripod will be essential.  With the magnification the hand shakes show up.  Thank heavens for image stabilization.

I am looking forward to experimenting and see what I can come up with.  I really like the fact that using this lens (Raynox DCR-250), that I have the flexibility to use on several different lenses and with different cameras.

The Sun Lives

After days of rain, the sun finally came out today.  It was getting very depressing with day after day of rain.  Low clouds cleared around 10:00 so I headed out.  Figuring not much bird wise would be out I headed out with my macro lens.  I figured it would be a good time to just slowly look around.

The humidity is so high that being out in the sun is just miserable.  I sprayed on the bug spray as I knew they would be horrible and yes, they were.














It is fully summer with the only things stirring much are insects and reptiles.  The mushrooms are exploding with all of the rain and I am always amazed at the variety within a small area.


This frog had taken up residence in a pile of dirt from an upturned tree.









I  hope that my new super macro lens will arrive tomorrow.  I am looking forward to trying out some really neat very close up shots.  I am very anxious to see just what I will be able to do.

Stump The Raccoon

Since the young raccoons left the nesting tree a couple of weeks ago, it has been a constant battle with them robbing the bird feeders, stealing the suet feeders and getting in to the deer food.  A couple of milk crates placed over the feeders at night solved the feeder issue, the suet feeder gets taken in every night, so the last battle was for the deer food.

I keep the deer food in a metal trash can under the carport.  During the night they would knock the lid off which of course started the dog barking.  Cutting on the light would only disperse them for a short time.  My first try was putting some bungee cords through the top to the side handles.  Nope, they popped them off on the first try then chewed them the next night.













Determined last night, I took one of the python cable locks that I use to lock the trail camera to a tree and ran it through the top and handles.  They did chew a bit of the plastic coating off but I guess quickly realized they could not chew the metal.  One thing for sure, they were determined.  They first arrived right after dark and the last try was at 0237.

Juvenile Indigo Bunting

It has been the first morning in a while where the sun was bright and no overcast skies.  I was anxious to practice a little on some digiscoping this time shooting raw format.  It was fairly quiet out with not too many birds out.  A young Indigo Bunting was out in the same area as yesterday.  It sat peeping for a parent to come feed it.

Before long, the heat waves were becoming too prominent and clouds were rapidly building so I called it a morning.  I am pretty happy with a couple of the digiscoped shots.  The young Indigo on the bare limb was scoped and the other shot with the green foliage was taken with my regular camera.  I still have a long ways to go but I am starting  to learn the new camera a bit more each time I practice.

Ummmmm, Frog Legs

It has been a hot and miserable day out in the sun.  The humidity is so high and the sun feels very hot.  Out for a bit this morning but I was not out long before a light drizzle began.

The other day when I was out I heard the strangest little sound and started looking for what was making it.  It was in a very shaded area with lots of ground cover.  Eventually I spotted some movement and a bit of bright orange that stood out among all the green and brown.

A Red-bellied Brown Snake had a frog by the leg.  The frog at first struggled but seemed finally resigned to its fate.  As I really like frogs my first instinct was to try to get the snake away but then I had to remind myself that this is nature.  Whether I was there or not, that is just the way it is.

Doe

A fairly quiet day.  Not too much going on.  It is hard to believe that it is already the 4th of July.  The spring went quickly and the summer months are flying by.  Happy Fourth to all!

 

Fawn

Rain, rain and still more rain  After a heavy downpour today and water rising quickly, a fawn found itself stranded on one little spot of high ground out in the wetland area.  The water was moving rapidly all around it.  I felt so sorry for the little creature as it was softly calling for it's mom.  You would have to be one hard hearted person not to feel sorry for it.






I could see the doe off in a patch of foliage off in the distance but there was swiftly moving water between it and the fawn.  Hopefully the water will subside quickly so she can retrieve her fawn.












Three female Mallards were being pushed down the creek by the water at times getting side ways.  They finally made it down to one of the beaver dams where they were able to stop.  It is pretty darn wet when the ducks are even trying to dry out.