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Reports from at Home and Away (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter snowyowl
- Start date
I really think spring is making it's way to Indiana.....there were two fox sparrows under my feeders this evening....lots of hopping and scratching. My, they're fun to watch! And so handsome!
My daughter (who lived in Sackville, Dan, for a couple years) who now lives on the Mississippi River in SE Minnesota reports a huge snowstorm today....the predictions for total accumulation are now up to nearly 24 inches by the time it ends tomorrow. She said the eagles are everywhere (or WERE before today!) like they were last year at this time when I visited for a couple days. She also reports two redpolls (and bless her heart, she was properly excited about them! Ha!) at their feeders today.
The temperature was up to 60 degrees today in Lafayette, Indiana, and I hear maybe one spring peeper down in the pond tonight.....he is sporadic and sounds lonesome, but LORDY, I love to hear them for the first time each spring! Woo Hoo!
My daughter (who lived in Sackville, Dan, for a couple years) who now lives on the Mississippi River in SE Minnesota reports a huge snowstorm today....the predictions for total accumulation are now up to nearly 24 inches by the time it ends tomorrow. She said the eagles are everywhere (or WERE before today!) like they were last year at this time when I visited for a couple days. She also reports two redpolls (and bless her heart, she was properly excited about them! Ha!) at their feeders today.
The temperature was up to 60 degrees today in Lafayette, Indiana, and I hear maybe one spring peeper down in the pond tonight.....he is sporadic and sounds lonesome, but LORDY, I love to hear them for the first time each spring! Woo Hoo!
snowyowl
Well-known member
We haven't heard fromyou for a while, Marianna. Nice to have you back.
The most exciting bird of the year to date is the N. Hawk Owl that has shown up here. I've been to see it twice now. Unfortunately the weather is really poor for photography.
I think that spring is here although another storm won't surprise me. The colours on the birds are definitely brightening and the days are much warmer and longer. Oh yeah, the other sign of soring - the skunks are out!
The most exciting bird of the year to date is the N. Hawk Owl that has shown up here. I've been to see it twice now. Unfortunately the weather is really poor for photography.
I think that spring is here although another storm won't surprise me. The colours on the birds are definitely brightening and the days are much warmer and longer. Oh yeah, the other sign of soring - the skunks are out!
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Hey Tammie - thanks for remembering - I had to postpone it 3 wks (April 7) . When I called our Ins. to get my husband removed Aprl 1 as he will go on Medicare (65) then, I found out that my deductible also went down from $4,000 to $2,000 - so I changed my surgery date! I still have 2 yrs to do - my knee won't wait that long!
Does anyone else have a problem of bees in the feed? I think they are honey bees - have seen a deer get her nose stung!!
Does anyone else have a problem of bees in the feed? I think they are honey bees - have seen a deer get her nose stung!!
A deer got her nose stung? Now THAT'S something I haven't seen, but I bet it was lively to watch!
I do not have that problem so far, and don't think I have had in the past even though I fed all summer long last year. The feed I use for the deer is sweet (or so it says!), but truly, there are no bees flyin' yet this year.
Great picture of the owl, Dan.....even though you thought the weather interfered some....I have never seen one of those guys, and they are quite striking in appearance.
I have been 'here' all along, just forget to check in at BirdBuzz sometimes....especially when not too much exciting is happening in my yard.
I saw three killdeer flying low to the ground and close to the road this morning as I drove into town. Beautiful.
And no more sighting of the two fox sparrows near the feeders.....they never seem to stay around, but just pass through. Sure glad I get to see them at all! There ARE robins in the yard the last couple days, and that is happy.
Will be thinking of you April 7, Sara! Hope all goes well.
I do not have that problem so far, and don't think I have had in the past even though I fed all summer long last year. The feed I use for the deer is sweet (or so it says!), but truly, there are no bees flyin' yet this year.
Great picture of the owl, Dan.....even though you thought the weather interfered some....I have never seen one of those guys, and they are quite striking in appearance.
I have been 'here' all along, just forget to check in at BirdBuzz sometimes....especially when not too much exciting is happening in my yard.
I saw three killdeer flying low to the ground and close to the road this morning as I drove into town. Beautiful.
And no more sighting of the two fox sparrows near the feeders.....they never seem to stay around, but just pass through. Sure glad I get to see them at all! There ARE robins in the yard the last couple days, and that is happy.
Will be thinking of you April 7, Sara! Hope all goes well.
Things look really green there, Sara! It's still very brown and gray and drab here in mid-Indiana.
Love the picture of your cat.....he/she is a beauty and I am sure is thinking that lying so low and flat, the deer can't possibly see him/her. Aren't they funny sometimes?
The turkey pictures are grand, too....I would love to see a few in my yard....but I'm grateful for what does hang out there! (I also didn't know that young boy turkeys are called 'jakes'.) Cool!
Love the picture of your cat.....he/she is a beauty and I am sure is thinking that lying so low and flat, the deer can't possibly see him/her. Aren't they funny sometimes?
The turkey pictures are grand, too....I would love to see a few in my yard....but I'm grateful for what does hang out there! (I also didn't know that young boy turkeys are called 'jakes'.) Cool!
Hi Marianne - I think my camera takes things greener than they really are - it's mostly a muddy mess where the deer hang out but the front lawn is greening up - the deer are trimming it nicely- can't wait for honeysuckle to leaf out so I can feed less!! The cat is a neutered female (Goldilocks) - have been letting them out in afternoon instead of night as reports of cyotes are being heard (the cats are belled!) They prefer mice etc that they bring in for my approval - ugh! Just looked out window and the hen is back - I have high hopes of luring her to nest in our area so I can get chick photos!! I ran a small bucket of corn out when I saw her later in the day - she went up into the woods and watched my "serve" it and clucked at me - I clucked back and as soon as my door closed behind me she darted out of the woods for her treat!
They are SPLENDID fellows, Sara!!! Very studly guys!
The deer have really wreaked havoc in my backyard this winter, too.....not enough snow cover, and when they play "chase around in a big circle til we drop", the clods of sod sure fly! I am hoping the grass will recover.....but if it doesn't, then it's that much less I have to mow! Hee Hee! I'm sure something will decide to grow there.....whatever it is, I hope the deer keep it trimmed.
How wonderful to have turkeys eating in your backyard......that's quite something. Sometimes the deer will watch me from the woods when I am late feeding, and then they are at the pans by the time I am back in the house and at a window. Once in a while, I get home late and they will be standing in the yard, staring at the house, looking perplexed. (at least that's how they look to me.....and I'm stickin' to that!
)
The deer have really wreaked havoc in my backyard this winter, too.....not enough snow cover, and when they play "chase around in a big circle til we drop", the clods of sod sure fly! I am hoping the grass will recover.....but if it doesn't, then it's that much less I have to mow! Hee Hee! I'm sure something will decide to grow there.....whatever it is, I hope the deer keep it trimmed.
How wonderful to have turkeys eating in your backyard......that's quite something. Sometimes the deer will watch me from the woods when I am late feeding, and then they are at the pans by the time I am back in the house and at a window. Once in a while, I get home late and they will be standing in the yard, staring at the house, looking perplexed. (at least that's how they look to me.....and I'm stickin' to that!
)We have the same deer! Every a.m. when I push back the drapes - STARING at me are "my" herd of 9 deer "where's our breakfast?". I've been feeding them for years - the turkey's are a fairly recent edition - there are 6 regulars who are also quite tame - sometimes feel like I'm running a zoo! The real fun is when they arrive at the same time - the turkeys can be quite brave against the larger deer!! Watched a yearling chase a turkey all 'round the field the other day!!
snowyowl
Well-known member
No deer or turkeys unfortunately (well, maybe a few in parliament).
I was out and about yesterday and and pleased to find that the ice has gone out at the south-east corner of the Island. There wasn't much to be seen off shore except about 20 C. Goldeneye and, while I was watching, a flock of 18 c. Geese flew in. Later I saw a second larger flock. If the geese are back, it really must be spring.
First banding session here at the house today. I'm quite excited and hoping that it will go well.
I was out and about yesterday and and pleased to find that the ice has gone out at the south-east corner of the Island. There wasn't much to be seen off shore except about 20 C. Goldeneye and, while I was watching, a flock of 18 c. Geese flew in. Later I saw a second larger flock. If the geese are back, it really must be spring.
First banding session here at the house today. I'm quite excited and hoping that it will go well.
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amasara said:
Hi amasara and snowyowl and all the bird buzz gang, I'm in Houston Tx , and the temp is in the mid 70's F. Went to a naturefest on march 5th in north houston and saw some nice birds for this area while on a pontoon boat tour, like the green kingfisher, which is normally further south. T
Then we went to a very exclusive area called the woodlands and low and behold next to a very busy thoroughfare by the lake we had 2- adult bald eagles and a juvie in a nest. We watched while they brung it fish to eat and the whole bit. The family overlooks all these million dollar homes and all these city dwellers gawking at them without the slightest care!
I think it is very cool to see that right here, I've paid good money for eagle tours further north and had less showtime--ha! This was free, albeit the parking is precarious on the road!
Midge/ Houston
snowyowl
Well-known member
The first banding session is over. The day started with two of us trying to put the poles up. I had to drive holes in the frozen ground to put the poles in. The next issue was whether the placement of the nets would work because the flight pattern of the finch species might take them over the nets. We really didn't need to worry. We put the first net up and went to put the second one up and there were already birds in the first net. That was the way things went all morning. We were run a bit ragged, extracting, measuring, weighing, sexing etc plus recording the data. We had to check each bag for fecal matter to sample for the salmonella study. I'm pretty slow at doing extractions. Fortunately a couple of morre banders arrived to help. We were only banding certain target species and ended up banding 54 birds, 95% Pine Siskins with a few C. Redpolls and an A. Tree Sparrow. All the A. Goldfinches, Blue jays, B-c. Chickadees and a Downy were released.
The team will be back on Thursday for another session. Now I'm going to take a nap!
The team will be back on Thursday for another session. Now I'm going to take a nap!
