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Robins, plentiful around here, are hatching. Finding the cast-off shells from the successful hatches (and this one showed the signs of just that: the shell broken in the upper third, the inner membranes and blood vessels dry) is like finding a small, incredibly gorgeous treasure. Yes, a well-known jewelry retailer uses that hue as their “signature” color, but it belongs to the robins…and that beauty belongs to all of us.
It’s turtle breeding season here, when the urge to find a mate and/or breeding grounds strikes, there’s no dissuading them. Even if it means that they must make a death-defying trek across a busy roadway to get to their destinations. We always try to give our wild turtle friends a helping hand when it’s possible to safely do so, even if that turtle has incredibly strong jaws and feet with sharp claws.
Continue reading “Haiku: Turtle’s Tenacity”
It’s a sunny Saturday here on the farm, and it’s been unusually warm. Temperatures yesterday hit 80F and are forecasted to be in the 80s (currently 84F now) for the remainder of the weekend. The combination of high humidity and temperatures makes for some uncomfortable days working outside, a reminder of the real heat and humidity that are just around the corner.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Too Warm, A Bit Too Early”
We’ve known about a skunk living under the barn’s tack room for a while. It sprayed in the barn a couple of times, then stopped (thankfully). While we didn’t necessarily want a skunk living there, we decided to just try to co-exist with it.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Solitary Striped Skunk”
Each morning, I watch the birds at the feeders from the kitchen window. There are large birds (Blue Jays, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, cardinals) and small birds (titmice, nuthatches, finches, sparrows, chickadees, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers). Doves (mostly Mourning and the occasional Ringneck) mill around on the ground, looking for scattered seeds. And while I watch those birds going about their business, I’m not thinking about the pandemic, the climate crisis, ongoing destruction of the environment, or the many social issues we’re facing; instead, I am enthralled by bird life.
Continue reading “Musings: The Benefits Of Birdwatching”
The cold and snow are upon us, making the very act of living more challenging for wild creatures. I suspect that the canid tracks above may be from a coyote, as they appear a bit larger than I would expect from a fox (though we have both here). Other tracks, mesmerizing in their own way, were left by other animals and invite imagining their destinations and their difficulties during this time of year.
Continue reading “Haiku: Clandestine Crossing”