Now you See It

See the bird?

Can I get a Whistle?

I was up behind the  cow barn last night watching a Palm Warbler delving among the branches of a box elder tree. I like Palm Warblers. They are such a warm, rich, yellow and cinnamon color.

Suddenly very close to me a screech rang out. It sounded as if someone had moved a sheet of roofing tin, and it protested loudly at being moved.

I jumped and looked over at the tangle of hedgerow there.

Nothing.

I went back to the warbler.

It happened again. And again. And again.

Yet there was nothing there. I made a short video of the sound.




I must have stood there, listening to that strange and very loud sound for ten minutes, peering into the hedgerow trying to find the whistler.

Then I saw him, almost at my feet.

Egad, what an ugly face!

I did not know that Woodchucks whistled.

Another visitor, quite unwelcome. Liz says it tumbled down the hill
and was staggering around

Although it still looks superficially fairly healthy, I am glad most of the domestic
animals are vaccinated against rabies

What a Difference

Just starting to fill

A day makes.

Yesterday when we stopped for a few minutes at Schoharie Crossing SHS to look for birds, I noticed that the mud flats we check were beginning to flood.

I called the boss to come over from the car to see, as it was pretty cool.




Today, although the creek and river aren't quite bank full, there is surely quite a difference.

Guess they closed the dams on the locks.

A little different angle but a lot more water

Hello, it's Me

Everyone else's hummingbirds come back earlier than ours. Many birds show here up a week or two later than other places. I think it may because of our north-facing, slightly colder, location, but who knows?

Anyhow, I was working on the sitting porch, annoying the nesting robin pair no end, when this guy flew right up to my face, his gleaming gem of a gorget flashing like a neon sign, his back as green as Ireland.

Delight.

Wonder.

Joy aplenty.

I stole some time from work I should have been doing to try for a photo or two. While I waited another first-of-year bird, a little House Wren, hopped right up beside me and began to inspect all the cracks and crevices on the porch.....

Hmm...the robins already have one corner occupied. Will the wrens take up wrensidence in the little bird house Matt and Lisa gave me? Only time will tell.

FOY bird #3 for the day, a Lesser Yellowlegs

Big Day 2018

Blackburnian Warbler

We did Big Day yesterday, and were we ever tired when we got home. The boss went to the races after....I don't know how he did it....

Somewhat less lovely

Had fun though, and good birds. A handful of new county birds, including a Hermit Thrush right in our creek ravine by the barn, and one lifer... 57 species altogether.

Common Yellowthroat

Song Sparrow

The life bird was a Blackburnian Warbler, seen and ever so luckily photographed too, down along the driveway. I tried to go out to refind him this morning...or any other new arrivals that might be around, but alas, it is raining too hard to be sensible.

These Tree Swallows, and a number of others, were determined that
they could get inside that tiny hole in the old phone box to nest
Fail

Hope it stops soon, as the boss and Becky are off to a ball game with Scott and family, so I am on my own for finding birds today.

And speaking of fail...something found a turkey nest I guess

Herding Instinct

Took Finn over to the cow barn last night in the course of keeping the boss company while he fed the old cows. Although he plays a Border Collie on TV, the pup is a flaming coward. He is afraid of flappy newspapers, hats, sheep, strangers, anything new in the yard, and crowing roosters. He has a gay tail, a short back, and generally doesn't really look too much like a herding dog. I didn't buy him to be a herding dog, so really this is okay but sometimes...

When he saw the cows, his tail dropped between his hocks, his head went down as he peered nearsightedly at them, and he looked like a fine working dog.....It was pretty cool.

Until he bolted in terror, barking, and nearly wetting himself in fear. Since I was at the other end of the leash I was darned near dumped on the dirt.

Good grief! 

I think I will call it "horror instinct." It starts with an 'h' after all. It's been a long time since Mike, Nick and Gael......too long sometimes.

This guy on the other hand has nearly put a bull through a fence,
and chased the heck out of the biggest horse we have

City Boys

This is a turkey

The boss went over to the livestock sale this afternoon to check out the price of feeder calves.

Incidentally today, the first of May, is opening day of spring turkey season.

This is a turkey too

On his way over he saw two fellows coming out of the woods with their kill. This was wrong on so many counts.

First of all, season ends at noon each day. This was well after two PM, as he generously took me birding before going over.

Also these were not males, the only birds allowed to be taken, but were both hens.

However, worse, far worse than that, was that the "turkeys" were Barred Rock chickens.

How bout that!

This is not a turkey.
It isn't a Barred Rock either,
but I am too lazy to go down to the barn to get a picture of one.

Jack Russell Egrets

Savannah Sparrow

Although we also walk, and park, starring out the windows in pursuit of little birdies, we do a lot of road birding. This leads to some interesting interchanges.

A quartet of Long-tailed Ducks on the Mohawk yesterday

"Stop, quick, there's a big white bird on the bank of so-and-so's pond! Might be a Great Egret"

Osprey hunting over an Amish pond

A hurried look for traffic in either direction and we cruise to the side of the road. What IS that bird!?!?

Bonaparte's Gulls
So cute and they sound like squeaky toys too

Drag up the bins and peer.

And peer.

And peer some more.

Well, dang,

It's not a bird. It's so-and-so's Jack Russell Terrier, sitting on the edge of the pond peering back at us. 

And so it goes. Birding for the lame, halt, and half-blind at its finest.

You Win Some

And sometimes good birds are being found all over the county...only not by you. However, we have seen an awful lot of beauty just the same. 

A Turkey Vulture sails home at sunset.

Sunrise

Getting outdoors every day is good for you, no question about it. 

And sunset at Schoharie Crossing 

Fishnets and Hookers

After a couple of years hiatus, the boss is back selling at the Sprout Brook Auction. If you see him, don't be afraid to raise your hand and take home some of this wonderful merchandise.

Hope the weather stays as nice as it is. 

*Btw, the fishnets and hookers thing came from an occasion several years ago when he got all excited selling some fishing tackle. No one has let him live it down since...

 Be careful....we got caught in this traffic jam on our way over there the other day

Angry Bird

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Earth Day

For some it might be this huge array of solar panels, covering what was once a farm field with a third of a mile's worth of man made non-beauty.

For me it's more like this....

Culture Shock

We are redneck hicks and the first to admit it. We stick close to home most of the time, well within our rural comfort zone, and like it that way. Sophisticated world travelers we are not.

However, yesterday the boss wanted to go to Bass Pro Shop up in Utica. Although I didn't know it, he had hopes of getting me an inexpensive spotting scope. I didn't let him, by the way. There are much more important places to put his money, and I am well served by the tools I already have.

However, all the way around the store, we were kinda, sorta, followed, or maybe it was  coincidence, by a strapping tall fellow in a man bun. Now I am sure you have seen the memes on Facebook, where such a hairstyle is equated with the cancellation of the occupant's man card and all, but this guy wasn't bad looking really. I wouldn't have looked at him twice, even with my admittedly sheltered point of view except....

All through the whole store he busily punched his rude card like it was his job. Sneering in a NYC accent at everything and everyone he encountered in the store. He made fun of binoculars, for Pete's sake. He was big enough to pull it off, but I felt sorry for his girlfriend, who was clearly embarrassed.

Then I thought...maybe a city guy, thrown into a huntin', campin', lots-of-guns-and-gear experience like Bass Pro, was experiencing a little culture shock of his own. Had to indulge in a little self-puffery so as not to feel intimidated by all those danger sticks and camouflage tents.

I dunno. It was sure good to get home to the roar of the nearby racetrack and the rustle of the wind in the bare branches though. Guess I'm too old to change.

Beach Combing

The kitchen windowsill is littered with treasure. I have yet to grow up enough to stop bringing rocks into the house.

Peggy hasn't either and has a fine eye for a nice stone for her grandma.

Added to these fine specimens are now two delightfully smooth pebbles from the beach at Haystack Rock, a solid chunk of obsidian found by a certain fine young man, who was thoughtful enough to lug it around all day in his pocket while he was working, and a stone from California.

Who needs diamonds and pearls? Not me; I have wealth aplenty with some to spare. Love you guys...

Nuts

Red-necked Grebe

We were busy with real life stuff yesterday....getting ready for the kids to visit, as Alan is home from Vancouver WA, running errands, and a plethora of other things, including housework.

I did not expect much in the way of birds or birding. However, all work and no play etc.....so we combined errands with birds.

Bonaparte's Gulls

American Kestrel

And wow, just wow.

First we found a Red-necked Grebe down by McDonald's, which by the way is a great place to bird. They say if you keep buying coffee you can sit in the big front windows and watch the river in warmth and comfort. Anyhow, life bird for me.

Dedication

Then we saw a few more nice seasonal birds in a quick visit to Schoharie Xing, and got a Northern Mockingbird, right where we first saw one last year. Nice bird, as they no longer seem to nest here on the farm. Cold winters I guess. We had ONE last year and winter storm Stella finished him I guess.

Belted Kingfisher

Then on the way over to check out the growing lineup for the spring junk machinery auction, we stopped at a spot we call Bear Swamp, as it is in fact part of that swamp. 

Good weather for ducks...Hooded Mergansers

Almost the whole pond was still frozen, but we were peering at a single Canada Goose out on the ice when the boss said, "You have two more incoming."

I had actually seen them crossing from west to east and dismissed them as just more geese...we see lots of geese. However, since he had mentioned them I trained the binoculars on them and about went nuts.

Sandhill Cranes!!! They are my sort of my grail bird here in NY, especially outside the Montezuma NWR complex. I have NEVER seen them anywhere but there, or in the South or West where they are common. They even obliged me with a couple of photos before wandering off across the sky.

This may be the coldest, wettest, and most miserable spring since the 1800s, but it sure has been spectacular for birds. Downright nuts.