But Wait, there's More

After we dropped Jade back at home, we headed out for a little birding trip that we had just been starting when he asked for a ride.

We hit the Crossing where we saw a lovely pageant of kayaks near the aqueduct. Too busy for birding though so we ventured out into the country.

That is when things got weird again.

First we passed a shaggy little homestead, all grown up to brush and weeds, with a driveway straggling through it.

In said drive was a tiny little boy, blond and cute as a button, wearing a plaid flannel shirt, which was in itself kind of strange, as I am pretty sure he was Amish. He wouldn't have come up to my elbow and was around four at the very most.

Between him and the road was a beautifully groomed, long haired, black-and-white goat, a buck I think, wearing a bright red collar. The thing was literally the size of a small pony.

The boy was chasing it down the drive with a big, long buggy whip, hollering his head off.

The goat was standing all slab sided like they do, and up on tiptoe, with his head tilting to the side, debating whether to mind the whip or plant the boy. 

We missed the final scene but I'll be the kid won.

But wait, still more. 

As the sun dipped entirely behind the mountains and darkness fell, we saw something rolling down a steep hill towards us.

What the heck was that thing? Kinda bulky, really flying, like a low-slung motorcycle only wider.....no lights or any of those other silly fripperies.

Weird.

The photo does not do justice to how dark it was; the camera is pretty good at finding ambient light.

They sure were having a lot of fun though, as were the kids in the wagon behind them. 

It was a night for crazy, no two ways about it...but a nice drive just the same....

Dueling Banjos

It was one of those nights when everything was wonderfully weird.

Jade needed us to pick him up in the next county as he was dropping off his truck for some repairs. We did so, but decided to return on a back road we sometimes bird, as there was a messy tangle of construction out on the main highway.

We were tooling along, watching the fields in hopes of a return of last year's Cattle Egret, when we spotted a gigantic Rottweiler at the bottom of a big hill...right in the road.

The roadside was lined with tall trees and thick brush, and there was no sign of a civilized dwelling, although there was something of a shanty nearby, half hidden in the overgrowth. As we drove down the hill I heard evenly spaced eager, but soft, woofs from the woods beside the road...maybe one every fifty feet or so. How strange....

I figured somebody maybe had dogs tethered in there or something.

As we hit the bottom the giant Rottie lunged at the door of the car. Airborne! Leaping like a stag! I snatched my arm, which had been resting on the windowsill, back inside and shuddered at the sight.

Because talk about fierce! He was matted and filthy and looked just like you might imagine a great big, black Cujo would. Drooling and flinging spit all over. Great big yellow teeth. Truly a wild and terrible beast.

But wait, there's more.

Out of the woods all along the road, where I had heard those little woofs, came FOUR MORE great big Rottweilers to chase the car. I swear if they had wanted to they could have grabbed the bumper and dragged us into the woods for supper.

As we drove away they gathered at the bottom of the hill behind us for a good sniff and wag, delighted at having routed yet another car full of innocents. 

Can you imagine dogs that figured out how to hide, nicely spaced out in the woods, to await the meager traffic on this rural farm road like that? Mind boggling. I swear I heard Dueling Banjos as we drove off into the sunset.

Asleep at the Keyboard

Broad-winged Hawk

That is the edge of a deep, deep waterfall

Upstream

Sorry about the infrequency of posts these days. Busy time of year.

Protesters

The state road was blocked by a line of protesters the other day when we were heading up to Fort Plain. I couldn't believe my eyes, thinking closing roads and stopping traffic was pretty much an urban issue. None of them were carrying placards, although they all wore masks so we couldn't tell who they were.

 Thankfully even protests out here in the country are pretty peaceful. They moved out of the road for us after a bit. 

Not our hay crew, but everyone else is hurrying to make the most of the weather as well

The hay crew has been hopping...and getting stung by assorted nefarious flying insects over the weekend. A yellow jacket nailed Liz on her back and caused much havoc and the boss disturbed some ground bees that he couldn't see with the hay equipment. When he stopped to feel the windrow for dryness he got stung about twenty times. Ouch! They work hard and I salute them from the kitchen where I watch Peg and handle phone calls...

Green Herons

"Could you send Liz up with some Gatorade? Cold?"

"What's the weather for tomorrow?"

 Liz has a new job, working on a farm where they have sheep and border collies. She is loving it.

Oh, and Dad gave me his treadmill for my birthday. We finally got it home the other day and we are having fun with it. Even Peg has fun on it. Who knew?

Meanwhile, migration has begun. Can you believe it? We saw an Upland Sandpiper today, which I suspect is passing through. Pretty cool. Families of assorted swallows are starting to line up on the power wires and we are beginning to see a few ducks again. On one hand I love having new birds to count. On the other hand......you know what migrations means, right?

My favorite Belted Kingfisher shot so far

Interesting Consequences

Female Bobolink

Each year many Bobolinks nest in our fields, mostly in the 30-acre Lot. Alas, this is often one of our earliest fields for harvest, which makes for a perilous situation for these grassland members of the blackbird family.

This year the weather set us back by weeks (and is still doing so) and the boss decided to do the Old Spreader Field first. Thus the 30-acre Lot is still standing tall and waving in the breeze, although we would love it if it was in the barn instead. However, 18 hours of rain on top of that awful storm last week has made that pretty unlikely.

However, thanks to the late, late season for hay, the Bobolinks, which have colonized Hickory Tree and Old Pasture Lots as well, have hatched, reared, and fledged lots of little Bobolinks. 

Recently fledged youngster

Silver lining anyone?

Angry House Wren, who would prefer that I stop watering the plants on the porch
so she can have it all to herself.

Everywhere you Go

Skylines

I wrote from camp the other day of the micro burst that took out a couple of our Blue Spruce trees along the driveway. 

Turns out that a lot more than a couple were laid completely flat, all in, all done.  at least 8 or 10 are gone, maybe more. Tall vegetation hides the stumps, but nothing will hide the gaps. The row looks like meth teeth, although thankfully, the biggest, strongest, favoritest trees survived.

Then when I was walking Mack this morning I realized that the something-not-quite-right feeling I had been having was not just because limbs from the honey locust flat wrecked a bunch of my flower beds....no, it was more.

The wind also took down the ancient dead elm that towered behind the heifer barn. I am most glad that it must have fallen into the creek and not onto the barn...no damage done.

But I will miss it so much. It was the first place I looked on bird hunts as its high bare branches provided a perch for Bald Eagles, crows, grackles, assorted vultures, hawks, and all the big guys of the air. Plus all the little passerines used it as a sound stage for love songs and threats of territorial vengeance. 

I have no right to complain. This farm is home to hundreds of trees.....three woodlands, many hedgerows, and bits and bunches of them everywhere. And nothing is static in nature...nothing.

Still, I miss them....gonna to take a while to get used to the new skylines. 

Just Loonie

Red-throated Loon, Pecks Lake NY

We enjoyed the company of at least four Common Loons all week at camp. They were tame enough to come right up to the porch of the cabin...which sits out over the water....as well as parading by out on the lake every day.

This morning however, things were pretty quiet. It was move out day and Beck so I got up early and got right at it. The porch was bare of our belongings long before the boss arrived to haul us home, except for our two camp chairs, which we were occupying.

Not even a pair of binoculars had survived the packing frenzy.

Great Blue Heron spent two hours perched on a branch near the porch yesterday

As we sat waiting for transpo I noticed a swimming bird way out on the lake. At first I dismissed it as just another duck, as it was way too small for a Common Loon. However, after a while I forced myself to traipse inside and get my toys.

Hmmm....not a duck. Still way too small for a COLO.

Fledgling Song Sparrow that wanted me to kick up bugs for it.

I took lots of photos and made an eBird list but did not submit it. Once home photos were uploaded to the computer and the identity of the bird was revealed....although I did put it up on What's this Bird? for confirmation.

It was a Red-throated Loon, the second I have ever seen and the first one for me for Fulton County. What a thrill. I much enjoyed chasing the wood warblers, waterfowl, and mountain birds all week but that little loon was one of the best birds of the year....for anywhere. List has now been submitted and the loon has already made the state rare bird alert for today.

What a nice send-off the lake gave us as we returned to our sweltering valley home.

Common Loon

Companions

Fishing off the porch early AM. Heard a muffled "gronk" call from just west....a Great Blue Heron had stopped by to preen and fluff wet morning feathers.     Then a Common Loon sailed briefly by only to vanish into the deeps in hot pursuit.   Next a Belted Kingfisher rattled past looking to make a splash.     Good compaions who don't have wait for a bite.

Chop

After yesterday's storms a short east wind is winding up a vigorous chop. It is almost getcher hoodie chilly but not quite.               I was saddened to discover yesterday that the microburst that down home night before last sheared off several of our Colorado blue spruces. The year before we married the boss and I rented the county tree planter and put in four hundred six-inch seedlings. It was a drought year and we had no way to get water to them so only a few made it.      However I loved those trees. Chipping Sparrows and Purple Finches nested in them...they were lovely, broke the wind and drifting snow for the driveway, and muted noise from the interstate.        I will miss them.

Monsoon in our Lagoon

Rain on th lake like dimpled grey denim. Fish were biting good for two days...not so much now. Baby birds everywhere...

Starts Today

Nuff said.....

Technology

The old town seal, which still works just fine.

As long as you are as strong as the Terminator

FYI the state huntin' and fishin' license system is down today. As I mostly fish at camp, which falls on about the same date every year, and since a license lasts a calendar year, I usually wait until the last minute to buy a new one.

While we waited for our dear, sweet, helpful, and infinitely patient town clerk to attempt to get connected and get me my get out of jail card from the state, we chatted.

The boss remarked on the old town clerk sign hanging above the office door. It long predates the modern office building, and no one knows just how old it is.

Then Roxanne showed us the old town seal. It is a massive hunk of metal, heavy enough that you might want to bring along an extra pack pony if you took it on the road.

Amazingly, although it took some muscle to activate it, it made a perfectly nice stamp. No way to know how long it has been around, but I'll bet it's a lot longer than the new one is going to last. Thanks, Roxanne....

And the new one.
They don't make 'em like they used to, do they?

That's Farming

Not our corn, but isn't it purdy?

The day started before five yesterday and the last of the hay was barely unloaded before 10 PM. However, it was a very good day in that after all the awful weather we have experienced in recent months, Ralph and Liz put around 800 bales in the mow.

Fueling the Mulberry Express

They worked stupid hard to do it and it was really hot. I am kinda proud of them. There are a couple of small windrows to catch up today, tedder tires to fix, and a few other odds and ends, ....for now at least...hopefully before the rain. Well done, guys.

The Gentle Curve of Summer

After endless rain the dry is downright welcome. Things are simmering right along, summer style....goldfish in the garden pond, laundry on the line, day lilies coming in golden, corn lilies glowing in the ditches along the road.

Wild chicory proving that Chicken Little was right all along. Is there a bluer blue in any natural thing? I don't think so.

Bee balm riotous red in bloom, seducing Ruby-throated Hummingbirds one and all. 

Long days, quiet nights sparkling with fireflies, hay crisping in the fields, rustling under the rake, and thumping up into the mow. Ah, summer....

Idyllic indeed.

Try to ignore the plugged mow elevator, flat tedder tires, and other assorted ills and annoyances. 

It is not snowing. The wind when it blows is a welcome cooling agent, summer vegetables are readily available, and there is more green than any other color.

Summer is good. I am most thankful for it.