Prepared for Flooding

Killdeer

There are a couple of reasons to be glad that the state canal authority is being proactive on the flood front by lowering the river dramatically.

One is flood control of course. Our river is fed by a good portion of the state, so rain most anywhere to the west of us affects our water levels. We have had far too many major floods that might have been mitigated by lowering the water level in the river before the extra got here, so this is a real good deal.

Semipalmated Sandpipers

The other is great birding on the newly exposed mud flats. Our morning visit to the Crossing yielded good ducks and such, but not a single shorebird. We went back down in the evening mostly because we were stressed because our Peggy is sick and we wanted to relax for a bit. I usually walk around while the boss sits at a picnic table, but last night I joined him, just watching the birds go by and the fish rising on the river.

Until....a flock of something tiny flashed by in nearly geometric precision and vanished behind the point by the aqueduct.

Greater Yellowlegs

"Gotta go," I said. "We got peeps."

I hustled off up the rock and mud exposed by the retreating water after them.

Lesser Yellowlegs

I won't bore you with the long, sneaky stalking through the scrubby grass, while two guys who were out on the aqueduct (dangerous and illegal but....) watched me curiously.

Solitary Sandpiper

There were five species of birds involved in the tight little flock. They all fell to feeding on the mud flats, allowing me time to take many photos. There were Semipalmated Sandpipers, which are "peeps", one Killdeer, which is a plover, two Lesser Yellowlegs, a huge Greater Yellowlegs, and a Solitary Sandpiper, or maybe two, in the group.

I am terrible at shore bird ID. I ran them all, even the ones I knew quite well, past the experts at the ABA. I'm glad I did, because I was way off the Semipalmated Sandpipers...thought they were Westerns.

Great Blue Heron

Today it is raining so we may end up really glad that the river is way down....besides the great birding that is. And Peggy is a bit perkier, if still kind of peaked and feverish. Poor baby.

Low water and darned glad of it

Bats

Night was breathing its last gasp. The air was a sweaty tangle of humidity with sluggish east wind tickling the grass. As I went out dawn began snuffling idly around the horizon.

There were bats. At least five fluttered right over the little garden beside the driveway. There were more down by the heifer barn. I was astonished. For at least five years we have seen one Big Brown Bat around the place and only one. It has come in the house several times too.

We used to have Little Browns before the White-nose hit. They bedeviled the boss mightily dive-bombing him when he went into the barn to start morning milking back in the day. There was a cave just across the river where thousands poured out nightly too...what a sight to see! They seem to be gone now as well.

But this, this was incredible. By the time I had the doggos walked I had seen several more, and discovered where their roost is too......but I'm not telling. There are others who are not quite as enamored as I....

Then I walked over to the cow barn in search of that darned Barred Owl and didn't see him. I did see what I think was a single Little Brown Bat fluttering off to roost though. How nice. 

Home Again

Immature Common Loon

Cooper's Hawk

Belted Kingfisher adult and immature

The Loch Ness Bullhead

Common Mergansers

Feeding the ducks

But what a particularly fine time we had. Even coming home wasn't quite as miserable as usual, as it isn't terribly hot today and between us, Becky and I got most stuff put away quite quickly. Here are a few photos of our days at camp.

All good things must come to an end

Not a Dock Dog

Mack is afraid of the lake. However he really wants a duck of his own......Perhaps as an entertaining and fluffy companion. Perhaps for some much more nefarious scheme. Anyhow today while lusting after ducklings he either jumped or fell off the dock. Rescue was required. He might be a duck dog but he will never make the dock dog championships.

Glass

The lake is a calm mirror after storms all night long. Tried fishing my orange flatfish...at least 40+years old. Rock bass nailed first splash and it just keeps catch fish. Pretty amazing. Brought cracked corn for the ducks because they say crackers are bad for them. It sinks. They dive. Great fun. Decent birds. Juvie Belted Kingfisher being fed by parents. Black-and-white Warblers. Good time being haf.

Shore is Monday

Even at camp you get  Mondays..... Before the sun broke the horizon there were bank issues.  Then a fish tied my hook to the rope holding the boat.  Another fish hooked me on about half a mile of someone elses monofilament...it went and on.                   The good news is....fish are biting birds are singing, loons are motor boating up the lake and yodeling like mad. I love this place!

Between Two Worlds

I love our little world here on the farm. It's exciting to get up in the morning to see what each new day will bring, whether it be new birds, fun with Peggy, pretty blossoms on the bean plants, or stunning skies all day and night. There are many challenges to farm life and to two families sharing facilities, but there are rewards aplenty, one of which is never suffering from boredom. I hate to be bored.

However, once a year, for just one week, I also love my other world....a world of coffee and sunrise on the front porch, which extends out over the water...of waiting to see whether a beaver or an otter or a set of Common Loons will float past the cabin in the early hours before the rest of the lake is awake. Of counting different birds than at home, those loons, usually a Black-throated Blue Warbler that nests above the cabin, and only the Lord who puts them there knows what else.

It's a world of reading as much as I want to...and that's a lot....enjoying visits from beloved friends and family and having enough time and a good place to actually sit and talk in relative peace.

Swimming...as old and feeble as I seem to be getting, as long as I can clamber back up on the dock...not an easy task I'm sad to say...I will swim every summer. 

Or at least I will if there are no ice chunks floating on the waves. We keep talking about finding an old pool ladder, but so far we haven't found one.

Later today we will pack the car with more junk stuff than you would ever imagine two women needing. Still we won't have a car, so if we forget it, we do without it....we try not to forget.

If phone service lives up to expectations I will try to share the fun with you. Otherwise, see you next Saturday. 

Have a great week.

Summertime

The boy who made this splash was too quick for me

Comments Revisited

If you are a Blogger blogger, you no doubt noticed that after a recent update that you no longer receive email notifications of comments on your blog. If like me you want to answer all your comments to keep the conversation moving this was a big pain in the neck.

Yesterday a friend I "met" through blogging, who is much more conversant with computer technology than I, sent me  a walk through that will get those notifications turned back on.

I followed the directions and it works fine, so thanks Ruth for the great information! Now if I fail to reply to your comments you can give me heck if you want to....I no longer have an excuse. You could even do it in the comments section....

Choreography

We happened upon a mighty clutch of Hooded Merganser babies this morning. They were up under the aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing SHS. With the sparkling morning sunlight and their general overall cuteness it was a fine moment.

Then as they swam away from me up the tranquil pool, they all dove in precise unison. I suppose there was some signal from mama that the old lady up on the ramp was a threat.

It was an event of uncanny perfection. 10 ducks, swirl of water, 0 ducks, just like that.

It's the little things....

Many ducks and songbirds live out their summer under the aqueduct.

The Week in Birds

American Crow hanging out at McDonald's...I mean, what crow wouldn't?

Over the past few days we have picked up a couple of new ones for the year, although it is getting really hard to find them. The county total for the year so far has already surpassed ALL of last year's sightings, and I have seen as many as I saw all year too, although I am still behind another birder. We saw a Great Horned Owl flying in a brilliant orange sky as Red-winged Blackbirds dive bombed it the other night at sunset. It was amazing.

This Green Heron and its family are so cooperative
when I go down to the aqueduct where they hang out

Then we heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo down by the river...I was even able to record its calls...

Immature Ring-billed Gull

Otherwise the main excitement is just seeing regular birds do interesting things and trying for better photos of ones I have already seen.

Canada Gosling

There is always something to keep it interesting. The video below is a bit of excitement the other day. I don't know what set the guineas off down in the barn but I hurried down to check as they were really tuning up. Never did see anything, but I am certain that they did!

Hammonds Freed

Many Farm Side columns have been written about this story .....this is good news indeed! 

Well, done Mr. President.

Comments are Fun

Especially spam comments and those awaiting moderation. But what's up with Blogger not notifying of posted comments with email any more? I hate that.

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What do Rattlesnakes, Bear Paws, and Rainbow Sherbet

Not a rattlesnake

...have in common?

Why they are all research topics for this week's Farm Side, of course.

And I can tell you this much about them: Rainbow sherbet does indeed contain milk. It's Big Nose Mountain on the north of the river in Yosts, where there used to be snakes at the gas station. I always get them mixed up and have to look up which mountain is where.

They were Timber Rattlers. We were much impressed as kids.

And it's Adirondack Bear Paw not bear claw. Ice cream that is. I get it wrong every time, and have to consciously wrap my mind around the name. The struggle is real.

Also not a rattlesnake

New Yard Bird

He showed up in the yard this weekend when the kids stopped by to pick up some stuff and give me a birthday present. He's a welcome visitor and came complete with the ability to feed his fellow birds some tasty sunflower seeds....a pretty cool dude. Thanks, Alan and Amber!