Late-winter 2017

It was a fairly mild winter, so the apple trees were looking pretty good as they budded. There was no late frost, so they were looking good for October apples. At some point Briggs got a notion to bake a cake, so he did. It came out fine. I was reminded of the time Eli got a similar idea. Without Eli at home, food consumption is different but things still manage to disappear regularly. I came home one afternoon to a flurry of activity in the back yard. A hawk had gotten a critter and was trying to finish it off. Mostly flying leaves and feathers, but I was cool if a bit gruesome.

Bunny follow-up

There are definitely two rabbits, one larger than the other. Maybe they are mated male and female. They seem to live under the barn. But I have seen them all over. Mostly in the side yard, near this flower bed, but around back too, especially under the bird feeders, down near the garden and apple trees, and around front. They scurry to a buried drainage pipe when they are otherwise too far from home. Libby got this picture last week. This is the larger one I believe.

Bunny

I spotted him (or her, I have no idea) first a few weeks ago, as the weather began to warm. He would be in the grass mid-morning, after everyone else had left for school and work, and I was heading to church. He was very brave, sitting in the middle of the lawn, but would scurry, usually to the flower bed when he spotted me. I finally had my phone in hand recently and was able to get a couple of shots. He darted to a smaller escape area, and I was able to get closer than I would have in the flower bed. Still no great shots, but as good as one can expect, I suppose, for a wild bunny. Though it's not visible here, he does indeed have a white tail.

He's just above and left of center in this photo, about 1/4 below the white standpipe. Raven in the bare patches to the left.

Caught up with him in this smaller plant bed. He was desperately trying to hide, so I didn't persist too hard for the picture. You can see the fur of his back in the middle of the shot, under a couple of branches.

Around the Folly July 2011

A couple of random pictures from early summer. We have a purple martin family in this bird house. Libby took several pictures trying to get one of the occupants. This is the best. There are also blue birds in a house on the back fence. One of the young was struggling to learn to fly last week; I had to pick it up and put it back in the house a couple of times before it really took off and stayed out of the way of the lawn tractor! And a shot of two goofy boys rolling around in the grass.

Bird update

The nestlings are covered with feathers. They puffed up when they saw me invade their space just now. Momma is still keeping guard. They seem to be doing well. I found this nifty site that describes baby bird development using robins as examples. Wish I had thought to get more pictures earlier on.