BC's Wildlife

Bringing 2011 to a close.....

2011-12-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a year of ups and downs here at what I like to call The Chemung Resort, which is of course, more commonly referred to as home. I'm sure the ups and downs part is not unique to only me, but the catch phrase seems to fit.

We had a very sad day in mid-July when we had to deal with the passing of our beloved Yellow Lab Samson. He was with us for over 14 years and he will never be forgotten by myself or our entire family. He loved everybody and everybody loved him as well.

Rest in Peace..... Samson.

After a mourning period, my wife and I decided it was time to get another dog. So we searched out a breeder and found....

Botar..

and a few months later we found....

Brandi..

So along with our 2 Tabby cats we have again obtained our full compliment of household pets. And oh, we are thrilled. There is 4 months age difference between Botar and his little lady Brandi, and they have bonded beautifully, both with each other and with us and our family.

Captured by the Stealth Wildlife Camera on one of our morning walks.

Now if I can just get them to sleep "all" night I'll be happier.

The wildlife and bird life activity here at the resort this year was super. Deer, Turkey, Raccoons, and Rabbit sightings have been abundant as well as songbird visits.

We dealt with Tropical Storm Lee in Sept.....

.....and were able to clean up the mess and debris in short order. But it did take a few weeks for the saturated ground to somewhat dry out. We were fortunate to have not incurred any major property damage.

It's late Dec. 2011 and the ground cover is not white. And that my friends, is a good thing. My snow plow and snow blower are at the ready cause I know this lack of snow fall won't last. The bad weather will hit us sooner or later. But in the meantime, I'll enjoy it's absence.

Happy New Year

Think

Spring 2012

Another mouth to feed......

2011-11-07T08:10:00.000-05:00

This week our household welcomed a new resident. She is 8 weeks old and eager to, well, show us who is boss. As with most new pets that arrive, she has been the center of attention and it appears that she is "sucking it up". She is developing a trend that consists mainly of "running a muck, eating & drinking, peeing & pooping, and napping". I would be very happy at this stage if she would turn her 10 minute "naps" into something like a 4 to 6 hour "sleep". Of course I know that's not going to happen any time soon. I also know the lack of sleep that she is getting is not bothering her, as the "dog naps" rejuvenate her quite well. BUT, her lack of sleep has resulted in me also getting "lack of sleep". Go figure. With that said, meet "Brandi".

"Brandi"
Female Chocolate Lab

Call me a sucker for good looking women, but isn't she beautiful?

I have been quite fortunate in my adult life to be surrounded by good looking women, not that I'm a "chick magnet" but more likely, "really lucky". My wife, sisters, aunts, cousins, daughters, granddaughters and of course my mother have all filled my life and eyes with beauty. Blessed I am..

Brandi, like all the other girls that grace my home, will also be blessed with beauty. Beauty of the male persuasion. An occasional visit from sons, son-in-law, or boyfriends will only add to the everyday male beauty that will be in her life. That will be:

King "Rascal"

"Rascal"

Prince "Boots"

"Boots"

Botar

"Botar"
Male Yellow Lab

And of course, "Me"

"The Old Guy"

As you can see, except for Botar, the rest of us "guys" are sporting the fashionable gray look. It shows, among other things, that we are wise, experienced, and compassionate. But mostly, just old.

So we say welcome to Brandi. We know you will put many many smiles on those you come in contact with. And we hope you will enjoy your stay with us here at the resort that is now your home.

Welcome

Brandi

enjoy your life

"love your pets like they love you"

Captured in Flight...

2011-11-04T10:47:00.000-04:00

Speaking of Fall... Now that most of the leaves have either turned in their summer greens for more colorful autumn attire or have fallen to the ground and start their season of decay, I was pondering the thought of things in nature that take flight and how fortunate I have been to have captured that act, although, not that often. Some that I have captured are shown here. Enjoy

Wild Turkey

Baltimore Oriole

Canadian Geese

Thief Gray Squirrel

Great Blue Heron

Moon

Mourning Dove

Red-Tail Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird flock

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Whitetail Deer

And finally

UFO-airplane

An October Day Walk in the Woods

2011-10-26T07:31:00.000-04:00

On a recent walk in the woods behind my house I discovered some interesting sights, some of which confirming my belief that a walk in the woods can be very educational if one looks closely at what they see. More on that as we progress through this post.

One of the first things on this particular walk that grabbed my attention was this construction on the side of a tree stump.

Nature @ Work

I call it "Nature @ Work because it continues to be added to, and remodeled. Kinda reminds me of a stack of pancakes. Well, maybe that's a stretch.

The next picture worthy sighting was this burst of yellow....

Yellowish

As I continued on my venture I came across a tattered tail feather of a wild turkey. Than another. And another. A pattern was developing. What had I stumbled upon? Well, after backing up and surveying the area, I figured out I had come across the scene of an attack by a predator of some kind. At this point I pondered who the hunter was... coyote or fox came to mind. There was a large number of tail and wing feathers scattered about in the area. I didn't see any breast feathers at all. Did this attack result in a successful kill?

Turkey foot..

The last photo confirmed the attack produced a meal for the hunter.

The educational value learned on this walk is this:

In the wild, life ends so life can continue.

That's the way it is.

The Arch Tree of Forty Maples Picnic Area

2011-10-22T07:38:00.001-04:00

There is a place nestled in Pennsylvania, where Cameron and Potter Counties border that is called Sinnemahoning State Park. It is a wonderful place for hiking, fishing, and sight seeing. There is also a picnic area that is called Forty Maples Picnic Area. I can remember 50 plus years ago having picnics here with my family. More recently, 20 years ago I made memories with my Uncle John fishing the Geo. B. Stevenson Dam with the Loons, Eagles, etc. keeping us company. I also have cherished memories of time spent here with my wife a few years ago. Fishing and cruising around looking for wildlife. It's a great place to spent quality time with someone you love and I recommend the area to everyone.
One of my memories of the area is a brief stop at "The Arch Tree".

The Arch Tree

It is difficult to see in these photographs, but one can actually slide their hand under the point on the right side of this beautiful living tree.

Go explore.. with someone you love and make a memory.

You'll never regret it.

This Could Have Been A Pretty Stinky Ordeal

2011-10-19T09:37:00.000-04:00

Here are a pair of visitors I was blessed to have an encounter with a summer or two ago. They spent a couple of weeks in our area and when in our yard they pretty much had their way unabated. I can't tell you if they are male or female, as I wasn't going to get any closer than I did to get this pictures. Enjoy....

Skunks may have a reputation as being quite smelly occasionally, but one cannot deny that they do have a flare for beauty. In short, they are beautiful if you can get past the smell.

Speaking of Wildlife...Summer of 2011 had some.

2011-10-18T17:26:00.002-04:00

It all started in late spring....

Tom Turkey and some of his girls...

Mr & Mrs Eastern Bluebird

The male Oriole and Rose-breasted Grosbeak enjoying some "Welch's Grape Jelly"

The Catbird really liked the Jelly also.

The American Goldfinches were busy, too.

Mr Indigo Bunting stopped by for a visit also.

Taking his lady out for breakfast...lots of sweet Jelly.

A Merganser pair enjoy Wyncoop Creek.

My winged friends are really really cool...and always welcome here at the resort...

Summer 2011...Part 2: The Sept. Flood at the Resort.

2011-10-18T16:12:00.001-04:00

What was going to be a birthday party for our 2 eldest granddaughters turned out having to be postponed due to Tropical Storm Irene's torrential rains that devastated the entire East Coast. We, here in Chemung, NY, were not able to escape the high waters and creek flooding that resulted. We did not, luckily, have any property damage but we did have flooding and a back yard full of debris. The grounds were saturated to the point that no outdoor social gathering could be safely permitted. Nearby towns and cities fared far worse than we however, with many many homes destroyed to the point of total loss. Some families lost everything. We had water approach the edge of the house but none entered or caused any damage. Our discomfort was purely debris from upstream that settled in the yard when the rains stopped and the creek reseeded back to within its banks. I had a few days of clean-up to do but nothing compared to what some good friends had in towns nearby. We were lucky. Here are a few pics from our yard the night of and day after the high water flood.

Common Merganser enjoying the surf...?

As you can see, we had some water.. It dampened our spirits but we were able to come out of it ok. Even now, a month or so later, the ground is still somewhat sloshy to walk on in many parts of the yard. Of course the continuous rain we've had is not helping the ground to dry out any. I have been in-touch with the powers that be in County Government and they have assured me that between them and FEMA, the creek will be put back to where it's suppose to be. Looking forward to that happening.....soon.

Summer 2011...Part 1: Long, but Too Short

2011-10-18T10:15:00.000-04:00

The Summer of 2011 will go down as one of the busiest, hectic, non stop summers that I can ever remember. And except for being able to see the few cords of firewood stacked so nice in my backyard, I feel most times like I didn't get anything accomplished.

Weather wise, the Summer of 2011 was pitiful. Rain, heat, cool, rain, heat, and floods kept us all alert to what was being forecast-ed by the weather folks who are suppose to keep the public accurately informed. Our family swimming pool water temperature fluctuation was really different this year also. After a rainy wet spring, with the water temps staying in the low 70's, we did get a dry warm spell and the water temp "soared" to the mid 80's. The family was finally able to enjoy the pool for a while. I even set up the "kiddie" pool.

Kiddie pool for non swimmers when no adults are in big pool.

My eldest 2 granddaughters in the "warmer" pool.

This Green Heron even dropped in for a visit.

Sadness hit us in mid July with the passing of our great family dog Samson. Personally, he was the best dog I ever was privy to call my own. Sam and I had a bond that is hard to describe. Our bond started the day I first laid eyes on him. He was 7 weeks old. He was laying on the floor behind the toilet in our spare bathroom. My wife (bless her) called me at work and told me we had a water leak in the bathroom and I should come home right away. The "leak" was this beautiful sleepy beast that penetrated my life like no animal had ever done before. It was instantaneous. Bonded. There never was, over the next 14 years, any doubt to anyone, whose dog Sam was. We were attached at the hip. I couldn't go from my chair to the bathroom or the refrigerator without his escort. He was always with me... and I loved it.

Samson

R.I.P. Sam

With Sam's passing the house and yard became completely different. My "shadow" was gone. My sidekick gone. Sure, my feline pets, Boots and Rascal, were still under foot, but it's just not the same. It's a completely different species and the bonding is so very different. I never was a cat lovin kinda guy until my wife decided we needed "one" after we retired. We ended up with "two" kitties. Brothers Boots and Rascal. Yeah, I got attached to them too.

Rascal & Boots

King "Rascal"

Prince "Boots"

Rascal is laid back, leave me alone, when I want petted, I'll come to you and is huge. His brother Boots is completely different. He was born with a deformed left rear foot (paw). He has learned to get around really good with his minor handicap. He has settled down a lot after initially being a neurotic. He'd run and hide at the least little noise. Not so much any more. You will normally find him laying on my computer desk. Spoiled? Not a chance, well yeah they are.........

Roe (my wonderful wife) and I had talked about not getting any more dogs."It would be easier" to go away for a weekend without having to get a dog sitter. The cats would be fine. Food and litter box set for a weekend was no big deal. Ok by me. A few weeks after Sam passed, I "caught" her visiting a "Lab Kennel" on line. When I confronted her as to what was she looking at, she responded, "I miss Sammy". Obviously, I did too. I suggested she find us another yellow lab. A few days later we were making a 2 hour trip to pick out "Botar".

"Botar"

Now Bo is no Sam, but he does have the makings to be a good dog. I think. Bo was born in a barn and lived there for the 1st 6 weeks of his life. He didn't have much human interaction and was surrounded by large "noisy" farm machinery. That has made him very shy around anything that makes noise. Lawn mowers, vacuum sweepers, blenders, 4 wheelers, even our vehicles....he wants no part of them and runs away from them. Yes this is good in that he will not go anywhere near the road or driveway when a vehicle approaches, but, to my deep disappointment, he wants no part of going with me "in the truck". BUMMER. I'm working on that problem. I want my dog to go with me in the truck.

4 months old..."Botar"

He is growing like a weed and is a great lookin lab. He loves it outdoors and is great with the grandkids. He's not happy about all the birds that land in "his" yard, but has been encouraged to accept them. They were here before him and will continue to be here with or without his permission.

Next up: The Flood of Sept. 2011

I'm Back..Sorry for the absence...

2011-09-27T12:42:00.000-04:00

This has been quite the summer. Bookoo rain, some very hot days and some very cool days. All in all it's been busy busy busy. But enough of that already. It's time to take the stiffness out of my keyboard and get back to Blogging...

More to follow...Soon!

Ma Turkey and Kids go shopping..

2011-07-18T17:47:00.001-04:00

5 kids and Ma Turkey passed through the backyard this morning. Looked like they were shopping for grasshoppers and other creepy, jumpy creatures. They were fun to watch and Ma had no trouble keeping them in line and close by.

Honeysuckle Vine and Hummingbird Moth

2011-07-18T17:04:00.001-04:00

We had a nice visit today from another fine featured friend. At least I think they are feathered. It was really quick and getting good pics was not easy. However this is what I got...Enjoy.

Nature Quirk

2011-07-14T19:29:00.000-04:00

Every once in awhile Mother Nature has an off day and things just don't turn out the way they are suppose to...Case in point:

This Grackle is, well, a little bit out of sorts..........

This guy kept saying..."I feel light headed"

Here We Go 'round The Mulberry Tree

2011-06-25T23:10:00.000-04:00

A very very long time ago my Grandmother taught my sisters and I a song about the Mulberry Tree/Bush. For over 50 years I have, from time to time, remembered some of those lyrics and thought it would be cool someday to actually go 'round the Mulberry Bush with my grandchildren. About 7 years ago my wife and I purchased 25 Mulberry Tree seedlings. We planted them in various locations around our property and after a few years of no berries and losing all but 4 trees we discovered that it usually takes about 7 years for these trees to mature enough to produce fruit. This year all 4 remaining trees produced a bumper crop and all 4 of the trees had an abundance of patrons including us and our grandchildren. Beside us, the featured and furry critters had a feast for a few weeks. And we enjoyed watching them enjoy it.

"Here we go 'round The Mulberry Bush........"

The Red Saucers and The Baltimore Orioles

2011-05-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

I have read and have had many people tell me how the Orioles love oranges. I don't deny that. I just can't, in all honesty, confirm it. We have had many summer Oriole visitors over the years here in Chemung, NY. And that's all they were...just visitors passing through on their way to parts unknown. All the orange slices weren't enough of a draw to keep them here for very long. Last year we heard they also like grape jelly. Bingo!! The one or two transients became 6 or 8 breeding pairs who have stayed. This year the homemakers have really filled the air with there wonderful songs and calls. They come to the saucers continuously throughout the daylight hours. We are scolded if we are too active on the deck or if we are to close to "their" snack dishes. Oh, and they (The Orioles) are very picky also. No generic stuff for them either. Top shelf is all they will eat. In this case it's Welch's Grape Jelly. They can't get enough. And it all leads to some very beautiful pictures as well as some very happy Orioles.

I'm really in to this Spring Color change.

2011-04-29T11:11:00.001-04:00

Perhaps it's the underlining understanding that, this spring, I will no longer be a spring chicken but rather I will spring into the ranks of those eligible for Medicare, that I find it to be so colorful, and meaningful. The going from the winters cold white lifeless landscapes toward this now vibrant burst of rainbow shades of color is a transformation that I haven't quite experienced before. Maybe being retired and staying at home and watching the changes as they happen right in front of me on a daily basis makes me feel this rare emotion. I've seen, as our American Native brothers say, "many spring moons", but none of them have caught my eye like this year has. Shame on me for not paying more attention to this season change in past years. No I can't say that either because I have paid attention over the years. I love the spring time. Life reappears. All creatures and plants have that let's stretch and grow and bloom and become pretty and active again after a long dormant sleep. Could that be it? I can stretch, grow, and be active, but I suspect the bloom and get pretty days are well behind me. The gray has won a long and determined battle and the springing outta bed in the morning just isn't happening any more. I've always been an earlier riser and still am...but..there is no more bounce up and have at it. I take it nice and easy until the circulation takes its hold, and all the moving parts of my being are all awake and..well moving. Grabbing my coffee cup, I head for the deck. Breath deep..stretch..look..listen....Awwww. It's great to be alive and enjoy another spring morning. Listen to those beautiful songbirds. Look at that colorful landscape and all those beautiful colorful birds and plants near bloom. And look at how high the grass is getting. Perhaps I better crank up the mower today.

Enjoy the spring my friends. Enjoy the spring. Enjoy your life. Enjoy our wildlife. Enjoy the changing of the colors of your life and surroundings.

I'm really in to this Spring Color change. I hope you are also.......

Trout Lily

The Colorful Feathers of Spring

2011-04-27T11:37:00.001-04:00

It's so nice to see the opening of a new spring (although, a little less rain and fowl weather would be nice) with the arrival of our resident summer birds. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching the Chickadees, Titmouse, Juncos, and the "dull" Goldfinches doing there thing to get us through the long winter. But when the drab pea-green feathers burst open to a brilliant yellow and the first sighting of the beautiful Bluebird and a sudden flash of a Rose breast or Ruby neck appears, well, it's just a nice fuzzy feeling. Isn't it? Even the Blue-jays, who don't do much of anything except eat and make a mess, seem to be more colorful.

Enjoy with me, some of my feathery spring friends:

Now don't ya feel all warm and fuzzy??

Surprise Surprise

2011-04-24T06:42:00.000-04:00

So I says to the wife.."Come on Hon, let's take a ride over to Park Station. Maybe we'll see something we haven't seen in a while". I'm thinking maybe Ducks, Geese, or other Waterfowl that frequent this small lake in the spring and summer months. After an hour or so of driving around and seeing only a pair of Mallards, we headed back home.

In the 80's I was a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer with the Pa. Game Commission in the Northwest District of the state (Erie County). As such, I had seasonal duties that at times required for the release of "farm" raised Ring-neck Pheasants. I'd come home from my day job and there would be anywhere from a dozen to 20 or so crates of Pheasants stacked in my driveway. I think their were 10 or 12 Pheasants in each crate with male and female birds. I'd load them in the back of the truck and grab 1 or 2 or 3 of my sons and head out to a couple of game lands and release them. This usually happened close to the opening of ring-neck season. Now having about a dozen ring-necks in a closed confined crate for any length of time, results in an aroma that is really tough to take. Reaching into the crate and carefully getting a hold of individual birds was also pretty messy. (Reason for grabbing 1, 2, or 3 sons).Oh the memories...My boys would return home really disgustingly stinky, dirty, etc. Mom wasn't proud..but I was. Go figure.

With all that said, I moved away from Northwestern Pa, resigned my commission, and transferred to North Central Pa. with my day job in early 1988. I have not seen or heard a Ring-neck Pheasant since. Until I pulled down the driveway from my aforementioned trip to Park Station. There he was...dusting himself in the gravel. My wife had never seen one, so while she was getting her eyes full, I got out and filled my camera lens with pheasant. I only took, over the next 3 hours, about 150 pictures. Gotta love digital cameras. This ring-neck has taken up residency in my front yard it seems as I awoke this morning to the, not heard recently, but very familiar sound of the Ring-neck Pheasant call. It's all good.

I so love wildlife....and the memories of days gone by.

Bird seed and Bears..Not good..

2011-04-16T14:19:00.002-04:00

My wife and I are blessed to live in an area of upstate New York that has shopping centers, malls, supermarkets, large cities and small towns within a 30 minute drive of our home. We are further blessed to live where wild animals live. We share our yard with deer, turkeys, rabbits, fox, coyote, grouse, all kinds of beautiful song birds, raccoons, hawks, and, oh, did I mention Black Bears. We are further blessed that we only see the bear or bears "visits" a couple times in the spring. Yes, we've had our share of bird feeders destroyed, but $20 for a replacement feeder is the price I'll gladly pay to live with nature. We have never been put into situation where we have felt danger, although, my wife does get nervous when we have an encounter. A couple of pots and pans banged together or other loud surprising noises usually deters any further visits. With that said, I have also been blessed with some wonderful pictures. Here are a few...

Note swinging bird feeders.

Why do you have them so high?

Ya know I gotta eat too...


Admit it, I am a cutie, right?

I'll hide behind this big rock.

Aw heck with it, I'm hungry.

This looks good. Smells good too.

Ok, I get the message. See ya later.

But I may be back.

Bottom line is, if you want to live in natures neighborhood, you have to share and be very tolerant and be very aware of what is going on around you...all the time. I've never had a bear visitor that became a problem. Taking the bird feeders down for a few days usually causes the bear to alter his travel patterns.

Feathers and Fur Dining

2011-04-15T10:47:00.000-04:00

Save some for me.

Do ya want a nut?

I'm glad those guys up there are messy.

Hey..Wat-cha eatin?

Mixed Bag of Finches

Hey Tom, you really should chew your food.

The Brillance of Purple (?)

2011-04-09T08:25:00.000-04:00

They (?) call them Purple Finches. "Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful"

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2011-04-06T10:17:00.001-04:00

A few years ago, well after dark, I heard my darlin say.."What was that? I just heard something. Go outside and see what's out there." Being the great protector that I am, I responded with a very polite "yes Dear" and grabbed my camera and out the door I went. It didn't take me very long to "see" what was making all the noise. I got a quick picture and went back in the house..quickly. And I mean quickly. My darlin asked, "See anything?" I said "Nope, nuttin honey". Then I showed her the picture I had just taken.

It only took a few hours for her to settle down and go to sleep. Wonder why...

Sunny Turkey Wednesday

2011-04-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

After yesterdays rainy miserable day the weatherperson said this morning was going to be sunny and warmer. Well for once they got it right. The local flock came back and gave me quite the show. My Turkey picture library received an abundant addition. Here are some of my favorites. The sounds of nature that filled the backyard while these beautiful birds were doing their thing added to the lasting memory that filled my camera lens. Music from the Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Cardinals was deafening. The sound of that chorus was accompanied by the sweet song from the Tufted Titmouse and the thunder Gobble from big Tom Turkey as he tried to keep his hens in order, and let his rivals know he was in charge. It was indeed a beautiful morning.

Rainy Turkey Tuesday

2011-04-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

It's a pretty rainy day here in Chemung, NY today but that in no way means it's going to be boring. My visitors this morning were a bunch of Turkeys...pun intended.

Am I Lucky? or Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me.

2011-04-04T12:28:00.000-04:00

From a furry and feathered viewpoint, my wife and I have been very blessed with the "guest" that we have entertained and, in some cases, fed. I probably should say our guest have done more entertaining than we have. It amazes me that I can honestly say that the list that follows are animal/bird species that have graced our property and have been viewed by my family from the comfort of our deck or computer/living room. It is common knowledge around here that one never knows what they will see at any given time in our backyard. We are indeed blessed. I have "at the ready" 2 video cameras that are connected to my PC that I can activate within seconds. I have another video camera that fits nicely into my pocket in case I have to hike further out into the yard. I always have my much loved Nikon D-60/zoom lens camera within arms reach. My video library and picture folders and albums are my treasures. I am so very very thankful for being where I am and being who I am. Thanks Honey for letting me make this paradise happen.

These Creatures have been to our yard....

Birds Wildlife

Baltimore Oriole Bear

Barn Swallow Chipmunk

Bluebird Coyote

Blue Jay Deer

Canada Geese Fox (Gray)

Cardinal Fox (Red)

Carolina Wren Mink

Catbird Opossum

Cedar Waxwing Rabbit

Chickadee Raccoon

Crow Skunk

Dove Squirrel (Flying)

Duck (Mallard) Squirrel (Red)

Duck (Merganser) Squirrel (Gray)

Duck (Wood) Woodchuck

Evening Grosbeak

Flicker

Gold Finch

Hawk (Cooper)

Hawk (Red Tailed)

Hawk (Sheep skinned)

Hummingbird (Ruby Throated)

Indigo Bunting

Junco

Kingfisher

Nuthatch

Phoebe (Eastern)

Purple Finch

Red-wing Blackbird

Robin

Rose breasted Grosbeak

Ruffed Grouse

Tufted Titmouse

Turkey

Turkey Vulture

Woodpecker (Downy)

Woodpecker (Hairy)

Woodpecker (Pilated)

Woodpecker (Red bellied)

Crunchy Peanut-Butter and a Carolina Wren

2011-03-29T14:30:00.003-04:00

I read an article ( http://www.wbu.com/barkbutter/birdlist.html ) a while back regarding Bark Butter and found it to be quite fascinating. While I was waiting for my order, I got a little brainstorm of my own. We do a little burning of firewood in our fireplace during the winter months. Mostly for atmospheric conditions or just to take the chill off our computer room. Nonetheless, I took a couple of fireplace logs and drilled a few 1 inch spade bit holes, maybe a half inch deep, around the log. Filling these holes with crunchy peanut-butter mixed with birdseed has proved to be quite the attraction for a wide variety of my feathered friends. Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Black-capped Chickadees have had a good time feeding on my logs. The one bird I most enjoy watching on the log is the Carolina Wren. This amazing creature has developed an art at plunging its beak into the soft PB glob and poking around until it finds a piece of nut and than pulls it out of the hole. It is very interesting to watch. It, more often than not, will have sticky PB stuck to the sides of its beak after this operation, and goes through quite the antics to relieve itself of this substance. Again, it's interesting to watch.

Now, if I can just get this sticky stuff off my beak.

Isn't bird-feeding, bird-watching, bird-loving great? If you haven't caught this "bug" yet, you'd be amazed as to how refreshing it is.....Try it, you'll like it.

Twice I've failed to get "The Dream Picture"

2011-03-29T12:01:00.003-04:00

I have "The Dream Picture" in my brains' photo library. Actually I have 2 pictures now. And both brain photos happened when I was preoccupied doing normal daily duties. The first time, last fall, I was on a walk with my faithful dog Sam. We were busy playing I'll throw this ball and you go get it and bring it back to me and I'll throw it again and so on. On one of the throws, as I watched the ball sail and the happy and slowed gait of an elder Lab that still, at times, thinks he's a puppy, I noticed a flash of white up and off to my left. I turned and was shocked to see a beautiful Bald Eagle flying down the course of the creek that flows behind my house. Now, my wife and I, like most homeowners, have put a lot of effort, time, love, and money, into our homestead to make it pretty and cozy looking. We are both very proud of our accomplishments in that regard. Our place looks beautiful. However, seeing that eagle, that day, flying down the creek behind our house, was one of the most beautiful things this pair of eyes has ever seen. I cherish that memory. The sadness of that event is I was able to share it with no one except Sam the Lab. He had a mouthful of ball and could of course cared less. Bummer. I'm sure he sensed my happiness, but probably thought it was because he brought the ball back to me. I was on cloud nine. Reality set in when I picked up the slobbered, slimy tennis ball and threw it again. A few hours later when my wife returned from where ever she was, doing whatever she was doing, I was able to relive that minute of joy again. I described in detail for the next hour how beautiful that 60 second event was to the point of boring her, I'm sure.
And than, this morning. Sitting at my computer desk, on the phone with our heating oil provider, ordering fuel, it happened again. That beautiful Bald Eagle, once again, was flying along the course of the creek, no more than 25 or 30 feet off the ground. What an amazing beautiful site. Poor CiCi. That's the gals name I was talking to on the phone. Our business conversation went right out the window as I immediately started to describe to her what I was seeing. Sam was with me again, only this time he was on the floor behind me, sound asleep. My camera was within arms reach, my chair swivels, the door is right there, BUT.....I can't just drop the phone....can I? No I didn't. I watched in awe as that beautiful bird continued his flight up the creek and faded out of sight. Twice, I've been privileged to see this majestic creature fly by my home, and twice he has failed to appear in the lens of my camera. My "Dream Picture" remains just that....
Oh, BTW...My wife is working now.....I can't wait until she gets home later today...What's the quote from Yogi?...deju vu all over again.

Sometimes we have some real Turkeys on our deck.

2011-03-26T09:43:00.001-04:00

Did you ever throw a party for whatever occasion and some of your invited or uninvited guest were real turkeys? Well I remember one such event that happened to us a few summers ago.

Hi, How ya'll doing today?

What's for dinner?

Not bad, got any more?

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Tom. I'm with Twilla.

I'll just grab some of these to go.

This was nice. You have a nice deck here.

Thanks..it was fun but I gotta fly. See Ya...

What's black and white and pretty and at times stinky?

2011-03-26T08:17:00.000-04:00

Yep, you guessed it. Here are some nice close-up pics I got last summer of a couple of "stinking beauties". Of course this was one of those frequent times when having a "zoom lens" really came in handy. Once they found the sunflower seeds that had been dropped from the bird feeders above them, I had a heck of a time trying to get rid of them. A few "from a distance" loud bangs worked after a while. I really didn't need my Yellow Lab, Sam to go out before bed and get to sniffing at something that his nose didn't belong sniffing, if ya know what I mean.

He had the devil in his eyes..

Beautifully marked...

This skunk was really pretty...

It had a really big bushy white tail.

Protecting Home and Family....The Bluebird Way

2011-03-23T14:02:00.000-04:00

A few days ago I was able to capture a sequence of photos that show a male Bluebird protecting and driving off an intruder that was threatening his home and lady. The Starling never had a chance.

This place looks like it was well maintained.

I wonder what the school district is like.

It is such a nice neighborhood.

Oh no you don't.

I don't care how big you are...Get out of here.


And ... Don't come back.

Now...where were we?

Not exactly what I wanted to wake up to....

2011-03-23T08:36:00.000-04:00

Hey, it's March 23rd. When I went to bed last night the ground was bare...Now look:

Hey, it's suppose to be spring...

Difference of Opinion

2011-03-22T17:42:00.000-04:00

Even my deer friends have differences of opinion now and again....

I don't care. The little one isn't suppose to be here. I'm calling the Manager.

New Backyard Live Web Cam

2011-03-22T08:56:00.000-04:00

After some struggles and hair pulling I (thanks Tom for your assistance) was finally able to get the live web cam feed up and running. I must say I am not pleased with the quality but rest assured I am trying to improve it. I suspect it may have something to do with bandwith and these issues can be difficult to rectify. But I am trying. We will see how things develop over the coming days.

So, if you care to see what is going on here at the resort (the backyard), click on the live web cam link on the right side of this page. The Cam is live 24/7 unless I have it down for maintenance or provider trouble. I won't promise constant wildlife, but, hey, Ya never know.

Not just another birthday..

2011-03-21T08:54:00.002-04:00

Today my family and I celebrate the birthday of a very special little girl. In this case, it is one of my very special granddaughters. Bella Jade came into our lives 8 years ago and has been bubbling over with energy and love since her first breath. She has giving more joy to her family than anyone of us can rightfully demand. Her radiant smile, her occasional turned up nose, her unending energy, and her cuddling moments, all attribute to her charm. I don't profess to be the spokesman for my family, but I assure you, my readers, that Isabella is indeed loved by us all. Whether she is in her "princess" mode or her "maniac" mode, she'll sweep you off your feet. It will be either from an eye sparkle or a head lock. Either way, you're going down.

So today my friends I say: Happy Happy Birthday to my granddaughter Bella Jade. Thank you so much for the memories you have given me these past 8 years. I am so looking forward to the memories you are going to give in the future. I love you.

Pop

Short clip of Hairy Woodpecker_Peanut

2011-03-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

Turkeys in the trees....

2011-03-17T08:45:00.000-04:00

I captured some neat shots this morning (St. Patrick's Day) of a small flock (8) of turkeys playing in the trees in my back yard. They had previously flown down from the hillside and were having some corn. One young female flew up into a large Black Walnut tree in the yard and soon half the flock followed. They were, what it appeared to be anyway, frolicking from branch to branch and limb to limb chasing one another. It was the neatest thing to watch. (I was sitting in my living room at my computer chair just a clickin. Should have grabbed the video camera..rats) Here are a few pics.

It did a balancing act with it's wings as it walked down the limb.

It was pretty cool watching them move around the tree limbs. They were pretty agile. Great way to start the day...

A few Stealth Cam Snapshots from 2009

2011-03-16T17:31:00.000-04:00

The Sharp-Shinned Hawk

2011-03-16T13:18:00.000-04:00

Starling Control Manager

Some New York State Turkeys

2011-03-15T12:59:00.003-04:00

No...Not Politicians.

2011 Winter Scene Creatures

2011-03-15T12:13:00.001-04:00

Here are pics of some creatures enjoying, or not, the winter.

Always Alert

A little History....& Thanks

2011-03-15T10:29:00.002-04:00

I was born in Erie, Pennsylvania way back in 1946. Golly, that seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? Moved to central Pa. at a very young age and began my love for the outdoors. After losing my mother 8 years earlier, my father's passing in ’62 was devastating to this 16 yr. old. Life was so cruel. I did not like anything or anybody that attempted to help me. I was blind to the kindness that was offered.

My freshman and sophomore years were spent at DuBois High School, living with Grandma for a while than with Uncle George and Aunt Betty. The summer of ’63 saw me move to Wesleyville to live with my Uncle Jim and Aunt Leona, who I have always credited with making sure that I made it through my junior and senior years and graduate from high school in spite of myself or the problems that I gave them. Not sure if that would have happened without them. Living with them was challenging in many ways. Not just for me, but also for them and my cousins. Sharing a bedroom and everything else must have been difficult for them as well. I knew very few people in Wesleyville, so hanging out with my cousin Pug and his friends became the norm, and to his credit, he never complained or begrudged me. Graduating from Wesleyville High School in ’65 was and always will be one of the bright spots of my teen years. I have always been thankful that this family gave of themselves to me and they were certainly a very important part and influence on my formable years.

I enlisted in the US Navy a few months after graduation and Viet Nam became a reality. Being shot at and feeling fear and anger and seeing war and casualties has a profound effect on a 19 year old. Believe me when I say, going from boy to man was quick and painful. BUT worth it. I will never regret my service to my country and am proud to be a Vet.

Returning to the good ole USA in '69, I began my career in the Telecommunications industry. That would last for the next 38 years or so. Now retired for a few years, I've had ample time to reflect...and reflect I have. Why was I so blind for so long. Why? Why? Why? As it turns out, I wasn't so blind that I wasn’t able to see beyond the frames of my glasses and realize the beauty that was all around. My mind was able to remember the kindness that I was offered and the lessons I learned way back than that I didn't understand at the time. The influence from those who tried to help me surfaced and grew in me and FINALLY.. I GOT IT.

To all my aunts and uncles who taught, cared and disciplined me when I most needed it, THANK YOU. My dear sweet Aunt Betty....especially. How I tortured her and Uncle George the 2 years I lived there. But as I said....I finally got it. And thank GOD, I didn't burn the bridge back into their lives. I am so thankful for that. My Uncle John...bless him. He honed my outdoor skills and love of wildlife that were planted many years before. I owe them all and will be forever grateful.
Sandra, Gloria, and I never really had much of a, live together, life after Mom passed away. Between spending time in children’s homes and living with different relatives, our time together under the same roof was pretty limited. In retrospect, asking a family to take on 3 additional children at once was a lot to deal with, and with the attitude that I had, made it even more difficult. I am extremely grateful to our aunts and uncles who took us in and cared for us in our time of need. Through it all, my sisters and I have maintained a meaningful bonded relationship. My sisters have always had my back and I am deeply indebted to them both. I love them and their families very much.

I finally got it right with a life's partner also. Rosemarie has shown me the forgotten meaning of family. Our marriage is the most bestest thing and is right up there with the birth of my 3 sons. I love her and all our children and grandchildren very much.

And so it goes...as I continue on this life's journey I hope to show to all who have helped me along the way, that your deeds were not without merit. Thank You ALL very much.

A New Day...March 15, 2011

2011-03-15T08:42:00.000-04:00

After pondering the thought for months and getting countless suggestive comments from friends and relatives, I've decided today is the day. For what, you ask? Well, what follows will be an attempt on my part, to put in the web, my thoughts, my ideas, and my views relative to nature and wildlife. My hope is to share with you how I perceive the amazing world of animals, birds, plants, and nature. Enjoy, with me, as I begin my journey to share with you, BC's Wildlife.

A sure sign of Spring

Red-Wing Blackbirds off to wherever

I should probably confirm here and now that all the photos that will be posted on this blog, will be photos that were taken by me, or passed to me from a 3rd party, with permission to post on my blog.

It will take me a little while to get the in's and out's of this blog thing worked out, so I hope you have patience with me. It's "tough to teach an old dog new tricks" so they say. And I've always wondered just who the heck "they" is. Anyway...this will be what it is....

A log for the fireplace became a crunchy peanut-butter treat