An April Fools Surprise...

Lately I'm lacking motivation.  Don't ask me why because I'm not sure.  I have the desire but the follow through is just blah.  Im still trying tho, not throwing in the towel just yet.  

Brown Headed Nuthatch check out a possible nest hole 

Some weather issues, wind, rain, hot, cold, storms, humid can't even breath humid, pollen 2 inches thick...just to name a few...and every now n then the SUN shines...but the wind still blows...Today was one of those sun shine windy days.. 

Male 

 I had not been to Sandhills in a while  it's kinda my local but a little far it's in the 20 mile radius.  Today the wind was on and off, ...my coat kept going on and off  and eventually  I even had to add a warm hat to the mix...

and his mate the female Eastern Bluebird 

I got very few photos this week ...the wind was a huge factor.  I wanted to share some of the AMATUER video I was able to get of some unique natural behaviors...

Like this Loggerhead Shrike, he has impaled a grub on a twig of a sapling...he tugs and it comes loose so he reattaches it, I tried to slow it down to help with wind movement  so you can see how he works to get the grub attached again so he can rip pieces off..

 sorry for the movement and sound real life is kinda like that...

When  he saw me, he flew to a tree to wait till I left so I snapped this photo before moving on...Big Juicy Grub. 

This was up on Mary's Hill...they recently burned the area 

I found an old antler, the tips had burned off...

...the birds are  pairing up and getting on with life they are motivated.  Had two Osprey pairs, and they were doing the same thing.  I suspect the female was stationed at a tree while the Male was out hunting, making circles diving and such...was it a show? I can't tell if he got a fish or not but he flew off, didn't take anything to the female,  Normally they lay eggs in April I must check the 3 ponds that I know Osprey nest in...maybe on my next trip over. OH yeah it's April already.

Play

Here is the waiting female...I saw the exact same behavior in a second pair later on.  I think I was more impressed than she was...

Then I stopped to have a spot of lunch at the boat ramp of this pond. 

After eating I put on my coat, and hat and took a walk around the lake, on this fisherman's path...It does not go all the way around the pond as it gets very dense and soggy but it goes about 1/2 of a mile or more round trip. 

This is where I watched the Osprey show from....so once he left I kept walking and then I saw some movement in a back cove of the pond.  At first I didn't know what I was looking at them BAM it hit me, A BEAVER a real live BEAVER was sitting on a sandbar grooming,  

I don't know if it's a she or a he

Then it went  swimming and eating some snacks out of the water, looked like the root ends of lily pads...

This sighting really made my day worthwhile...and was a good shot in the arm. 

This old lodge has been in this pond forever, but I thought it was not being used...

But the Beaver swam over this way and I lost track of it as I walked back so I think he went to take a snooze in the lodge...!!

time to walk back

Finally got my first shot appointment, on the 28th of April.

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.