Last Full Week of Summer

Last week was pretty nice weather wise no real complaints for a change!  I can't seem to get the font the size I want so hope this one works for everyone...

Thru the viewfinder:

I went to my favorite cemetery nearby it's always good to find something alive....and this time I found one Loggerhead Shrike...

He found some high perches to hunt from and then he got tangled up with a couple of Mockingbirds, and they went into defense mode.

And chased him away...

From another perch not far away an Eastern Phoebe watched and made sure he wasn't going to be attacked next...

He was safe, then the Mockingbirds started to chase each other...lol so no one got to settle on the poke berries on the edges...

A Red Admiral hung onto this twig in the cedar tree I tried and tried to get him wings open but he would not co operate...just stuck h is nose up in the air!

The really small flowers on the ground attracted this Bee Fly, pretty good name for this fly that looks and acts like a Bee...

And I read that flies actually do a lot of pollination so I guess we need to think before we swat that fly! 

This flower is called Meadow Beauty...another awesome fall bloomer...

On my way out of the cemetery I heard a chip coming from the pines and found an immature Blue Grosbeak up top looking around 

Easy to see that big beak...he will eventually turn blue...

Moving to another location saw this field with a line of Canada Geese pulling the tops off this winter hay crop..

... on the way to my old stomps, of the Beaver Pond, looks very different now there is no pond to speak of since they trapped and killed the beaver...

 Im still bent about that...I did see this turtle with a garden growing on this back!

Pond Slider

And I found out from one of the locals the Eagle Nest tree has fallen down wondered why I couldn't spot it, hope they will find another tree in the area to build in come late December. 

---

I made a stop at the vernal pool I have been watching for a couple years and lately this Great Egret has been fishing there, I believe there is still plenty of tadpole, frog, and small turtle in the pool...

a bit too deep for the Green Herons that I normally see here although earlier in the season they were around..

I went to Sandhills took a couple of short hikes, and had a lot of Pine Warbler scolding me along the way...

Hunting season is about to get going so I will have to be careful out and about from now till the end of Feb. 

Buck Eye 

Grasshopper with bonus spider(??) 

Meanwhile back at home look who is in the flower bed...

Writing Spider 3 inches across!!

I did find some seeds for my winter garden plans...But I had dig through the Halloween costumes, and Spooky yard decorations and push aside the boxes of "Christmas Garland" waiting to be unboxed...dear readers  we will starve to death if the Pandemic gets worse, every store is over stocked with useless junk from China and I had to dig through a disheveled box of seeds looking for some to plant....at the Dollar Store!   To me this is a real shame.  Every community should have a seed exchange in it...not talking GMO seeds either...The garden centers are full of Mums, Pansies, and decorative plants.  We can't eat that. 

What are your thoughts on this subject. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Just another week

Today I cut wood in order to keep my  stack as high as it can be.  My yard birds were happy Sunday as it was so warm...I had the windows open.

                              I said BIRDS!!  Everybody in the yard was eating..

OR waiting their turn to eat.

The Winter crops are hanging, not growing much tho.,I have a couple tiny cabbages in there and one broccoli forming,,,

brown headed nuthatch 

red breasted nuthatch

And some sunning was going on,.

Floss

GULP toss it up catch it

  I could  hear Pine Warblers all around me, and was able to find a couple...at the state park where I went to de-stress..

Yellow rump warblers also in the same tree, down in this  picnic area.  I had Red breasted Nuthatch, Brown Headed Nuthatch, Ruby Crowned, and Golden Crowned Kinglets,,,,

I checked the water and no waterfowl or waders present, it was cold on this day it may not look it but it sure was.

Eastern Bluebird

I had all these little guys chirping  at once,  So my head was turning around like the girl in the Exorcists.  I was making a mental list as I went. So then in came a Downy Woodpecker and he would not come out in the open so while I phished and hoped he would, out came a Blue Headed Vireo,  That was fine with me.,

None of them wanted to stand still so no sharp crisp photo...still I was happy to put my eyes on them.

the rest of the world seems so far away...

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Bee and Oxpen Lakes

Please take note on my sidebar I have added a link to a Petition I have started to try and bring awareness to and stop the killing of Beaver by the USDA. it will only take a minute for your participation.  A donation goes to the World Wildlife Fund. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->>

I am healthy and have stayed away from everyone.  I am wondering if its possible this is what I had in December? Based on what my symptoms were and what they are saying now... I never went to a DR because I don't even have a DR. Something I need to do....BUT if you recall I reported I had a Cold/Flu for the first time in like 14 yrs! I thought my immune system was shocked after losing Mom and dealing without her during the Holidays etc.  My son and I both had it, my sisters who we were in contact with did not get sick...so who knows. I heard people were recently tested and had antibodies and they reported being sick back in Dec some as far back as last November. This story of this virus is far from over and still a mystery. 

cute little Chipping Sparrow from the backyard

And a Yellow Rump Warbler was right overhead.

Since I'm at home I treated myself to this delicious flat bread with home made dip and Coconut Milk smoothie...It was delicious!  Add a little honey, vanilla, strawberries, banana, maple syrup and let me say it was heavenly...

During this time period I went to explore and hike a different area of the Sandhills NWR, the Bee and Oxpen Lakes area.  

I saw NO ONE and did not have to bother with social distancing, Which was nice to just forget about it for a while!  Im pretty sure this Yellow-Throated Warbler was more than 6 ft away I wanted him to come closer for a better look but he is pretty from any distance. 




He almost looks like a different bird from the back 

The sky was a bit dull...

Lake Bee

Brown Headed Nuthatch checked out this hollow in the tree...

And I saw quite a few Pine Warbler staring down from the trees above me,  In one area there's carnivorous plants! These Pitcher Plants work by trapping insects in the pools of water that stand inside and then taking nutrients from that insect as it decays, I know it's morbid but it's nature....can you see the water?  And they have a bloom stalk getting ready to flower...

And I found some Dwarf Iris in bloom nearby 

 

Wetlands are one of my favorite habitats, 

Someone else seems to like it also...I don't know if beaver are currently active in his area but I hope so..

This viewing deck had to be rebuilt a couple years ago...when  flooding messed it up..

I had lunch after my hike, and the view is really nice and a lovely breeze found it's way under the picnic cover.  

Just a sandwich, chips, and unsweet tea, think I had a Laura Bar in there too.  As I ate lunch I spotted more birds...in the nearby trees and bushes.  

Red Bellied Woodpecker...

And the Downy Woodpecker both knocking on wood while I ate...they were digging grubs out of the trees they visited...while this 

  Eastern Phoebe was on lookout with his keen eyesight for any insect that flew into range...actually we were all having our lunch...And after that I moved over to the Oxpen Lakes Area..and took another hike...

In this area I saw an Osprey diving into the lake, I could never got his dive on camera just his prep for it... Also saw quite a few Song and Savannah Sparrow hanging out...

Osprey preparing to dive....

Savannah, 

Found this Wild Turkey Tail Feather for my collection...

An Eastern Kingbird

Well as you guessed this post was written prior to my little friend's passing.  I try to create my posts and then they are scheduled to post in the order they are written. This ism to post on the Sunday  instead of Friday, the one prior was supposed to post last Friday and it just posted Wednesday.  This way I can stay only 2 weeks behind.  I am still hearing my friend all over the place and I reach for his bowl when it's feeding time. 

 I don't want to erase his having been  here I want to remember.   I saw Snapfish had a special on 8 x 11 photo books, 35% off so I made one of Casey and ordered some glossy prints of the same shots I just never have photos printed anymore...so I had only one or 2 actual prints of him but many digital shots of him...I can't wait for my book to arrive.  With the discount my book is 22 pages and contains 58 photos and Im getting 58 glossy 4 x 6 prints also includes shipping $27.  Pretty good deal.  I'll have to let you know about the book  when it arrives.  

Casey, Crater Lake, OR

This is the photo I've had on my screen since the day it was taken....and it will stay.  My State is easing up the restrictions I'm not sure it's a good idea I will continue to steer clear of people!  

For the record I think the demonstrations instigated by Trump was one of the most ridiculous displays of Narcissistic Control I've ever witnessed.  Talk about Flying Monkeys.  Kinda reminds me of Jonestown, if he told them to drink the poison they would.  IF those people want to go back to their old routine I'm sure no one could care, but don't expect everyone to agree...meaning your local businesses have the right to resume business as normal when they see fit. Have you ever seen such WHINERS?? wa-wa.

                                                                  

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.