Unravel my week...

Last Wednesday

was a low humidity day for me, so I took the bike and rode a trail in Sandhills refuge...to see what I could find.  The trail I picked is one I've shown you before it ends up at the back side of Pool D...it's only half mile round trip but it's thru a mature pine forest and it's not all flat it has an up/down hill section also.  The Trial in red, 

and I heard way more than I saw...The trees and bushes are so overgrown it's hard to find birds if they are trying to hide which most do,

BUT not all, these young Barn Swallows were in harsh light but at least right out in the open..

They were practicing bug catching from this perch...

Its a swampy area once you get back there as you can see the Ham creek spreads out and keeps this whole little boggy area moist.

One Prothonotary Warbler swooped past me calling very loudly but then disappeared in the thick stuff, all that racket brought out a couple of Common Yellowthroats, and I got a not so good shot of one of the male...

And a Red Winged Blackbird was hunting from just above the water's surface...

I don't know anything much about Dragonfly except I enjoy seeing them...I tried to get the correct name of this one but could not pin it down conclusively, so Im going with Pond Hawk. 

The wings were all clear. 

I pedaled back to the van,

and moved over to the Lake Bee Recreation Area they are refilling that pond I will be happy when they open it back up cause there is a wetland I enjoy checking on the opposite side of the earthen dam. 

Bee Lake refilling 

I had a cool drink and a snack here and then

Drove up to the Oxpen Lakes area. 

 Parked and headed out on foot for a walk in the fields looking at plants and insects.  And checked the Yellow Pitchers, they are doing well...

AND a lot of Hat Pin is flourishing by the waters edge...with the world's smallest insect sitting on one

Could be a dragonfly nymph?  A Buckeye butterfly along with a Variegated Fritillary 

Along with some other insect on the ground there,..Busy doing what butterflies do....

There was even more Common Yellowthroat around 

Along with Eastern Kingbird

Orchard Oriole 

This Common Crackle found a worm...

And an Immature Red Winged Blackbird was learning the ropes down in the lily pads...

I visited the one and only public restroom on the refuge and in the parking area an Eastern Wood Pewee was flycatching...

Found something new!

And on the wall of the building I found this really weird creature...it may not look it but he was big, at least 4 inches long! And  creepy antennae, his wings seemed  almost be armored...

He definitely had the steampunk look going on..

When I looked this up I found out it's called a Dobsonfly and those long things at the front is a mandible! Like Jaws of life!  Its actually an aquatic insect...and it only lives a couple weeks and during that time it doesn't really eat anything.  There is one species of this insect in China that gets a big as a human hand! 

Later on in the week...

 I took a walk around Goodale park, one of the mornings when it was clear but hot...

And there was one Wood Stork flying around in lazy circles, I don't know if he landed a man came up and started talking to me and I lost track of the stork...

He was photographing the pitcher plants there and then I showed him where I just spotted some

Sundews...another carnivorous Plant that I have found there....this is the first time I've seen them in that area that has tried to be a BOG, the staff keep fighting this, I don't know why they don't let it evolve into what it wants to BE! So here are the tiny little Sundews

These particular ones are only an inch tall and barely 2 inches wide....

And a young Tufted Titmouse was keeping track of his parent while he learns the ropes of life...

So that pretty much unravels my week..

My van has an issue...SO until I can that diagnosed and repaired I won't be going far from home. I don't mind walking but in 89% humidity its really TOUGH...I worked on my property a little this morning.   A wild grape vine had grown it's self thru the wire of my pasture field fencing, and  was creating an issue...so I took the chainsaw, yep that's how thick it was, to cut it off the fence and get the fence attached to the post again, I need some more metal post to replace a few of the old cedar posts that are getting  rotten they have been in the ground 45 yrs.  I am keeping the fence in repair so my dogs can play in there and I don't want to worry that other stray dogs may be in there, the deer jump in but fox or coyote I really don't want in there.  Anyways I was soaked as if I had been out in the rain from the humidity when I finished up.   Now inside in the ac recovering.  

And can we all say "WTH" is up with this picture?  Are the veggie sausage people not paying attention?

Hope your week unravels in a good way. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Busy Week

So this week I decided Im ready to take the bike beyond the yard.  

Safety First

I went to Sandhills, it's quiet, no cars, or rarely and there is Paved  dirt and gravel roads to practice on as well so my first day ended up being like a 10 mile day!  But I didn't like pedal to metal do 10 miles, I did it in 4 different section rides including 2 dirt/gravel roads...I did about 5 miles of each. 

I absolutely need a new front gear shifter.  I tried to buy one on Amazon, but they insist on putting Amazon Prime in my shopping cart so I dumped the whole damn thing right there in the virtual aisle.  WTH, that should be illegal.  Lately Im just grumpy and my patience has worn not thin...but out.  So I went to Walmart.com bought the thing free shipping and no dirty tricks. 

IT was so good to be moving through the air with the only sound is the gentle click of the wheels I really enjoyed it and I want to do that again.  

Red Headed Woodpecker

Brown Headed Cowbird

I took a muddy hike to see the Pitcher Plants up close they are in bloom now.  These ones get quite tall and they love this boggy hillside.  

This Wood Duck pair had 2 ducklings, so very cute..

And the Geese had some Goslings  from the opposite side of the pond.

The Orchard Orioles have arrived and I added a new FOY bird...

Another day I went to Bramblewood and took a nice long walk around...The Clover is in bloom and it's so pretty.  

It attracts some cool insects, 

And the big mature hardwoods bring in some migrants.  

The Painted Bunting, 

The Prothonotary Warbler, 

The greens along the edge of the river soooo inviting. 

Red Winged Blackbird 

And around the yard some good going's on...

Floss "show your surprised face." 

A new Guard at the door, 

The Myrtle Yellow Rump in the trees, 

Along with a singing Black and White Warbler 

 

And a brilliant Prairie Warbler

The Red Breasted Nuthatch still in the yard...a pair actually.

And a new Rose Bush Inspector...

And my latest project is UP in the Air! 

Barn Owl Box!!

That was a full week we have a cold front passing through then some rain we actually need it even tho we had a rainy winter the air is very dry right now...AND one more the lady RB Nuthatch 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

RIP Little Bunnies 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.