Tag Archives: Birds

Morning Walk

2 Replies

Wylie and I have been on many morning walks, today’s walk was one of the best.

Foggy start to the day.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Everyone is waking up! I have an app that records all the bird sounds. Some that we heard are: Nuthatch, cardinal, blue eye vireo, indigo bunting, bobwhite quail, red-bellied woodpecker, meadowlark, Harris sparrow. My bird app didn’t register the coyotes howling!

What a beautiful start to the day! Have a wonderful day.

Back Roads to Maxwell

Leave a reply

 

I had my day all planned out, and none of what I had planned worked out.  It is a cool, breezy overcast day and the place I was wanting to go in the Flint Hills would be better photographed on a clear day.  Wylie and I loaded up and took the back roads over to Maxwell Wildlife Refuge near Canton, Kansas.  Here’s what we saw today.

 

Abandoned bridge outside of Assaria, KSDSC02853

I didn’t find any information on Hallville, KS.  There is one home currently occupied, I could find no other remains of any buildings.  It was along an abandoned train track.

DSC02854

Olive Springs School was built in 1885 and was used as a school until 1947.  It is now an art gallery displaying the painting and prints of a local artist, Maleta Forsberg.

DSC02856

 

DSC02857

Bridge near the entrance to Maxwell Wildlife Refuge

DSC02860

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is home to 200 head of bison and 50 elk.  They roam free on the 2800 acre natural prairie.

DSC02865

DSC02870

Just west of the Refuge is McPherson State fishing lake, where we saw this lone eagle.

DSC02874

 

 

 

 

Buffalo National River, Arkansas

Leave a reply

In 1972 the Buffalo River was declared a National River, one of the few remaining free-flowing, undammed river in the lower 48 states.  It originates at the highest part of the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks and flows 135 miles before joining the White River.  The National River is popular for camping, float trips, and fishing.  There are over 100 miles of hiking trails.  The best way to see the river are by the trails or a float trip.  I’m looking forward to a return trip to explore the river!

DSC02664

DSC02606

DSC02613

DSC02619

Parker-Hickman Farmstead

DSC02631

DSC02634

This looks like a trail tree!!

DSC02609

Rocky Mountain Elk were introduced to the region a few years ago.  The herd now numbers around 800.

DSC02656

DSC02660

Swan

DSC02669

 

DSC02662

 

Evening Walk

2 Replies

I enjoy driving to an isolated road for our walks.  Here’s what we came across yesterday.

DSC01026

DSC01027

DSC01030

I don’t know what type of snake this is, to me they are all anacondas!!

DSC01036

DSC01037

DSC01021

We have enjoyed seeing yellow headed blackbirds at our bird feeder.  (Luckily the snake isn’t in our yard!)

Carlton, KS and the hills South

2 Replies

DSC00970

DSC00977_edited-1

DSC00975

This is the kind of road that I like to explore, off the beaten path.

DSC01016

DSC01019

DSC00982 DSC00984 DSC00986

DSC00990 DSC00995 DSC01001

Prairie Flowers

I just found an app for the iphone and will hopefully be able to identify wildflowers, Wildflowers of the Great Plains.

 

DSC00997

DSC00999

DSC01012

DSC01011

Owl on the chimney

DSC01003

DSC01007

Old chicken coop

DSC01009

 

 

Exploring Kansas

2 Replies

Kansas is such a beautiful and diversified state.  From the prairies and farmland to rolling hills and wooded areas, there is such beauty in our natural surroundings.  Wylie and I are taking trips around Kansas, we will be exploring areas off the beaten paths.

 

 

A cold dreary February day spent at Milford Lake spotting eagles.  Total eagle count 48

0209156020915902091512

 

Clay County, KS

Geary County, KS

02091518

Abilene, KS Depot

 

 

Dorrance, KS then South to Dubuque, KS

0218151

 

02181530218155

 

121518130215186

0215188

St. Catherine Catholic Church, Dubuque, KS

 

Baby Birds

Leave a reply

This is how The House finch nest looked when I first discovered it in the evergreen tree in the back yard. Five little eggs in a nest.

This is how The House finch nest looked when I first discovered it in the evergreen tree in the back yard. Five little eggs in a nest.

A week later, there were five little birds that looked like a fluffy dandelion. They had survived several severe storms with high winds. I couldn't believe that they weren't blown out of the nest! It's amazing that something so little and fragile could survive.

A week later, there were five little birds that looked like a fluffy dandelion. They had survived several severe storms with high winds. I couldn’t believe that they weren’t blown out of the nest! It’s amazing that something so little and fragile could survive.

They are almost 2 weeks old and it won't be long before they fly. That will be a good thing, I never knew nor had I given it any thought as to what they do with their waste. A wren and all cavity nesting birds keep their nest very clean by carrying out the fecal sac and depositing it away from the nest. The nesting birds, like House finches, the parent eats the fecal sac for about five days, then after that the chicks deposit the sac on the edge of the nest.

They are almost 2 weeks old and it won’t be long before they fly. That will be a good thing, I never knew nor had I given it any thought as to what they do with their waste. A wren and all cavity nesting birds keep their nest very clean by carrying out the fecal sac and depositing it away from the nest. The nesting birds, like House finches, the parent eats the fecal sac for about five days, then after that the chicks deposit the sac on the edge of the nest.  Did you know this?

What’s Happening

1 Reply

I love mint, but it is too invasive to plant in the garden. This year I put my mojito mint in this beautiful orange ceramic pot. Mojitos are my favorite summer drink, looks like with all this mint, I will have LOTS of mojitos! I planted the colorful ornamental peppers and a yellow canna to further accent the pot.

I love mint, but it is too invasive to plant in the garden. This year I put my mojito mint in this beautiful orange ceramic pot. Mojitos are my favorite summer drink, looks like with all this mint, I will have LOTS of mojitos! I planted the colorful ornamental peppers and a yellow canna to further accent the pot.

I planted a white water calla lily, a chameleon plant and papyrus around the bubbling rock.

I planted a white water calla lily, a chameleon plant and papyrus around the bubbling rock.

The baby House finches are hatching. They look like little fluffy dandelions. A couple of days ago we had a storm with 60 mph winds, and I was so happy that they were able to ride out the storm.

The baby House finches are hatching. They look like little fluffy dandelions. A couple of days ago we had a storm with 60 mph winds, and I was so happy that they were able to ride out the storm.