by Cindy ~ August 21, 2008
Aside from being masters of flight, reaching speeds of about sixty miles an hour and being able to turn their heads almost completely around.. and so many other attributes that make them fascinating insects, dragonflies are expert hunters.
Deerflies are the bane of outdoor photography in my neck of the woods, and I’m always grateful for the dragonflies that snatch them out of the air - that makes them a VERY beneficial insect in my book. I appreciated having them around me while out in the field, and have even heard their powerful jaws clamp down on prey with a resounding snap!. Score one for the dragon- and myself.
Dragonflies and damselflies are certainly not immune from being fed upon- it’s no secret that many insects, animals, fish, etc call them a meal. I’ve watched a gray fox leaping after them in our clearing, and have found many ensnared within spiderwebs. They’re also hosts to miniscule mites, that usually can’t be viewed by the naked eye, as with this White-faced Glider that had more than a few parasitic mites attached.
Feed and be fed upon- the cardinal rule in nature.
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by Cindy ~ August 10, 2008
I’m still attempting to sort out my collection of books, but am making little headway with that gargantuan task unfortunately. I discovered so many I have yet to read that it’s ridiculous. I forgot how very many field guides I own- who needs 18 guides on flora? 7 guides on dragonflies? Do I really need a reference book on every plant, animal, mineral, star, insect, fungi, etc etc known to mankind? I won’t even divulge how many avian guides I have.. specialized guides that I just can’t make myself part with. Good grief, this is hopeless. I have put exactly 3 books in a ‘ok, it can go’ box. That’s it. What folly.
So after moving piles around (and swiffering off dust) I admitted defeat. Resting in my comfy desk chair, I fired up one of my external hard drives. Three hours and hundreds of unedited files later I tossed in the towel with a seized up back and numb legs. I did manage to prep a few from I forget when for the website I’m hoping to update soon… (one is above) but first I need to go back to my guides and make sure I have the id’s correct. Guess I’d better keep the guides. That settles that.
I think we’ll take a long ride tomorrow.. I need fresh air. The clutter will have to wait.. again.
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by Cindy ~ August 8, 2008
The local black bears are back and left at least 8 destroyed feeders in their wake. This is just one area, they hit all 3 of our feeding areas hard. They can reach over 8 feet tall, and everything edible (and unedible as well) is fair game. Since they’re unafraid of floodlights, us, our dog and pretty much everything that moves, the feeders are down for now. Time to get a few firecrackers out, that’s the only thing they’ll run from… but then they always come back eventually.
The feeder station pictured above is about 6-7 feet from our dining room windows (that are covered with bird screens, like all of our windows.) The tall stations further back towards our woods look even worse.
We’ve had black bears come right up to the windows at times to peer inside the house. But this is bear country and bears rule in the wild. Always.
Sorry birds! :(
by Cindy ~ August 7, 2008
I spent some time around our property today, despite the intermittent rains. So many juvenile species that seemed to fill every tree limb within sight. Neotrops and warblers everywhere. Young vireos, chickadees, titimice, bluejays, goldfinch, woodpeckers, doves, crows, purple finch cardinals and others peeking out of cover while I watched a small Chipping Sparrow female feeding a very large Brown-headed Cowbird chick as fast as she could. (The young chippers didn’t seem to be intimidated at all to have a cowbird following the ‘family’ group around the clearing). There are easily over 2 dozen juvenile Rose-breasted grosbeaks begging non-stop, as well as many immatures. So many different plumages. I think they’re just as handsome as the adults, and much more varied.
Sweet juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were always nearby- they’re so curious and seem to be very interested in people. They still beg to the harried parent birds, but are learning to feed themselves, drilling holes in small branches and trunks.
Weather doesn’t deter birds from doing what they need to do.. so I try not it let it stop me from doing what I need to do as well despite it all.. and #1 on my to do list is always and without fail to get out there, something I never take for granted anymore.
by Cindy ~ July 31, 2008
As I always do this time of year, I’ve been spending many hours watching my namesake birds. We have at least 5 adult male hummingbirds now- it’s a bit difficult to keep tabs on them amid the flurry of activity with the juvies and females joining them in a virtual squeakfest around our feeders and garden.
One of the boldest adult males has a favored perch on a trellis within the monarda blossoms that he guards religiously- and he tends to it well. He naps, preens, stretches, nabs insects and watches his world from his stately throne. When my hubby turns on the mister, which sprays a fine mist of cold water over the blossoms, he always indulges in a bath. For all I know, he may spend part of his evenings here, since they feed well after dusk.
I cracked a window open slowly to photograph ‘king hummingbird’, who harbors no fear whatsoever in his miniscule body- at one point he darted within several inches of my face, letting me know just who rules over monardadom. He perches here even when I’m sitting outdoors, 3 feet from his magesty and too close for a photo.
And so it is that I bow humbly before this self appointed keeper of the nectar, in all of his feathered glory- he definitely rules over my indentured heartstrings.
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by Cindy ~ July 21, 2008
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