Bird Songs and Song Birds

[heavyhitterokra]

Oftentimes, I hear the beautiful song of a particular bird, but because of failing eyesight, cannot seem to find the source of the songs that I hear.  These recordings help me to identify the sounds I hear and also help me to become more aware of what is going on around me in able to better protect my flock of laying hens and my Cotton Patch Geese from flying predators.

 

[heavyhitterokra]

The Robins Are Back!

Today, I was out walking in the cow pasture behind the house and heard the familiar sound of a flock of Robins returning from wherever they go in winter. Robins are one of my favorite birds because they are not afraid of humans. When I noticed there was an unusually high number of them about, I sat down in the grass and they began hopping closer and closer to where I was. They were drifting in from the surrounding treetops in groups of half a dozen or more, so I started counting them.

I got to 39 before a pair of buzzards began circling low overhead. I think the Robins thought the buzzards were a pair of hawks because they immediately flew away. Still, it sure was nice to see that many of them before they left. You always know Spring is getting nearer when you see the Robins return.

[macmex]

We've had probably a hundred robins in our wet pasture this week. They love a wet pasture, this time of the year as worms are near the surface. They'll disappear if the ground freezes, otherwise they may stick around, as Spring is right around the corner. 

[heavyhitterokra]

Sounds like we had better not hold our breath in anticipation of Spring just yet ... That groundhog did see his shadow last Tuesday!

My youngest son, Josh, just now came back home from work in Tulsa. Even though it is not freezing here yet, it is already freezing up there. There were seven cars off in the ditch on the hillside leading to his office, so when he saw that there was already that much black ice accumulation; he decided to turn around and come home instead of adding to their numbers.

According to our weather forecast, the bottom is about to fall out of our thermometer in the coming days. I know our weatherman predicted 12-degree weather and an 80% chance of snow last Saturday and we had nearly 40 degrees and only drizzle, but who knows? As George said in Church yesterday, "Sometimes, even a blind hog finds an acorn." If that's true; I suppose it's possible that someday, our weather forecast might actually be accurate?

[heavyhitterokra]

Today is Valentine's Day. I didn't see any robins today, that's for sure, but I sure had a lot of snowbirds visiting my sunflower seed feeders. It was snowing off and on all day long today and we had a high of 7-degrees. The forecast calls for -2 overnight, with a 100% chance of more snow before 9:00 am Monday, Washington's Birthday.

Usually, I'm thinking about opening a few rows in my garden on Valentine's Day, to plant Kennebec Potatoes. That certainly will not be the case this year!

The last time it was anywhere near this cold in Mid-February, was back in 2011. That year, we had 20" inches of snow over a 10-day period during the middle of the month.  During that storm, we had temperatures down to 15 below zero. When plowing time came in Mid-March, and we thought it was finally time to plant potatoes, the ground was still frozen below 8" inches.  The ice was buried under a thick layer of mud.  I remember, because we were still using a team of mules at the time.  When we dropped our plow point, the mules couldn't or wouldn't pull it.  When we pulled the plow point back up, it had ice on the tip.

That same year, we had 65 consecutive days over 100-degrees, the last two weeks of that being over 110-degrees, with August 2nd being 115-degrees.

I sure hope this summer does not follow suit.

[macmex]

2011 was "a doozy," for sure! Am sure looking forward to a break in this cold. Been spending a good many extra hours on chores, which is why I'm a little scarce on Green Country Seed Savers. We had some kids (goat) born yesterday and I need to get out there now to see if any more arrived during the night. Same with lambs.

[heavyhitterokra]

Speaking of lambs:

I built a shelter for my wife's little wild deer, then lined it with fresh straw and stacked straw bales inside it three bales high as a windbreak. There is a tarp nailed over the door to keep the snow from drifting in. Up until this morning the little deer was not inclined to venture inside there for cover; she prefers sleeping on open ground, come rain or shine, it makes her no difference. She'd rather be able to hear and see everything going on around her than to seek shelter.

This afternoon, however, I found only one set of tracks in the snow; they were the ones she had just made during her trek coming out of the shelter to meet me. At that point, all the time, money, and effort I've spent on that project was well worth it, just to see her walking out of there and not having to brave the wind and snowfall.  Not to mention the fact that our chickens enjoy hanging out in there during the day.  They roost in the henhouse at night, but like to scratch for wheat seeds on the floor of the shelter during the day.

If you spend half as much time with your lambs as we spend with the deer, you probably don't have a lot of time for much else.

Do sheep enjoy treats?  I keep frozen cranberries and thaw a few of them each day to feed the deer.  They get mushy from being frozen, so I mix them with a few raisins inside a sandwich bag to carry with me anytime I'm outside where I might see her.  She can smell a cranberry a mile away. 

Earlier this week, I just happened onto a series of videos by Jimmy Houston Outdoors; featuring his pet whitetail deer named, "Lucy."  My wife can't stand to hear Jimmy Houston's commentary, so we just turn the sound off and watch the babies playing in his yard.  I don't know what there is about baby deer that is so endearing, but I'll bet I've watched about half of his series of 26 videos so far, just to see the deer playing.

[heavyhitterokra]

American Woodcocks

I've been hearing this bird at dusk, thinking it was a frog. Last evening, I found out otherwise. They are very interesting creatures. I never knew until today that they migrate at night, about 50 feet off the ground, and are nocturnal creatures by habit. No wonder I've seen so few of them in my life.

Here is a link to a very good video recording of this bird's strange song.

[macmex]

I used to hunt them, in my youth. They always shoot up into the air, doing a corkscrew type flight before leveling out and heading away. 
Had no idea about what the sound like. Wow! I'd have thought that was some kind of an amphibian making that sound!