Friday, April 9, 2010

"Neighbors"

The new pasture I put in last year is coming in lush and green. It's drawing a lot of attention from our animal neighbors. I wish everything here was coming in as quickly and as good as this piece. Hopefully we will get more ground seeded this coming year.


These lovely ladies meandered on through the other night. The came in from the North side of the big pasture and headed straight to the new piece. I very quietly made my way around the side of the run in shed and shot these photos. It wasn't long before they spied me and headed down toward the back. They didn't go far. Once I was out of photo range, they were right back there, eating again. We see the deer every night now. I hope once we get the new fencing up, they learn to go around instead of through it.

This morning around five I heard a big gobbler. Tom had heard them last night as it was getting dark. About 6:30 this morning they were in the new piece as well. Not sure what they were eating but they weren't in a hurry. The guineas were pretty put out by them being here. How they squawked. I knew something was around that normally isn't because they were making a racket first thing this morning. They are great watch dogs.

Lots of small bird activity as well. Our flycathers are busy making their nest in the eves of the guinea house and the woodshed. The other morning Mom and I saw the flicker several times.

I didn't have my camera handy....this is a photo of what they look like. They are a beautiful bird and it's a sure sign of spring when they show up. The robins have been busy along with the goldfinches and tufted titmice. The nuthatch, the little blue bird that eats upside down and my favorite of all of them, is making a nest in our little crooked bird house. Not sure who made this house but it has been hanging here a long time and is normally used by the tree swallows. The nuthatches' beat them to it this year :)
We have two sets of wild mallards down back in the small pond hanging with our ducks and the canadian geese are around as well. I thought I heard the loon early one morning this week but I wasn't 100% sure. I have to be on the doorstep really early to hear them but they are worth waiting for. They usually nest across the street down on the river.

Spring has surely arrived and everything smells wonderful.............

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I just love your pictures. You do such a great job. We dont have deer right now, but we do have a momma moose and her yearly calf. Rob saw her Tuesday night about 8 and JR saw the same set about hr before Rob did in the same area. Then Thursday night we were coming up our lower rd also known as Brook Rd and saw the same set making their rounds. Tomorrow I go get a wether from a person a couple towns over who just doesnt have time for him. Not sure yet what breed he is, but he suppose to be friendly and lovable. Guess we'll see tomorrow. You'll have to give me your number so i can call when we head up to make sure you dont have other plans
Have a great weekend
Donna

Deb said...

Donna,
Thanks - I love to take pictures....Steve bought me a great camera a couple of years ago for christmas. It gets a lot of use :)

We used to see moose around here but they know the fence lines now so pretty much stay to the woods. I like to see them from a distance :)

Goats are fun - congrats on your new wether. Re: your goat in the photo. If she's a mix of angora and has lots of fiber, you can clip her with scissors. I raise pygora (pygmyxangora) and they have to be sheared twice per year. I use fiscar scissors to clip them with. I spin the fiber and also have it blended with my wool and it makes wonderful yarn.

Hope you had a nice weekend ~

Deb

Deb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Deb,
daisy is just that pygmy and angora. Yesterday we (Anthony & I)sat and combed and played with her for a few hrs,and got half of her extra hair off, i am putting it in a bag just to keep it all together, it is wicked soft. Right now she looks like a poodle with a bad hair day.How close does she need to be clipped I have never had a goat that needed clipping just sheep in the past.I dont want to do it to short so the fiber cant be used or to close to her so its wrong either. Guess it will take more than one goats clipping to make it worth spinning, which is another dream, to get a wheel and spin my own yarn.

DayPhoto said...

The wind has been blowing so bad we haven't been able to smell the first turning of the soil or the water when it hits the dry earth.

Sort of sad, really.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com