White Tailed Deer

I must apologize for the fuzziness of this picture but I could not get a clear one through the window.  This young buck and an older one came to pay us a visit to taste some of the leaves that were close by.  White tailed deer are quite plentiful here but this summer was hotter, the mosquitoes and black flies were fewer and food was plentiful which meant that these shy animals stayed out of sight.  We knew they were around as there were frequent tracks left near the salt lick that we have for them.  They just managed to come in when there was no body to notice them.   In the past week they are starting to move around more and have been spotted several times looking for choice morsels to eat.  I just hope they are smart enough to stay here when it is hunting season where they will be safe. 

Open Canvas

This picture is part of my front yard.  I live on a hill and these rocks are facing the road.  I have been trying to come up with a unique idea on what to do with it.  Any ideas would be welcome.  Comments are also welcomed.

What a great idea!

I guess the pine cone stuffed with peanut butter and rolled in sunflower seeds turned out to be a hit with the chickadees anyway.  Sure didn't take them long to devour that.  Any more ideas for home made bird food out there?  This seems to be the time to get the seed feeders, suet and whatever else you use, started for the winter.  If the birds are lucky I may even try a heated bird fountain this time. 

I tried something new today - at least for me it is new.  I took a pine cone and stuffed it with peanut butter then rolled it in sunflower seeds.  Now I will see if the birds like it.  I have heard that they do but I hope they don't like it too much because there is a lot of peanut butter in there.  I would really like to keep some for myself!

The Raven - Very Intelligent Birds

Red-banded Polypore

Red-banded Polypore

The Red-banded Polypore is only one type of fungi that grows on trees.  For other types of fungi this tree website has lots of pictures. One more way that Mother Nature helps with regenerating our forest ecosystem.

Pileated Woodpecker carpentry

Pileated Woodpeckers make such large holes in dead trees the holes can cause a small tree to break in half. I have seen trees that only have a small bit of the tree left around the outside edge and the hole 3 feet high.  The roost of a Pileated Woodpecker usually has multiple entrance holes. Pileated Woodpeckers have been seen to move eggs that have fallen out of the nest to another site, a rare habit in birds. The nest is unlined except for wood chips. "Both parents incubate three to five eggs for 15 or 16 days. The young may take a month to leave the nest. 

Beyond my back yard

Although my yard is not on the water, there are several lakes very close and I often have waterfowl passing by.  At this time of year the ducks are busy getting fat stores for their migration south.  They do take the time for a little preening now and then too!  Not only does it make them very beautiful but from necessity their feathers must stay oiled or they would sink.  Preening solves that problem. The attached website has some interesting duck facts