Bluebirds

Flashback

Feb. 16, 2017 we had 5 bluebirds visiting by our back patio.  The summer of 2016 we had bluebirds successfully fledge 3.  Could have been the same family.  No luck keeping bluebirds in 2018 as we were overrun by house-sparrows.  We shall see how we do this year.  Here's hoping for lots of bluebirds!

Crows and Frost

Lately we've had many crows passing through the neighborhood.

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Yesterday morning, while the temperature was still below zero, we had lovely frost on the East facing windowpanes.

Peanut Squirrels

Squirrel at the back window waiting for a peanut.

They have me trained.

Male Turkey Patrol

The 5 male turkeys passed through the yard.

Avian Pecking Order

Pecking-order in action as a turkey drives a crow from the front lawn.

Raccoon

When I went out back around 9 pm, 

I heard someone clamber up the White Oak tree.  

A beautiful Procyon lotor.

Used a torch to get pics -- reverse and forward.

Left him a turkey leg to pay for the photo-shoot 

-- with which he away eagerly scampered.

Fish Crow Chatter

Early morning Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus) gathering. 

(An American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) can also be heard flying by briefly.)

(There may be some immature American crows as well -- they sound so much like Fish Crows.)

Hen-turkey Party

Yesterday the hen-turkeys were having a party in the yard.

Flurry-squall

A very brief clip of a flurry-squall we had this afternoon.

Autumn Day-trip to Cat Sanctuary

Quintessential sunny breezy Autumn day today.

Took a video of the Fishkill Creek when we dropped off donations at the Beacon Cat Sanctuary.

Stopped at the Alps Sweet Shop in Fishkill on the way back.  They had a lovely window display.

Crickets

Got crickets in the garage.  This one is particularly vocal.  

Best enjoy him now since cold weather's coming and we won't hear their songs again until next year.

Inchworm

A little inchworm making its way on our Geranium planter.

Hen & Poult with "Boys-club"

Today the "mother & child" were being followed after by the "all boys club" of 5 toms that live in the neighborhood.

Mama Turkey with Poult

Mama turkey with poult stopping by for a visit.

(Security camera pic)

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar  (Lophocampa caryae)

And yet again I'm down on the ground taking a picture when a neighbor walks by  :)  ["Hi Cecilia."]

Spike Horn

430 p.m.  Spike horn having an afternoon nibble.  

Like it when he eats the weeds!

Great Spangled Fritillary

A very weary looking Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) visiting our pink Buddlea.

Turkey Hen chase Cat

About 5 p.m. this evening, a mother turkey with poult in tow shows how to run off an interloper.

(Poor photo quality due to these being screen grabs from our security camera.)

Bedraggled fox

Around 9:45 a.m. a bedraggled fox was in the neighborhood.  

These pics are taken from our security camera.

What isn't seen in the pictures is the group of 5 male turkeys just on the other side of the driveway watching the fox.  

Nor can be heard the group of birds -- crows, bluejays, etc -- calling frantically from nearby trees.

Woolly Bear

WOOLLY BEAR !

Down on the ground for this pic too --  Only this time a neighbor caught me in the act.  :)   ["Hi Kay."]

Mama and baby turkey still running about.  

(Laid down on the front lawn to get this video.)

Mama deer nursing 2 fawns.  Look closely to see the two tails wagging.  

(Sorry, video had to be short so I could transfer it from my ipad.)

Skunk

Set a trap to see who's been digging at the play-yard fence -- got a skunk.  (Video is a bit shaky as I was crouching down to get the shot.)

Baby Catbird

Baby Catbird perched on a rock after fledging early this morning.  

[Its nest was in the same Eastern Hemlock from which I evicted a nest of bees back on July 23, 2018.  That tree is like an apartment complex.  We'll see how the Hemlock does after I trim it back hard once everyone moves out.  Been waiting to trim it for some time now.]

A nice morning to lounge in the sun.

While across the street, one doe with 4 fawn.

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Apparently baby deer aren't the only ones to get stuck on the opposite side of a fence from their mom.

Later, happily togther.

Cicada Shell

Found this abandoned exoskeleton (exuviae) of a cicada while weeding the garden.

While a Yellow-shafted Flicker explored the yard.

Mystery vine in the garden is finally starting to fruit......might be cantaloupe or honeydew melon?
(Update from mid-September:  It's a cantaloupe.  And tasty too!!)

Hot Squirrel

Yet another squirrel resting on the perch on a hot humid day.

With the humidity and the rain we're getting mushrooms.

A very small Green Stink Bug nymph visited our backdoor.

Tried to record katydids, crickets, and lacewings singing in the backyard, but also got the golf-course "fountain" and a train whistle.

  

Another day, another nest of bees.  

This nest is in an Eastern Hemlock just North of the other nest I got rid of about 9 days ago.

  

Nothing like a nest of bees to slow down a job pruning.  This nest was at a high-traffic area in a bush on our front walk just by the porch.  Luckily no one got stung before I discovered it. 
[Luckily I heard their increased buzzing and got away before they got me :)]

Monarch / Hail

Yesterday, I saw our first Monarch Butterfly of the season -- feeding on a Purple Cone Flower.

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Came across a brief clip of Hail we had 2 years ago, July 11, 2016 @ 3:45 pm.  Pretty cool.

Poults

230 pm  --  Female turkey with 3 poults passed through our yard.

Moth on the kitchen window during our 4th of July party.

Baby House Wrens fledged this morning around 630 am
(The odd sounds are from the dishwasher. -- The wren house is just outside our kitchen window.)

Midday June 28, 2018

Turkeys trying to dry out after a thundershower -- 2 strutting, 2 preening, and 2 sprawling on the lawn.  [Hard to see, but the 2 on the right, sprawled like feathered lumps, must be exhausted.]

American Goldfinch

Male and Female American Goldfinch Breakfasting at the Thisle-Feeder.

FATHER'S DAY 2018

Daddy House Wren singing near his house that holds some teeny chicks and some eggs yet to hatch.

Pappa Downy Woodpecker teaching 2 young'uns about a suet feeder.

Typical rainy day.

A House Wren perches quietly on her egg filled house.

A Grey Squirrel enjoys scratching himself on a salvaged log while a Downy Woodpecker forages at the suet feeder.

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And as usual, a baby fawn has gotten itself stuck on the opposite side of the golf-course fence from its mother.