It has been a cold, rainy Sunday and puddles are getting deeper on my lawn. The pond may be far enough downhill from this barn so that the old wooden barn might provide some dry shelter to critters.
Pond and Barn
Picture of the Day for April 27, 2024
The white petals of the bloodroots stand out against the green grass in the ditches and against the fallen oak leaves in the woods. But the sap in the stems and roots is a reddish color and gives the plant its name.
Bloodroot Blossoms
Picture of the Day for April 26, 2024
It was a pink-reddish sky this morning, but the saying “red sky in the morning, sailors take warning” should have been “ducks take warning”. My wood duck left her nest for about an hour like she does each morning, but this time a second pair of wood duck came to the pond and the female was checking out the duck houses, including the ones with the eggs in it. While the new female was exploring the other nest box, my duck returned and shortly after, the new duck entered the same house and a fight occurred as the mother duck drove the newcomer away. So while the sunrise looked tranquil, it was not a peaceful morning at the pond.
Red in the Morning
Picture of the Day for April 25, 2024
Besides finding new spring blossoms, springtime also means new life like kittens. This first time mother cat is showing off her kittens and at least tonight is warmer than the night they were born.
New Mother
Picture of the Day for April 24, 2024
With the lack of snow most of the winter, I expected to see wildflowers blooming very early with mild winter, but instead they were later than normal. Even the other flowers were late as I found some snow glories ten days ago but a lot of years they are blooming in March.
Late Snow Glories
Picture of the Day for April 23, 2024
I have had other visitors at my duck box houses besides ducks, like a bee, mouse, squirrel, chickadee, nuthatch, bluebird and recently a northern flicker. I have had some dead trees blown down in the last storm, so I wonder if the flicker’s prior nesting site has fallen down and is looking for a new home. But the opening on the duck box is much bigger than the size they create in trees.
Northern Flicker
Picture of the Day for April 22, 2024
The daffodils have been open for more than a week now and they glowed in the brief sunshine today, but they might not feel so warm tomorrow night when it drops to 27 degrees.
Sunny Yellow Daffodils
Picture of the Day for April 21, 2024
This week old Hereford calf, who came about two weeks early, was the first calf of the season and at least it was a warm, sunny day when it was born with no snowflakes either.
Season’s First Calf
Picture of the Day for April 20, 2024
With the below freezing temperatures at night, I left more bird feeders out than I normally do in the summer, and one reason is because of the uninvited critter that visited last night. The pictured feeder did not remain hanging once the bear reached up with its paws and pulled the feeder down. The bear took down three of the bird feeders that were not high enough up in the air, and one was carried off by the bear and another was played with as the bear laid on its back trying to open the feeder. The bear also tried to get the other feeders that were hung higher and at least they were out of the bear reach when it was standing up (until a bigger bear comes along).
Feeder Stealing Bear
Picture of the Day for April 19, 2024
I finally saw some wildflowers open in the woods, but this bloodroot might have wished it waited a another week with snowflakes flying today and freezing temperatures the nest few nights.
Season’s First Bloodroot
