Finally we were able to celebrate Jake's birthday

Jake turned 17 last Tuesday but we couldn't get together until yesterday.   We met at Mama Lacona's and had a nice time.

Here are a few photos from the day...

 

 

 

Drive-by hawk

I saw this Red-tailed hawk today on the way home from the store.  An overcast day and not as close as I'd like but a good background.

Visitor the other day

Snow, rain, ice, thaw, repeat - Here's what our backyard looks like today

It's been a rough stretch for Russ outside.  We've had snow, soupy mud and most recently ice.

We've been going out through the garage to get some decent footing...

Happy Birthday Jon!

Happy Birthday to my nephew Jon who turns 19 today!  Where has the time gone?

I'm very excited about your future.

I feel safer already

"Sheriff" Russ sees our neighbor dog is on the loose and he doesn't like it!



He will be 11 next month but doesn't look ready for retirement :)

A buck and some "lawn ornaments"

I don't see bucks during the day as often so it's been a good week.  I followed this guy passing through...

 

 

 

This "statuesque" pair of does were by our mailbox and I just happened to have my camera with me as a drove up.  Trying to pass as lawn ornaments...

 

It's been a busy week of seeing deer during the day

These are photos from Thursday...

 

A little closer

 

Deer, birds and Russ

Who can resist a title like that?

I feel sorry for the ground-feeding birds.  The deer have been lapping up the seed. 

Here are photos from Monday...

 

 

Here is action ON the feeder...

 

White-breasted Nuthatches

 

 

For this one, look on the tree as well

 

Downy Woodpecker

 

 

Russell patrolling...

 

 

And when the sheriff is out, the deer take notice...

 

Feeding time at the zoo!

That's a funny expression but it felt true last Sunday.  It was a nice sunny day and I was putting out my feeder and literally birds starting coming closer in the trees.  Particularly my not shy White-breasted Nuthatches.  I thought one might light on the feeder as I was putting it up.  The pictures below don't do the closeness justice but a few were less than 10 feet away on trees going up and down.

Nuthatches

 

And now from my usual spot at the fence...

 

Downy Woodpecker

 

 

White-breasted Nuthatch (what else?)

 

Nice shot of a back

 

Black-capped Chickadee

 

Back to a Nuthatch

 

Downy again

 

What I like to call a combo shot

 

And Nuthatches finish the afternoon session

 

 

Okay now it's suppertime and here come the deer for a close-up...

 

 

 

A couple of nice shots to show the white tails

 

And now time for the overnight shift...

 

 

Running for some reason

 

Missing part of his rack