New bird feeder out on Christmas Eve

Bought a new bird feeder...one without a tray so the deer won't eat everything.  And put out a brick in my cage feeder.  First visitors were Blue Jays which aren't good for business.  Started seeing the usual Chickadees, Nuthatches and Downy (or Hairy) Woodpeckers but the real excitement was seeing this Red-Bellied Woodpecker.  I can't recall ever seeing one before.  Here's the best picture I got...

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

And a few more...

Blue Jay

Woodpecker up the tree

Chickadee

What a hoot!

Yesterday I was driving home from the store and saw a Barred Owl low in a tree next to the road.  This around Noon so the time of day threw me as well as how darn close he was to the road and to the ground.

I wish I would have had my camera with me...I turned around and drove back and parked on the side of the road.  I had Russ with me and was hoping he wouldn't see him.  This picure is with my cell phone and blown up a bit.  You can see his size compared to the street.

Unfortunately for Cindy, she has learned to tell a Great Horned Owl from a Barred Owl from hearing them in the middle of the night.

Click to enlarge

This is a photo I found online and looks close to what I saw.  He could have cared less that I was there.

Thanksgiving 2012

In what will hopefully become a tradition, we took a hike after eating.  This time we didn't go down to the bike trail...we went through the woods now that we have found the trails.  Steve, Maddy, Jake and I went out late in the day.  We didn't see any definite Indian burial mounds but Steve pointed out where deer were rubbing their antlers.  We were hoping to see a Bald Eagle along with river but settled for some type of "box" in the woods big enough for someone homeless and a tent pitched on a sandbar...again likely an "urban pioneer" (homeless person).

This is the beginning of the trail behind our house

Here is the 2012 crew

Update on bird feeder

After the first two nights of putting my feeders out, the tube feeder was drained.  Now it was windy the first night but something was up.

I saw a deer in that area one night and it got me thinking.  I Googled deer eating from feeder and they are notorious for licking seed out of tray feeders.  I have a picture on this blog showing a deer trying to get at my cage feeder so it makes sense.

So...I will be getting a tube feeder without a tray and get back to feeding the birds not the deer.

76 degrees in November? Better get outside...

Put out two bird feeders today.  I put out a cage-style feeder with a brick for Woodpeckers and hopefully Nuthatches.  I put another feeder in a tree on the edge of our woods which should draw in Cardinals and Chickadees.  The Juncos don't have a real clear spot underneath so we'll see what they do.

Also, I got tired of all the brush under the oak tree behind our fence so I cleared that out.  Also put out a few more tulip bulbs (thanks Ruth and Gene).  I noticed some of the bulbs were sprouting in the sack.
Here's a before and after under the tree...

Before

After

Eastern Bluebird

From our back window.  It helped that I cleaned the glass.  I would like to put out a nest box next year.

As I read though, have to work to keep Sparrows away and clean often.  We have the perfect spot...

Look close

I might not of seen this except its mouth was chewing.

Fall colors

This tree a week later was completely bare.

A few other shots of color behind our house.

This is the oak behind our fence.

A dash of orange.

Ridin' the rails

Keepin' Russ busy.

Indian Burial Mounds

We have learned there are Indian burial mounds in the woods behind our house.  I was speaking to our neighbor who is on the board for the Tai Dam Village that owns the land.  He said they are all identified (beyond the obvious mound) and are federally protected.  He said he has a map but is not at liberty to share.

I have seen smaller ones on the trails and now that he describes other areas, I'm sure Jake and I saw the bigger ones as well.

Jake and I will be out doing our own documentation of these mounds and will try to capture some photos.

2nd Bike Trail (Sycamore Trail)

When Cindy and I were out walking last Saturday, two bicyclists came out of the woods on a dirt trail and we wondered where they came from.  After some investigating, I have learned there is a mountain bike trail called Sycamore Trail that starts around Euclid Ave/ML King intersection and hugs the river up to around the pond.  Then the trail uses part of the Trestle to Trestle trail we walk on all the way under the interstate then shoots back into fields and woods heading north into Johnston.  I told Jake we need to walk down there and investigate.  From photos I've seen online, there are banked curves and a board bridge and you ride right down by the water.  (We won't be going close to the water :) )

Here are a few maps showing the area...

Blue line is Sycamore Trail

This shows the pond area better

First day of fall

Beautiful start to the fall season.  Thought we would walk on the trail.  Trees are starting to change colors.

I've included a view from the trail toward the interstate.  We saw a Bald Eagle high in a dead tree.

The woods directly behind our house

"River" view

Flying the flag

Got a nice birthday gift from Amy and Steve.  Finally able to put out today on Labor Day.

Morning meal

Haven't had a deer this close for awhile.  Sheriff Russ was on alert.

Shameless Squirrel

I know squirrels are notorious for doing anything for food.  Here I took a photo of what a squirrel should look like eating (I only noticed it due to loud gnawing sounds) and then I captured an extremely acrobatic attempt to get some niger seed.




Really? (Click to enlarge)

Father's Day Bike Ride

We went out the day before Father's Day.  Thought we would go past the pond and ride down to the river (by the old Target on Euclid).  The map shows where we start in a parking lot and the "x" marks where we rode to.

Facing West toward Plaza Lanes

Click to enlarge

Working the night shift

Russ knows something is going on around the deck.  Just hasn't found anything yet.

Memorial Day walk

Down on the trail again.  I was watching for the Indigo Bunting I had seen a few week earlier.  This is the best photo I could get.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (from what I can tell)

So I was out with Russ and had my camera (you never know what you'll see).  Saw a bird I did not recognize (not even from a book).  I got fairly close (as you'll see).  Looked through my Iowa bird book and nothing.  So I Googled "gray and white bird" and then checked Images.  I'll let you decide, but I believe I saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  They do live in Iowa.  I am including pictures I took and then also including photos from BirdsofIowa.com Click here to see page from this website.



Same as above but just blown up.

Click to enlarge any photo.

And here are the photos from the website I found...

Russ and Al on the trail

While on the trail, saw my very first Indigo Bunting.  This is not a photo I took...