Talkin' turkey

When it rains, it pours (figuratively...it's very dry now)...the same day I get a hawk picture I have a pair of Wild Turkeys at my back fence.  I'm thinking they like the acorns under my oak tree...

Community garden in the neighborhood park

The City of Des Moines has community garden space in Woodlawn Park which is on my dog-walking route.  Here is an ear of corn and a squash blossom (look closely for a bee in the center)…

 

Hawk at work

Saw this Red-tailed Hawk this morning.  Best I could do from the road through my windshield...

Monarch

Every summer I hope to not only see Monarch butterflies but to get pictures.  That's why over the years I have tried growing milkweed.  Now I just rely on my neighbor's flowers.  Here is what I saw yesterday...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher update

I saw the pair yesterday and was able to get a few pictures.  The captures are not great but help with identification...



I saw a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers on my fence this evening

I saw this pair of birds and I was confused on what they were.  They appeared wren-like but the coloring was wrong.  I was seeing gray and white.  And I made note of a black tail.  My Birds of Iowa book didn't have this bird in it so after searching the internet, I am certain this is what I saw.

This is NOT my picture...

 

This was very exciting.  I was just talking to my neighbor who is a bird-watcher as well and telling her we get spoiled with what we see but I'm always hoping for more.  This evening, I was blessed with more.  I will be watching and will try to be ready with my camera.

 

(UPDATE)

I had forgotten about a post from 2012 that I thought I saw the same thing.  The birds I saw last evening seemed smaller than the one from 2012.   Click here to go to the 2012 post

Acorns aplenty

I don't recall acorns last year on my oak tree along the back fence but they are certainly there this year.  This Fox Squirrel is enjoying a snack...



Vole Patrol

I've had two vole rescues this week from the deep window well.  It's possible it's the same one both times.

Holes have been chewed in the screen and I've had to fish out frogs, voles and even bunnies.

Here are pictures from the first rescue...

And here are some better pics from the one this morning...

Young buck

We've had quite a few deer lately.  I've seen as many as three or four bucks together traveling with some does and a few fawns.  So I put my camera back out last night.  Not as many came into view as I thought but here is a young buck...



 

 

This may or may not be the same buck, but here is an early morning shot.  The light isn't great so my attempt at a close-up is a little fuzzy...

 

A mixed bag of images to catch up on

A few different things to show.

First up, I saw this goose sitting on the sidewalk when I was out walking Russ.  It was hard to miss due to its size.  I was puzzled by what it could be.  For now, the best I can reason is it is some type of domesticated goose.  Some hybrid.  Jon...help me out on this one.

Here are two pictures I took...



And here is a "swan goose" from the internet.  I considered a Chinese goose but the bill was not as prominent.

 

Here are two different walking sticks...

 

 

This pickerel frog didn't mind me soaking my lilac bush...

 

 

 

And something I've never seen.  An eastern-eyed click beetle.  The "eyespots" certainly get your attention.  That's the idea.  Predators assume the rest of the creature is proportionate to the "eyes".  Living next to the woods is definitely interesting...

 

Happy Birthday Dad

He would have been 93 today.