Well, Owl Be!

 I was looking out the back window with Kyanne for a minute and saw a shape of something flying into our tree by the back fence.  From the size, I knew it was a hawk, owl or vulture.

I went out to take a look, and here is a Barred Owl hanging out...

Playing around with Jacob's camera

Jacob let me borrow his nice camera for a car event and I still have it.  Not much going on in the yard or woods to capture.  

Yesterday I captured this Northern Flicker and today got this fox squirrel.  Not terribly interesting but I like the quality of the photos so posting them here...

Wow! Finally not just one Pileated Woodpecker...but two!

 Possibly a once in a lifetime moment happened on Easter.  I saw movement in the woods close to the ground.  The wings I saw were large and I thought maybe a Cooper's Hawk was on the hunts.  But I was seeing black and white flashes.  Then I saw another bird that looked the same.  I knew then what I was seeing and grabbed my camera and ran outside.  I told Cindy all is okay and I would explain later.

I had "seen" a Pileated Woodpecker last year...but just a silhouette and heard the laughing call.  What was unusual to me is I had the impression that they liked to stay higher up in the trees.  I don't have the best camera but it was the best at the time!  Here is what I saw...

Pelicans and a Northern Flicker

 It's always fun to see American white pelicans fly over.  I've seen some along the Des Moines River in the past.

This group was flying pretty low overhead...

And I've been seeing Northern Flickers lately (I always called them Yellow-Shafted Flickers)...

Carolina Wren

 I saw (and mostly heard) a Carolina Wren...but I didn't know it at the time.  I was out with Ky like I always am when she goes out in the yard.  It was a fairly still afternoon and I heard this song over a few houses and it caught my ear.  I thought "now what is that?"

I watched it fly into the woods and I was really trying to get eyes on it.  It was a small bird but I could see it was roundish and had a longer bill so I ruled out a type of finch or sparrow.  It moved three different times singing the entire time.  I pulled out my phone and recorded what I was hearing.  Not being sure if it would pick up I found myself mimicking the song in case.  It did record so I was able to play back.

I sent the audio file to my nephew Jon and after ruling out a Pine Siskin he landed on Carolina Wren.  I matched up my recording to something on YouTube and we had a match!

So no picture of mine...just a nice story about collaborating with a trusted source :)

Here is a picture from the internet...

Click the link below to go to a page with video and audio...

Male Carolina Wren

Thanksgiving - It's About Tradition

 This is an email from my brother Dean who I credit for being interested in birds and animals...

It may not be Sawyer’s Landing blog worthy but Jonathan and I have gone to the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge the Sunday before Thanksgiving the past 7 years in hopes of spotting a rare migrating Whooping Crane. This year we hiked about a half mile into a dried up marsh to catch a glimpse of the flocks of Sandhill Cranes and we finally spotted a Whooping Crane in amongst a group of Sandhills that were landing by the marsh. It was so bright white it clearly stood out from the dull gray Sandhills. Unfortunately the cattails were so tall and thick we could not observe it after it landed but we have recorded on our bucket list as a Whooping Crane sighting.

We saw migrating swans, white pelicans and avocets and a number of bald eagles but the chance to see a Whooper is why we go every year and we were finally rewarded.

Internet Photo

Trail camera catch-up

 Getting quite a few images in October. We are in the pre-rut period for deer...full breeding activity is in the early part of November.  I get a lot of does but choose to mainly spotlight the bucks because I like to note the changes they go through and see how many different ones we have.  Does are harder to tell apart.

How did a wild turkey sneak in here?

Common Grackles with a few Common Starlings mixed in

Saw (and heard!) my first Pileated Woodpecker

 We’ve been in the house almost 10 years.  And it’s been my ritual any time I’m out with one of our dogs to walk around the yard looking for anything dead or alive and then end up at the top of my hill looking into the woods to see what I can see (or hear).  Most days there is really nothing special to observe but the point of looking is you never know.  Like the day a Cooper’s Hawk flew right toward me before perching on a dead tree…and then pursuing prey in the brush (see below).

 

So yesterday I was standing at the back fence just looking to see what I could see or hear.  It was late afternoon and overcast.  One of those quiet afternoons.  The first thing that got my attention was the sound.  My first thought was a duck or something panicked.  It was that strange.  Then I saw something flying toward the far edge of the woods in what seemed to be an erratic flight pattern…almost like a Goldfinch.  The sound I heard was like laughter.  With no growth on the trees, I could see the size and the silhouette with a crest.

I ran toward the house thinking I need to get my camera.  I knew what I was seeing. Looking back, I should have stayed and just watched but I thought this was my chance in case it came closer.  I ran into the house without Kyanne which was unusual.  Cindy asked what was wrong and I said “It’s a Pileated Woodpecker…I’ll explain later!”

I ran back outside to the top of the hill.  I could see it moving to my left still at a great distance still making a ruckus.  Too far and too overcast to try for a picture.  I texted my brother Dean that I just heard and saw a Pileated Woodpecker.  He replied “I was actually going to send you a message today asking if you had ever seen one.  It’s on my bucket list.”  What amazing timing of my seeing one with him wondering if I ever had!

It hit me after I couldn’t see it anymore…the laugh, the crest…Woody Woodpecker!

Cartoonist Walter Lantz used the Pileated Woodpecker's jaunty crest and loud call as models for his most-famous creation, Woody Woodpecker. Its call is less of a "ha-hah, ha-ha-hah" and more of a high-pitched, maniacal laugh.

(male from internet)

Better Bunting

Another Indigo Bunting today and finally had some sun shining so these pics a little better and very close to the house...

Wood Thrush (or some type of Thrush and a Brown Thrasher

This may be a Wood Thrush or some other type of Thrush.

 

 

This a photo from 2013 I took that looked like what I saw above...

 

 

Then a day or two later I saw this bird and to me the tail was longer and it seemed bigger and I have my first Brown Thrasher in nine years here.

 

The case for dandelions (it's not about bees)

We don't treat our yard for dandelions.  We would rather not expose our dog to chemicals and I've learned that dandelions are important early in the year for honey bees.  And over the years, I've noticed that finches and Chipping Sparrows like to eat the tops off the ones that have gone to seed.

This year has been no different and we've had the addition of American Goldfinch in my back yard...

 

 

 

The excitement this past week though was having Indigo Buntings in my backyard eating the seeds while sharing space with our state bird the American Goldfinch.  Below is a snippet from my blog listing photos I wanted to take and you'll see Indigo Buntings closer was a goal.  The pictures aren't the best but I didn't have to leave my house so I consider myself lucky.  I've even included a short video clip:

 

 

Two for the price of one...

 

And a video clip just because...