More foxes (or possibly the same family moving up the street?)

 Ky and I were out for our morning walk around 6am this morning and I noticed a fox in a fenced backyard.  It turned and walked out of view.  I looked closer and saw two kits on a woodpile.  And then from the other side of the house I saw what I presumed was mama.  Could be another family OR could be the one I saw down the street a month ago.  I would think the pups would grow so this is likely another family.  I've seen more fox in the last 9 months than the other 13 years we've lived here combined.

Fox in the 'Hood

 Walking Kyanne this morning around 6:15 I looked over and saw a Red Fox just sitting in a yard.  Didn't seem bothered by us and Kyanne didn't seem impressed.

Zooming in with a cell phone isn't the best option but here's what I saw...

Our neighbor across the street posted a video of a fox and at least 3 kits by a shed in her deep backyard.  Possibly the mama that I saw?

The early owl gets the worm

 I did not realize that Barred Owls will hunt for earthworms.  They are opportunistic hunters.  I saw owls over three mornings after it had rained.  Two of the days I saw in the same spot, and I saw them in the street, and you could tell they were grabbing something.  Not great photos you can see where they were...

Bald Eagle Encounter

 These pictures are from January 31.  This is on my afternoon walk with Kyanne.  We loop over to Skyline Dr and these houses back up to the bike trail/Des Moines River...some really cool views.

I saw something in the tree and first thought it was a squirrel's nest but quickly realized what I was seeing.  I don't have the camera to get good pictures at this distance but you can see I was pretty close.

Saw a bobcat and a Cooper's Hawk yesterday

I don't take anything for granted on what I might see even though we live next to the woods and close to a major river.  I've seen Bald Eagles return and I always stop to watch.  I was outside yesterday and heard a Red-tailed Hawk overhead.  Alway special.

I was off work yesterday and driving home mid-morning and saw bobcat run across the road in front of me.  But not running fast...just getting to the other side and at one point kind of paused to look around.  This was near the intersection of Beaver Ave and Lower Beaver Rd.  This was the second time I've seen one with my own eyes but the first time in daylight and so close.  I'm also excited because that means they are in the neighborhood!

At the end of my evening walk with Kyanne, I saw a Cooper' Hawk swoop up to a light pole.  I watched it for a minute and then it swooped to another light pole.  I thought to myself maybe hunting hasn't gone so well that day and trying to shake something loose.  As I was opening the garage door I saw it again and the flight pattern reminded me of a Barn Swallow...it was clearly trying to create some movement with potential prey.

Not a bad day in the neighborhood.

Peonies - Catch them while you can

 The peony is a common but impressive flowering plant.  It has a short blooming season though...only 7 to 10 days.  I saw these while out walking Kyanne.  I caught them on a good day.

Polyphemus moth

Credit to our standard poodle Kyanne for sniffing out this polyphemus moth (giant silk moth). These pictures were taken over two days and then it was gone. I've never seen one before - they are quite a sight!

Flowering trees and bushes

Spring is about things turning green but it's also about the "flower show" from trees and bushes.
Just catching up on what I've been seeing in the neighborhood.  Our small lilac bush is likely a year from blooming but it is trying.

I think these are crabapple trees based on what's planted in the neighborhood but this "sleeve" of flowers has me questioning if maybe some type of cherry tree?

A spring favorite - lilacs

 

 

And this little flower is part of the mustard family.  Known by many names including yellow rocketcress.  This is just beyond our fence and caught my eye enough not to mow over it...

 

Signs of spring

We're in that time of year waiting for things to green up.  But there are other signs of spring for me like birds returning and blooms on trees.  Here is what I've been seeing in the past few days...

Magnolia tree in bloom

 

Northern Flicker

 

 

Eastern Kingbird

 

And a year-round sight...

 

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)…

 

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.

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...

 

Des Moines and neighborhood landmark burned to the ground this morning

Sad news...Plaza Lanes burned down this morning.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/des-moines/2017/12/18/plaza-lanes-des-moines-iowa-bowling-alley-fire-reactions-memories-social-media/960526001/

 

 

From 2010...

 

One to keep an eye on

Saw this buck on my walk this morning...not too far from our house.  I think I heard him this morning in the woods.