Animals
- Pests
Every afternoon for the past couple of weeks,as I enter the upper chicken houses to gather eggs,I am greeted by a flock of Grackles hastily exiting the chickenhouse as I open the door.Each time it happens, I am expecting it...but am startled none-the-less....
- Leaving The Nest
Sooner or later,every youngster must leave the nestand venture out into the world. Sometimes it is a smooth transition.And sometimes it is a bit harrowing. Yesterday afternoon this little fellowwas trying out his wings for the first time.He left...
- Motherhood
Happy Mother's Day from Bee Haven Acres! We found this nest high in the scaffolding outside our second story. The mother robin flew off as I leaned out the window to take the picture.But like us....she does not let her brood out of her sight, and...
- Back To Basics... My Thoughts
Life at the farm hums on...the perpetual cycle continues. Each and every day I am privileged and thankful to be a part of that. Before sunrise I awaken to the song of the resident cardinals and as dawn creeps through the wood, listen as the rest of the...
- Feathered Friends
We have become quite fond of bird watching at Bee Haven Acres. We keep our bird feeders full and provide nesting boxes for the bluebirds. Quite often we will stand inside the front windows with the spotting scope or telephoto camera lense focused on...
Animals
Birdsongs 101
Over the past few years a whole new world has opened up to me.
It is a world that I have always been aware of,
but not so intimately a part of as now.
All of my life I have been aware of and in awe of birds...
so delicate,
so nurturing,
so driven by instinct,
so melodic,
and blessed with the gift of flight.
For most of my life, though, I was aware of only a few species.
The ones that graced my yard...robins and grackles.
The ones that visited my feeders...finches, cardinals, bluebirds and chickadees.
I heard the birdsongs as just a generic melody,
unable to identify the singer.
Until now.
Now, with the help of a CD that teaches the songs of each
individual bird,
a whole new world has opened up.
Now, when I walk outside, I can recognize who is in the trees
singing to me.
I know the songs of the common birds and also the less common.
I find myself searching the farm for elusive scarlet tanagers,
indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles
and so many more...that we only rarely get a glimpse of.
Yesterday I had a chance to photograph a killdeer
as it defended its nest of eggs.
It has a distinct cry...a distress signal.
Hearing it, I searched for its origin....
And found her, sitting on a nest in our barn driveway.
This bird is found all over the United States,
but you might not ever see one if you live in the city.
It lives in open fields and on shores.
It is known for its rather dramatic display...
feigning a broken wing in order to draw attention away from its nest
which is always on the open ground and usually in gravel.
She has made her nest in the upper driveway that leads to our barn.
Three speckled eggs are sitting there amongst the gravel.
She led me away from her nest and
threw herself onto the ground flapping her wings...
as if severely injured.....
I watched her for a while, and then retreated so that she
could resume her position on her nest.
Each morning as I go about my chores, I listen for the familiar songs
and keep my eyes open...always hoping to see something new.
I often carry my camera, just in case.
As you can see...it comes in handy.
If you enjoy birdwatching, I highly recommend you find
a CD guide to their songs. I promise a whole new world
will open itself up to you, too!
- Pests
Every afternoon for the past couple of weeks,as I enter the upper chicken houses to gather eggs,I am greeted by a flock of Grackles hastily exiting the chickenhouse as I open the door.Each time it happens, I am expecting it...but am startled none-the-less....
- Leaving The Nest
Sooner or later,every youngster must leave the nestand venture out into the world. Sometimes it is a smooth transition.And sometimes it is a bit harrowing. Yesterday afternoon this little fellowwas trying out his wings for the first time.He left...
- Motherhood
Happy Mother's Day from Bee Haven Acres! We found this nest high in the scaffolding outside our second story. The mother robin flew off as I leaned out the window to take the picture.But like us....she does not let her brood out of her sight, and...
- Back To Basics... My Thoughts
Life at the farm hums on...the perpetual cycle continues. Each and every day I am privileged and thankful to be a part of that. Before sunrise I awaken to the song of the resident cardinals and as dawn creeps through the wood, listen as the rest of the...
- Feathered Friends
We have become quite fond of bird watching at Bee Haven Acres. We keep our bird feeders full and provide nesting boxes for the bluebirds. Quite often we will stand inside the front windows with the spotting scope or telephoto camera lense focused on...