Honk Honk!

We have baby geese!

When I got home on the evening of the 22nd, I noticed that the female had moved off her nest, which is not so unusual.  Although she spent most of her time incubating the eggs, at least twice a day she would leave the nest to forage around the pond with the male.  But on Thursday I just knew something was different, so I walked out the the empty nest and found this:

Four empty eggs shells. . .

The female was hunkered down in the tall grass just across from the garden with the male standing dilligently on guard.  It wasn't until Friday afternoon that I caught a glimpse of the happy family scooting around the pond. . .



I apologize for the shakiness of the video, I'll try to get a little better footage of the new family.

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No Garden For You!

Last night it rained over two inches under the explosions of big thunderstorms and it appears that it's too wet for gardening today. But after being cooped up for days with a cold, I decided to get out and about Camp Burning Toast to see what happening anyway.

With cats in tow. . .


I slogged around the pond through the sloppy mud and grass to find a dead turtle. Can turtles drown? He's an old guy, so I suspect that it was just his time to go. Before we arrived, a vulture was having a feast.


Bobcat was cautious.


And Wildcat seemed uninterested as he dried his paws on the back of my shirt.


We observed the excess water as is babbled from the pond and down into the creek system through the back 40.


But a little running water is nothing for young felines.


Bobcat will never be outdone by the new cat, an interloper in the standard of her kitty brain.


Wildcat had to one-up her though, as he checked out the bluebird house. Sorry Wildcat, it's a little early for the bluebirds. Give it another month.

Well, all seems well and good. I guess I didn't miss much in my Nyquil-induced hibernation. Sure can't wait to do some fishing though! I think it'll be a good year. Another 13 pound bass this year? Maybe, just maybe.

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The Wild Life. . .

This is a screencap from a short video my brother took in his back yard. The resolution is poor with enlargement, but the "aaaaawwwwww" factor is still there.

I don't know how people can shoot such glorious animals. I have nothing against hunting and I've eaten plenty of wild deer, I just don't have the heart to kill anything any longer.

Except cockroaches.

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