Fish Crows

On the Move – Day 861

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Half Moon Geese – Photo: L. Weikel

On the Move

There were a lot of creatures on the move today. From two leggeds to four leggeds to winged ones, movement was the name of the game.

For the first time in several days, I heard the distinctive call of the Red-shouldered Hawk again today. I’m pretty sure at least one pair made their nest directly across the road from us. Probably because the missus wanted to be near the raptor equivalent of Friendly’s (aka our bird feeders). Nevertheless, it was good to hear it again and know that they are staying close.

I was also excited to hear the calls of a couple fish crows today, too. I wonder if each week we’ll be welcoming another returning champion back into the fold.

Walk-about

Because we couldn’t allow today’s perfect weather to be enjoyed on a simple walk-around, we took the long way, a walk-about. I should’ve kept track of how many fields of deer we encountered along the way. It’s funny – they’re almost as common as sparrows anymore. It’s kind of surprising to think that a field full of deer doesn’t even merit a photo. I guess I didn’t even try to take photos when we encountered fields of 8 – 15 – 30 deer because they I simply couldn’t capture them from a perspective that did them justice.

But I did manage to sneak a photo of one lone doe as she tried her very best to blend into her background. I could almost hear her in my head, “You don’t see me; you don’t see me.”

They Can’t See Me, They Can’t See Me – Photo: L. Weikel

Winning the Prize

But the species that wins the prize for most raucous and greatest number of participants this weekend definitely goes to the Canadian Geese as they played their classic hit, ‘flying due North in huge flocks,’ a perennial favorite.

The geese flying North today were outrageously vocal and seemed to be flying in shifts. They kept coming, wave after wave of honking hollerers. By the time our entire walk-about was complete, we’d seen hundreds and hundreds of geese overhead.

They were fairly high, so I felt a similar trepidation in attempting to capture the beauty (and magnitude) of their flight as I did the herds of deer. But the photo I managed that includes the quarter square (half) moon felt worth the effort.

My movement tomorrow is going to consist of engaging in some serious clutter clearing. It’s time to get the energy flowing. The movement of all the critters has inspired me!

Only a Few of the Many – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-250)

Something’s Died – Day 465

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Turkey Vulture – Photo: L. Weikel

Something’s Died

Just reading that title, you know it’s true.

And even though you know, it still makes you wonder: “What is she talking about?”

It could be anything.

It’s Everywhere

And the truth that it could be anything is in the fact that everywhere we look nowadays, things are dying. Norms, customs, friendships, alliances, ideals, traditions, standards.

From big things like our country’s system of checks and balances to little things like my refrigerator. Lofty ideals like the rule of law and no one being above that law to a squirrel that plays chicken with an oncoming car and loses.

We know death is a part of life. Without it, life here on Earth would be unsustainable, or perhaps more unsustainable than it already is. But it just feels as though we’re all witnessing the death of a lot of things this year (and it’s only February). Day after day, things we took for granted or simply never even felt needed to be treasured because they were such a sure thing are gone.

A Committee of Vultures – Photo: L. Weikel

Sitting Vigil

All these things flitted through my mind yesterday as I left my house. Nothing like being confronted by a massive turkey vulture sitting on your neighbor’s chimney as you walk outside your door.

And we all know turkey vultures are carrion eaters – indeed, they do us and other creatures a great service by eating stuff that dies. Otherwise, it would rot and fester and potentially become a breeding ground of unhealthiness. Vultures are also symbols of rebirth, for they are instrumental in completing the final step of death’s process, without which rebirth cannot take place.

So when I walked out my door to get in my car, not only was I wondering, “What died?” I was also rejoicing. Because in addition to the vultures swooping in from above, I was also being bombarded with the deep-throated groots of a bunch of fish crows. (Would that be a murder, I wonder?)

I know their voices – and I’m hoping they’ll build a nest across the street like they did last year.

So I’m confronted with seeing evidence of both sides of the coin. Death and dying along with the potential for something new to emerge. Perhaps a return of old friends, like the fish crows. Perhaps something so new we don’t even know it yet.

Neighbor’s Vulture – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-646)

Every Year It’s Different – Day 256

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
“Here’s How You Eat a Peanut” – Photo: L. Weikel

Every Year It’s Different                                                    

I’ve waxed rhapsodic over my porch in other posts. I’ve also shared (ad nauseum?) my love of my birdfeeders and the many avian visitors I’m lucky enough to have a front row seat to enjoy as I sit writing on my porch.

Truth be told, especially now that Spartacus is not as nimble as he used to be, and Sheila’s practically blind, other creatures find themselves emboldened to partake of the bird seed (and peanuts!) without fear of being molested. That’s not to say that every once in a while Spartacus doesn’t still give the chasethe ol’ college try. But he’s just not the threat he used to be.

Every year it seems there’s a different type of bird that has a starring role in performances at our feeders. It’s been fascinating to notice over time what ‘energy’ predominates at the feeders any given year.

All Things Blue Jay

One year we had blue jays make a nest in one of the hanging planters directly outside our kitchen door (on our porch, of course). That was a very cool experience. All three of our sons were still living at home when the blue jays roosted. We all had a chance to witness the entire process, from nest building to laying the eggs, to how they would take turns sitting on the nest, to the hatching and growth of the chicks. Things got hairy when the chicks started to fledge. The parents got a bit testy with us then and would whack us with their wings if we walked out the kitchen door too abruptly, thus spooking them.

One day, one of the fledges got ahead of himself and fell out of the nest. We were pretty sure he hit his head because he seemed a bit groggy. I picked him up and put him back in the nest. The parental units didn’t mind. But we always swore we could tell which one was the fledge who fell out. He was the one who always looked a bit cockeyed. He was the jay whose crown feathers seemed to be puffed up and a bit askew, and he’d look at us and tilt his head questioningly.

We affectionately called him “Franken-Jay.” He would show up at our feeders occasionally – and we could always tell it was him by the way he would look at us in that particular way, with his feathers all in disarray.

Beyond Just Jays

We’ve had years when there were entire flocks of cardinals. I have some great photos from ten or so years ago when there would be 15-16 or more fledgling cardinals all hanging out together on the grass and dirt underneath the feeders. I called them my Teenage Mutant Ninja Cardinals because their feathers were so patchy and mottled. They really looked unkempt and discombobulated and, well, teenaged.

Another year we had a bazillion goldfinches. Yet another year there were more house finches than anyone should be permitted to feed at the same time in the wild.

Last year it was wrens. Oh my goodness, the voice and song of the wrens is incredibly distinct and they would just chatter and sing relentlessly. They were a delight.

Photo: Sciencenordic.com

Fish Crow Extravaganza

This year, it’s the fish crows. (And yes, fish crows are distinct from regular crows, which I only discovered this spring.) They are SO AWESOME. We have a family that nested right across the road from our house. (I need to see – I may have written about them previously.)

Sitting out on the porch today for the first time in several days, I was privy to some absolutely delightful fish crow family dynamics. The babies are definitely fledges. Mom and Dad are teaching them all sorts of flight tricks and how to try to navigate the peanut coil that is a big addition to our creature offerings this year.

Oh, do those babies squawk. My photos do not do my guys justice. I’m trying to be as unobtrusive as I can, so I’ve been trying to take photos of them without getting any closer than I am normally. I just sit on the glider where I usually reside and try to capture their raucous behavior.

I’m going to have to try harder tomorrow. I really want to share them with you!

Crows on Cans – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-855)