Mink

This morning when Al was filling the bird feeders he spotted a mink on the stones by the edge of the water.    My father told me he only saw one live, wild mink in all his 98 years.

Cardinal Red

A flash of red on my deck...
A quick photo through the window...
He heard the shutter

and....


  A poem posted today by craig cornish    

Cardinal Red
On barren branch, in gray skies cheer
Cardinal red
A drop of hope that Heaven bled
And spread on feathers now appear
To brighten skies and dry a tear

The Eagle

The Eagle rocketed  down on a squirrel at my bird feeder this morning at 9:15 am.
A huge blur, past the window, between me and the feeder. This photo was taken by someone else but is identical to what I saw....You can imagine my excitement!

The White Tailed Buck

7:00 am: I spotted something swimming fast across the lake this morning, and as it came closer I realized it was a Buck. The lens on the camera was a short one...20-70 mm.   Wonder if a Dog or Coywolf forced him into the lake. I hope he finds a good hiding place as Deer Hunting Season begins soon. Be safe!

Cleft in the Rock

Hilltown Land Trust

It's Veteran's Day. Good day for a hike. This Hilltown Land Trust property is a mile down the road from our house. The "trail," while freshly cut, is not too clearly marked.  Spots of blue paint on squares of white paper, nailed onto trees.  No clear path, and in some places the "sign" markers are missing.

 What was an easy walk at first, past huge bolders covered with several species of moss and lichens, soon became more difficult as the "trail" started it's descent past a "glacier dump" into a wooded basin surrounded with  ledges and bolders.  After picking our way down the trail, using our walking sticks to test for holes between rocks, hidden by oak leaves, we made the turn back towards our starting point, following for a brief stretch,  an old established "trail" along a brook and through a Hemlock grove. Old stepping stones placed across a clear running stream left us on the other side facing a steep climb between boulders and trees, back up to the top of the hill, and our vehicle.

While the Hilltown Trust describes this as a  "moderate" hike,  for a couple of 75 year olds with arthritic knees,  the climb back out was beyond Most Difficult.

The Eagle

 A ring side seat, and a camera handy this morning.

The Eagle spotted a Cormorant

The Cormorant dove under water, and the Eagle circled several times before flying away.

Birchwood Reflections

Along the Shore
End of Autumn. 

Wild Turkeys

Using the trail camera set to "video" provides a much more complete
way to observe and enjoy the wildlife in the woods beyond the garden. The older camera that I started out with never could hold a charge long enough.

September Still Life

King Fisher

Two Great Blue Herons Celebrating the End of Summer

The Summer people and swimmers have gone, and all is quiet on the Lake. The Kingfishers are able to relax on the ladder of the raft; two Great Blue Heron's performed an amazing ballet over the water, and the Eagle perches on overhanging branches.  Ok. The Heron's don't show up too well in the photo, but theyswooped and spun, taking turns touching the water, then soaring again.

Huge Black Bear

The woods "smelled" different when I took my walk today. This video reveals the reason. He's pretty big!
I do hope he's just passing through. Guess I'll get a bear bell and some pepper spray.

Moving on...

The old buck being chased away by an old doe.  The other deer in the group include a daughter born last year.  The mother apparently didn't raise a fawn of her own this spring.  Whatever the case, she's decided that this old buck should move on. In the 2nd video our new fawn receives a lesson in sharing at the salt lick.

August Still Life

Trio of Mushrooms

Moist August days;  mist on the lake in the morning, distant  thunder in the afternoon...
A heavy rain, washing clear the trail littered with rocks and dead wood.

Moose Tracks

Moose Tracks

Moose tracks, captured this morning with the iPhone.  There had been a heavy rain overnight, and the Moose Tracks were clear. They looked like overgrown cow tracks. This must be a younger one. He didn't sink too deep into the mud, and while they were wider than the heel of a man's shoe print, they weren't as long.

We recorded our walk on an iPhone app. Total length: 2.24 miles. The going was rough, we stopped frequently to "check out" various tracks,  and to contemplate a handsome old Oak Tree which had recently snapped off half way up it's trunk.    Wish the Moose had walked by my Trail Camera.....

Video of Late Night Visitor

I decided to try the Video function of the Bushnell Trail Camera...
The deer have become used to the simple still photo action, ...but the light created by the video is a new thing.
I am hoping that the Buck or the Fawn will pass by during the day...

Visitors this past week

The Fawn's first visit...Out of Hiding!

Later that night...a Buck in Velvet!

Doe Visiting the glade

Eight am Visit. Soon she will be bringing her fawn(s) out of hiding. 

Young Black Bear

 I wonder if the bear scared off the deer? Between June 16th and today the only movement triggering the camera  appears to have been  a flying squirrel.

Flying squirrel?

Going on a Bear Hunt

Black bear in the Glade

Going on a Bear Hunt

Memorial Day Parade

Geese Family Memorial Day 2012: Taken with my iPhone from the Deck

The Buck visits at Midnight

June 1 2012: Midnight Visitor
Notice the new antler's beginning to grow on this Buck

It will be interesting to see if this fellow continues to visit the area throughout the summer so we can see how large his antlers grow...