Feeding the Birds, and Occasionally the Bears, too- June 17, 2008 This year, I have been attempting to feed the birds through the summer. Usually I only leave feeders out in the winter, and as I've written here, I often have numerous chickadees, nut hatches, and some finches. It is quite enjoyable to see all of these little creatures crowding in for sunflower seeds. So far this spring, I've had lots of purple finches, some vibrant gold finches, a few nuthatches and chickadees, chipping sparrows and even an indigo bunting. And of course, the hummingbirds...http://hestons.blogspot.com/2008/06/feeding-birds-and-occasionally-bears.html Bear Encounters- June 16, 2008 The cool weather this spring has delayed the typical plant growth in the forest. The trees took some extra time to leaf out, and the flowers and underbrush are behind, too. I went to gather some wildflowers to put in to a cabin, and it was slim pickings. This is just a minor inconvenience for me, but for the animals, it is a much more serious issue.In particular, I have read that the bears are challenged in finding enough food to fill their bellies after the long winter. Strawberry blossoms are.http://hestons.blogspot.com/2008/06/bear-encounters.html Spring Music in the Woods- June 3, 2008 We've been having some fun with the white throated sparrows lately. Greg can whistle the exact song of these sweet little birds. One day while we were enjoying our lunch on the side porch, we heard several sparrows singing in the yard. So he started to sing back. It wasn't long before a couple of them flew to the trees near to us, trying to find this new neighbor they were hearing. I got to see a little one in the white pine by the corner of the porch, and was able to capture a photo while he...http://hestons.blogspot.com/2008/06/spring-music-in-woods.html Good Fishing...and Catching- June 3, 2008 There's been some serious fishing--and catching--going on in these parts lately! The late spring has kept the water temperature on the cool side, and that means that the fish are still in relatively shallow waters. These good looking lake trout were caught by the Olson Family, and they reported having an excellent time fishing. We heard that the bass are biting also. The mosquitoes are biting, too, and I'm told that means that the walleyes will be hungry. I haven't seen many of those since.http://hestons.blogspot.com/2008/06/good-fishingand-catching.html |