Monday, March 8, 2010

Finally one of the Longspur feeders

Some how when I wrote the Bell/Williamson Co. note the other day I could not get this picture to upload. This is where all the sparrows and the 5 Chestnut-collared Longspurs were. On the corner of CR 360 and 363. It does not appear in this photo that there are any birds but believe me there were well over 100 birds in the general areal of this corn feeder, just not many blackbirds, except meadowlarks. Savannah Sparrows ruled the place. The CCLOs males were perhaps the most gorgeous I have ever seen in the state and were still there 2 days ago..... I did not photo the feeders on 352 as there were so many blackbirds and cows.

Yep all of that yellow stuff seen under the right side of the feeder here is crushed corn! Boy, I bet this was place was hopping with birds during the cold spell in January especially when that ice/snow came.! Anyway just wanted to share the feeder shot with you finally. I figured out what I was doing wrong.
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Webberville Park Eagles etc.

A rainy sort of day, but I forced myself out of the house to at least go to Webberville Park to get shed of some small amounts of trash and check the laundromat in Webberville to see if it was still useable. I drove thru the park slowly. There were just hundreds of robins and blackbirds on the ground. But I was just in no mood for birding for some reason and had even almost left the camera at home. When I got down to the boat ramp loop, I checked the eagle nest out with the bins and saw both adults nearby. One was on the nest so I thought I would get some photos for proof and took the scope the short distance over to the fence to digiscope a few shots. You know how it is at the fence. You kinda have to wade thru the weeds and vines to get right up next to it for the closest shots. I did that even though my pants got soaked. I took several photos (one on the right here) but could not get a picture with both adults due to the distance between them.
The nest is extremely easy to see right now and there are chicks in it. You don't even need a scope but for good details you do. The trees are still bare enough that the new nest is quite obvious..You do not not even need bins to see the nest.

Now here is the strange part. I should not even mention it it in the blog perhaps, but it was just so strange and troublesome....I think the word I am looking for is bewildering. As I was trying to get the camera lined up with the scope, someone yelled at me from a truck from the paved loop behind me . I turned around and there was a pick-up with at least three people in it. Maybe more as the back windows were too dark to see in. A guy yelled at me, "What are you taking pictures of?" and without wading back out of the weeds I yelled back. "A Bald Eagle nest and there are Bald Eagles on it. You can come over and see if you like through this scope". The guy in the truck then turned to speak to the others inside but I could not hear them , then he yelled at me again..."What are taking pictures of?!" and I yelled again...."There is a Eagle nest here with eagles on it and I am trying to take photos of them." He looked at me for a moment and then turned to talk to the people in the truck again and then suddenly pushed his head out of the window as if mad as hell and yelled, "Fuck you old man!! then screeched off in the truck yelling something in Spanish I didn't understand......I was completely dumbfounded! Shocked!. They pulled up to the bathroom and parked and I was starting to worry. One guy got out of the back and went inside, I guess for a piss and came right back out and got in. We were the only people in the park but then fortunately they left the park!

Needless to say, I was floored and completely puzzled. Obviously I said something that they misinterpreted in Spanish but I have no idea as to what that could be. Does anyone fluent in Spanish have a clue??

I was sure in no mood for any more birding after that episode so just went back home. The male and female Pine Warbler that sang so vigorously right up until late afternoon on the 4th vanished completely the next morning not to be seen again. Just instantly almost. They had been here all winter but some internal clock went off and they were gone just like that!! I have more goldfinches now than I have had all winter.

The crab apple, pear, Mexican plum and Bradford pear trees here are in full bloom as are most of the peaches. A decade or more ago a neighbor from up north told me he was going to plant a cherry orchard. I told him flatly he had a better chance of raising Musk Ox than cherries in south Texas and that they just were an impossible to fruit here. Still he planted them. He has never made a single cherry but boy, are those trees beautiful when they bloom.

Some of you have asked/told me that they have made comments and replies to my posts but they do not appear (nor do I see them) to some of what I write...I have no idea at all why that is but if anyone does know what the fix is I will attempt it.. Oh well so much for the highlights of the day so far....Now for another lousy cup of tea.

Brush
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