Friday, February 3, 2012

Wild Farm Birds and Animals

We don't have many birds around the yard during the winter unless there's snow on the ground; then the little juncos just appear out of nowhere. But we do have large birds during the winter, such as Canadian geese, (this picture was taken last summer but they're here all winter

and then there's Edgar Allen Crow, (first picture) at the chicken house most mornings.


Recently, this hawk has been coming to the fence in back of the house almost every morning. On this morning, it was raining, and the hawk looked all puffed out and very wet.


Now and then it flies down and catches something (?)


Just this past week we've had bald eagles in the trees around the pasture.


Of course we've seen crows and hawks all of our lives; any farm wife knew hawks were a threat to her baby chickens or her laying hens. Crows were a nuisance in farmers' corn and
watermelon fields. But until a few years ago, the only time we would see geese was in the fall or spring as they flew overhead in their migration paths; bald eagles were only birds we had heard about or seen pictures of, so it's quite a thrill to be close to them.


There are other animals on the farm too that we didn't see when we were children: armadillos, deer, coyotes, and very rarely, a raccoon. Now these have become pests, making holes in the fields, eating flowers and garden plants, and, in the case of the raccoon, climbing the ladders of the feed bins at the chicken houses and going inside the bins with no way out. Sometimes we see as many as thirty deer grazing in the fields; Popa says when he was younger they had to go to the mountains to hunt deer. Pests or not, it's still somewhat thrilling to see them up close; that is all but armadillos and I'd be happy to never see another one.












16 comments:

  1. nice to see the bald eagle I bet. One benefit of living in the country is seeing these kinds of creatures.
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is nice to live in a place where these creatures are plentiful but some can be a nuisance..love the eagle and all the photos..Susie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally agreed on the armadillos. They make a mess of the yard. I do think the deer are nice to look at but when they come on your front porch and eat your gardenia down to a nub, they become a nuisance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it is so wonderful to live where you can see all these birds.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's so awesome! Loved all the pictures. Just curious - which field were the Bald Eagles in? I've seen them down at the Flint place, and over at the Hightower place.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The bald eagle is truly a treat, I always feel lucky to see one. During the spring we see a few that fly high over our area, the other birds always call out a warning.
    I had no idea armadillos were such a pest!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Edgar Allen Crow: love it! amazing photos, especially of the eagle.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very interesting that you are seeing animals and birds you never saw before... I wonder what that says... climate change? What?

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are so lucky to see bald eagles on your land! Our geese don't leave in the winter either and we also have lots and lots of deer. I think they are so pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Man that is one big hawk! Love all the other photos too : )

    ReplyDelete
  11. I posted a comment the other day but it seems to have disappeared. I'll try this again...
    Great photos. I never tire of seeing and hearing about the critters and creatures of the woodlands and farms.
    You're so lucky to have Eagles visit your pasture, they're so awe inspiring to my patriotic heart. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi there. I've just found your blog and love it. The photos of hawk and eagle are wonderful. I'm a Texas farm girl and quilter and will be visiting as often as life allows.
    Happy sewing!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rhonda, welcome, and I hope to see your quilts!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I can remember when it was a rare thing to see a deer; now, you have to watch for them if you are driving at night. My husband has hit three; two of the vehicles required extensive repair work. There are also a lot of bald eagles that nest by the river here. Love your pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I know what you mean. I just have to pause and watch these wonderful wild creatures when they venture up into our yard. Wish I could see Eagles! blessings,Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  16. We have the usual varmits around here too, Charlotte... LOTS of possums, raccoons and skunks. (OH MY!) I enjoy the deer though~ right now we have a momma and her two little babies that keep coming around... they will walk up to the sheep with no fear~ I think they feel safe around them or something.

    ReplyDelete