Swallows

Swallows love barbed wire! Or... maybe they love the lands they surround! I don't know, but it sounds reasonable, so finding swallows can be pretty easy if you know where to look. Here are a few found on a particularly good day:



Adult Barn Swallow











Northern Rough-winged Swallow











Juvenile Barn Swallow

My Strangest Sighting Ever?

While observing some swallows on some barbed wire in the country, something weird caught my eye. I see a mouse running across the road ahead of my car, but the shape of it was strange. I asked Cuttidad to check it out, as it came into her view. She couldn't get a good look, but said that it was headed back in my direction, so I jumped out of the car and shot a few frames. I tell her that "he" is dragging 2 babies. She found that puzzling. I said that "he" was having babies and was dragging them around. She got it then, and used my words against me later. Upon further inspection of the photos, it was determined that "she" was a vole. It was really weird to see. It seemed to be trying to run away from it's attachments in a panic. Who knows why it did what it did? First time parent? I would like to say that I hope the kids are o.k., but then I am talking about vermin, so do I hope that? Not really, but they were babies, so yes...but no...

Grasshopper Sparrow

A bird of open grasslands, the Grasshopper Sparrow takes its name not only from its diet, but also from its insect-like song.

Now, if only I can get him to eat his name-sake in front of the camera...

Coyote

This handsome guy gets up pretty early to get to where he is going, and if you are lucky enough to be up that early too, you just might get to greet him on his journey. I didn't catch him in a very scenic place at all, but just seeing him was enough.

Update on Baby Raccoons

I still haven't seen mama, but the babies have pretty much stayed where I had first found them. I'm hoping that is a good sign! Playing on the road IS NOT a good sign! I waived off a vehicle yesterday, so that the driver would see them in the roadway. The lil guys eventually went into the brush for safety.

Some more Velvet Bucks

This big guy stays a pretty good distance away from any source of danger while his antlers are so fragile. Most bucks take shelter in high grassy fields instead of timber so as to not damage them while they are still soft. In about August or early September, the testosterone filled blood pumping through the tissue will cease, and the antlers will harden.

Twins!

Finding my first set of twins of the season was another bonus to the week I had. These guys were found pretty late in the evening, so the graininess was a bit more than I would have liked, but I am always thankful for the experience and end up complaining about the quality later.

I was very happy that I caught the baby nursing for a brief moment. This frame was when mom was telling her baby that enough was enough.



Inspecting the photo later, I can't even imagine going through life with flies such a constant bother, let alone the ticks, mites, etc. (Click for a closer view of the pests.)

Is it just me or does this mother have a bit of donkey in her?