Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Hummingbirds and Bluebonnets

Here is the new fountain that Jack finished yesterday,  The calcium in the water coated the old fountain.    We thought we would reuse the old fountain after we soaked it in vinegar but alas on the way to its bath, it fell out of the tractor bucket.






















The hummers found it this morning.  They didn't mind that we had changed it.  Do they think this is a big feeder?  It isn't even red!    The hummingbirds love to play at the edges of the fountain and they sometimes skate across the pond.



For our neighbor, Pete, here are some bluebonnets in our yard.  They are appearing everywhere. 





Spring is here!

Thursday, March 26, 2015

I missed a day of blogging.  I have been trying to capture the number of hummingbirds that we have but they are being really shy this year.    We probably had about 60 tonight but I couldn't step out to get their picture.  They just scattered.  The cool front caused the hummers to "bunch" up before continuing there trek north.     We have five feeders up.  HEB is out of the big bags of sugar so I know everyone else in the hill country is feeding them too.   Hopefully tomorrow I can get a better photo.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Spring is such a wonderful time here in the country.  It's hard to keep up with the daily activities of our fellow residents.  We are supposed to be working on the flower beds or quilts and get side-tracked into watching the birds, turkeys, foxes, skunks, snakes, lizards, and frogs.

Here is a preview of what's to come.  

 On 3/18 Jack took this picture.  Guess who's egg it is.
















Five days later on 3/23, there are five eggs.  A bluebird lays one egg per day.

In about 12 days, we should have chicks.

And about 16 days later, they will fledge.

Bluebirds don't mind us looking in their nest and it helps us make sure a cowbird hasn't tried to fool momma bluebird.

Amazingly, she will probably have another set of chicks after these leave the nest. 

Monday, March 23, 2015

We started with six hummingbirds this morning and by evening we had twelve.  I spent a lot of time trying to capture them at the feeders but they are still a little skittish.  One of the hummingbirds has taken to sitting on the Weather Stick guarding one of the feeders!


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Turkey Day

Today was a cool, rainy day. We got about an inch of rain.   For some reason the turkeys find this to be romantic weather.  The toms spend a lot of time showing off and the hens keep on eating.  

Hens lay about 11 eggs over a two week period and then begin to incubate their eggs.  This lasts for about 28 days.  Turkeys lay their eggs in nests on the ground.  Mortality is high for the poults until they can nest in trees.  Poults (newly hatched turkeys) begin to roost in trees after about two weeks.
Rio Grande Turkeys


If you look real close, you can see a squirrel sitting on top of the bird feeder!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Turkeys

Today, we have three hummingbirds and lots of house, lesser and gold finches.   In addition, I saw a turkey flying from the top of the hill out into the field below.  He must have been 30 feet in the air. He glided past like a B52 without flapping a wing. Of course, I didn't get my camera up in time to capture this event.

As we wait for the rain, the gobblers have been busy showing up their magnificen
t plumage.


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Spring is so close .......  The birds have been returning for weeks.  On Saturday, March 14, we saw our first black-chinned hummingbird. He joins a broad-tailed female that has stayed with us all winter.  We keep thinking she will move north soon.  However, today she was guarding the feeder from the new intruder.