Wired Presentations

Gangs at Jordan Lake?

It has taken me a while to realize this but I live in a great place: Especially, for those of us addicted to birds and other wildlife. My goal for the day was to find a Prothonotary Warbler. I was able to find one this morning: Mission accomplished. I could not get close enough for a photo. It was way in the back of a beaver pond and I didn’t feel like wading.

The Raleigh area doesn’t have the numbers of these warblers that the Roanoke River has, so tomorrow I may head to the Charles Kuralt Trail in the Roanoke River Wetlands. Prothonotary Warblers like swamps and nest in tree cavities. That trail meanders through a huge swamp. Who knows, in addition to getting a great photo (or any photo) of the bright yellow warbler I may be able to get a photo of a Cottonmouth Water Moccasin or Rattlesnake.

Having met my goal early I made the decision to explore. I have been trying to find a Baltimore Oriole for quite a while. I located some public land close to the North Carolina Museum of Art and quickly found an Orchard Oriole. Hey, I am getting close. One of the folks on the land told me that they have quite a few Baltimore Orioles during the migration. I am embarrassed to tell you how excited I am about this.

Eastern Phoebe

I ended the day in one of the waterfowl empoundments at Jorday Lake. There are lots of flycatchers and phoebes there and I was hoping to get a good photo. I believe that I need to wear camoflauge next time and build a blind. I just could not get close enough to them. I would find a good place and they would quit using it. I would move and they would move. It was really getting frustrated. All I was able to get was this bad photo.

There are some newly homeless squirrels in my back yard. Fannie May and Freddie Mac are innocent in this case.

Here is the scene: I have taken the day off from work and am working on my computer which is, strangely, similar to my normal workdays. I happen to see something outside my window. I  grabbed my camera and was able to get a photo through the window.

Cooper's Hawk

This Cooper’s Hawk hangs out in our back yard fairly often — Doves are the preferred menu item for this guy. He will sometimes make runs at birds on our feeder and has almost hit me in the head a couple of times. I haven’t seen him mess with the squirrels.

The hawk takes flight and I return to piddling on the computer. Five or so minutes later I hear a huge crash. I look up to see a hawk tearing up a squirrel drey (aka. nest – Thanks @gavatron). In this case the hawk was not my friend pictured here; It is a Red-tailed Hawk.

I have seen the hawk mess with the drey before but never as agressively. Unfortunately for the hawk the squirrels were not home.

It's gone!

Evidently, the nest — I mean drey — has been there a while. You can see where the tree is rubbed or gnawed raw. There are stains from water in there as well.

There are two squirrels surveying the damage but they wouldn’t pose. They were not too happy about their home being ripped from the tree. Hopefully, they have other accomodations that they will be able to use.

Having Calmed Down a Bit...

A little later one of the squirrels calmed down and posed for a picture. Personally, having witnessed my home being destroyed I don’t think that I would be hanging out on an exposed branch like this. Even the Cooper’s Hawk may find this irresistable.

Not everyone gets the rash

The guy in the office next to mine has Lymes Disease. He is going through his second course of antibiotics. I feel for him. Fortunately, it was diagnosed early — just like mine. I was on antibiotics for almost 2 months. I didn’t know it at the time but Lymes Disease can be very debilitating.

In North Carolina even stepping in grass can result in a tick bite. So far this year has been very good for ticks. Let’s be careful out there.