This is why it is called a red-bellied woodpecker.
And this is not called a red-bellied woodpecker.
Signs of the times.
In Texas. Especially be on the look out for snakes traveling 11 mph.
And in Minnesota where the bumps in the roads bump the signs.
And in Alaska, where there is an open season on signs with no bag limit.
In Minnesota, we stop for hawks.
The end from Alaska.
It was close
But my good luck held.
I'd driven over bad roads to get there. This is how I knew.
What I'm looking at is usually looking back at me.
My binoculars have taken up with a swallow-tailed kite
I like the spiffy decal and my binoculars aren't complaining. The 8.5 X 45 binoculars seem to be a good fit for me. I look. I see.
A shadow and a swagger
I watched a squirrel run over the wind-hardened snow filling the road ditch as it fled from my place for the friendly confines of a neighbor's. It was a dangerous scamper. It was running the gauntlet of possible red-tailed hawks. Raptors enjoy fast food.
I saw a groundhog later in the month that contains Groundhog’s Day. To the big rodent, it was Groundhog’s Month. It ventured forth cautiously and then scampered back quickly to the safety of its burrow. Maybe it had seen its shadow. According to folklore, if it’s cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on Groundhog’s Day and it doesn’t see its shadow, spring will come early. If it’s sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow and retreats back into its burrow, winter weather will persist for six more weeks. Maybe it is frightened of its shadow? A crow walked the same ground. The groundhog could never match the crow’s swagger. The crow probably saw its shadow and liked it.
Minnesota winters can be harsh
We hang in here for the swell awards.
The secret is to not look down or up or to the side.
The sight of this hanging on the wall of The Vine in Mankato makes me want to grab the ground and hang on.
Bonnie and Clyde are married
They were meant for each other. Nominative determinism is the theory that a person's name has a significant role in determining profession or character.
They are owl over
A great-horned owl flew overhead in a whisper. The sight thrilled my eyes, but was of no more use to my ears than the silent hop of a songbird under my bird feeders. Crows followed after it. There was no whispering done by the crows. They had found the daytime roosting spot of the owl. They chased it from that location with obvious outrage and delight. The great horned owl likely had a nest nearby.
I’d seen two red-tailed hawks perched side-by-side on a billboard advertising hot tubs. I start seeing this lovey-dovey behavior of this raptor around Valentine’s Day each year.
Spring is in the air and it’s not just the smell of skunk.
The Cajun Coast
Nutrias do a great deal of damage to the vegetation. They are hunted and a $5 bounty is offered for each animal killed.
There is a hunting season on alligators. They are not only used for suitcases, boots and belts, but are a popular food in restaurants.
From the bayou near Gibson, Louisiana
An anhinga, snakebird or water turkey.
A black-crowned night heron put a jeweled crown upon my day.
Cypress knees.
Avery Island
I've heard so much about Avery Island, I was glad I got to visit it. Bird City and Tabasco go together like a horse and carriage.
A cemetery in New Iberia, Louisiana
Peaceful, ornate and humbling. A visit to a graveyard puts things in perspective. There is no need to rush to get there.
Another day in Morgan City, Louisiana
The perfect name for a street.
But even far from home, there are things that make me feel right at home.
Morgan City, Louisiana
I'm telling stories in Louisiana. It gives me the opportunity to do some birding along the Cajun Coast. It's warmer here than in Minnesota, enough so that it could be a different planet. Alligator, boudin, crawfish and waffles. Waffles make me wish I had lips like snowshoes, just like the Rev. Billy Wertz sang about in "The Waffle House Fire." See below.
Nature by the yard
I’m pleased to be somewhere.
I move about my yard. My yard is welcoming to all creatures.
The wind had erased all tracks but its own.
The snow had absorbed sound waves and quieted the world.
The feeders were filled with American goldfinches. That hadn’t always been the case. They are partial migrants. Some stay, some go, but most are nomadic. Winter weather could cause the tiny birds to move in search of food. The good thing is that they do come back. I keep the feeders filled so that it would be possible for the goldfinches to go home again.
A friend put up bird feeders at his new home. Birding is enjoyable and educational. The feeders drew a nice crowd, including a Cooper’s hawk. This accipiter feeds on other birds. My friend said that he liked feeding birds, but not to one another. This happens whether we see it or not. It’s the way of the world.
I may not always be pleased to witness such events.
But I’m always pleased to be somewhere.
Al Batt 2015
Sun dogs live here.
Taking nature for a drive
The weeds along the road ditch bowed to the wind.
I nodded at them as I drove by on a blustery day.
Roadside birds flew up ahead of my vehicle. Horned larks generally fly low and slowly off to the side. Lapland longspurs and snow buntings tend to wing upwards as if they were intending to leave the area. The snow buntings typically fly in a tighter formation than the longspurs. A Lapland longspur looks like a large, dark sparrow. Horned larks have a tawny color on their backs with a light underside. Their black tails stand out as they take off. The snow bunting males show a striking black and white as they take to the air when spooked.
The sun’s higher position in the sky changes things. It warms the inside of the car. It is a welcome thing. Winter is in no hurry to leave, but I’m headed down the road to spring.
I like winter. I like spring.
Al Batt 2015
A boy and his dog.
Best time of year.
"Boy's Best Friend"