Better Late Than never!
11 years ago
Showing posts with label around the barn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label around the barn. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Our New Home!
It's with much mixed feelings I gave up the farm this week. The turning point of course was last winter's ice. We had horses in stalls for 6 weeks. That they remained sane at all is a testament to their temperament. It was just the most awful thing. It was cruel and abusive but there was no way we could put horses out on that ice.
The only way to be sure it isn't going to happen again is to move. And here in New England this is the time of year you want to find a new barn. It's also very expensive to keep a horse here in greater Boston so I can't keep them all.
We started taking the fences down yesterday.
Our last day here. 23 June.
L's last day with her herd
We packed our things. Did the sad goodbyes. L followed me on to the trailer and hitched right in like we do this every day. She's my rock star! Off we go...
Nice rig! Check out the lower right hand corner there. Ya. Her friends watching us leave.
It was a short 3 mile ride. She unloaded quietly. Did a quick survey and followed me right into the barn. Biggest barn she's ever been in!
I think there are 35 horses here!
She had to huff and woof for a few minutes but I was very proud to have her present herself so well! I tend to brag sometimes and horses do have minds of their own. It wouldn't be the first time she's made an ass out of me!
And seriously! Look at this huge indoor! This will be so nice in the winter!
This is about as good a situation as can be under any circumstances. This is a very horse focused property and it feels right. I think L will be safe and comfortable here. We have a huge indoor. Two outdoor courses. Turnout with pasture. Trails.
And I'm fully boarding her! No more barn work! I swear sometimes my arms hurt so bad I can barely raise a glass of water. It will be a huge adjustment. Taking care of your horse is a satisfying thing and I've been doing it for longer than I can remember. I'm sure just enjoying my L will be easy enough to adjust to!
And..can you believe this? She's just two and a half miles away! How cool is that!?
Huge day. L's new home. 23 June.
The only way to be sure it isn't going to happen again is to move. And here in New England this is the time of year you want to find a new barn. It's also very expensive to keep a horse here in greater Boston so I can't keep them all.
We started taking the fences down yesterday.
We packed our things. Did the sad goodbyes. L followed me on to the trailer and hitched right in like we do this every day. She's my rock star! Off we go...
It was a short 3 mile ride. She unloaded quietly. Did a quick survey and followed me right into the barn. Biggest barn she's ever been in!
She had to huff and woof for a few minutes but I was very proud to have her present herself so well! I tend to brag sometimes and horses do have minds of their own. It wouldn't be the first time she's made an ass out of me!
This is about as good a situation as can be under any circumstances. This is a very horse focused property and it feels right. I think L will be safe and comfortable here. We have a huge indoor. Two outdoor courses. Turnout with pasture. Trails.
And I'm fully boarding her! No more barn work! I swear sometimes my arms hurt so bad I can barely raise a glass of water. It will be a huge adjustment. Taking care of your horse is a satisfying thing and I've been doing it for longer than I can remember. I'm sure just enjoying my L will be easy enough to adjust to!
And..can you believe this? She's just two and a half miles away! How cool is that!?
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
A little more like it
A week ago I went out and broke up the ice and spent an hour working a shovel underneath to lift it off the ground in sheets. I was determined to get horses out there if it was the last thing I did!
So after a week of weather steadily in the 40s and 50s we're *finally* getting horses out every day.
Tuesday 27 February. The sun is very nice this time of year!
And I'm pleased beyond words to have the horses out there enjoying the sun. This has been a really challenging winter. For everyone. Now if I can just get myself organized well enough to ride!
Another good sign! The local maple sap is running!
Friday 23 February
So after a week of weather steadily in the 40s and 50s we're *finally* getting horses out every day.
And I'm pleased beyond words to have the horses out there enjoying the sun. This has been a really challenging winter. For everyone. Now if I can just get myself organized well enough to ride!
Another good sign! The local maple sap is running!
Monday, February 12, 2018
The year in ice
This will long be remembered as the season in ice. The property doesn't drain well. A little rain. It freezes. A lot of snow. More rain. Snow melts. Property floods....and freezes...
11 February
And that's *nothing*. That's after several days in the 40s and 50s and some rain. I really should have taken pictures last week.
The kids were literally playing hockey in the ring I train in
It was a 12 acre ice skating rink.
Of course it just kills me keeping the horses in the barn. I think we've had 3 days outside since before Christmas. And two of those days were strictly in hand. But there's just no way a horse can navigate that. It was much worse this year than last and the only relief will be to find another place to go when the weather permits.
And of course meanwhile...there's work to be done! And every one of us fell down on that ice at least once and by the middle of last week it was just downright dangerous.
Product Review!
This is a Yaktrax
It's a hard rubber frame with coiled stainless steel wire wound around the framework. Making for "traction cleats". You stretch this rubber frame around the sole of your shoe or boot.
They're marginal in the snow. At least this model which is the one I have. On snow covered ice they clog with snow and you have to stomp your feet a lot and shuffle. If you don't? They're not worth much. But. On ice? On clear ice? They work *really* well on clear ice, no question at all.
And that's *nothing*. That's after several days in the 40s and 50s and some rain. I really should have taken pictures last week.
It was a 12 acre ice skating rink.
Of course it just kills me keeping the horses in the barn. I think we've had 3 days outside since before Christmas. And two of those days were strictly in hand. But there's just no way a horse can navigate that. It was much worse this year than last and the only relief will be to find another place to go when the weather permits.
And of course meanwhile...there's work to be done! And every one of us fell down on that ice at least once and by the middle of last week it was just downright dangerous.
Product Review!
It's a hard rubber frame with coiled stainless steel wire wound around the framework. Making for "traction cleats". You stretch this rubber frame around the sole of your shoe or boot.
They're marginal in the snow. At least this model which is the one I have. On snow covered ice they clog with snow and you have to stomp your feet a lot and shuffle. If you don't? They're not worth much. But. On ice? On clear ice? They work *really* well on clear ice, no question at all.
Monday, December 11, 2017
First snow!
Saturday 9 December was our very first snow of the season.
That's Sammi's stall in the doorway. Biggest horse gets the biggest stall!
Which of course meant Sunday L had her first snow bath of the season!
Barn life is hard in the wintertime. Every season gets worse and while it does have its rewards I just dread it. You just suck it up do it. The manure pile is a real burden in the snow. The manure pile is a 1000 foot trip from the barn. Three trips out and back is a little over a mile. Sometimes the landlord doesn't think plow down to the manure pile. And sometimes he's out of town when it snows.
Normally I use this Gorilla Cart to haul manure. I don't think they have this model anymore.
I can load 7 or 8 cubic feet of manure into that wagon and make 3 to 5 trips on a typical day. I'd rather have a tractor! But it will do. Most of the year.
Not so much in the snow! Oh I've used it in the snow the past 2 years and it's a *real* struggle. It gets better after the first couple of trips. The tires make ruts in the snow that act almost like rails. It's still a real workout.
This year I had an inspired moment!
I got one of these! I got a Jet Sled 1. And, on the occasion of the first snow of the season had a chance to take it for a test drive. We had maybe seven inches of snow. Enough to make using the wagon a challenge.
That's about 10 cubic feet of manure!
And handling it was a breeze. I swear not much more than a walk to the manure pile and back. The tow rope can be a little tough on the hands so I wrapped some foam pipe insulation around the rope and duct taped it.
I am just elated. Hauling manure (and bedding and feed!) is like there's just nothing to it. Winter can be pretty miserable and every little bit helps.
Which of course meant Sunday L had her first snow bath of the season!
Barn life is hard in the wintertime. Every season gets worse and while it does have its rewards I just dread it. You just suck it up do it. The manure pile is a real burden in the snow. The manure pile is a 1000 foot trip from the barn. Three trips out and back is a little over a mile. Sometimes the landlord doesn't think plow down to the manure pile. And sometimes he's out of town when it snows.
Normally I use this Gorilla Cart to haul manure. I don't think they have this model anymore.
I can load 7 or 8 cubic feet of manure into that wagon and make 3 to 5 trips on a typical day. I'd rather have a tractor! But it will do. Most of the year.
Not so much in the snow! Oh I've used it in the snow the past 2 years and it's a *real* struggle. It gets better after the first couple of trips. The tires make ruts in the snow that act almost like rails. It's still a real workout.
This year I had an inspired moment!
I got one of these! I got a Jet Sled 1. And, on the occasion of the first snow of the season had a chance to take it for a test drive. We had maybe seven inches of snow. Enough to make using the wagon a challenge.
And handling it was a breeze. I swear not much more than a walk to the manure pile and back. The tow rope can be a little tough on the hands so I wrapped some foam pipe insulation around the rope and duct taped it.
I am just elated. Hauling manure (and bedding and feed!) is like there's just nothing to it. Winter can be pretty miserable and every little bit helps.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Forever gone..
My previous barn. The property was sold a couple of years ago and we had to move on. Of course this was expected. Makes me sad anyway.
I boarded there for over 20 years. It was such a thriving, vibrant place at one time. We'd had countless hours of fun. People complained their faces hurt from smiling so hard for so long. Animals everywhere all the time. Horses. Dogs. Cats. Deer. Rats. Mice. Raccoons. Woodchucks.
There was packing for shows at the crack of dawn. Getting back at the end of the day completely exhausted and getting pizzas or KFC.
There was freezing cold and howling wind. And our legendary hot humid summer afternoons. We even had a tornado come across the south side of the property in August 2004. I was out working L and I could see the weather coming from across the field. I didn't see any funnel - it was just all cloud and debris. We ran for the barn and no sooner had I run L into her stall the tornado passed about 125 yards south of the barn. We all stood in the doorway watching with "uh-oh" faces.
All nighters with sick horses. I can still remember waiting on a vet one February morning. 14 below 0 at 4:00 am. Oh how that sucked!
I buried two horses there.
It was a great property. Big barn with a quarter mile training track surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of acres of fields and woods. There were actually two barns there, one of which had been an equine rehab center at one time. It was a well known place. They had trained race horses there 50 years ago.
12 July 2009
It was spacious and comfortable. At least until the roof started to leak. Always full of light.
23 January 2011
I can't even make a guess at the hundreds and hundreds of hours there. Of course I miss it and it's so sad to finally see it's gone.
Edited to add:
I thought about it while doing stalls today. All the training time and riding time and just "horse care". 16 or 18 hours a week at the peek of show season to 6 or 8 hours in the dead of winter. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I had 7 or 8000 hours at that barn!
Then: |
And now: |
I boarded there for over 20 years. It was such a thriving, vibrant place at one time. We'd had countless hours of fun. People complained their faces hurt from smiling so hard for so long. Animals everywhere all the time. Horses. Dogs. Cats. Deer. Rats. Mice. Raccoons. Woodchucks.
There was packing for shows at the crack of dawn. Getting back at the end of the day completely exhausted and getting pizzas or KFC.
There was freezing cold and howling wind. And our legendary hot humid summer afternoons. We even had a tornado come across the south side of the property in August 2004. I was out working L and I could see the weather coming from across the field. I didn't see any funnel - it was just all cloud and debris. We ran for the barn and no sooner had I run L into her stall the tornado passed about 125 yards south of the barn. We all stood in the doorway watching with "uh-oh" faces.
All nighters with sick horses. I can still remember waiting on a vet one February morning. 14 below 0 at 4:00 am. Oh how that sucked!
I buried two horses there.
It was a great property. Big barn with a quarter mile training track surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of acres of fields and woods. There were actually two barns there, one of which had been an equine rehab center at one time. It was a well known place. They had trained race horses there 50 years ago.
It was spacious and comfortable. At least until the roof started to leak. Always full of light.
I can't even make a guess at the hundreds and hundreds of hours there. Of course I miss it and it's so sad to finally see it's gone.
Edited to add:
I thought about it while doing stalls today. All the training time and riding time and just "horse care". 16 or 18 hours a week at the peek of show season to 6 or 8 hours in the dead of winter. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I had 7 or 8000 hours at that barn!
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Picture of summer
Winter wasn't too bad. Bad enough.
Spring was just *awful*. I don't know that it was the worst ever but I'm sure it was close. Cold and wet. I was still wearing mittens driving to work in May! Everything is late. The daisies came up a week or two late. Not at all impressive. They didn't last long.
The Black Eyed Susans started coming up and I found a new variant I've never seen before. Apparently these are called "Irish Eyes" and they're very pretty.
There. The solid yellow ones.
I'm sure the corn will be late this year too.
This summer however has been just...stunning. Dry. Breezy. Abundant sunshine. In the 80s with an occasional thunderstorm. This is New England at its very best!
Sunday 25 June. First weekend of the summer.
And this just says it all right here. This is quintessential "summertime horse".
She's *very* good at this! Sometimes I just want to run over and rub her belly!
Followed by a good shake. Ha now I have to clean that up!
Spring was just *awful*. I don't know that it was the worst ever but I'm sure it was close. Cold and wet. I was still wearing mittens driving to work in May! Everything is late. The daisies came up a week or two late. Not at all impressive. They didn't last long.
The Black Eyed Susans started coming up and I found a new variant I've never seen before. Apparently these are called "Irish Eyes" and they're very pretty.
I'm sure the corn will be late this year too.
This summer however has been just...stunning. Dry. Breezy. Abundant sunshine. In the 80s with an occasional thunderstorm. This is New England at its very best!
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Finding our way around
There's woods all around the property. Much of the property is wooded and it's adjacent to some conservation land.
First ride! 20 December
But most of the neighborhood is residential. Rural. But still residential.
25 December - Christmas Day ride!
Our second trip out we explored some of the neighborhood. L was a rock star! She had never ever seen anything like this before! Houses. Driveways. Mail boxes. Basketball hoops. Sidewalks. Signs. Fire hydrants. Christmas decorations! She was all kinds of "up" but she was on her most perfect behavior. Bright and attentive. All the training delivers huge dividends. She wasn't all kinds of willing - she had more of a "weellll ok if you say so" kind of attitude.
Turns out barn work takes up a lot of time. After getting acquainted with the neighborhood I don't think rode again until...oh had to be the end of March anyway. I didn't really plan on not having time to ride and I'm a little disappointed with that.
But most of the neighborhood is residential. Rural. But still residential.
 |
 |
Our second trip out we explored some of the neighborhood. L was a rock star! She had never ever seen anything like this before! Houses. Driveways. Mail boxes. Basketball hoops. Sidewalks. Signs. Fire hydrants. Christmas decorations! She was all kinds of "up" but she was on her most perfect behavior. Bright and attentive. All the training delivers huge dividends. She wasn't all kinds of willing - she had more of a "weellll ok if you say so" kind of attitude.
Turns out barn work takes up a lot of time. After getting acquainted with the neighborhood I don't think rode again until...oh had to be the end of March anyway. I didn't really plan on not having time to ride and I'm a little disappointed with that.
Monday, May 30, 2016
We moved!
Winter wasn't without its challenges! Our barn closed last November. And we were all told to ...get out, get out now. There's never a good time for something like that to happen. But it *is* a risk you take when you rent space. Not only is the weather going to be a problem - here in greater Boston, usually by the middle or the end of October, people who otherwise keep their animals outdoors the rest of the year, they've reserved most (all) of the available space for the winter. Especially any place with an indoor arena.
I have some resources and I could manage. But..the situation ..well, some animals had no place to go. Five horses were homeless. I thought it over. I leased a farm. And took in the homeless animals.
What a huge adjustment! For everyone. Of course we had tons of work to do. Putting up sheds and fencing, getting stalls ready and of course moving. I've had horses for many years but I've never run my own farm before. Oh yes I have help. But still scary as all get out.
And this property is very different than where we've been for the past 21 years. Where we'd been in a huge (24 horse) barn surrounded by 1800 acres out in farm country, this is 12 acres in a (rural) residential neighborhood.
We made it through the winter with only one crisis. Everyone is still in one piece and we've experienced *many* new things. It's been good for the horses. Neighbors. Houses. Lights at night. Traffic. Lawn mowers...leaf blowers. Snow plows. Kids playing basketball. They'd never seen any of this before.
The barn is much smaller than we're used to, but it's cozy and has a certain charm. We're cleaning stalls with muck buckets because there's just so little room to maneuver. It's not permanent and we're making it work for now. And my core strength is pretty good these days!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Orphans
A lot of orphans land at the barn. Of course it's an animal centric place anyway. But our manager is well known in local circles for wildlife management and rehab.
The latest call was over an abandoned raccoon. For some reason...this little guy got kicked out of his nest when he was a week old. This is very unusual raccoon behavior. You can drop any baby raccoon into a raccoon nest and it will more than likely be taken care of. Well...three weeks later and he's becoming a toddler...
Cutest thing ever!
Raccoons are adorable and they're fun and...they're a whole lot of trouble! Luckily we found a home for this little guy at a wildlife sanctuary up on the Vermont state line.
Over time we've had everything in the barn from woodchucks to flying squirrels and we even had a distressed fawn for a short while. Our most common orphans are squirrels.
Baby squirrels get blown out of their nests. Their mothers get run over by cars or maybe fall prey to coyotes. And they find their way to our barn.
They get nursed for a few weeks from little 10 cc syringes
The nursing syringes get bigger as they get bigger. Their first solid food is usually Cheerio's.
But the funniest thing of all with squirrels is..."release day". Once they've grown and they're able to take care of themselves they get released.
So very exciting!
Did you know it takes 3 days to release a squirrel? It's very funny.
Day 1. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. And for 30 minutes they'll sit your lap and look around. The world is such a scary place!
Day 2. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. They'll start in your lap and after a minute or two will start to wander around and look at stuff. They may travel as far as 12 feet away but frequently come back to your lap for reassurance.
Day 3. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. They'll start in your lap and after a minute or two they'll wander around. They'll look back. Then they hit the trees and you'll never see them again.
Let's just all get along
The latest call was over an abandoned raccoon. For some reason...this little guy got kicked out of his nest when he was a week old. This is very unusual raccoon behavior. You can drop any baby raccoon into a raccoon nest and it will more than likely be taken care of. Well...three weeks later and he's becoming a toddler...
Raccoons are adorable and they're fun and...they're a whole lot of trouble! Luckily we found a home for this little guy at a wildlife sanctuary up on the Vermont state line.
Over time we've had everything in the barn from woodchucks to flying squirrels and we even had a distressed fawn for a short while. Our most common orphans are squirrels.
Baby squirrels get blown out of their nests. Their mothers get run over by cars or maybe fall prey to coyotes. And they find their way to our barn.
The nursing syringes get bigger as they get bigger. Their first solid food is usually Cheerio's.
But the funniest thing of all with squirrels is..."release day". Once they've grown and they're able to take care of themselves they get released.
Did you know it takes 3 days to release a squirrel? It's very funny.
Day 1. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. And for 30 minutes they'll sit your lap and look around. The world is such a scary place!
Day 2. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. They'll start in your lap and after a minute or two will start to wander around and look at stuff. They may travel as far as 12 feet away but frequently come back to your lap for reassurance.
Day 3. Take squirrels out to the woods, turn them loose and have a seat. They'll start in your lap and after a minute or two they'll wander around. They'll look back. Then they hit the trees and you'll never see them again.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Bouncy Bird
There's a funny little bird I see around the barn now and then. First saw one maybe 3 or 4 years ago. He walks along and, when he's about to reach with his hind leg, he bounces on his leading leg. It's an absolute riot. It's like he's dancing along.
From a distance and not paying much attention I'd thought it was a killdeer. But then a few weeks ago I scared one up along the driveway and thought wait a minute! That doesn't look anything like a killdeer! Actually...doesn't behave much like one either. We have killdeer all around the barn and they're *very* territorial. Go anywhere near them and they run around frantically screaming like little nutbags.
Having a better up close look I got out the field guide to the birds and...I'll be. It's an...
American Woodcock
I've never seen a woodcock out in the open before! I hear them all the time. They're very shy birds. I've seen them take flight in the woods. I even ate one once. It was delicious. Although it would take quite a few of them to satisfy any kind of appetite!
Now this just amazes me. Find the woodcock!
Hover your mouse over the image to find the woodcock!
From a distance and not paying much attention I'd thought it was a killdeer. But then a few weeks ago I scared one up along the driveway and thought wait a minute! That doesn't look anything like a killdeer! Actually...doesn't behave much like one either. We have killdeer all around the barn and they're *very* territorial. Go anywhere near them and they run around frantically screaming like little nutbags.
Having a better up close look I got out the field guide to the birds and...I'll be. It's an...
I've never seen a woodcock out in the open before! I hear them all the time. They're very shy birds. I've seen them take flight in the woods. I even ate one once. It was delicious. Although it would take quite a few of them to satisfy any kind of appetite!
Now this just amazes me. Find the woodcock!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Still too much...
Snow!
8 March. Still buried!
Even though it's been unusually cold the air is starting to become notably less harsh. We've been free of fresh snow and the sun feels good. Things are even starting to melt. I thought maybe I'd catch a ride this last weekend! I haven't been out riding now since28 25 January when this all started.
But no I think the snow is a little too deep. Oh, I know L can plow through this stuff but after maybe a quarter mile or so I don't think it would be much fun for her. So maybe next week I'll ride.
We're lucky. A number of barns have collapsed here. Horses have been hurt and sadly a couple of horses were lost. We lost L's shed. The roof collapsed with a little help from a falling tree limb. She wasn't out there. I knew it was going to go and I wasn't going to put anyone out there until I fenced it off.
24 February
Of course I'm going to have to clean up that mess. She loves her shed! Those, by the way, are Mulberry trees on either side of the shed. The horses love those mulberries as much as I do!
If you look carefully, along the right wall of the shed, at the top of the fence rail, that's L watching me from the paddock on the other side of the shed. No doubt wondering what I'm doing out there.
Even though it's been unusually cold the air is starting to become notably less harsh. We've been free of fresh snow and the sun feels good. Things are even starting to melt. I thought maybe I'd catch a ride this last weekend! I haven't been out riding now since
But no I think the snow is a little too deep. Oh, I know L can plow through this stuff but after maybe a quarter mile or so I don't think it would be much fun for her. So maybe next week I'll ride.
We're lucky. A number of barns have collapsed here. Horses have been hurt and sadly a couple of horses were lost. We lost L's shed. The roof collapsed with a little help from a falling tree limb. She wasn't out there. I knew it was going to go and I wasn't going to put anyone out there until I fenced it off.
Of course I'm going to have to clean up that mess. She loves her shed! Those, by the way, are Mulberry trees on either side of the shed. The horses love those mulberries as much as I do!
If you look carefully, along the right wall of the shed, at the top of the fence rail, that's L watching me from the paddock on the other side of the shed. No doubt wondering what I'm doing out there.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Then and Now...
This just cracks me up. This is Weebil. He has a problem and he wobbles a little bit so ... naturally, his name is Weebil. Or more affectionately, Weebs.
December 2014
One can plainly see. He's *huge*.
Well...here he is when he first came to the barn as a captured feral..
August 2005
And, just to help put it in perspective...
He was smaller than a tennis ball!
One can plainly see. He's *huge*.
Well...here he is when he first came to the barn as a captured feral..
And, just to help put it in perspective...
Monday, December 8, 2014
Contrast
Our first snow this year was 2 November.
This didn't amount to much
But this did! We had some real snow the day before Thanksgiving..
26 November
And of course, the dazzling colors we had this fall are gone. I find the contrast is very striking.
7 December
It's all so...plain and...well, brown.
This time of year, with all the foliage gone, it's easy to see why the barn is such a madhouse of furious activity all summer long. Nests!
A Robin's nest
Not just a few. There are nests *everywhere* in the brush. Really. Hundreds of them! We have tons of Robins...Blue Jays..Goldfinches. Orioles. In the spring I leave piles of horse hair outside for the birds. They use the hair in their nests. The most fascinating one of all is the Baltimore Oriole. We have lots of Baltimore Orioles. They make bag shaped nests that hang from branches very high in the tree tops. The nests always blow down sooner or later and it's quite amazing the way they use the different kinds of hair. Most of the nest is made from tail hair. It hangs using tail hair. The net like outer tail hair is lined with body hair. And the very softest hair lines the bottom of the nest. They're almost always 100% horse hair!
Of course there are also Crows. And hawks. And owls. And Killdeer. Tons of Killdeer.
Even Carolina Wrens.
Carolina Wren's nest
We've had a year round population of Goldfinches for many years now. As long as I can remember. This year they've all gone and I see...replaced..by..Purple Finches! I saw them yesterday while riding L. Dozens and dozens of Purple Finches. I don't know what that's all about. They're very pretty birds and much more timid than the Goldfinches.
But this did! We had some real snow the day before Thanksgiving..
And of course, the dazzling colors we had this fall are gone. I find the contrast is very striking.
It's all so...plain and...well, brown.
This time of year, with all the foliage gone, it's easy to see why the barn is such a madhouse of furious activity all summer long. Nests!
Not just a few. There are nests *everywhere* in the brush. Really. Hundreds of them! We have tons of Robins...Blue Jays..Goldfinches. Orioles. In the spring I leave piles of horse hair outside for the birds. They use the hair in their nests. The most fascinating one of all is the Baltimore Oriole. We have lots of Baltimore Orioles. They make bag shaped nests that hang from branches very high in the tree tops. The nests always blow down sooner or later and it's quite amazing the way they use the different kinds of hair. Most of the nest is made from tail hair. It hangs using tail hair. The net like outer tail hair is lined with body hair. And the very softest hair lines the bottom of the nest. They're almost always 100% horse hair!
Of course there are also Crows. And hawks. And owls. And Killdeer. Tons of Killdeer.
Even Carolina Wrens.
We've had a year round population of Goldfinches for many years now. As long as I can remember. This year they've all gone and I see...replaced..by..Purple Finches! I saw them yesterday while riding L. Dozens and dozens of Purple Finches. I don't know what that's all about. They're very pretty birds and much more timid than the Goldfinches.
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