The other day a big black and white bird flew among the trees by the side of the road. At first I thought it was a magpie - not a Michigan native - before spotting the crested red head. It was a pileated woodpecker. If you're the right vintage you may remember Woody Woodpecker cartoons. … [Read more...]
Rainbow at Sunset – November 18, 2015
We had a spectacular sunset here. First rainbow appeared right at the eastern horizon, not a full arch but a huge, wide prismatic glow of colors. I could see where it touched the earth on the hill across the river. By the time I got outside with the camera the rainbow was arcing … [Read more...]
Grow Up Little Tadpole and Frog Away!
Our tadpoles are finally growing up and turning into frogs! I wrote about our tadpole guests last spring when we rescued several hundred from the pool winter cover. (You can read that post here.) In June through mid-August Dave fed them cooked up shredded lettuce, but they weren't getting … [Read more...]
Bunny Wars IV – Snow Caves with Built In Larders – A Tie
The last two winters have been hard on the wildlife here with bitter cold and deep snow. The snow drifts over the shrubbery around the house make great snow caves for bunnies and squirrels. All winter I watched the rabbits jump in the holes in the mounds of snow right outside my office … [Read more...]
How to Keep Birds Alive During Bitter Cold Winter Days
Birds can fluff up during the cold and survive - if they get enough to eat and if they can get water to drink. This weekend brought bitter cold, wind and a foot of snow to southeast Michigan. It snowed about 8 inches Saturday night. Sunday morning was quite pleasant with no wind and mid 20s and I … [Read more...]
Trees After An Ice Storm
Ice storms leave trees and shrubs, cars and roads all coated with a layer of ice. Sunday morning we woke up to a beautiful scene with trees all sparkling under a layer of ice and yesterday they were even prettier with a bit of snow. This is Sunday morning. Can you see the ice at the tips of … [Read more...]