Critters and Wild Fruits

[Old Dude]

Sometimes home gives us some decent pictures as I found out when I got home this morning from Miss Daisy's walk. I started up the walk and saw this little fellow flitting from bloom to bloom. I just can't get the good pic they deserve though.



The wetlands gave me just a few things as the green heron continued it's mockery of my silent hunting skills. He kept calling out and saying something in Heronese as he'd fly by, just too quick to give me a non blurry pic. I will get him yet though. He doesn't know how stubborn I can be.
The dragonflies must be mating and/or laying eggs. They are flying everywhere.


This Northern Flicker was the most cooperative thing for me this morning even though it wouldn't come any closer than the top of the tree across the canal.


I took the chipmunk pic last week but couldn't decide what it was eating until I saw the ripening wild blueberries this week.


These might be the largest wild grapes I have ever seen. Normally they are much smaller.

 

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[worldtalker]

My Mom had feeders out for hummers,there were too many to count some days.

Patients my friend,he'll give you a shot when the time and light is right.Have you watched those dragon flies drop parts of their prey?

GOD Bless

Chris

 

[Old Dude]

We have feeders for the hummers scattered around but it seems there is always one " boss " that runs the rest off. It will sit and wait, just watching. No I haven't seen dragonflies do that. I didn't even know they did!
I checked on the Pileated tree and it still was there calling and just sticking it's head out. I think it is either a fledgling afraid to leave the nest or maybe a parent afraid to leave the young alone.

When we made it around to the path along the river, this buck came out of nowhere and ran into the bean field. Second one I saw today but I accidentally deleted pics of the one from this morning. They were much closer.

 

[worldtalker]

Oh ya,they are voracious hunters for sure..eat on the fly dropping little tid bits here and there.

GOD Bless

Chris

 

[tamrock]

Your sure getting around there OD of PA. Great encounters.

 

[austin]

Some of the best pics of some very rare things...

 

[kcm]

Hummingbirds - great pics; especially like the first. Colors of the 2nd are amazing. We normally have a feeder just out the window (not up this year with all the clover). Yes, normally one bully chasing all others away. However, we watched for a long time and noticed that some of the birds seemed to take turns drawing the attention of the bully, then others would zip in and drink a bit. It almost seemed to be a game of tag, although I'm sure the bully didn't think so.

"Have you watched those dragon flies drop parts of their prey?"
Yes, many times. They're not quite out in force here yet. Have only seen a few here and there. Not as many varieties as we had in Texas, but sometimes the sky is full of them!

Was out today and grabbed some raspberries for the wife. Seems we have a bumper crop this year. Unfortunately, while I was grabbing the berries, lots of skeeters were grabbing me!

Good-sized grapes! Don't know if that's the same kind of wild grape as what we had in Texas growing up. Ours were called Muscadines and were a deep, dark purple. Much thicker skin than store-bought grapes, and usually quite tart. Mom used to make Muscadine jelly. We happened to find a little left in the fridge after Dad passed away, so my wife tried it. I like grape jam as far as store-bought goes, but homemade Muscadine jelly is amazing!

At our last place, we had giant woodpeckers. Never knew they could get so huge! Here, is mostly common varieties, I think including the Pileated. Also have lots and lots of Sapsuckers. Have never had the chance to see either while in their tree. Thanks for the pics!!

Wow! That's a huge buck! Wish we could see more bucks around here - but they tend to stay deeper in the brush. Lots of does and bambi's though.

OD, your pics greatly add to the amazing diversity of Tnet, along with Tamrock's, Chris's and Ronwoodcraft's...and a few others now and then. Great work - ALL of you!