Mtn Ranch in late April

 Jon went up to the Mtn Ranch the last two weekends in April. The first one was for fun, the second was for hunting with more than his camera. He took pictures of quite a few birds, a couple are ones not usually found in this area, so that was super exciting. We'll start off this mountain visit with a game. 

                                                                        Duck, Duck, GOOSE! 

These ladies reminded him a bit of the two geese from Disney's Aristocats. They were high stepping and walking with a stately bustle. 

This Tom was hanging around near them. Oddly, even though he has all the lovely feathers and struts around like he owns the place, it is the hens who appear to defend their Tom. 

Up above, Jon found this hawk. The video he took was really good, but haven't yet figured out how to upload videos from him into blogger. 

There were some younglings out snacking, too. So many four footed creatures look terrible in spring. Their fur is shedding and they look as if they could eat an entire field of wheat! 

Sandhill cranes migrate north each spring and return in the fall. They are often so high overhead you can't find them. Sometimes, however, you sight their dark 'V' against the bright blue of the sky and are amazed. Amazed at how far away they are, how loud they are, and how crazy it is they exist. They are definitely an oddly shaped avian.  

The next weekend Jon was up there, it was raining. From his camp he was able to look out on the pond over the fence and he found these absolutely bizarre birds. On All About Birds, a website I have used often, it shows these shore birds are not in this area. In a larger map, it shows they might be. I'm having some trouble understanding the map feature!! Anyway, these are black necked stilts. They have an interesting call and were very busy wading on their long pink legs and foraging for whatever might be edible in this small bit of water. Jon also noticed some other birds in with the stilts. The bird below is probably a snipe, it did have long legs when it was not swimming. 

A bowling pin..or is it a penguin? 

Look at those legs!!!!! This link will take you to All About Birds. :o)  They have the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, exceeded only by flamingos. 

Jon also found a very brown duck on the pond. It was cinnamon teal and his mate. Like the rest of the teals, you can't see the green bit on the wings unless they are in flight. They will nest in EO, so perhaps the pair will stick around! 

Jon had gone up on Friday night to hunt for turkey. He heard them calling and anticipated an easy day on Saturday. It didn't work out that way, though! After a day of rain and not rain and using his hen call, he was about to pack up and return to the house, when he decided to call once more. This time, he had an answer. The story is a lot more interesting in his own words, but I'll sum up. A hen came out of hiding to see about the 'calling hen' and Jon waited and waited. Eventually, the prominent tom strutted forth and Jon was able to take a shot. Looking at the variety of birds Jon found on the ranch these last weeks, the turkey is by fair the oddest. They have scaly long legs, incredible soft and stiff feathers full of stunning colors, a rather creepy lizard like head and neck in several mismatched colors, formidable beaks and talons, and something called a beard that is made up of actual hair jutting out of their chest! No one could come up with all those elements if they were given a skeleton and had no knowledge of this sort of fowl. 

I'd add a photo of the feathers and another of Jonathan, however, it appears the new Chromebook isn't compatible with my cell phone. Compatibility is a typical problem! 

      We had a half of the bird for dinner on Wednesday and it had a great flavor. It had been brined with a lot of water, about a TB of brown sugar, and a good deal of garlic salt with parsley. When it was cooked, I added most of a sliced apple and an eighth of a cucumber. I didn't know exactly how long to cook it, so parts were overcooked a bit, but overall, it was a good first time from the hunt to the oven. 

Waterfowl

Golden Eye are fairly common. Actually, the one we  see more often were not the Common Golden Eye, but the Barrows. The former has a lot more white on it and is a definite bright spot on the green water. Most of these photos were taken from the house through a window. For some reason the darn things didn't care to have me sit on the hill or on the bench near the water. Silly birds!!! 

We had some serious rain the first week I was in Alaska. It made me laugh to see the Golden Eye pair bobbing along on the rain pummeled water with their heads tucked under their wings! 

 This photo was one of those surprise shots. I had tiptoed outside and was focusing on the male when he noticed me and took off. Both of us were startled and I snapped the shutter in reflex. The picture isn't that great, but I was impressed it even remotely resembled a duck!!

This pair mom would have been thrilled to see. Last year was the first time we spied an American Wigeon male. It came up to feed with the mallards at mom's bowl of cracked corn. This year, there is a pair. The  lady looks a tad like a mallard, but not exactly. They are such a pretty couple!! I think he's still getting his summer feathers. The white on the top of his head isn't quite as white as it will get. 

It will be fun to see who else shows up around here and if any of them hang around! We could be a fly by sort of lake or maybe, just maybe, a few will attempt to raise broods. No matter, wherever the waterfowl eventually stay, that will be where they will build the best nest. 

Flowers and cats and frogs and birds, oh my!

So many things in one post!!! First, Steve's thrilled his (actually mine, but I'm terrible with houseplants) African Violet has finally started blooming again. It hasn't bloomed in ages, just a lot of green leaves. You can text him to give him pointers if you have his cell number! 

Jon got out his dad's birthday present. Moses wasn't as impressed as he was last year, mostly cuz he was alone in it!! 

 Mittens seemed to tolerate it for a while with her new two legger. .

 Maxwell T. Silverstone, however, was in bliss. A breeze, a safe warm haven, and a human to purr on top of.

This annoyed me. Jon thought it was a bag hung up on a tree, it was gone a few days later. Whatever it was, it does not belong out there floating around. 

Lovely lady bugs are everywhere. 

 This is the Lazuli Bunting Jon saw three of. All males waiting to stake out spots for a female. The girls are definitely going to be a lot more difficult to find, as usual, the guys are best dressed.

Saturday Jon went up to the Mountain Ranch. It snowed briefly, he saw numerous turkey and deer, and a lot of frogs. 

On Sunday, Jon was doing something outside while hummingbirds visited the feeder. The Rufous was fighting with a Calliope! Thankfully, Jon got photos of them visiting at different times. 

 And now we've come to the end of April 2019's posts!!!!! I leave for Alaska in a couple of weeks, so a mixed bag of photos will be forthcoming.

Pipe lines in Oregon and Alaska (5)

I'm glad I wasn't there for this. The sewer lines needed dug up. Steve and Jon did the manual labor and the company put in the new line. Jonathan thought it was entirely reminiscent of when he helped Randall dig  up the electrical line from the house to the garage last September. Although, he said it was hotter in Oregon and he didn't miss the mosquitoes. 

Steve said they had to take out this root below. The guys putting in the line said they often need to remove large roots and it should be ok. I hope so, that locust is rather tall and having it fall would be daunting. The pipes are all buried and now the guys get to put the sod back. It will be awhile til the yard is all pretty again, but the job is done and they can wash clothes and dishes and people again. Jon's still miffed about the internet being mucked up still! 

Not a lot has been going on with the pipeline by the house. Most of the work has been done elsewhere. I was able to talk to one of the managers and he told me the sounds I heard were real. Now I don't recall the name, but I was pretty thankful it wasn't my imagination! He also said they were moving faster as some new welders were helping and they were up to 20 a day instead of 6. 

I'd like to find out what these are for. Only a few pipes have this burnt ash end like thing. I'm assuming it is when it goes under the road. There have been many people out doing inspections and a welding truck drives by often. 

The lake is ice free finally and I need to retrieve the 'dock' from where I pulled it from the water last fall. So glad we have water in the lake this year!!!!!! The golden eye and mallards are fighting and the green teal are back! 

I visited the beach on Saturday for a bit. It was a bit frothy and chill, but so pretty!!!! No mountains, though. 

A Herald of May

These first two photos were taken before May 1, I had stopped by the bluff near the Senior Center and sighted a couple of beluga in the river. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a picture. It has been really windy the last couple of days and even the birds can't keep their plumage tidy! 

(

Immature eagle in the wind. Check out those talons! I met a couple from LaGrande while on the bluff. The man was looking for a good eagle photo, but said they were trash birds. I laughed. 

 May 1 I hiked thru the muskeg to see if I could capture a few waterfowl photos. I'm not sure I'll go out again, it was really wet! I forgot to pay attention to my feet and slipped in the grasses almost to the car, bad idea!!!

 I had gone out because earlier I had driven past and noticed this giant white bird on the ice. It was all folded up and I was afraid it was dead. Nope, it was just sleeping! I can't imagine sleeping on ice, but all the birds were doing it!

 The ice didn't seem to be more than a rather chilly shelf to hang out on. I laughed at this photo! Walking and sleeping on ice in the sun seemed the thing to do on the first day of May.

I think this is a lesser yellow legs, similar to the greater yellow legs, but smaller. I could be wrong, however.

 I took this to show how far away I was from the edge of the ice. I did walk up to the 'shore', it was uncertain in spots. I opted to stand where I could tell the ground was solid.

 There were lots of birds flying. These two passed over the icy lake and startled the lone swan on the ice. I think there were tern, but they were moving pretty darn fast to do more than see their white graceful shapes as they darted around.

 Muskeg!

These last photos I was on the edge of the shore, I had hoped the swan would come closer. It didn't.

 When I got back to the house, mum told me she had a flower getting ready to bloom. I'm so glad I scattered these seeds last year! I love their perky blooms. (violas)