Cedar Wax Wings Migrating

Every year we have thousands of Cedar Wax Wings pass through our area.  They love the seed pods on the cedar trees, feed and strip the trees and leave.  It's a lot of fun to watch their groups fly in unison.  Of course they do make a lot of noise...which keeps our "local" birds upset...

Cedar Wax Wing Information

Bird Nest and Adapting

Wow, guess winter is really here.  This morning it was 18 degrees with a light refreshing breeze... ha.  We are still in much better shape than our friends West and North of us.  We do have a little bit of snow in the forecast for this weekend..we shall see what happens.

As I went up to the barn this morning to take care of the critters this little used nest caught my eye.  I don't usually stop and look at a "used" nest but this one looked a little different to me.  It is amazing how the animals and birds adapt to their surroundings.  I have no idea what type of bird built this next, I guess that really doesn't matter.  What I thought was interesting is the fact that they used all the resources available to them.  Small twigs, grasses, dog hair, horse hair and goat hair to build their nest.  My camera is not the greatest for close up pictures but you should get the idea.  The long black strands are from the horse, the long white hair is from the dog (s), and the shorter fine white hair is from the goats.  All this in one little bitty birds nest..

Hummingbirds at their finest..

Please excuse my videos..I have not mastered editing them yet...(that maybe never)  We are currently feeding 10# of sugar a week.  I could spend hours watching these guys feed.

Winter's Last Glory????

Today, I think I can safely say the worst of winter is over..there is actually a day with 70 degrees in the forecast...but this past Sunday and Monday was a different story...

A pair of Bluebirds wondering "what happened to spring?"

This is the "Seven" we've been feeding this winter.  They showed up with sleet covered backs extremely hungry.

Before the sleet and cold

Thanks to my "Big Brother" our little goats have had a really cool place to learn how to jump, climb and slide.  

 Notice all the sticks in the barn yard?  Great Pyrs are pack rats, they will bring home anything they can carry or drag.

There is nothing more beautiful than the Eagle.

End of January

Very strange dry winter... warm ... cold.... warm.... cold.. We are still in a drought, strange to see dust in January in Missouri.  Critters are coming to visit a lot more these days...

Red Tail Hawk Baby Hawk Video

Barn Guest Again..

John found this little guy today in the woods.  Must have fell out of his nest.  It was having problems with bugs and bees by the time I got home.  Put it in the bucket and feed it some red meat.  Really getting an attitude by dark.  Think it may be a baby hawk.

Update:  Baby Hawk was picked up by Missouri Dept. of Conservation and taken to a rescue home.  Little guy started eating on it's own before it left.  Thanks Eric!! After all it was 100 degrees.

Buzzard's Hang Out

Every fall the buzzards gather on this (about a mile from our house) Conservation Fire Tower.  This is a light day, on a good day the tower can be black with the perched birds with an even larger group circling.

Red Tail Hawk HOT August 2, 2011 109 degrees on the Car Thermometer

The critters are looking for water anywhere they can find it!

A New Barn Guest

This little guy was first noticed this past Monday, when my DH went to use the tractor.  It has found a really cozy spot, and the barn is full of mice and other little goodies..I haven't had a chance to find out what type of owl this is.  I am sure it is a screech owl, just not sure what it's official name is.

Hummingbirds

Spring has officially arrived.  The Hummers are back.  We feed a pretty good group every year, we mix up 10 pounds of sugar every week to keep these guys happy.

Blue Birds

Last spring we had a little problem with our Blue Bird population...they tried to move into the house with us...or least on to our porch..they were flying up and down the sliding glass windows, hanging on the screens just generally making a mess of things. So this spring we decided to fix the housing shortage before they tried to move in again... We made the Peterson Style house, it seems to work the best for us and the birds.

As Eagles Fly...

Returning home from the Lake of Ozarks this morning we saw a gathering of Eagles....there were 11 in a group in a couple trees. We rushed home for the camera. Many of the people that live in the area have counted as many as 40 in a group...They are AMAZING Birds!!