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Woodpeckers that is.
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There was a nice pileated at our suet nugget feeder out back …
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And another on our choke cherry tree out front at the same time.
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It’s rare enough to see one of these large beauties on the property… no less two.
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Like I say..
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It was a banner day for peckers.
😉
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Our Coopers Hawk is back..
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And has staked out the bird feeding station.
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His Lordship kept a close watch.
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As did I…
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💕
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Our Coopers Hawk returned yesterday and hung out for almost an hour, which is quite unusual.
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His Lordship was fascinated and kept a close eye on the visitor this time.
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I’m not sure what held this beautiful guy’s attention for so long… but I’m not complaining.
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I enjoyed watching him almost as much as Dudley.
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💕
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I spied someone on the deck railing recently, and as you can see… the royal feline was clueless.
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The someone was a juvenile Coopers Hawk.
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There’s good hunting under our bird feeders and this beauty was seriously interested.
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After ten minutes of me taking pictures and saying hey, there’s a big bird outside…
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His Lordship caught on.
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Hullo gawgeous!
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Raptors are fascinating creatures.
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And seeing one this close is a special experience.
❤️
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On an overcast and dreary day, my husband went out back to battle the trees.
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If you remember, we planted 6 trees in the north forty 2 years ago. Four maples and two cherries. The maples are thriving, the cherries are dead… thanks in no small part to the deer who apparently see cherry wood and think “snack time”!
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Dry and brittle, my husband thought it would be a simple thing to rip them out of the ground.
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He was mistaken.
Our miserable backyard clay was not letting go.
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He pulled, he tugged, he dug, and finally resorted to sawing them down.
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Take that you stubborn dead tree.
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Healthy maple tree on the right.
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Dead cherry #2.
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Just as difficult to remove as #1.
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A hard fought battle.
But he was victorious .
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Someone was enjoying the patio furniture on our deck the other afternoon….
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And it wasn’t me.
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This does not bode well.
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Not well at all.
She looks way too comfortable.
🥴
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Momma chuck and her one remaining baby were at the feeding station yesterday and after I took this picture, I realized what else was there.
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Look in the two flat bird feeders.
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Two red b*tches.
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Two!
Batten down the hatches.
That’s double trouble for sure.
😱
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Our backyard used to be filled with butterflies. When we moved here 20+ years ago, not a day went by without seeing a dozen flutter by.
Now?
They’re a rare sight.
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Which is why I run for my phone when one does make an appearance.
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Such delicate beauty..
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I miss them.
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💕
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The hostas by our kitchen landing are having a good year.
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A really good year. Tall and full of pale purple blooms.
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The day lilies that were dug up by our neighbor’s tractor when our water line burst a few years ago have finally come back to life.
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Half are yellow, half are this interesting double ruffle peach and coral.
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Sadly these two by the road are full of weeds..
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But the colors are spectacular.
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In other news… His Lordship almost caught the dreaded red b*tch.
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That rotten red rodent was sitting on the stone wall chattering at him, taunting him … swishing her tail and daring him to lunge.
So he did.
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But sadly, he missed… and she disappeared into the wall.
Almost, Dudley.
Almost.
🥴
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten heard something in the woodchuck burrow .
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten investigated.
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On the other end of the woodchuck burrow?
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A woodchuck.
Lord Dudley Mountcatten switched sides and waited on that end.
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Which meant a woodchuck popped up on the first side.
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So His Lordship switched sides again and waited.
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And finally, after Lord Dudley’s servant was tired of standing in the heat and about to drag him back in the house….
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Interspecies communication.
Disclaimer – no woodchucks (or cats!) were harmed in the making of this blog.
😊
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