Christmas Visitors

These mule deer are 60 yards from the house - we could count two does and four fawns.

Trumpeter Swans

The trumpeter swans return to Orchard Lake for a short visit each fall. I was about 80 yards from these two and watched them for at least 10 minutes. My border collie Jesse waited patiently behind me.

Looking for Mom

This spring calf moose was alone and we wondered where mom was. He ran around a little pasture close to the house. The calf really didn't seem afraid of us but at the same time in obvious distress - we could hear him crying and making baby talk. At one point the moose was within thirty feet of the house when I took a photo. During this event we heard a coyote howling and wondered if the predator hadn't separated the calf from his mom. Eventually the cow did show up and that little calf moose ran as fast as he could to reach her.

Charlie Chipmunk

Charlie has been hanging around the barn the last few days.

Visiting Moose

Bullwinkle and his sister visited this morning. Two yearling calf moose were within 150 yards of the house.

June 4 - Growing Up

The babies are all grown up and learning to fly. We found one in the nest and siblings in the grass close by. They are flying short distances - it was so cool to watch.

June 4, 2006

Momma Blackbird doesn't like visitors to the nest.

May 31, 2006

12 days old and look how the baby birds have grown!

Baby Blackbirds - May 23, 2006

I checked on the blackbird nest today and was surprised to see the new babies. They are tiny and partially covered with fine down. Can you see the baby with the open beak?

Blackbird Nest - May 19,2006

Found this nest of blackbird eggs in a clump of bush under a small log on the ground. Momma was up above in a tree making a lot of noise to chase us away from her babies.