Crossing Hasty Brook

Hasty Brook has a different face when the leaves are down. The tall grasses that grow along the banks have died back and the contours of the land are visible. Here is the west side of our land, across the creek, out of reach.
The water is much clearer than it looks in this photo. I liked the reflection of the trees on the water. The pines are more visible with the leaves down too. I notice the range of greens in them, more so on such a cloudy day.
Art has been wanting to check out the old beaver dam all summer. He felt confident that we could cross the creek over the dam. He's much more daring than I! The water just this side of the dam is 4-5 feet deep and COLD!
He crossed it! At this point I'm so envious it's unbearable. I NEED to be on the other side. Not sure how, but I did it. The dam was squishy and bouncy. If you look down while standing on it, you can see the water running through under your feet. For most folks this is no big deal, but it was for me. (I really cannot climb stairs that I can see through) The land over there was beautiful- all high and dry. It must have been logged out some years ago as there is a lot of younger (4-6 inch) aspen growth along with old balsam, black spruce and birch.


Blogger won't upload pictures at all this morning, but I can post 4 pictures through "Blog this" in Picasa, so it will have to be lots of short posts for me!

Going Up North!

FINALLY!! We didn't get on the road until Thursday morning. It was yet another gray, chilly day- winter does seem to have an early grip. We've definitely missed the fall color peak in northern Minnesota. To be honest, these more muted reds, golds and rust colors are my favorites. The oaks in the central part of the state hold on to their leaves a little longer and the colors are gentler.
Further north we drove into beautiful patches of tamaracks. Deb at Sand Creek Almanac did a lovely post about tamarack trees that is beautifully descriptive of these pretty trees. As a girl I always thought tamaracks were junky swamp trees. Nonsense!












Here we are! The view turning into Hasty Brook makes my heart glad. The birches had just started to yellow when I was there last, and now all of the leaves are down. The little puffs of white on stems along the driveway are the asters gone to seed. The creek runs about 150 feet to the left of the road, makes a curve beyond the pines seen in the distance, and doubles back 150 feet along the right side of the road. We have 10 acres, with roughly 5 acres on each side of the creek. All of our exploring has been on this, the west side of the creek- until Thursday! I'll post more when blogger allows me to upload more pictures.

Going Up North

I took this picture of our front entryway last week before the frost made slime out of the impatiens. I swapped them out with bright yellow mums and they look pretty nice. Look closely at the little hay bale on the cart at the right. I found the two fake crows at a local craft store! A couple of visitors have been convinced that they are real birds!

Finally, tomorrow after school we're heading up to Hasty Brook. We haven't been up there since the end of August. Between my working every other weekend and school activities for the kids, we couldn't get away. I'm going in to work a short shift (2300-0200) tonight and I have a bunch of errands to do tomorrow before the kids get home, then pack up the car, drive 2 1/2 hours, hook up the electricity, air out the camper, get the furnace going, make supper... A long day on not much sleep, but I'm going to Hasty Brook- truely the most beautiful place in my world!

AMEN!!! 

Fox Sparrows

A few fox sparrows joined the mixed flock at the feeders on Saturday. These guys are pretty skittish compared to the rest of the sparrows and juncoes. They race through the gravel under the feeders, scratching up fallen seed.
This is a new yard bird for me. I'm sure they've been here, but I have only tried telling sparrows apart since spring. A great book for sparrow identification is Identify Yourself by Bill Thompson III. Maybe I'll try warblers next.

Juncoes

The juncoes moved in with the cold front on Sunday. They started in a trickle and this morning there are 50+ in the yard! Some might find their colors drab, but I think they are elegant little birds. Their bills and feet look especially pink against the snow.

Hey you photographer bloggers out there- any ideas why the majority of my bird pics have white eyes? It makes them look a bit evil! I need advice please.


 

Feeding Frenzy

Brisk winds and temperatures in the upper 20's sparked a feeding frenzy in the back yard. These goldfinches were bickering over thistle rights, while others were in a holding pattern in the lilacs waiting for an open spot.
This downy chased off a hairy to get a this suet feeder. Cheeky little bugger!
Earlier this summer Claudia Cardinale would never have allowed these house finches so close while eating.

The white-throated sparrows have been around for about two weeks now. I look foreward to their arrival, scratching around the yard. This one was enjoying a sun-dried tomato (fell off the vine and dried on the patio!). I've noticed that their "Poor Sam Peabody" song sounds very puny and watery this fall. Is it the season? Any ideas?

The high temps are supposed to move back into the 50's this weekend. We need alot more fall weather before the big white cold comes. 

First Flake!

Here it comes boys and girls! I just saw my first SNOWFLAKE of the season!

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Sunday was alot of good things. The Vikings beat Detroit in a painfully exciting game at the Dome. Can you say Ba-OOOO!!! There were penalties and turn-overs and odd plays that kept me jumping in my seat!

This beautiful Red-bellied Woodpecker came through the back yard checking out the suet. I had just put fresh suet out in all three feeders so I hope he comes back. What a gorgeous bird!

I got a new camera for my birthday. It's a Nikon Coolpix S10- so cool! The monitor pivots away from the lens, so I can take pictures at odd angles and around corners. Super stealth! Lot's of time on Sunday to play around with it.

I didn't have to work. (healthcare is open 24-7 and sometimes I hate that)

Sunday was Lynne-designated Lynne day- no cooking, no cleaning, no running any where!


Sigh... 

Sunday is Bath Day!

Hey you! Get out of here! Some privacy please.

Predator

Any ideas what kind of predator got this bird? Art found this heap of feathers this morning (6AM) in the front yard near the pine trees and the basketball hoop. The pile was actually more compact than is pictured, as the breeze had picked up and tussled them a bit. There was no blood, no tissue, no beak or feet. Only a compact pile of feathers.

Robin breast feathers?

Rocket J. Squirrel

Well, I can check another item off of my life wish list. I got to touch a flying squirrel! I have had a fascination (bordering on obsession) with flying squirrels for a few years since I first saw them in my back yard. A family of four moved into this very expensive carved bird house. On closer inspection, they had chewed the nostril to enlarge the entrance, but I didn't care because I had never seen such beautiful little creatures. We learned to time it so we would stand by the tree when the squirrels left the house for their night of hunting and gathering food. They seemed not to mind our presence at all. They were hard to keep an eye on though because they are FAST.

Sadly, they abandoned this nest after the gray squirrels sniffed out their food stash. I feel partly to blame because I had put out so many nuts for the flyers. This spring we hung a "flying squirrel condo" - it's amazing what you can find on ebay! A few weeks ago we found that flyers had moved in!
On Saturday my favorite bird store had a presentation by a fellow who owns several flying squirrels. Just look at that face! I had read that flying squirrel fur is very soft. This little guy's fur felt like warm silk.

Here you can see the stretchy flap of skin (patagium) that allows the squirrel to glide from place to place. You don't need to go to Fostbite Falls, Minnesota to find flying squirrels. I found them in my back yard.

Buddy in the Garden

Every morning our dog Gidget and our bunny Buddy race me to the back door for their morning romp in the back yard. I usually take my coffee outside with me because it take a bit for Gidget to do her business and thoroughly sniff the yard for overnight intruders. Buddy always hops straight for this flower bed and checks it over from one end to the other. When he's satisfied that all is in order, he tears across the yard to follow Gidget on her rounds.

"Can you see me back here?"

"The meal worms are all gone- you better fill it."

"This looks tasty!"

"We want to go in NOW!"

"Tired... "

Along the Creek

I just finished a long and difficult weekend working nights in a local trauma center. I need to see something pretty. Don't have much to say though.

Joe-Pye weed.
Square-stemmed Monkey Flower.
Dock-leaved Smartweed.
This fern was four feet tall. I really need to get up north.