The Arrival of New Life on the Farm

A good friend recently e-mailed asking if everything was alright.  He lives quite a few states away and became concerned when he noticed that Country Captures had not been updated since March 31st.  Frankly time had slipped away without me realizing that nearly a month had passed since I had last shared with you.  This post is one example of the reasons why I have neglected the blog in the past months.

 

When I arrived at the farm Friday evening the first thing I noticed was the cow I had named Bandit standing apart from the herd.  It was obvious that she was in labor.  Notice how she is kicking her belly, a sure sign that labor has commenced.  While labor can run into hours, with a mature cow it can proceed rapidly if all is well.  The first photo was taken at 4:44 pm with the second taken just 33 minutes later.  While it takes a year or more for a newborn human baby to take its first steps, the newborn bull calf was standing up 26 minutes after birth and taking his first shaky steps just nine minutes later! 

 

So while I haven't been posting much recently, all is well and I am still enjoying observing and photographing the miracle of life outdoors.

 

 

Nose to Nose

Down on the farm everybody is nose to nose!

The spring has brought the wood frogs to the vernal pools to spawn.  Nose to nose, this pair seem particularly interested in one another.

A pair of young calves pause to nuzzle a moment before returning to cavorting about the pasture.

 

Being ready to capture special moments can make the difference between snapshots and memorable photographs.

 



Spring Time Creek Sitting

Spring is officially here.  Sometimes it feels like it while at other times its hard to discern it from winter.

 

With half an inch of new snow on the ground, Saturday morning was one of those times that felt like winter.  The ice has thawed from the creek bordering our family farm and that is where I placed my little pop-up blind in hopes of photographing passing waterfowl.  During the course of the morning I was entertained by hooded mergansers, wood ducks, an immature bald eagle, Canada geese, a muskrat, and an early arriving phoebe.  Also present in good numbers were the usual year around residents; juncos chickadees', cardinals, titmice, and blue jays with red bellied woodpeckers drumming in the background.  The following are a few Saturday's better creek sitting photos.

 

 

Spring Babies

Spring signals a time of new life in the world of wildlife.  And down on the farm the cattle are busy birthing a new generation just in time to take advantage of the lush spring pasture that will begin growing shortly.  Human, wild or domestic, babies just can't help being too cute!

 

March: Wind & Snow

 

March, is a month of transition, some days are like winter while others are more spring like.  With snow falling today and tonight's temps to be in the single digits, one would never guess that spring is only two weeks away. 

 

Winter will soon be past but for some animals spring will not arrive soon enough.  Last year's growing season provided mast, grasses, and browse that wildlife depends upon to get through the winter however by now many of those foods are or will soon be exhausted.  It has been my experience that small fawns, weakened by winter, frequently will die about the time the grass begins to green in spring.

 Birds that flock to feeder are more aggressive now than they were a few weeks ago.

 

Earlier in the year the bird feeders were a nicety, a place for an easy meal.  Now with natural foods becoming more difficult to find fights between birds frequently erupt. 

 

Soon spring will usher in a new season of abundance, but until then many species of wildlife are facing their hungriest time of the year.

Snood Mood

Today's post focuses upon the snood of the Eastern Wild Turkey.

 

The snood, the small fleshy protuberance on the turkey's forehead, changes length and color depending upon the gobblers mood.  When the bird is not aroused as pictured here, the snood is short and pale.

As the bird begins to become aroused the snood begins to lengthen.

In conjunction with the lengthening of the snood the gobbler's head changes colors from being predominately red to varying shades of red, white, and blue.

I have read of research where snood length directly correlates with mating success.  Studies have shown that females preferring gobblers with the longest snoods.

If that is indeed the case, this long snooded bird should have no problems finding a mate come spring!

Winter with the hope of Spring

Southern Pennsylvania remains locked in winter.

 

The above image is a ten image pano shot vertically with a Canon 6D, 600mm f4 IS USM, stitched and processed with PS CS5.

But the hope of spring can be seen in the mountain laurel buds waiting for the first warm days.

And in the increased strutting of the local wild turkey gobblers.

  While we experienced the coldest temperatures of the winter during the past week, in just a few short weeks spring will be bursting forth with new life.  I can hardly wait!!

Mood Swings: Eastern Wild Turkey

Some birds change plumage for different seasons.  Many species change their appearance considerable between breeding and non-breeding plumage.  The eastern wild turkey gobblers do not change plumage however they most certainly do change appearance when the mood strikes them.

 

 

A Eastern Wild Turkey gobbler stares down the lens. 

 

 

Some of the gobbler's bright colors can be seen in this capture. 

 

 

But it is only when a gobbler is in full strut that he fully displays his patriotic colors.

 

The blurry forms of other gobblers can be seen in the background of this close-up shot.

 

Although we are now experiencing the coldest temperatures of the winter, the gobblers are already anticipating the upcoming spring mating season.

Unexpected Encounter

 

 

With winter fully upon us the creek that borders two sides of the family farm has frozen sufficiently that it is mostly safe for walking.  I took advantage of the ice conditions yesterday to hike along one side of our farm looking for photo opportunities. 

 

 

The perspective one gets from walking on the water is quite different than what is available most of the year.

 

And the frozen water lends a different look to the scene as well.

 

As I was taking this walk looking for landscape shots and not wanting to be burdened down with heavy gear, I was carrying a Canon EOS 6D with a 24-105mm lens attached.  With that outfit I was unprepared for what was to happen next.

 

As I approached a small area of open rapids I noticed a small animal swimming in the water.  At first glance I thought muskrat but a moment later as it pulled itself out on the ice I could see that it was mink!  Now mink are not uncommon in my area but seeing one certainly is as they are a very secretive animal.  As the mink hadn't seemed to have noticed me I continued moving its way as it hurried along the shoreline towards me, searching for a meal.  While the smooth ice allowed me to walk quietly I was surprised that the mink as so engrossed with checking the shoreline that it didn't notice me walking towards it with no cover whatsoever.  I was able to get to within about forty feet of it before the ice cracked under my weight, making a hollow booming sound as the pressure crack seemed to run the length of the ice sheet.

With that the mink took notice of me and after staring me down for a moment wheeled, ran to the open water, and slipped in.  The encounter was over as quickly as it had began leaving me with both memories and images of a rare sighting in the Pennsylvania Outdoors.

 

Two Photos, Forty Years

 

Today, while passing through a nearby dirt road I was drawn to the stark beauty of the old snag standing in a windswept pasture.

 

Forty years ago on a bright spring morning I photographed this very same fruit tree loaded down with blossoms.