Anyway, since Sunday was a beautiful and sunny late winter day, Mr. Johnson offered to take me for a birding drive in the afternoon. That's always fun for me because it means he'll stop the car whenever I see something interesting that demands a closer look with binoculars or camera. We were only a few miles from home when I spotted this:
A pair of Red-Tailed Hawks with thoughts of love and starting a new family!Here's a close-up of the happy couple.
This was the second side-by-side pair we saw over the weekend. I think it's just so neat to see something like that.I thought this stream made a pretty picture.
A few weeks ago we had a big thaw and some rain. Many of the streams and rivers flooded and this one was no exception. Here are some of the huge ice chunks that were still left along the bank of this stream.
I'm guessing these chunks were at least 12 inches thick. Can you imagine how much force the water in this stream must have had to dump these huge chunks of ice up on the bank? Wow!
We saw lots and lots of wild turkeys on our drive too, but none close enough for pictures except for this one silly hen turkey pacing and clucking because she couldn't figure out how to get over a fence and into the woods. I guess she forgot she could fly......
17 comments:
The picture you got of the pretty little stream is nice enough to be framed. Lovely!
Wow, those are SOME chunks of ice there! How funny to see the hen so confused...lol!
Love the red tailed hawks photo. I saw two this weekend too and they were so fun to see together.
Glad the turkey finally found a way out w/ your assistance of course. ;o)
What a neat day and such great pictures. I've always heard that turkeys are a bit on the stupid side!
A love story, a gorgeous stream, chunks of ice, and a confused turkey.
Man, you are really busy!
But sound like you are having fun.
Hi Mama Pea,
I was surprised how well this picture turned out. It's on my desktop as wallpaper and looks great!
Hi Jayne,
I was surprised to see how huge those chunks were too!
Turkeys aren't always the smartest bird.
Hi Kallen,
It's fun to see the red-tails together, normally I only see them perched singly.
That stupid turkey had been trying to get through that fence for quite some time--she had a pretty deep path worn into the snow where she had been pacing.
Hi Lynne,
As far as I can tell, turkeys are pretty dumb except during hunting season--then it's hard to outwit them!
I have seen deer puzzled by fences but not turkeys. The stream picture is very lovely. I hate to "brag" but our river threw ice chunks the size of small cars. Actually, they were very destructive. You have far more snow than we do but it is very cold here. I hope your work situation changes to your satisfaction soon.
Howdee...
Those are sure some large chunks of ice..and a lovely river photo.
Thanks for pointing out the Mr and Mrs red tail home..very cool.
As for turkeys..I was out looking for some today here in Florida...no go..but found allot of tracks that I think were turkey.
This was a fun drive Ruthie. Thanks for taking us along. I loved the stream picture. I can't beleive that turkey was having such difficulty. They are usually smarter than that.
ROFL @ that poor dumb turkey! Happy ending indeed :) Hope she's smarter than that when finding a place to hide from her predators!
That ice was amazing. I hear it's cold there, but have no understanding at all HOW cold it must be, but that ice sure does make me imagine it!
Love is definitely in the air. And I'm enjoying the hell out of it. When I see a pair perched together, the girls and I sing, "Red-tailed hawks, sittin' in a tree...."
I love that picture with the heart. Love it, love it.
It was fun to stop this evening at your home and see the deer in the lites. It is really somthing to see these magnificant animals up SO close. Great pics for a Sunday PM drive.
MOM
What a delightful day's drive. Seeing Red tails here also. Ain't spring mating grand? But I could do without those ice cubes.
Now I get to guess where those pics were taken. Now let me see...hmnn.
Hi Donna,
Busy is right! I was amazed at all the neat stuff we saw in our short Sunday afternoon drive.
Hi Ruth,
I think you had some worse flooding this winter than we did, right? That ice is very destructive--especially in the huge chunks you spoke of.
Hi Dawn,
Is it the Osceola turkey you're searching for down there? Or are there Eastern wild turkeys also? I hope you find some!
Hi Lisa,
I wondered about that turkey too, but this particular fence went all the way to the ground & maybe she was new to the area?
Hi Red,
It was a really brushy area where that turkey was, so maybe she didn't want to fly up? I don't know, I'm just glad I finally got her moving in the right direction. Poor silly thing!
About that ice.....if you wanted to drive your car out on the lake for ice fishing, ice that thick would be able to hold your car!
Hi Susan,
I'm sure you know I was thinking of you when I took that Red-Tailed Hawk picture! I don't know how that nest stays in the tree with all the wind we have around here, but I'll check back periodically to see how their family is progressing.
Thanks Mom, I'm glad you and Dad got to see those deer too.
Hi Gaelyn,
I'll have to check that stream again in April and see if those big chunks are melted yet--especially those ones on the north side that will never get any sun.
Hi Troutbirder,
All of the photos were taken in Olmsted County....there was so much stuff to see up here we barely had time to get into Fillmore County.
Hey Ruthie! I guess turkeys aren't the world's brightest birds. Isn't it frustrating to watch them and not be able to assit.
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