First Robin of the year, early Spring?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:26 pm

Saw the first Robin of the year on Thursday, hoping this means an early Spring!

Squirrels are out too.

Steve

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:35 am

Wow!

Early spring I hope!!

Great pictures Steve!

Mark

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:45 am

They are still hanging around, so hopefully that means something

Thanks for the photo comments, those are some of the first I've done using a manual focus lens.

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:31 pm

or they're frozen in place

Great photography Steve.
Pro photogs, look out.

Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:46 pm

Thanks Barb, Photography just gives me something to do when I'm not taking care of my plants

Steve

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:20 pm

I must say those are some nice pics!

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:48 am

Thanks! A couple more photos to add,

Steve

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:58 am

Steve,
Great shots of the robin and the tree rat. Tree rats sure look cute until they terrorize your bird feeders and dig 5000 holes in
your sod. I could do without them! As for the robin what a welcome site that is, birds are great. They've been chirping away
like mad lately, definitely a good sign of spring.

Bill

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:03 am

"Tree Rat".................lol
I hear that, they climb up in the trees and throw walnuts at me when I'm working in the yard

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:10 am

A sure sign of spring.
March 7 pic Meadowlark?

throw walnuts at me

Do your cats chase the squirrels away/capture them?

Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:51 am

Barb, I'm not sure what species of bird that is

And yes, the cats do catch a few squirrels. This seems to favor the intelligent & quick footed ones remaining

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:33 pm

the intelligent & quick footed ones remaining

...that know how to throw walnuts.

Yup, looked up the bird in my book...meadowlark.
Slight variations from the ones we have here.

Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:42 pm

Thanks for the ID

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:02 pm

You're welcome, Steve.

Meadowlarks nest on the ground, and have become increasingly rare here as more and more farmland is actively worked, destroying their habitat.
And the increase of hawks/eagles/owls etc. now that people don't use DDT, equates to increased predation from above.
Between that and coyotes, meadowlarks don't stand a chance.

Their loud warbling song is lovely.
Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:29 am

Considering the Western Meadowlark is the state bird of Kansas, I should have known that............lol

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:30 pm

That is funny!

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:59 pm

Steve,
Robins are one of my favorite birds! I love the babies, MEP MEP MEP!! I had to save two of them two years ago as they fell out of my
pear tree early. I chased them around the yard for 2 hours and then gave up, but later on they came to me. I pretty much feed them
by hand, a very gratifying feeling. The parents stayed close too, as the babies nested in some evergreen bushes along the back of my
property.

Good to see wildlife knows who has there back!

Bill

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:23 pm

I always seem to get my share of animals to take care of.

One of my neighbors brought this kitten over last October,
(found in their yard on a cold day with no sign of the mother)

Lost about a month of sleep taking care of him, but doing good today

Steve

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:45 am

Good deal! A future tree rat hunter

Bill

oppalm · Post by **oppalm** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:11 pm

Knnn wrote:Considering the Western Meadowlark is the state bird of Kansas, I should have known that............lol

I was going to say Steve .... all good Kansans know the Western Meadowlark when they see one. We used to see them on my grandparents farm.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:00 pm

BILL MA wrote:Good deal! A future tree rat hunter

Bill

Hehehahahoho

He will need to get a little bigger!

Jova · Post by **Jova** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:58 pm

Steve, 1up on the excellent photography! And Bill... The way we take care of those "tree rats" around here usually involves a 12 gauge shotgun and some game loads... There's no fat on em', so can be a bit tough, but if ya cook em' right, it's not bad! Skinning them is the worst part though... not really worth it for the small amount of meat that you get, but that's just my opinion:)

Eric

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:16 am

Not to mention breaking a tooth on some shot!