It is good to know someone that you can trust to do fast and accurate work. I also appreciate your follow up and concern for my satisfaction. I couldn't ask for more!
“The fact that the animals make it this far is a testament because the odds are very daunting,” says Highland Mills wildlife expert JJ Murphy of www.writerbynature.com. Still, she adds, spring is “a lovely time of birth and renewal.”
It feels good to be affirmed.
Living in the 21st Century, it’s easy to forget that, when dealing with the essential issue of survival, so much depends on luck and skill.
The days are still getting longer and at least I do not need a car to embrace woods time. That’s a good thing, since the $2000 I spent to fix up my now dead car is more than what the insurance company thinks the car is worth. As for the injuries I sustained, at least I have access to health care. In a survival situation, I’d be in very big trouble.
I am truly blessed as baby animals, having no idea what kind of critter I am, get closer than they should. Sometimes I get a great photo. Sometimes I just focus on the moment. I am deeply grateful to live in an area yet undevastated by human greed and incompetence.
I have a place to pray and meditate. I hope my prayers are heard.
It’s rare to get snow conditions that reveal as much track detail as I’ve seen this year. It’s even more surprising to be able to watch the animals move in their tracks and then have those tracks to study.
This group of wild turkeys were in a relatively open area.
I was so busy focusing on the hawk, I don’t know what the squirrel did next, but the hawk sat there for another minute or so - long enough for me to get a few shots like this:
The hawk flew off in the direction of the squirrel. I didn’t hear or see anything. I haven’t found any tracks that suggest the two did more than surprise each other.
Later on, I got in touch with Bird Lady and learned this immature Cooper’s Hawk, prefers to eat birds. But how did the squirrel know that?
I’d stepped less than 100 feet off the trail for a short break. At first I thought the noisy animal was an unleashed dog. I’m learning to have my camera ready. I had just enough time to get this one photo and about 20 seconds of moving pictures.
I’m sure this strolling bear was aware of my presence, but thought I was on the trail.
One look at me, and the bear ran as soon as I snapped the photo. Good bear. Wise bear. A bear that fears people has a much better chance of survival.
All I can think of is how blessed I am to witness a moment like this.
I haven’t experimented with hide tanning for years. Back then, I used a hide scraper to remove membranes, fat and meat from a wet hide.
I had no idea it was even possible to scrape a dry hide clean. The red squirrel that found my trap provided an unexpected opportunity. I started with basic instructions provided by Barry Keegan. I skinned the hide while at Hawk Circle, but with all we had to do, I didn’t get to the tanning until I got back home. (more…)
This is the first time I cleaned a skull without an expert at my side. I have only two other fresh skulls in my collection; the rest I found while hiking.
I wasn’t willing to bury this red squirrel skull and wait for the dung beetles. I knew that by boiling the skull, I would risk losing the teeth, so I tried an experiment, after consulting my experts and reading as much as I could on the subjects of cleaning skulls and cooking meat. (more…)
, pushing the limits of the battery. That may explain the jerky quality to the footage.