Feathers and mystery

Walking on the prairie the other morning I came upon a mystery. The Sun had begun to slip behind the clouds. I stood and watched a whitetail doe lead two fawns toward a creek bed. My attention was drawn to the feathers at my feet. Frosted feathers lay scattered in the trail, tangled in the bluestem, the remains of an encounter between two residents of this place.
A few feet away lay another clue, another feather. I'm not really sure what bird they were from, an injured hawk, or a prairie chicken or some other unfortunate prey. I'm not sure what predator took these and left no other clue, a maybe a coyote, or bobcat or some other fortunate predator.

The incident happened where the larger trail I was walking on continued west and a smaller trail split off to the north. I followed the trail to the north for a hundred yards and found this clue.

I stopped and listened and watched wondering if there might be a coyote den ahead at some point. A mystery.

I turned back and began the hike towards the warmth of my car hoping that the coffee was at least luke warm. I kept two of the feathers. I could solve this mystery some other morning or then again maybe not.

"The wild things that live on my farm are reluctant to tell me, in so many words, how much of my township is included within their daily or nightly beat. I am curious about this, for it gives me the ratio between the size of their universe and the size of mine, and it conveniently begs the much more important question, who is the more thoroughly acquainted with the world in which he lives?"

Aldo Leopold

Prairie Light

Monday morning I set out at sunrise to add birds to a list, a worthy thing. But I had a diffcult time not thinking about our friend who had passed away last week after a long battle with cancer. She was a good friend to my wife and I for 30 years since our college days together. The friends of your youth are the ones that stay with you.

Here the water went down, the icebergs slid with gravel, the gaps and the valleys hissed, and the black loam came, and the yellow sandy loam.
Here between the sheds of the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians, here now a morning star fixes a fire sign over the timber claims and cow pastures, the corn belt, the cattle ranches.
Here the gray geese go five hundred miles and back with a wind under their wings honking the cry for a new home.
Here I know I will hanker after nothing so much as one more sunrise or a sky moon of fire doubled to a river of water.

Carl Sandburg

Great Backyard Birdcount

Bird species that I counted this weekend at my feeders included: Chickadees, Cardinals, White Crowned Sparrows, House Finches, and Goldfinches. A small flock of ten Robins arrived, the first of spring?

The GBBC is sponsored by Cornell and Audubon. Its worthwhile endeavor for folks who enjoy the outdoors.

Heres the link; http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html

This morning at sun up I traveled over to Barton County Missouri in honor of the Bird Count and Presidents day. I think Jefferson would have approved more of citizen scientists outings like the GBBC I also thought Abe and George would have wanted me to expand my back yard a bit to include the 3000 acre plus Shawnee Trail Conservation area just minutes from our place. As I arrived I came across a small marsh full of waterfowl. Mostly Candadian Geese and Mallards they flushed almost immediatley, I tried to count but wound up estimating as you can see from this photo it wasnt easy. I also counted 24 White Fronted Geese (a new species for me) that did not fly away. I sat and watched them for quite some time as they seemed less wary than the others.

Shawnee Trail Conservation Area

Barton County Missouri

Thinking about August

As I was going through some papers I came across this leaf print I made last summer. The scan doesn't do it justice. Its from a Sycamore down along Shoal Creek at a place called Schermerhorn Park Nature Center in Cherokee County. I met with several other folks one warm morning in August to learn this leaf printing process from the county extension agent. Its an interesting process, and prints seem to last quite a long time. He had some that were over 20 years old. Im sure there are simpler ways but here how this is done.

equipment you will need : leaves (of course), an old racquet ball, a jar of Vaseline, an old metal spoon, a old tin can (tuna will do just nicely), a piece of old jeans (about 2 x2 inches), some matches, a few pieces of newspaper, some good typing or copy paper, mineral oil, two pieces of flat cardboard.

How to make a leaf print,

· Gather some leaves, find some shade.

. Lay out the materials on a flat location.
· Douse the jean piece in the mineral oil.
· Place the jean piece in the tin can, set it on the ground.

. Coat the cardboard with Vaseline, spread out a thin coat evenly on one side.
· Open a cold drink, if its August in Kansas its hot even in the shade.
· Light the jean piece in the can with the match, the fire will make a sooty flame.
· Hold the Vaseline side of the card board close to the flame, move it back and forth, soot will soon begin to condense on it.
· Get an even coat of soot on the card board, set it aside.
· Take a break, have another drink and listen for woodpeckers.
· Take the leaf and set it inside a piece of newspaper between two pages with the side you wish to print down.
· Insert the cardboard with the soot side up under the leaf.
· Close the newspaper.
· Roll the racquet ball on the newspaper to coat the leaf inside with lots of charcoal soot.
· Use the spoon to rub along the veins, not too hard though.
· Remove the leaf, save the cardboard for several more leaves.
· Place the leaf on the white paper soot side down.
· Repeat the rolling process with the ball and spoon inside a clean newspaper page to transfer the print.

You're done, admire the print and save it for a cold February day. It will help you to remember the warmth of an August day when you sat listening for woodpeckers in the shade of the Oaks, Sycamores and Hickories along Shoal Creek.

Iced buds

Maple Buds in ice

Crawford County

Maple Buds in Ice #2

Crawford County

Sunset with Iced over Maple Tree

Crawford County

Yesterday we had another ice storm here in SE Kansas. Not nearly as devestating as the last one, just enough to close schools and keep most families at home.

I am always amazed at how the buds in our trees survive these icey globes that form on them. They are beautiful but potentialy deadly to the buds waiting to bloom. Luckily it is way too early for them to flower, last year we did'nt get a peach, apple, berry or pear as late frosts and ice storms damaged flowers that bloomed early.

The sun poked its head out for around an hour right at sunset. After filling the bird feeders I took a short walk . The sun lit up these beautiful ice sculptures in the trees. Some reminded me of birds, some insects and some took on an almost human form. As I shot these photos I could'nt help but wonder if the buds will make it this year. I hope so.

Sunrise on Sunday

Sunrise Cold Feburary Morning

Crawford County

Took a walk this morning at sunrise. the wind had shifted during the night. The result being a twenty degrees difference between yesterday morning and today. Not as many birds singing as the past few days. Spring seems to tease them. A pair of geese flew by.
I was glad I threw on the last layer of sweaters and gloves.

The Peace of Wild Things

Looking Northeast On Cow Creek

Crawford County

This is my favorite poem

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my childrens lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Wendell Berry, The Peace of Wild Things

Moss on fallen log

Crawford County

Looking for Sandhills

Big Sky Over Cow Pasture

Crawford County

This afternoon I set out on an adventure of sorts. I had heard through the electronic grapevine that someone had spotted some Sandhill Cranes around 25 miles or so west of town . Folks thought there had never been such a sighting in Crawford county. I've never seen one in the wild. Ive always wanted to travel to Nebraska or New Mexico when there are thousands for the Crane Festivals held at those locations each year. So I loaded up some drinks, cameras binoculars and a topographic atlas (very handy for country driving) and headed west. My trusty old pickup is well beyond its years but I knew it would get me at least there and well whats a few miles to walk to the nearest town if youve seen cranes?

Well I found them! Believe it or not there are three Sandhill Cranes feeding leasurely in this wheat field about 500 yards away. They were feeding close to a marshy area in the field. I watched them for around twenty minutes through my binoculars. As they fed they moved very slowly but deliberatly almost in unison. One was slightly bigger than the other two. Soon a car approached with three other birders. We all sat and watched another five minutes or so and then they pulled up to my truck. We exchanged hellos and I noticed they had driven from over in Missouri. The driver a young woman asked " Did I know what I was looking at"? I wanted to say Wheat growing, but I held back, "oh yes, three of them". We agreeded they were extrodinary birds. She had gotten the same email as me, good news travels fast among birders in SE Kansas thanks to the efforts of some good folks. I watched for a while until the cranes moved behind some tall grass. I decided to head back along dirt roads and explore a little.

Lightning Creek

Crawford County

I stopped a few times and too some photos. My truck ran like a top.





Heres a photo of some sandhills you can actually see courtesy of National Geographics site.
There is also some great information and videos about them there as well;
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/cranecam/highlights01.html

Cow Creek Workout

Cow Creek

Crawford County

Yesterday rather than go to the YMCA and sit on a bike and listen to machines I decided to go for a brisk walk out at "Wilderness Park". Land donated to the city of Pittsburg by a couple of folks who owned it for many years. The plaque at the trail entrance says something to the effect of "for the enjoyment of wildlfie and nature". Three and one half miles of tree lined winding trails that follow Cow Creek.

Green Vine in Feburary

Crawford County

I found this green vine growing in many places. It was odd to see it so green this month. I believe its actually a pretty invasive exotic. I could be wrong on that.

Old Tree along Cow Creek

Crawford County

This huge tree grew along the creek bottom where cow creek turned from south to west. Cow creek is a tempermental old fart. In late winter and early spring it runs shallow and seems very innocent but it can change faster than a politician in an election year. It swells after a really good rain. Last summer it left its banks and flooded the western edge of town forcing many families to be evacuated.

Small reclaimed pit

Crawford County

The weather was a balmy 40 degrees today. I met two other folks out enjoying the weather and melting snow. A woman walking with her small black dog asked me if I had "seen any birds?". I said "yes some cardinals, downy woodpeckers and some small sparrows, just the usuals" . We walked on in different directions. About a quater mile down the trail I had stoped to take a photo and noticed a very quiet bird the size of a small Robin in more of those green vines I had mentioned. The bird watched me for a good five minutes. I had never seen this species, its back was black and undersides light with a chestnut redish brown than ran along its sides. The black came to a widows peak along its chest and its bill was light. Hmm I thought some kind of Oriole? This was not a "usual". Turns out after I got home and checked my field guide it was a Towhee, a new one on me.

As I reached the parking lot I realized I had been walking (and stopping) for over an hour, I had met two nice people, I had been in a beautiful wooded area, identified a new species of bird (to me) and I had worked up a sweat walking up and down the hills. That will beat the YMCA any day.