2/23/08 Observations

- A cool and misty morning on the mountain properties...mid 30s and a breeze.
- Much of the Southeast had considerable rain the last day or two, but it somehow missed Fredonia Mountain. In vain, the bedroom door and window were open....anticipation!
- The birds are more vocal lately...but many of the migratory species have not arrived yet. It is still a bit early for the Wild Turkeys to start their spring gobbling.
- I still see a lot of winged predators...especially Red-Tailed Hawks, Sparrow Hawks (American Kestrel), and Sharp-Shinned Hawks. The migratory Broad Winged and Red Shouldered Hawks, both common here, have not arrived from the tropics as yet...though an early arrival could be seen any time.
- Attached is a photo taken yesterday afternoon.....the worst nightmare of the songbird....a Sharp-Shinned Hawk (this one is a juvenile) watching one of my bird feeders. The young of this species can be distinguished from the adult by the chest markings....vertical on the juvenile, horizontal on the adult.

2/18/08 Observations

- Partly cloudy and colder this morning on the mountain...and a cool, breezy day has followed.

- Rain yesterday, just over an inch, and very warm and windy.

- Driving to the cabin Friday night, 14 deer greeted me near the Stone Creek gate...eight in one group and six in another. Quite a welcome home!

- Met some great families over the weekend that came to tour the properties...from Florida and Alabama...and they, too, got to see some wildlife and beautiful southeast Tennessee mountain scenery.

- Attached are recent photos of birds at my feeders. Even a Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) got in on the act.

- The Common Flicker (often called the Yellow Shafted Flicker....Colaptes auratus), which is one of the many species of woodpeckers currently coming to the feeders, is one of my favorites. Attached is a photo of one that had been eating suet, but seemingly had a moment of meditation as it was photographed. These striking birds have many fields marks for identification....the red triangle behind the head, yellow wing flashes during flight, and the white rump that is visible only when the bird is in flight. They often hop awkwardly on the ground beneath feeders.

- The Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) is also shown. Note the long bill, red patch on the head, and white back. The long bill and larger size (usually 2"-3" longer) distinguish this species from the similarly marked Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), which was also photographed on this day, on the same suet feeder.

2/11/08 Breakfast With The Deer

- 23 F and clear on the mountain this morning. A bit below normal for this time of year.

- Rain forecast for tomorrow. Despite the continuing drought, the creeks within the properties are now at more normal levels for the time of year, but we can use all the rain Mother Nature can bring our way.

- Yesterday, the 10th, was quite interesting on the bird feeders. In all, 12 species of birds were photographed in about three hours of watching the feeders. Five of these species were woodpeckers and photos will appear in the journal within a few days.

- Attached is a photo taken early Saturday morning, February 9th. For a moment it crossed my mind that one of these deer (I was standing at the front door) was actually going to walk up on my front porch and join me for breakfast!

- The other photo was of one of these same deer, a bit earlier in the morning, at my nearby bird feeder, which is located about 20' from the front porch of the cabin. By the posture of the deer, it is obviously not the first time she had checked out this feeder. This feeder had been filled with sunflower seeds only 24 hours before, and by looking at the position of the cap of the feeder, it is apparent a thief had paid a visit. And I had been blaming the Raccoons!

- Just prior to the arrival of the deer, a large flock of Wild Turkeys had casually walked across the front yard. They will begin their incessant, early AM gobbling sometime next month. Their scratchings can be seen in the driveway beneath the feeder, the one where the deer is taking a sniff.

2/7/08 Observations

- Cool and clear on the mountain this morning...the winds have diminished and the atmosphere is more tranquil after a day of storms across much of the Southeast. Unfortunately for many, the dynamics and fury of the natural forces were again on display. Here we only had wind and 1.23" of rainfall. Tornadoes are rare in the rugged topography of our area of southeast Tennessee.

- Work on Mother's Bridge, the covered bridge spanning Stone Creek, continues. The concrete was poured recently and the site is taking shape very nicely. This beautiful natural area within our mountain properties is simply awesome...and for those who love nature, it has so much to offer....The Bridge...the adjoining 12+ acre nature park along the creek....and just a few hundred feet to the east is Picnic Rock...on the escarpment of The Cumberland Plateau. From the elevated perch on Picnic Rock (about 1400' above the valley floor) one can see much of the expanse of the beautiful Sequatchie Valley...running north and south as far as the eye can see.

- Attached are photos taken yesterday of Hemlock Park...one of many nature parks within our mountain developments. One photo is of a new bridge spanning Stone Creek (a bit over a mile north of Mother's Bridge) for those hikers and explorers heading in the direction of The Magical Mile...the trail running from Hemlock Park to Mother's Park/Bridge. In keeping with our environmentally sensitive theme of land development, this bridge is made of recycled wood. The other photo, taken a bit further from the bridge (from a vantage point on The Magical Mile - under a towering Hemlock), gave me the immediated sensation of "The Road Less Traveled".

- A sad note...two American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis), one adult male and one juvenile, lay dead on the front porch of my cabin yesterday. No doubt they were caualties of the high winds of the night before....and were trying to find shelter. It is not the first time avia have met their end by crashing into the glass in the A-frame of my cabin.

- I have seen several varieties of winged predators lately....especially the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). I have also recently watched both The Sharp-Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) and The Broad Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus).

- One other note relative to the Buteos. Some time back, in the late fall, after running at a nearby state park, I noticed a flock of large birds floating on the winds high above, against a grey sky. Even after looking through binoculars, due to the distance and the grey clouds, I could not get enough contrast to pick out identifying field marks. Puzzled, later in the afternoon I called a good friend at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and we had a great discussion concerning migrating Buteos. According to my friend, what I had witnessed was a large group of Red-Shouldered Hawks and Broad Winged Hawks (and perhaps other species as well)...two similar species that often migrate together.

2/2/08 Sunrise on the Mountain

- Cold and clear early AM...23F. A brilliant sunrise followed a quiet and tranquil evening on the mountain. Today is forecast to be up into the 50s with brilliant skies.

- The attached photos were taken today, in the dim pre-dawn light that often holds spectacular, though fleeting, moments. These three photos were taken from the front porch of my cabin.....two of them about 7-8 minutes after the first.

- Two of the photos (the ones with the most light) have hidden jewels. Note the three deer near the bottom of the frame in one photo (there were five within view). The other photo has two deer....one quite apparent and the other not so apparent.

- Later in the morning, while on tour of the properties, as I drove by with guests, there were seven deer standing in my front yard! They accused me of training these wild creatures.

- Another disappointment this week. Like last week, 1-2" of rain was forecast...but not nearly that much fell. Thursday and Thursday night was supposed to be a heavy rain event...did not happen... we only received about .3" and a lot of wind. Maybe next time.