Life Cycles - Deer - 'Coon and More

The Bobwhite...this recent photograph shows a male of the species. No doubt other members of the 'covey' were nearby. Endangered in some parts of the Southland, the Bobwhite is doing well within our properties. Their signature call can be heard daily in many parts of our 3,500+ acre Nature Resort, especially early morning and late afternoon.

These two young whitetail bucks are in their second year, most likely born late spring 2010. Soon the velvet covering the mineral-rich antlers will begin to dry and peel. The deer hasten the process of shedding the velvet (a matrix of protective membranes) by rubbing the antlers on small saplings or shrubs. This process is not to be confused with the buck rubs of late fall (during the "rut"), which involve more hormones and aggression. In healthy deer populations, bucks of this age, though sexually mature, typically do a lot of watching and waiting during the rut, as larger, more experienced males pursue courtship with the does.

No, this photo was not taken from the Audubon Collection, nor from the archives of any on-line service. This recent photo is from the camera of Frank Kahoun, one of our residents with whom I exchange wildlife photos. What a great shot! Note the sunflower seeds on the ground....from the suspended feeder above. Thanks again Frank.

Nest empty. No activity at all. All the young have now flown away. I do believe all 5 young survived. Photo Date: 8-19-11.

Ah...here they are....5 little heads have now emerged above the edge of the nest....and did they get active when momma flew in with a few insects! Photo Date: 8-5-11.

Mother Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) on the nest....the young are too small to be seen at this point in time...... Photo Date: 7-20-11.

Memories.....

Annually, as the calendar turns toward late summer, my thoughts seem to always find their way to yesterday, when the clock ticked a bit slower. I think of harvest time, the cool winds of autumn, clear blue skies, days gone by. Seems to help me appreciate life, space and time. I think of my early days in Tennessee in a house similar to the one shown. Tough. But I did not realize it. When the world as I knew it included only a few miles and a few people....a country store and a country church. Just dreamed of a chance to see the world, spread my wings, and discover my niche. Often my mind drifts back to:

Dusty hayfields along Salt Lick Creek.....square bales on to a trailer behind a tractor, and then into the barn....Cousins and uncles..anyone not afraid of work....'Like a Rock'....

Cattle grazing in the meadows.....mostly milk cattle that demanded time morning and night....

Cornfields....and more cornfields....wash up at the outside pumphouse...make some home-made ice cream......listen to the Bobwhite, then in the late evening stillness, the Whippoorwill. Relax...just relax and listen......

The old barn across the creek... a refuge......a treat any time...especially when it rained. Memories.