Monday, May 4, 2015

We're Back!

Catching up a week's worth of photos... yes, a week! 


As much as I love the wild birds... I have finished feeding them at the old place. 
Back Yard Blend, the blend I buy from Valley Feed in Bonner Springs, 
has gone to 17.99 for 20 pounds.  Years ago, we paid that for 40 pounds. 

I can't afford to keep feeding at both houses, so I have chosen to 
feed only here at the new house. 
The sad thing is... and it is sad for me... is that the birds all gather 
when they see me get out of the car in the morning and afternoon, and 
chirp and call to each other because they think I am putting feed out. 

They will learn soon enough, I'm sorry to say. 

I AM still leaving the nyger feeders up and the suet... except something... a critter, 
is stealing the suet.  That will be next to go. 


I'll miss them so, I admit it. 


Driving back and forth, I see lots and lots of animals. 


This is a black squirrel Keith and I saw on 171st street.  I have not seen any others, 
only on this one street.  

It's difficult to take pictures of black animals and birds. 


These sheep were so funny.  When I stopped to take their pictures from the car, they heard me talking to the dogs. 


They came all the way to the fence to see what we wanted. 


Their ear tags, prevention against flies and ticks... also bear their names! 


Lilly made a friend at the fence.  She was barking ferociously, but her tail 
was wagging and she did not want the dog to leave. 


With the trees leafed out, it is harder to see the hawks.  This one was 
on the pole and took off, but I had no sun yesterday, at least when I saw him. 


The iris show has started at the old house. 


I have lost the name tags for both of these. 

I also have started bringing plants here to our new bed. 


I'm still seeing a few turkeys, but they are warier, after two weeks of being targets. 


Never. Slows. Down. 

Wears. Himself. Out. 


The big irrigation ditch is getting lower and lower. 

I did find an upland sandpiper in it this morning. 


And this afternoon, a big blue heron.  You see how low the ditch is now. 

It is raining tonight, but not hard. 


And this, is a sad, sad picture, my friends.  This morning, instead of turning east from 
198th street, after doing morning chores, we turned left, to go down towards Tongie. 

Along the highway, 3/4 of a mile past the buffalo "farm"... I saw this girl. 
She was obviously pregnant. 
30 feet beyond her, I saw this: 


Another pregnant cow. 

The people that own these buffalo have left them on a farm with 
no one to care for them.  The farm is overgrown with red cedar now... there is 
little grazing for a herd of 20.  

There are two huge pastures on the west side and two months ago, the herd broke through and was grazing in them... and then was rounded up and sent back across. 

I called the sheriff's office about them several years ago and was 
patronized by an elderly deputy who was assigned to talk to me, 
and was basically told
"Little Lady, those are wild animals and can take care of themselves". 

Obviously not. 

They are laying just out of the westbound lane of 24/40 highway, a very busy roadway. 
They appeared to have been shot... but... I did see manure in the roadway... and one piece of chrome plating from a car or truck.  Tonight, I went by there, and they were gone... and I did 
see a streak in the road near where this girl lay. 

There has been nothing on the news... our neighbors near the old place knew nothing. 

My guess is it happened during the night or wee hours of the morning.  Poor animals... and poor people who struck them or had to put them down. 


I leave you with last night's beautiful moon.  

I'll try to post more regularly this week. 


7 comments:

  1. It was a sad moon to shine on that.

    Great pictures but my favorite is the squirrel.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mary Ann,,
    Your feathered friends will all learn to find their own food. Mother Earth will teach and not neglect what they need.
    Also your birds may soon learn where your new home is,, and visit you there.
    Try to trust Mother Earth.. It is also time for the birds to be teaching their hatchlings how to gather and survive,, and fly.

    The buffalo --- how total sad... sad,, sad.

    The blue heron in the water- splendiid photo! And the sunset
    love
    tweedles

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great pictures! Wild animals CANNOT take care of themselves on a restricted pasture. As much as I loathe them, get the ASPCA involved.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary Ann,

    Beautiful pictures!!! You'll start getting even more birds at your new place now that you're not feeding at your old place.
    That's awful about the buffalo. The moon was beautiful tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The moon has been beautiful and your picture of it is just wonderful. I've been enjoying it too. Glad you are getting things planted there at your new house. Our Iris are not blooming yet, but it won't be long. Spring seems to be going on in leaps and bounds. Our tulips are starting to fade and the lilacs will soon be in bloom. Sorry you had the bad buffalo experience. That is a sad predicament .

    ReplyDelete
  6. that is so awful about the buffalo. the moon pic is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful iris. I love those 2 colors.

    Jester cracks me up.

    Sorry to see the buffalo like that. That is exactly what happened to some of the burro's across the road. They left them to die.

    Glad to hear from you. Hope all is well.

    R

    ReplyDelete

I love comments!