Everyday for the past month, these 2 ruffed grouse have been eating out by my bird feeders at sun-up, and at sun down, and I was hoping for springtime babies. They both looked alot alike, on the spruce grouse it's easy to tell the males from the females, boys have red on their heads, these looked alike, I could see no color differences, but I've assumed it was a pair. It was fun watching them when magpies would get close they would poof their black neck feathers out, and they sported a mohawk like thing on their heads trying to look big and tough.
Yesterday I heard a big crash and some little ornamental plates I have above my front window came down.
I thought maybe and earthquake, really didn't know what had happened. Well......... this afternoon I was getting H20 from my well, which is right there and a dead grouse was laying there, it obviously had hit the cabin, knocked itself out and died, it was frozen stiff.
I don't think it could have been there yesterday I'm sure I'd a had to have seen it, I get my water for the dogs right there. I'm sure I COULDA revived it had I found it right away, I SHOULDA went outside and looked around after the crash, if only I WOULDA....................................................................................................................
Well.......... on the good side of things, I'd been afraid that my fox had been shot by a neighbor or trapped or something, hadn't seen him all winter, been told that he'd been seen out in the road in front of my place fighting with a neighbor's cat. My dogs were going off last night, and the ones in the house even kept me up all night barking out the back window, which is what happens when the fox is here, they KNOW he's out there. It was a great big full moon, and sure enuf...........the fox was back. I'd put out the unhatched eggs, broken to feed critters. SO...........tonight he's getting the grouse and I know he'll be extra happy.
This is my big boy that keeps me up when the fox is outside.
Anyway................. Hopefully the remaining ruffed grouse will still eat here, although maybe that's not such a good idea, I'd hate for the other one to fly into my cabin. Nature is so beautiful to watch, that's why I live where I do, away from civilization.
Yesterday I heard a big crash and some little ornamental plates I have above my front window came down.
I don't think it could have been there yesterday I'm sure I'd a had to have seen it, I get my water for the dogs right there. I'm sure I COULDA revived it had I found it right away, I SHOULDA went outside and looked around after the crash, if only I WOULDA....................................................................................................................
Well.......... on the good side of things, I'd been afraid that my fox had been shot by a neighbor or trapped or something, hadn't seen him all winter, been told that he'd been seen out in the road in front of my place fighting with a neighbor's cat. My dogs were going off last night, and the ones in the house even kept me up all night barking out the back window, which is what happens when the fox is here, they KNOW he's out there. It was a great big full moon, and sure enuf...........the fox was back. I'd put out the unhatched eggs, broken to feed critters. SO...........tonight he's getting the grouse and I know he'll be extra happy.
Anyway................. Hopefully the remaining ruffed grouse will still eat here, although maybe that's not such a good idea, I'd hate for the other one to fly into my cabin. Nature is so beautiful to watch, that's why I live where I do, away from civilization.
