Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Sunday, June 11, 2017

A Whole Lot of New Life and Loss~


Sunrise in Oldham County, KY



Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after                                                                you have read the narratives~

I am joining in the fun with Eileen at:
Saturday's Critter

Anni at:
http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com/ 
I'd Rather Be Birdin'
 Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'

    
Maggie's  MOSAIC MONDAY
                                              https://normandylife.blogspot.com/


Stewart for:



I have always enjoyed Raptors since I was about 12 years of age. That is a known, but I never really looked at other birds very closely until I saw my first wee Carolina Wren hopping across the top of the patio step in 1981. I was totally captivated! 

 They made a nest in my front door wreath one year shortly after when the Oldham County Home Tour had selected our home as one of those interesting enough to have on the tour. The babies hatched out the weekend of the event and so I had to tie a pink and blue ribbon across the entryway of the front door, so that guests would not enter from there...after all we had a nursery working 
 Every Winter since 1981, the Carolina Wrens have had two to three adults Winter over in the nest box at the front door. They come and go all day, but in the evening they are in there all nice and cozy as well as one that Bill placed up high in the garage. They have a little opening where they can get in and out if the garage door is closed. 
 One year Dad was out and when evening set in, he was lingering at the front door a little longer than usual when two of the Wrens flew out of the box and into our home. They flew all the way up to the third floor rail and Bill opened a couple of the windows and a few minutes passed until they flew out. Within a couple of minutes they had returned back to their nest box as if nothing had happened ♥
The sweet little chaps also have their clutches in the Spring, one in the garage and one at the front door. This season both clutches were done in the garage, one in their nest box and another in a box on a shelf. Yesterday when I took these photos, there were 7 for sure and a possible 8th that fledged. They have already had to take a dive from both their parents action, as well as my being at the right place at the right time from a sneaky Red Fox earlier today. Later in his afternoon a loud warning began from both adults for the young to take cover, along with the alarms of other local birds. This time a Cooper's Hawk was on the hunt. 
For now the adults have successfully moved the young ones to a large pile of mixed tree branches where they should be safe for a while as they grow stronger in the yard right behind our home~




Above an adult takes a quick bath before calling out the troops.  The parents called for a couple of hours and one by one, out they came.  I wish that I could have gotten photos of one of the young ones that went from the security of the nest to the top of my husband's car.  He had recently waxed it and it was slick.  The little one slid down the top, and down the windshield, with one foot up and wings flapping, too cute~



Above a Mourning Dove stopped by to introduce itself to all of the new feathered friends on the block~


These two stayed close to one another for a long time~




Out in the yard, everything must have looked so SCARY~


In less then 48 hours these young ones traveled from our garage, to the far back of our 2 1/2 acre property, survived the Red Fox coming through, a very close fly over and stop for a Cooper's Hawk...yes I clapped my hands...I couldn't help myself!!! Friday evening they stayed in my neighbors debris pile and yesterday they have made their way back toward our home, and now just about to cross the country lane that I live on. There they will find wonderful brush coverage. It is Sunday as I try and get this all finished to be published and the 7 young ones were all outside my front door this morning and it was a precious sight to see, all doing so well, so far~









Magnolia Blossom done 4 ways~


We had these three baby Raccoons stop by one evening and one was all covered in spider webbing.  They had been under our deck according to the webs and also our three dogs let us know that something was alive under there~



Some of my assorted garden flowers~


We have at least a pair, and possibly two pairs of Red Foxes working our neighborhood and using my paths of my own walking to go from one place to another.  Several have seen the kits, but I have not yet.  They are taking much of our favorites as well as wildlife to feed their young and themselves.  The Groundhog count has gone from 6 to 4, and fawns are dropping daily and the does are running much more frantic than usual, people are missing chickens, rabbits, and then of course the usual suspects living in the woods are going missing along with pet cats...these images were taken in my yard and a yard two yards down this past week~


The quiet of lying does before they give birth last week.  Now they have all given birth and we are anxious to see how many of the fawns have survived, once they begin to bring them out of the woods~




My neighbor and I have been feeding the Groundhogs for several weeks now and we began with 6 and are down to 4.  Hoping that a couple of them can learn to climb and get away in time from the Red Foxes as they come through several times a day~







These two got braver quicker than the others and decided to cruise a little further from cover, not certain of their fate~




These are getting wiser and yet have so much still to learn from their mother who is also in hiding much of her days lately~





Tufted Titmouse babies were plentiful, not sure how many yet also born near my house~











~Rest in Peace Austin~
  
A young man who was a friend of my grandson Thomas has passed away all too soon. They would have great Summer fun times doing mud runs like boys his age.  They didn't travel in the same circles, but knew each other from these mud run events and Thomas has lost a chum~


15 comments:

  1. An unbelievably beautiful post in so many different ways, and so many little adventures, and stories, a wonderful read.
    Have a good week , Gordon.

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  2. What a treasure trove of beauties!! From the 4 legged to the feathered friends. I too have been captivated, as you say, with all birds and critters.

    Today, visiting, it was like hitting the jackpot!!! We're all winners who stop by.

    thanks a whole bunch for sharing this awesomeness with us, linking at I'd Rather B Birdin'.

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  3. I really enjoyed all your photos especially of the Carolina wrens and tufted titmouse. I am so sorry for the sad loss.

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  4. Very beautiful birds and lovely flowers.

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  5. Stunning wildlife images as always, Mary, once again may I say how sorry I am at the loss of your grandson's school friend.
    Take care.

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  6. A tragic loss. Tough for your grandson to come to grips with. You have such beautiful wildlife around your house. I enjoyed your stories and the photos. I wonder what the wrens thought as they took that quick tour through your house! I thought of you as we were in the swamp area and marshland boat tour in Charleston---saw so many different birds (and alligators!) etc. Have a good week!

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  7. Hello Mary, gorgeous sky captures. I love the sweet wrens and all your bird images. I am sorry for the loss, so sad and so young! BTW, thanks for linking up your post. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week!

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  8. Nature surrounds you! I love seeing all of your feathered and furry friends. I feel like I have to check in every week to see how everyone is doing. Wishing peace to your community.

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  9. Mary, I always enjoy your posts. The bird photos are so lovely. To be so close to observe the growing up of baby birds. I am really sorry to hear of the loss of this 14 year old Austin. Very tragic. Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  10. Prayers for the Newlins

    And jealousy for you...for all the new life. Such wonderful pictures.

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  11. Wow Mary, what an amazing collection of photos you got of birds and beasts. Enjoyed scrolling through and seeing things I don't see around our home. That is such a tragic story about the young man and his parents. May God comfort all who knew and loved them.

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  12. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story about the Carolina wrens and their survival. I'm sorry for the loss of your grandson's chum - what a tragedy.

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  13. Hi Mary. Once again I am highly impressed by your observational skills in noting all that goes on in your garden and home environs. I swear that many people in the same situation would see nothing of what goes on around them. What’s the phrase – “there’s none so blind… etc” Applies to life in the round and to everyday things don’t you think?

    Your photos of Carolina Wrens, Raccoons and groundhogs are simply wonderful and I’m sure those creatures know that they are safe when you are around, otherwise they would find elsewhere.

    So sad to hear of another senseless murder. The world is in a bad place but there is good around.

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  14. Well this little wren couldn't resist stopping by to admire your Carolina Wrens and friends, such beautiful photos. A sad ending to your post and you remind me to seek joy where ever and when ever. What a terrible tragedy. Keep taking your beautiful photos.
    Wren x

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  15. Such a terrible tragedy! The loss of that family, including that fourteen year old! So so sad! Your post is so RICH in wildlife and birds and is a joy...helps us to heal when there is sadness! I love the wrens...what a joy to have those two fly into your home!

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