Spring Pics from around the Homestead

Spring chores have kept me from having time to work on my blog. I'll try to get caught up with some pics.

The wind and rain have cleaned off the pear blooms already but the apples are in full bloom.

 

The #5 crab is a favorite of the deer. 

 

An old southern variety Aunt Rachel is loaded with blooms on my trellis.

 

The Viola crab looks ready to have a good crop this year.

 

The Dolgo crab is a reliable producer of crabs used to make crabapple jelly.

 

 

I was concerned about the vernal pond because we had some very warm weather in February, but I needn't have worried.

 

 

The Tree Swallows have returned and started nest building.

 

 

 

 

The Bluebirds are also claiming some boxes as their own.

 

 

It's truly a magical time of year.



Their Nesting

Thicket found a woodcock nest today so we'll be staying out of the coverts till fall.

There were 4 eggs but Thicket brought me one, that's how I knew she had found a nest. I didn't put it back as it was covered with Thicket slobber. :)

 



 

SUCCESS !!!

Those of you who follow my blog know the troubles I've had with Thicket ignoring woodcock.  She had started out in her first year pointing them, and then midway through her first hunting season she started to leave her points and even ignoring birds that flew up right in front of her.  I've been patient and have kept taking her into the coverts in the hope that exposure to woodcock would help her work through whatever situation made her shun them in the first place.  Yesterday my patience paid off. We headed to Piney Creek and minutes after leaving the truck I saw her on point. I hurried to her taking pictures as I went expecting her to leave the point as she had been doing. This time she held perfectly until I walked in front of her and flushed the bird. She showed much excitement as it flew away and I knew she had "turned the corner".

Within minutes she was pointing another bird.

 

 

In an hour she had found 7 woodcock. Some she crept in too close and flushed but she showed me a desire to find and point them. Why she suddenly decided to start pointing woodcock again I'll never know, but I do know that having patience with her and letting her figure it out on her own was the right thing to do. Back at the truck I told her she had made this old guy very, very happy.