Gopher Tortoise

I haven't been able to catch the tortoise again, I checked this morning and it was already gone at 7:30 am, I just can't seem to catch him/her returning to the hole. I'm careful not to step on the sand in front of the hole, I read that its usually where they lay their eggs. Its great to have something that is endangered living in your backyard.

Downey Woodpecker and Peanut Butter

CORRECTION ITS A RED BELLIED WOODPECKER NOT A Downey woodpecker found the peanut butter mixture and both enjoy it, they have spent most the day at it, each flying back and forth from the feeder to their nest. FOUND ANOTHER INFO PAGE THAT CORRECTED THAT.
I saw chickadees and the titmouses at it too. Even the Cardinal pair stopped for a taste. Of course the squirrels have had a crack at it a time or two. all they can do is lick it. With the downey woodpeckers feeding on the peanut butter mixture it leaves more for the other birds, once they get on the feeder they stay there, or scare off the others when they land.
The confrontations today were the usual, male cardinal chasing another, bluejays were getting into it, even the doves were at it.
This little green hummingbird was flitting about this afternoon, it started at the birdfeeder, then to the two red feeders along the house which are both red and then it left, never checked out the hummingbird feeder

Gopher Turtle?

We were out in our yard checking on the growth of the sunflower plants and we heard a noise. I looked and it was this big turtle coming across the field. By the time I had gotten back with the camera it had disappeared into a hole. A neighbor told us it was a gopher turtle. Guess I will have to look that up and maybe get a pic of him.

Downey woodpecker and peanut butter?

I didn't have to go in today so I got to watch my birds. I put a new feeder out for the downey woodpeckers, but they don't seem to want anything to do with it. I read that they like peanut butter, so I mixed it with seeds and hung it. They seem to prefer the oil sunflower seeds in the other feeder. They would fly under it to get to the other feeder. I tried changing the feeders thinking that the downey would go to the new one, but he landed on the hook looked down and knew that it wasn't the feeder he was interested in, oh well I tried. Now the Bluejays are hitting the feeder, and when the downey would be there they would go to the ground cause the pecker was throwing out seeds. I'm watching the two morning doves hunting around for food. The chickadee and titmouse are hitting the feeder in front of my window pretty steadily.
Haven't seen the hummingbirds lately though. And the Cardinal were eating at the feeder earlier

Birds feeling neglected

I'm afraid that my backyard friends must think that I've abandoned them. There has been a change in my schedule and as a result my friends don't seem to be around as often. They could be I'm not here during most of the day. I fill their feeders before leaving, unfortunately that is the active time of the morning for the pesky squirrels in my backyard. So they probably don't have food available when they come calling mid morning.
My little squirrel chaser is not going out in the mornings as usual, she is going to be a mother and seems to have become lazy in the mornings. When I let the pup out she races around the house to the squirrel tree looking for the buggers.

The Owl was here again

I took the pup out early this morning, it was still dark, so for my safety I had to put on the back light, and because she doesn't like the dark. I also took a flash light so I didn't get any surprises from the neighborhood dogs. The light is pointed towards the back of the property, after I hooked up the dog I saw a branch move so I wanted to see what it was. Then something flew over to where the feeders were. I followed and shined the flash light in the trees til I saw it sitting there. It's so little couldn't of been more than 6 inches if it was that. It was so cute, so I guess our chance sighting before isn't going to be our last. I thought the flashes from the camera before might of scared it away, and I don't want to take that chance, it'll have to be one of our habitants that will not be photographed again.
I wish the other picture came out better. I wonder what owl it is

The hummingbirds found us

We finally hung the hummingbird feeder up this afternoon, about 3 and its almost 7:30 and I just saw one at the feeder. I was thinking that it would take a lot longer before they found it.
Now I wonder what the squirrels are going to do in the morning when they see something hanging there. I certainly hope they don't knock it down and break it, its going to be another week before I get to the store to replace it.