Spring Now In High Gear

My north field is filled with Bobolinks and Meadowlarks this year, but especially Bobolinks. They sit on fence posts and telephone wires, singing their loud, happy, bubbling song. This photo is from the internet because I couldn't get a good close-up:

I could, however, get a video of a male singing on a fence post. That's my north field behind him, and the tree in bloom in a Shadbush. The Bobolink is facing the camera and you can see the flash of gold from the back of his head every time he looks to the side or toward the ground:


 One of the Plum trees and the Apricot tree both burst into bloom:

 The Apricot tree, planted six years ago, has never bloomed before. I'm hoping to taste my own apricots this year:

 The Plum tree has bloomed before but never borne fruit because it is not in blossom at the same time as the other Plum tree. This year, however, its flowers coincided with the Plum trees across the road. Maybe there is hope yet:

I collected the last of the Daffodil flowers, put them in a vase and brought them to church:

And while I was at it, I clipped off some PJM Rhododendron branches, put them in a vase and brought them to church also:

The fantail pigeons are nesting but so far there have been no babies (except one dead one):

The bantam hens are laying eggs, but (I am happy to say) at a much slower rate than in the past:

They seem happy and content in their room inside the barn:

I have only 11 birds left and don't plan to get any more when they are gone:

A Beautiful Time Of Year

It's such a lovely time of the year that it's easy to forget the rigors of winter. The pigeons have been cooing and making nests, but so far there have been no babies. This I take to be a blessing because if all those eggs hatched, I'd be inundated with pigeons. I don't think there is a big market for pigeons:

The Spirea bloomed gloriously but briefly. This was the last photo of it because a rain storm the next day caused the petals to begin turning brown and falling off:

The view from my back porch with the cows in the north field:

A Grackle atop the barn roof. In my college days, when I was a State Park Naturalist in Ohio, I had a baby Grackle named Smitty. He was so tame that he rode on my shoulder in the car and accompanied me on hikes. As you might imagine, the children loved him. One day, when it was almost autumn, a flock of Grackles landed in the hay field next to where my little camping trailer was parked. I never saw Smitty again, but think of him every time I see a Grackle:

The Rugosa Roses began to bloom in June:

And I kept hearing an odd birdsong which I couldn't identify. Then one morning I heard it coming from a wire, high above me. I recognized the bird as a Bobolink and used my zoom lens to take the best photos I could. They are a magnificent bird and now that I know they're here, I am seeing them all over:

Daisy Fleabane bloomed everywhere:

The homestead:

The old fashioned rose I rescued has continued to thrive:

Two other old fashioned roses didn't make it, but this one has been a winner:

I have only one Day Lily, and it is hiding in a clump of Peonies. I don't even notice that it's there except when it sends out yellow flowers (and buds which look like miniature bananas):

Ragged Robin and Buttercups are everywhere. The cows won't eat Buttercups, so they grow boldly and with impunity:

Summertime Around The Farm

I had just finished doing chores one morning when I saw a bird on a gate post, singing. He stayed there, singing a fancy, flute-like song, so I got out my camera. By then I had seen enough to recognize it as a Bobolink. This was only the second time in my life I've seen a Bobolink, the first time I've heard and recognized its song:

The five baby chicks were growing rapidly and I had to fix them up a bigger brooder after only two weeks. Introducing them to the rest of the flock will be tricky as I don't want them to be attacked, but I'll figure something out:

And speaking of the rest of the flock, they are doing well, ranging far and wide over the property. They travel across the lawns and into the hay field and pasture. In fact, they go everywhere and are especially fond of going inside the barn. All I need to do is leave a door open for a minute:

The old fashioned Peonies have bloomed:

And a yellow Day-Lily appeared in the middle of one clump of Peonies:

And the Mock Orange produced perhaps the most beautiful display of all times:

This variety doesn't have much aroma, but I can't imagine a more beautiful or bountiful blossoming:

The Mock Orange bush has grown to a large size and sits close to the old fashioned rose I saved:

 My "lawn" is filled with wildflowers, so I took a few photos while mowing. This is Hawkweed, species unknown:

 Maiden Pink. It was really prettier than the photo would indicate:

 Least Hop Clover:

White Clover. My camera seldom gets useable pictures of white or yellow flowers, so I was happy when this one turned out. It may be a common flower, but that doesn't mean it isn't something special: