Summer Wildlife In The Backyard
by: suzee
We have been enjoying the sights from our back deck this past month as deer have begun to pass through the upper pasture. We’ve been seeing a little spike buck, a small fork horn and a larger fork, with a tall rack. The tall forked horn definitely has the same genes as the buck that was with the three point I shot last year. A few years ago Gary found a skull and antlers up the hill behind our place and it’s obvious that it was related to these two little bucks… sometimes genetics make good bucks and sometimes they don’t! These little guys would be taken out of the gene pool on a trophy ranch… but for us we enjoy the distinctive antlers that show up every year, and we know they’re our local deer.
The tall forked horn… only a spike on the one side.
This picture was taken last year of a buck that was traveling with the three point I shot last year… looks like the same genes are at work!
Skull Gary found up behind our place… more of the same genes!
Earlier in the spring we had a pair of Mallard ducks that would come in the mornings to feed in our pond, and in the canal that runs through our property there were a pair of Cinnamon Teal that I’d spook out of the ditch every morning when I went up to feed the horse.
Then there’s always bird watching … we have Bullock Orioles that take up residence in our back yard every summer, and of course the familar favorite, Goldfinches. Another little bird that is colorful during the summer is the House Finch. I always encourage these little flying flowers to stay and then complain because I get zero strawberries from my garden patch every year!
Bullock Oriole
American Goldfinches
House Finch
A couple weeks ago I had a big surprise when I was laid back in the easy chair enjoying the view. I caught some movement up in the sagebrush but couldn’t figure out what it was… it was too small for a deer,and wasn’t a coyote. I grabbed the binocs and waited for it to show itself again. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was a turkey making it’s way down the hill toward the chicken pen! Wild turkey aren’t real common here in our little neck of the sagebrush, so it was pretty special to see him wander through… it was a young jake who was looking for a home! I don’t know if the roosters crowing brought it into our farmyard or he just happened to come our way. Gary had a little fun with him and did some calls on the slate. He got the youngster to gobble a few times… it was sure fun!
Tags: birdwatching, deer, ducks, turkey, wildlife
6 Responses to “Summer Wildlife In The Backyard”
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I never noticed before how similar those small bucks look – I’ve noticed the larger bucks all looked the same, but those three small guys look nearly identical!
Sounds like a little bit of Heaven on earth Susie. Great pictures. We’ve been trying to coax a Baltimore Oriole into sticking around our yard, but so far have only caught a glimpse of him.
I wish I could even come close to capturing pictures like that in my backyard, but living in the city all we really have a lot of our stupid pigeons and nasty squirrels.
Oh well, I still enjoy living here, though, and the country living will happen one day.
Those are definitely some great shots, and I could get used to all the cool varieties of birds you have visiting the place.
Very cool!
Tom- We watched the small buck tonight and Gary got the spotting scope out. He has a funny blade on the one side and eye guards on both sides, in fact there’s three nubs on the side with the bladed antler. Interesting little rack!
Mike- We put grape jelly out to keep the Bullock Orioles coming in. If you haven’t already tried it, give it a try!
Arthur- We do feel lucky to have the wildlife we have… especially since we don’t live way out in the boonies! We live right next to the main highway that connects Northern Idaho… so we have major traffic, and a lot of big 18 wheelers. The deer bed down above the highway and just watch the traffic go by!
Wow, nice sporks! I agree it’s nice to have the genetic diversity. I’m a big fan of nature, not so much of farmed nature.
Beautiful bird shots, too. The oriole in particular is lovely!
NorCal- We’ve been having so much fun watching the deer around here that it’s hard to get anything done! The funny little spork, as you call them, has been bedding down in the tall sagebrush where we can glass him… I could spend hours just watching him. Since I posted this I’ve had a small 3×3 come within 10 yards of me when I was changing the sprinkler in the garden patch…I was the one who was more surprised, as he never did see me… he just ambled on by! Then a couple days ago there was a nice 3×4 feeding on the hill behind the horse corral. All these sightings sure get a person pumped for the archery season to open!