One of the cheapest cat toys around. Artemis loves to play troll in paper bags.
We've had a pair of jays frequenting the garden for peanuts. They are a lot of fun to watch as they cache the goobers in the lawn, placing a rhody blossom or leaf on top to conceal it. They are so bummed when the lawn mower flings their lunch all over. Now it appears that they haven't been just visiting the garden. The other day I startled a scruffy-looking Jay Jr. during a flying lesson with one of the 'rents. Even after Junior flew safely away, I got seriously scolded by the parent until I put some peanuts out.
This morning we had a pair of flickers come down outside my office (aka the breakfast room). Unfortunately they had split up before I could get the camera. Below is Mr. Flicker looking for ants.
After a bit of a queen explosion this spring, my collection is diminishing a bit. I sold Freyja, my Minnesota Hygenic queen to a friend who lost one of hers. Today another friend decided that she needed to requeen a hive, so I checked on my oldest homemade queen. She's finally laying, and looks plump and lively. She goes to her new home tomorrow.
So now I'm back down to four regular hives, plus two nucleus hives with homemade queens (one swarmed out of a nuc last week). One of those homemades is destined for another friend, if she (the queen that is) starts laying. There's hope yet for getting some honey this year.
So that's a flicker. I've seen them everywhere, but always forget to look them up.Whe I worked in the woods, I saw them on the edge of the road all the time.
ReplyDeletekitty is too kyoot!