Nature lovers??

[Oh Shoot]

...I was blown away by the number of bird calls I heard as I sat there in silence.  .. ..

 

Sometimes you can hear 25 or so from the same bird. ;)

 

Seriously, don't know how many times I've laid and listened to a mockingbird go through an amazing repertoire in middle of the night.

 

- OS

[bersaguy]

I see deer just about everyday on or around my property.  I'll put corn and apples out for them in different spots and it's usually gone in a couple days. Every now and then I buy buck jam at Tractor Supply and pour it on stumps and whatnot.  Friday afternoon I was shooting and went inside to get an AR that I wanted to re-zero .  As I'm walking back to my shooting area I slap in the magazine then look up and there's a doe just frozen about 70 yards away.  I stop and we stare at each other for a couple minutes.  I don't hunt and I know it's not season, but I just found it ironic that I've got a loaded rifle and a perfectly clear broadside shot on this animal.  Then she looks over her shoulder and back in the trees I hear her friend start snorting (Get out of there Gracie he's gonna shoot you!).  Gracie decides I'm not going to shoot her after all though and she wanders off. 

 

Saw a turkey on Friday too.  We have these big, almost floor to ceiling bay windows that overlook the back of the property and it's better than television to sit there and watch what wanders by.  I keep two pair of binoculars close by.  Last week I saw a hawk fly down, land on a low branch, and study the ground below.  I look to where the hawk is looking and there's a snake.  For whatever reason the hawk says no joy and flies off.  It may have been the size--turns out the snake was 4' long.  I get a 22, go out and shoot it but later I wish I hadn't because I'm pretty sure it's not venomous. I thought it might be a cottonmouth but there's not a river nearby and the scales were different.  Upon further research I believe it was a diamondback water snake.  I've seen a couple of them since near the house, and I leave them alone now.  My wife says kill 'em all but I like them for rodent control. 

I appreciate you feeding the deer and if you can as I use to do back years ago there is a seed you can buy that grows patches of food if you have the room at the back of your property or even better if you could plants strips of it along the tree lines where you saw the Gracie enter back in it will grown and come back a few years before needs to be planted again. I use to plant it and put out salt blocks and Protein blocks.  Did it when I still lived in Kingston Springs on my Mini farm. Began doing that after I quit hunting and loved to watch the deer. Young bucks are funny when they begin sparing with their small racks and then when the boss walks out into the field to feed all the sparing stops.......lol. I also wanted to mention something about my son after that day we hunted together. He shoots my Old Model 110 Savage 308 when deer hunting as it is a great gun and I hunted with it when I was a teenager myself and it is still a great gun today. Anyway there was 3 times that year after we hunted that he had his cross hairs on that deer again at all short distances and he would look at the deer through the scope and the more he looked at that buck the more he realized he could not drop a hammer on it either. He told me a few years later that he saw his deer 3 more times that year but couldn't shoot it and I asked him why. He said, "well dad, as I was watching it, it turned and looked up at me watching it through the scope and it winked at me as if to say I know your not going to shoot and I winked back."......lol.  I had to laugh and ask him why he didn't shoot it for real. He said "As I looked at the old deer through the scope I looked at it's rack and looked at his face and realized his face and head back to his ears was almost grey white telling me he was a very old deer plus I was beginning to finally see a lot more deer on my property over the last couple years and I thought he might be the reason I was seeing more and I would like to have his genes in future deer on my land." He never did kill the old buck and told his son that the deer was off limits for shooting and his son never shot it either. It was around another 3 or 4 years and then was never seen again but he has a great herd of deer on his place and the way his land is laid out it is hard for anyone to slip in and poach unless they can repel down two vertical bluff on two side about 400 feet across the rear of his land or come up Turnbull creek which is not boat able and would have to cross other posted property they would have to come up his driveway so his land is seldom if every poached. He and my grandson were both meat and trophy hunters and have some huge mounts in the den of his house and now my Grandsons house but my Son has become more of a meat hunter when he hunts and not selects two or three year olds because they are better meat and no more trophies. again thanks for caring about Gods creatures..... :up:       

[bersaguy]

Sometimes you can hear 25 or so from the same bird. ;)

 

Seriously, don't know how many times I've laid and listened to a mockingbird go through an amazing repertoire in middle of the night.

 

- OS

I  use to love to listen to the Whippoorwill's out on my uncles farm at night while laying in bed as a child. They would carry on most of the night and just before dawn it would really get loud and then all at once nothing till the next night......... :up: :up:

[xjsnake]

As my name suggests, I'm a big snake fan. Really I'm a fan of all reptiles and amphibians but snakes have a special place in my heart as I've spend a decade researching them.

[Stegall Law Firm]

As my name suggests, I'm a big snake fan. Really I'm a fan of all reptiles and amphibians but snakes have a special place in my heart as I've spend a decade researching them.

 Couple years ago at the Holly Springs, MS hummingbird festival they had the snake man give a presentation.  I forget his name and where he's from but I think maybe the North MS area.  Dude knew everything about snakes, and he was very entertaining.  He had several live ones to show off and at the end he got about six children in the audience to line up and hold this giant boa all the way across. 

[bersaguy]

That reminds me of a trip we took about 20 years ago before my wife passed away. Some friend of ours keep telling us we needed to go visit a place in Arkansas called Eureka Springs. Well, My wife, I and another couple packed some suitcases and away we went in search of this wonderful place we were told we had to see. About 14 hours later we found this little town of Eureka Springs. I have to admit I am thrilled that I went. Had the best time of our lives for a week and the biggest attraction in the town besides it was a town lost in time and was still in the 1800's culture for the most part there was the hummingbirds 1000's upon 1000's of Hummingbirds. In the square of town was a park and in the park were these great big trees with beautiful brilliantly colored leaves like I had never seen before and the trees were as big as a 200 year old Oak tree might be at the base. Thing is the trees were man made. There was an old man sitting on a bench and I asked him what kind of trees those where and he said Hummingbird Trees boy. I said I had never heard of them before and he was more than glad to give me a demonstration. He reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a fire cracker, lit it and pitched it out on the side walk. When it went off I bet about 1 or 2 thousand Hummingbirds lit up the tree when they took flight and the colors were brilliant. About 5 minutes later they were all back on the trees. Then we began to notice the hundreds of Hummingbird feeders hanging every where you looked. There were actually care takers responsible for making sure all the feeders remained full of food not counting all the people that had them hanging around their homes. The Motel we stayed in just at the city limits of town had probably 50 feeders up on all the balconies. We spent a week there and went for a ride in a glass bottom boat on Table Rock Lake and attended Services on Sunday in a Church in the woods made of beautiful glass. I am sure glad I went to Eureka Springs as it will remain as one of my favorite places for ever.............jmho  

Edited May 5, 2014 by bersaguy

[xjsnake]

 Couple years ago at the Holly Springs, MS hummingbird festival they had the snake man give a presentation.  I forget his name and where he's from but I think maybe the North MS area.  Dude knew everything about snakes, and he was very entertaining.  He had several live ones to show off and at the end he got about six children in the audience to line up and hold this giant boa all the way across. 

 

I used to do presentations like that a couple times a week when I lived in Ohio and had a much bigger collection of captive animals. Now I'm much more into studying the animals in the wild and leaving them alone. I do still have a couple pets to do show and tell with for kids but nothing like I used to.

[Guest Lowbuster]

That reminds me of a trip we took about 20 years ago before my wife passed away. Some friend of ours keep telling us we needed to go visit a place in Arkansas called Eureka Springs. Well, My wife, I and another couple packed some suitcases and away we went in search of this wonderful place we were told we had to see. About 14 hours later we found this little town of Eureka Springs. I have to admit I am thrilled that I went. Had the best time of our lives for a week and the biggest attraction in the town besides it was a town lost in time and was still in the 1800's culture for the most part there was the hummingbirds 1000's upon 1000's of Hummingbirds. In the square of town was a park and in the park were these great big trees with beautiful brilliantly colored leaves like I had never seen before and the trees were as big as a 200 year old Oak tree might be at the base. Thing is the trees were made made. There was an old man sitting on a bench and I asked him what kind of trees those where and he said Hummingbird Trees boy. I said I had never heard of them before and he was more than glad to give me a demonstration. He reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a fire cracker, lit it and pitched it out on the side walk. When it went off I bet about 1 or 2 thousand Hummingbirds lit up the tree when they took flight and the colors were brilliant. About 5 minutes later they were all back on the trees. Then we began to notice the hundreds of Hummingbird feeders hanging every where you looked. There were actually care takers responsible for making sure all the feeders remained full of food not counting all the people that had them hanging around their homes. The Motel we stayed in just at the city limits of town had probably 50 feeders up on all the balconies. We spent a week there and went for a ride in a glass bottom boat on Table Rock Lake and attended Services on Sunday in a Church in the woods made of beautiful glass. I am sure glad I went to Eureka Springs as it will remain as one of my favorite places for ever.............jmho

This sounds beautiful.

[K191145]

I used to do presentations like that a couple times a week when I lived in Ohio and had a much bigger collection of captive animals. Now I'm much more into studying the animals in the wild and leaving them alone. I do still have a couple pets to do show and tell with for kids but nothing like I used to.

 

years ago this guy I worked with kept telling me there were no water moccisens(cottenmouths) this far north, really? I lived in this area my whole life, grew up floating, swimming in the Harpeth river and one snake I learned to recognize is a cottenmouth and learned to keep my distance from them if I could. Cottenmouths are one of the few snakes that will stand their ground if not actually come after you to run you out of their territory. Don't know where he heard there are no water moccisens in Middle Tennessee.

[bersaguy]

years ago this guy I worked with kept telling me there were no water moccisens(cottenmouths) this far north, really? I lived in this area my whole life, grew up floating, swimming in the Harpeth river and one snake I learned to recognize is a cottenmouth and learned to keep my distance from them if I could. Cottenmouths are one of the few snakes that will stand their ground if not actually come after you to run you out of their territory. Don't know where he heard there are no water moccisens in Middle Tennessee.

I also grew up on Harpeth and swam and fished in the river and I can promise your buddy that that river is chock full of Cotton Mouths. back before the river was considered a Scenic River and it was not against the law to kill snakes me and my buddies would float sections of the river from Bridge to bridge in jon boats with 22 rifles shooting snakes that were hanging in the trees just above the water or out sunning on log jams. 22 Long rifles 50 round box 69 cents at the general Store down the road from the house. I guess over the two summers we did that we probably killed close to 1000 snakes. Since they have outlawed it I would guess the snakes have taken over the river. Have not been on it in over 10 years. Last time was when son and I went shoal fishing at night for catfish for family fish fry that coming up weekend.

[K191145]

I also grew up on Harpeth and swam and fished in the river and I can promise your buddy that that river is chock full of Cotton Mouths. back before the river was considered a Scenic River and it was not against the law to kill snakes me and my buddies would float sections of the river from Bridge to bridge in jon boats with 22 rifles shooting snakes that were hanging in the trees just above the water or out sunning on log jams. 22 Long rifles 50 round box 69 cents at the general Store down the road from the house. I guess over the two summers we did that we probably killed close to 1000 snakes. Since they have outlawed it I would guess the snakes have taken over the river. Have not been on it in over 10 years. Last time was when son and I went shoal fishing at night for catfish for family fish fry that coming up weekend.

 

Me and my brother used to float(Jon boat of course), from I-40 bridge to bridge in Kingston Springs, set limb lines out at midnight then check them at sunrise. We would usually catch between 15 and 25 catfish. That was the good ol days, now the Harpeth if full of canooing tourists.

[tnguy]

 I found a squirrel feeder that the squirrel had to life the lid on to get at the food. I thought the little critter would never figure out how that worked.....WRONG...........lol.

 

Those squirrels can be pretty smart

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9GBl7UmVs

Edited May 5, 2014 by tnguy

[bersaguy]

Me and my brother used to float(Jon boat of course), from I-40 bridge to bridge in Kingston Springs, set limb lines out at midnight then check them at sunrise. We would usually catch between 15 and 25 catfish. That was the good ol days, now the Harpeth if full of canooing tourists.

yea, I use to set out limb lines back years ago when I was growing up in Cheatham county on Grandfathers Ranch/Farm 2000 acres and the Harpeth River cut through it twice. Every time the family would want to have get together the main course for the meal was always catfish and I was always elected to fetch the fish...lol. I and a buddy would put the jon boat in at the Creech Bridge and float down to just above the Stringfellow bridge to a long slow moving 3 mile long hole of water and would begin hanging lines baited with pond perch up and down boat sides of that long hole of water and would have about 75 lines out and could always figure on 50 + cats on the lines. Seldom ever dropped below  that number but a few times went above 50. Sure was glad we was not elected to clean them. That was someone else's job since we was up all night getting them. We would begin hanging lines at about 6PM and then camp out on a Gravel bar with a camp fire, Run the lines at midnight and re bait. Put the fish in a toe sack( Burlap) and tie the end closed with a rope and put it in the river tied to a tree. You could lay on the gravel baar on a pad and hear those lines being attacked by the big cats and hear all the splashing. Then at day light we would run the lines and pick up the lies as we took the fish off. Never left lines hanging. Man those big ugly flatheads sure do like Pond Perch. Most folks don't know it but the flat heads maybe ugly but have the best meat mainly because they won't eat anything dead. You won't catch them on Liver and Shrimp. It it ain't swimming or crawling Flat heads won't eat it. Man I sure do miss those days. Life was much simpler and folks was all friendly to one another. Not like the Rat race of today. I know there are still folks living in the country that think and live like back then but they are a dying breed like the dinosaur and when that generation is gone so will be the old ways.

Edited May 5, 2014 by bersaguy

[bersaguy]

Wow!!!  Ya'll are not gonna believe this but look at these baby Robins that were eggs  17 days ago. I guess that is what Meal worms and Crickets can do. They take eggs and make Super babies out of them in 17 days.....If they leave the nest to soon and Momma and Daddy have to keep feeding them away from the nest they are going to be very busy parents......There are 4 babies in that nest so when crowding gets to great they will  leave ready or not!!!! The ones did the same thing last year and the parents fed them for about another ten days before they quit coming back for more food.

 

[URL=http://s218.photobucket.com/user/softbaitmaker/media/Misc/Robins005_zps04c1e4d0.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[URL=http://s218.photobucket.com/user/softbaitmaker/media/Misc/Robins006_zps7d0fc7cf.jpg.html][/URL]

 

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[Dolomite`s Breezy]

We have ( apparently a good numbert) of owls where we live. I heard  it about 4 times now at night.. They go start hooting and then it escalates into something like a mad person laughing.. its really weird and creepy..First night I heard it I didnt know what to think.Not sure if its  territory related on mating related.. But its freaky sounding..When you hear it .. you will know it..lol

 

Time to google it I guess :)

[bersaguy]

Well the Robins left the next morning after my last post and I was right Momma and Daddy are busy. I have been continuing to put out meal worms and crickets and they will collect a beak full and head for a tree and come right back for more. I won't be buying any more. They left the morning after I just stocked up......... :up:

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Our local barred owls (males get real big wing span, though not huge looking birds with wings folded)-- The barred owls have some occasional alternate calls but the primary one goes something like--

 

"Whoo.......... Whoo...........   Whoo..Whoo..     WhooWhoo......."

 

The local male has a less-pure tone like he's been gargling with drano or smoked too many cigars.

 

Sometimes when I'm out back in the dark I'll call back to them, mimicking the call as best I can. A couple of times the big male has flown down to a tree limb nearby when I was talking to em, then give me the evil eye like he's pissed at me interrupting the conversation. Dunno if he would ever get mad enough to buzz me and draw blood. :) They look pretty intimidating close up.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[bersaguy]

Our local barred owls (males get real big wing span, though not huge looking birds with wings folded)-- The barred owls have some occasional alternate calls but the primary one goes something like--

 

"Whoo.......... Whoo...........   Whoo..Whoo..     WhooWhoo......."

 

The local male has a less-pure tone like he's been gargling with drano or smoked too many cigars.

 

Sometimes when I'm out back in the dark I'll call back to them, mimicking the call as best I can. A couple of times the big male has flown down to a tree limb nearby when I was talking to em, then give me the evil eye like he's pissed at me interrupting the conversation. Dunno if he would ever get mad enough to buzz me and draw blood. :) They look pretty intimidating close up.

I don't think they are aggressive towards humans but he may have thought you were another Male owl that invaded his turf and he was gonna run it off. Many animals in nature are very territorial and will fight to protect their turf and hunting areas...........jmho   Yes they can look intimidating especially when they have their wings expanded cause it makes them look much bigger than they really are.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Snake people: what is this?  He was a few feet from the house.  I've seen a few congregating in this area lately but never one this color.

 

Edited May 9, 2014 by Stegall Law Firm

[bersaguy]

Kind of favors a Copperhead if you blow the picture up enough times to get a good look at the head but then I have seen juvenile Rat snakes with same markings. Will need someone more up on snakes but I'm sure that won't take long..... :up:

[molonlabetn]

Snake people: what is this? He was a few feet from the house. I've seen a few congregating in this area lately but never one this color.

After looking closely, it almost looks like somebody's boa got out... But its probably a corn snake, not a copperhead like I've ever seen other than the colors.

[molonlabetn]

Also, didn't want to leave without adding... I love nature, it's delicious!

[Oh Shoot]

 

After looking closely, it almost looks like somebody's boa got out... But its probably a corn snake, not a copperhead like I've ever seen other than the colors.

 
Almost certainly corn snake. Exact colors and intensity of most all snakes can vary a good bit.
 
- OS Edited May 9, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Micro-cephalic copperhead!!! :)

[molonlabetn]

Micro-cephalic copperhead!!! :)

The most dangerous kind ;-)