Wildlife of the Day

 
Some nice wildlife encounters today, although the best one is also the saddest. We were helping to clean out the Shagway barn to get ready for the season, and we came across this Little Brown Bat. They really aren't scary, and they are fascinating.



I'm very sad to tell you that his right wing was badly broken (I don't know if we injured him before we knew he was there. I hope not, but it's possible, although the injury didn't look brand new). But before you say goodbye, look at those adorable little feet. I HATE to have to do stuff like this, but there was no way he was going to survive. I dispatched him as quickly as possible.



The turkey vultures were having a feast. Apparently the dead whatever was at its most delectable stage of decomp.



You can really see their naked heads.



Immediately after that, I saw the turkey. In fact, this is the best picture I've gotten to date of a wild turkey with its tail spread. I could wish there was not a telephone pole in the background, but that's where he was...



Also interesting was the way in which he hustled across the road.



The weather didn't cooperate. It rained until mid-afternoon, so the day wasn't the marathon of accomplishment I was hoping for. I wrote in the morning, then worked at Shagway, did a couple of errands and then read until bell practice.

	See Are You Dead Yet?
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12.5 for a Total of 57 Miles

 
Today went quickly. It was warmer, but not uncomfortably so. There wasn't as much of interest to look at, so I just have a few pictures.

We did have one interesting people interaction. More on that tomorrow. But the people we met took a picture of us.



The best wildlife picture was a pack of turkey vultures. Not terribly scenic. They were guarding something run over by a soybean harvester.



The house of the day is a barn. Nicely kept up, but you can tell it's old. Look at the slate roof.



Finally... just for a chuckle. These arrows were painted on the roads quite frequently. Something to do with underground lines. But it could just as easily be the hiker's dream for the end of the day- turn it 90 degrees... a wine bottle and a roof.



We are now back at Ester's. It started pouring about an hour ago, so we snuck this hike into a perfect weather slot.

All of Northern Ohio on the Buckeye Trail is complete. All I have left to do are 60 miles in the southeast. Those will be hiked in the spring. Tomorrow it's back to work.

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Are You Dead Yet?

 

Just asking because someone dressed in black is hanging around.



Can't tell from the outfit who it is?

Turkey vultures. Waiting for something to die for dinner?



I'm off to work in a few minutes. Don't let the blue sky excite you too much. Now it's snowing as if it were January, and I'm leading a hike in the morning!

	See Turkey Vulture
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What Kind of Portent?

 
As I was leaving this morning, look who was hanging around on the barn roof. Hopefully, they don't know something about my immediate future. (Just kidding.)



It was a long and busy work day. I'll get my fun day some other day. But I did get to drive some new back roads. Still not very green here, but I like 'em anyway.





Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It was amazing. Something over 120 greetings on Facebook.

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Winner! - Edited and Changed!

We have a winner! It's NOT Ratty of The Everyday Adventurer. Julia of Our Simple Life also entered, but the email got lost in cyberspace and just arrived, but is dated correctly before the deadline. The final score, Ratty 4, Julia 6! Rainfield, of My Journey, gets an honorable mention for guessing one of them in a comment.

Shucks, I thought this contest would be fun with just some guessing on the closeup pictures. How can I make the contests more interesting for you, my friends?


Here are the answers:

1.
This one was the fantail of water from the high speed ferry between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island. Ratty guessed fog over a body of water. Pretty close! Julia said the sky.


2.
This is the down on the back of a baby swan. See Fluffy Treats on an Urban Trail". Ratty guessed the fur on one of my dogs. Julia said fox fur. I would have guessed fur too. Amazing how much feathers can look that way, isn't it?


3.
This is the top of a mushroom/ fungus. I don't know what kind. Ratty and Julia both got it right!


4.
Ratty guessed ice on a creek; Julia- ice with water beneath. Exactly!


5.
Ratty said a ground squirrel, and it is. Julia got it exactly: a thirteen-lined ground squirrel! See New Digs for Peabody's Great, Great, Great...


6.
Ratty and Julia both guessed a red-wing blackbird. Right on! See Gale's Pond- A Wonderful Day


7.
Ratty and Julia both guessed a turkey vulture. This bird is easily spotted here by the wings in a V, and the naked head. See Turkey Vulture


8.
Ratty said "no clue". Julia said water. Rainfield actually got this one right! He said in a comment that he saw a reflection in the water. It was branches in a stream, and they turned out to be more interesting than the water strider, the little insect, that I was trying to picture.


9.
Ratty guessed weeds on a pond, and he's right. Julia is closer, saying rushes emerging from water with reflection. Thought this one might be hard. I love how these soft-stem bulrush all dried curly.


10.
Neither Ratty nor Julia had a guess. This is the flicker. See See Two Birds and a Plan


OK! I'm posting this from a dial-up connection at Ester's house, and I have to get on the road again really NOW. Gotta go... I have things to show and tell, but they will have to wait.

Turkey Vulture

 



Here's some ugliness for you! Turkey vultures are usually seen high in the sky, soaring with their dark wings in a V. It's much less likely that you'll see one close enough to snap a picture of their naked heads.


This one was guarding a fresh road kill, and didn't move until I was quite close. Here's a classic cartoon vulture pose! (Except, of course, this pose is real.)

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