Category Archives: wildlife

A Minute with mosquitoes!

Susan, wildlife, Wisconsin

I took canned-air outside to clean off my bug zapper.

It quickly does the trick, but not quick enough as my blood was being sucked by the live ones.

This zapper is away from the house to draw the mosquitoes away. It works, but can not keep up with the onslaught this year.

I thought that I could do this video without being harassed by the mosquitoes as it had started to rain.

They didn’t care.

Swat! Wave! Run for the house! And safety.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Ten seconds of sandhill cranes

wildlife, Wisconsin

They fly through the sky, greeting the Wisconsin sunrise.

Sandhill cranes wake up the countryside.

I know some don’t appreciate their bugle calls, thinking them grating.

The sounds that greeted me today made me smile.

Catching a bit of their flight and calls brightened my day.

Saving Wisconsin wildlife shows how birds on the brink of extinction can come back and add to daily entertainment.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

The hum isn’t the mower

Sunnybook Farm, Susan, wildlife

Mowing Sunnybook Farm’s large lawn is enough work. Too bad buzzing biters make it even more of a challenge today.

Every time I got near a bush or tree, mosquitoes swarmed out around me, making my driving shaky at times, as you can see in this video.

The mosquitoes have multiplied and gone crazy.

I swat. I slap. I wave my hands, but nothing I do perturbs them.

They land on my arms. They land on my legs. They circle my head.

I drive my mower faster, out into the open, into the sunlight. For a time I’ve left them behind. But I have to return to the shade and there the war with those bloodsuckers continues.

Campers would be eaten alive.

Until next time, that’s it from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Down to three

Chickens, wildlife

One moment I had four hens. The next I didn’t.

It was afternoon when I saw my little flock walking around my flower bed. Well I thought it was my flock of four. What I saw was only three. I just thought the other one was out of sight, but close by.

Marble didn’t show up when it came time to roost that evening.

Marble is farthest left in this photo. I looked around for her. Eventually, close to the soybean field, I found her wing.

I’m keeping my last three hens inside today. Whatever ate Marble may return for another easy meal.

It’s hard raising pets that are tasty.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved

Listening to my neighbors

wildlife, Wisconsin

Not the mooing of cows today.

My other neighbors are talking early this morning.

Their calls aren’t melodious. Sandhill cranes speak in an ancient language, one heard by dinosaurs.

When you are out in the countryside, listen to the small chirps of little birds, but don’t forget to check out the calls of sandhill cranes.

Copyright © 2021 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved