Category Archives: wildlife

A bit of color

April 5, 2020nature, wildlife, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

I’m trying to bring more of my regular life back. This has little to do with the virus, but more about living without Bob.

While raking and picking up branches, I came across a tiny bit of color.

Seeing this feather made me stop.

It’s from a bluejay, so it’s not one to collect. It’s one to admire. BTW: those are basswood seed pods, not rabbit droppings.

The blue of the feather was what caught my attention. There are a lot of bluejays here. They hung out at our feeder all winter long.

I keep the outside cats well fed so they don’t go after the birds that come to our feeder.

This feather was alone. It wasn’t found amongst a pile of feathers–I take that as a sign that a cat had not had a meal.

Feathers that can be collected are from birds that are hunted: turkey, duck, and geese. Bob often brought home a found turkey feather for me. The bigs ones were easier to find and pick up. I treasure the ones I have.

Just saying a bit of beauty can be found everywhere, even when one is breaking her back picking up branches after winter storms–the basswood tree is notorious for dropping branches along with leaves and seed pods.

I encourage you to look for the beauty that surrounds us. The big and the small. The sunsets and the feathers. Each is a treasure as are you.

Beauty on the wing

March 28, 2020photography, wildlifesusanmanzke

I love watching out my kitchen window and seeing the birds that come to eat at the feeder. Nature is moving forward. It’s is spring and the wildlife are all getting ready to reproduce.

Here are a couple photos I have snapped of neighborhood feathered friends.

There are many cardinals flitting about the yard. These birds call to each other from the trees around our house. Sometimes I whistle back and listen for a response. Often, they answer me even if my cardinal impression isn’t very good.

As I write this blog, crows are voicing their opinions to each other nearby. Bob actually was very fond of crows, so listening to their squawks reminds me of my husband.

I hope to see many more feathered neighbors come for more visits. I keep the outside cats well fed so they are too slow and fat to notice the birds, which is a good thing for all.

Visiting Country Critters

March 27, 2020animals, Bob, wildlifesusanmanzke

I was looking through videos I have on youtube.com and found one of Bob releasing a raccoon into our woods. This was back in 2011.

Bob captured this raccoon in a live trap after it was poking around our chickens. Here’s the link. Copy and paste the whole link to see Bob release it……………………………………. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI7_r7P9sdU

I haven’t set up the critter camera yet this year, but I’m thinking about it. Bob loved the critter cam so much. He wanted to snap a photo of the bear that moves through our area. He never got that photo or saw the bear, I’m sad to say.

When the raccoons come up to finish cat food, they can be very quiet or they can make a lot of noise, moving the metal food pans around.

If I have to go outside in the dark I make a lot of noise so the wild critters know to scatter.

Squinty the cat

March 4, 2020wildlifesusanmanzke

I just fed the outside (barn) cats that have decided to make our place their home. One I named Squinty.

Squinty can be found on our front porch during the day. Mostly he seems to be sleeping.

Other times, Squinty is looking for a free handout.

Squinty seems very calm and he is. He is calm unless the neighbor’s cat comes for a visit. The neighbor cat is his nemesis. I haven’t gotten a photo of them together, nose to nose, growling.

I’ll keep trying to get a photo of the two during a face-off, but mostly I keep out of their way when they are growling at each other.

Together they are just too much.

Where the wild things are

March 2, 2020Sunnybook Farm, wildlifesusanmanzke

I’ve heard odd noises outside our house before, but last night really made me think.

First, two neighborhood Tomcats had a face-off. Their yowling on our front porch reminded me of the sound of howling coyotes but worse because it was on our front steps

This time there was no brawling, thank goodness–I hate it when fur flies.

I went out to shoo them away. At least they could take their argument elsewhere. (They are the two who haven’t been neutered yet, but I have an eye on them.)

A calm moment after supper – snapped a while back with critter cam.

Later, I was quietly writing on my laptop at the kitchen table. It was very dark outside–no moon. This time the noise from the porch was different. It was loud and scrapping. It made me catch my breath.

Then I realized what it was.

I turned on the outside light and saw two raccoons finishing up the cat food crumbs the cats had left. As they ate they moved the heavy old enamel meat trays I feed the cats on.

Another photo from my critter cam archives

The two raccoons looked up at me.

I walked away and let them finish.

The next time I looked, one was up on the birdfeeder, finishing the food there, too.

Yes, Sunnybook Farm is where the wild things are. If I have to go outside after dark, I make a lot of noise. The wild things scatter and don’t bother me.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person