Gray Lodge and Snakes

I've had a number of first time visitors to our area in the last couple of years. In order to show them what this area is all about, one of our destinations is Gray Lodge Nature Preserve. I wrote about it before. I've visited in all seasons and I always discover something new and interesting.
Although Mosker had grown up here, this spring had been her first visit. It was also the first time that I had encountered snakes there. I don't know enough about them not to get creep-ed when they pass on the path in front of me. That's not good! So after all this time here I decided to learn a bit more, it's silly, after all, to get spooked by a few ounces of muscle.
When I took my cousins there, from a snake-less land, I fully hoped to show them local fauna. Off in the distance we saw a raccoon. We saw a deer. I had nearly given up when one of them saw the gopher snake across the path. No rattle! No triangle head! Good! We watched it. We photographed it. We filmed it. We watched it travel across the path and disappear into brush.
Mission accomplished!

Western Yellow-Bellied Racer

They're back! Watch your step. Just because its bite is not poisonous doesn't mean the bite won't hurt.

Yesterday

Finches, Red-winged Blackbirds, Flickers, Sandpipers, Turkey Vultures, Egrets, Ducks, Geese, Hawks, Snakes (and many others we could not identify) observed yesterday and Gray Lodge.

Gray Lodge with the Guys

We had another beautiful fall day today. My friends and I took our dogs for a long walk at Gray Lodge. It started out cool, but warmed to the 70's.
Clearly they are not used to posing for the photographer, so this is the best I could do.
We went for lunch and two of the dogs had to acclimate in a strange house. They did well, no snarls.
Azi is tired though, has been sleeping most of the afternoon. Being on the alert is hard work.

A Faller Day

The calendar says fall, the weather says summer=faller.
I did some garden cleanup, some baking, some reading, some knitting. A mix of summer and autumn activities.
We are scheduled for a few more. Time to fix the fence, cut the grass and take a long walk at Gray Lodge with Azi and a couple of his friends, and their humans.

So happy I'm not in SoCal where things are truly hot!

Annual Migration of the Birds

It really is autumn!
This morning started out a bit overcast with some drizzle. Midmorning I walked across the street to our mailbox. Once the youngsters head off to school, and the workers leave for their jobs, it is very quiet around here.
So I was a bit surprised to hear a gaggle of geese overhead, followed by a couple more. Flying high, heading south. We live under a major western flyway and this is a twice yearly event, going on over several months. The birds come in to rest and feed on the barren rice fields for a few days and fly on. Depending on the species they come early, or later.
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area is the most quiet place I know. Larger than many towns or counties, it is eerily still. I have walked Azi there. Along the long walking path there are mostly song birds, sometimes ducks.
The big birds can be seen by car only, no getting out. It is an amazing sight, thousands of birds on the water, resting and feeding. After rice harvest is complete many of the neighboring fields are open for the birds to feed off of them. Hunting clubs are opened by then as well. Hunters, of course, pay for many of the conservation efforts.
Last year we saw a raccoon by the side of the path. He gave us the:"What do you want? Move on, already!" look.
So, the year's migration has begun!