Birds and Fowl

I purchased more peacocks. This is Leroy, don't ask me why he got
that name it just came to mind. He is a real show off and spreads
those tail feathers for the ladies. Along with Leroy I got two females.
One has a chick. Seraphena is the mom of the chick and Chia is the other
peahen. Chia has gotten out 2 times now and is easy to walk back into the pen.
You'll see Seraphena and the chick in the two pictures below. The chick looks
like a chickens chick and I have three of those running around too. That's Lenny
in the foreground of the picture.

My son and grandsons were here this weekend and brought me a little Geo Metro.
It's supposed to get 40 miles to the gal, I 'll find out but it is nice with gas prices going
up.
While here my sons mentioned what a diverse bird population I had. It's true sittng
on my back porch I have a dove nesting in my pine tree close to my lounge. Juvinile
cactus wrens come and play on my backporch entertaining me most mornings. A
young thrasher is also visiting me almost daily not quit all feathered out yet. These
birds are not my favorites as they can go right down a row of freshly planted seeds
with their long curved beak and completely undo the work of planting. Quail families
of various sizes cross the property daily and it is fun to see how the babies have grown
or to see new little buttons. Yesterday I was looking out across the back property and
saw a road runner. Soon I realized there was a nest under a creosote bush and three
juviniles were busy learning to hunt and play. A little humming bird whirred in and
got a bit of sugarwater and there are lots of sparrows. I also saw a bright yellow
oriole fly up into my mulberry tree. I am very entertained by all the birds that have
come to make a life close to me.

Burrowing owls/ Jimson weed

It's a bit breathtaking to look across the yard and see these in full bloom.
That is what greeted me this morning as I went out to feed.

I have new neighbors and they just got ATV's so out across my back field
they went. After a few times of this I'd had enough and went out to
tell them that I owned that property and I was a bit sensitive about ATV's.
As we were talking out flew the little burrowing owl that lives back in that
field. I pointed it out to them explaining it lived back there and I was a
nature lover. The problem seemed resolved, they apologized and said they
weren't sure where their new property lines were. I was so happy the
little burrowing owl made a show and supported me in my effort to
protect their habitat and my acreage.

This morning I was out digging a hole to plant another grape vine.
I stopped for a moment to rest and turned to see the little burrowing
owl sitting on the water facet. What a treat. Then it flew down on
the ground and watched me digging almost as though it wondered
if I was digging it a burrow. Just a few minutes ago it appeared again
to get more water. I keep water out for the birds. I hope it's not sick.
Maybe it has babies.

Here is the row of bamboo I planted along the chicken pen late last summer.
It is now a source of shade for the chickens. I plan on planting some more
along the horse corral. I just recently planted a row to protect my privacy
the road. I am planting desert willow and desert bird of paradise in front of
this row of bamboo. I think it will make a nice green row with flowers to look
at instead of the road and the neighbors front porch. It doesn't look like much
now but bamboo grows so fast that it soon fills in and creates these privacy fences.

Bamboo

Last year I got some starts of bamboo from a yard sale for free.
I planted them about this time a year ago as a screen between
me and a neighbor. I dug up a clump in the center wehre you
see the hole. It will fill in there but it has really grown and become
a real screen. It also produces shade and food and material for
other uses. I have learned you can make charcoal out of bamboo
for a soil amendment. The poles are good for garden stakes.

These pictures are of the bunching grass that grows in my back field.
I don't know what it is, I call it prairie grass.