November 2016 Activity

Week 44
Good bit of rain, the ground seems okay for fall perennial growth.  We have not seen any bluebonnet plants emerging yet.
Roadrunner made an appearance at the glass in the front entrance, seeing itself as a reflection was puzzling to its brain.
No hog evidence in the last six months--someone must have shot the big boar that was digging up this place a year ago.  The damage continued even after we shot the one we did, thinking that would have ended the digging.
Pulled up about 4 large cacti and hauled same to the brushpile.

Week 45
We have decided to enclose a small portion of the back yard to prevent deer from getting all the flowering shrubs and our vegetable plantings.  Even though the feedings have been several hundred feet distant from the house, plus we make every effort to scare them from the property, the deer have gotten way to bold at night.  Cost will be about $300.
Have not heard much in the way of hunting activity.
Hand harvested a lot of Indian Grass seed and rescattered the seed in other areas.  There are now several stands of this large grass and so the reseeding is paying off,
Not much sideoats to harvest this year, and an average amount of little bluestem seed.
Bought a bunch of native flowering seeds fro Wildflower Seed in Fredericksburg ($35).  Will now scatter this in the area for both our viewing and the enjoyment of the wildlife.

Week 46
Deer fence is up.
Most wildlife signs are very quiet---but we did hear a pack of coyotes that were within a hundred yards of this location.
Saw a large king snake, one of the few snakes seen this year.

Week 47
Deer activity unchanged.  Feeding kitchen vegetable scraps perhaps twice per week, with 4 sometimes 5 does showing up.
Saw a big buck in the back yard. Only one this year.
Songbirds seem to have departed for the year.
Raccoon activity is less this year than last year at this time.

Week 48
The buck deer makes a rather regular appearance.  Hope to get a picture one of these days. 
Not much sound of hunting activity this year based on gunshot reports.
Saw one flock of turkeys, maybe about 12.
Water seems to be needed these days as the trough by the big water tank is continually drawn down.
Bought new bag of sunflower seeds.
Provided kitchen scraps and sweet feed to the deer yard.  The does seem to show up only at near dark time.

October 2016 Activity

Week 40
Mowed about half the areas of dense ragweed, but left some for the quail.  Incidentally, a quail flew into the glass of the front entranceway and died.
Cut some cedar branches and hauled same to the back brushpile.  The brushpile is getting to look more healthy and capable of providing shelter.
Short of rain, but not critical.
Saw a few turkeys on the road in front, but not a large group.
We have removed the electric fence charger from the bird feeder ( it was there to discourage raccoons) and so far none have returned to feed on the sunflower seeds

Week 41
Sending some vegetable scraps from the kitchen to the deer yard on an every other day frequency. The deer really go for these green scraps.
Deer herd is down this year, or someone else has their attention, not sure which.  Never see more than four at a time.
Leopard frogs are still in the tank under the eave of the front roof.  Sometimes there are three of them, sometimes none.   I think they keep surveying the weather outlook to determine when they should leave and find a rock to hide under for the winter.

Week 42
Spot of rain, so all the tanks are now full again.
Deer herd is small, but they are pesky, even to the extent of climbing up onto the terraced garden in the back yard and eating everything in sight.
Have seen no hawks this year and have not seen nor heard any owls either---strange.  Mice are still in very few numbers.
Cardinals have taken their fall vacation.  Every year they depart for about a month and then return.  Where they go is not clear.
Lots of what I would call June bugs hatching out

Week 43
Not much activity, by either the wildlife or ourselves.