July 2017 Activity

Week 27

Rain, we need rain badly.  The drought monitor shows that Hays County is uniquely dry.  The birds and four footed animals are getting desperate.  The water in two bird baths disappears each night, and must refill the water bin on the west side every 4 or  5 days.

Kicked up a covey of half grown bobwhite quail from the tall grass to the east side toward the road. Maybe a dozen in the group.

Kitchen scraps to the deer yard farthest from the house to keep them away from the house and wild, but it seems to have no effect on their chewing on plants up near the house.

Game camera shows that we have one raccoon that visits the water source in the bird bath each night.

What a sight!, at about 6pm a grown gray fox came up to the bird bath and had a long drink of water.

Week 28

Buck in the back field this evening. Huge head of antlers, maybe a 12 pointer--no moss on the antlers.

Some animal had been popping the covers off the front drains.  Set out the game camera and found that it was the raccoon. Not sure what he was looking for.

Bought 40 pound sack of black oil sunflower seeds and six gallons of diesel fuel.

Still holding off on mowing.  Have not had any rain for a month and if we go back to the last rain of any amount, it was 10 weeks ago.

Scarcity of snakes this year-  not sure why.

Absolutely no evidence of mice in the fields again this year.  Have not seen their predator the owl, either.

Bobwhite are still calling.

Week 29  

Not much changing re observations of wildlife.  Really dry and providing water for all types of wildlife is the whole activity
Added two loads of brush to the main brushpile
Gray fox visited again, was standing on the rim of the bird bath for a drink of water.

Week 30

Same routine, all focused on water and scraps of vegetables.  Flowers are about all dried up, so bought a humming bird feeder to provide food and water for the three birds we have here

Week 31

No rain, so the routine is unchanged.   I am guessing that we are providing water for possums, skunks, raccoons, all kinds of birds, deer, fox and whatever else shows up from the smell of water in the tank, pails, poultry waterer and birdbaths.  It appears more dry here on this very location than it was during the drought of a few years ago.
Four deer in the back, one was a fawn.

June 2017 Activity

Week 23

Beginning to get dry again,  Bobwhite quail still singing and several hen turkeys seen wandering through the back.  Must have a nest somewhere near.
Holding off on mowing to keep some cover.
Hauled two more loads of brush to the main brushpile in the back west area.

Week 24

Deer (maybe just one) are a major problem with the vegetable and flower garden. Building a fence to keep them out.

Also, have a feral cat that shows up on occasions, perhaps once per week.

Week 25

Added about 30 gallons of water to the west end water bin for deer and others.  Have not seen the hen turkeys for a few days, perhaps the chicks have hatched.

Put out the chicken watering can (galvanized bucket that self fills the water trough) on the east side to help the quail.

Have not seen any deer, but evidence of their being in the garden at night shows up.

Week 26

Built the fence to 8 feet high and closed all the crawl through places that may have been letting in the deer.

Adding vegetable scraps in the far deer yard.  Scraps are eaten every night.

Have not seen any evidence of hogs in the last 3 or 4 months.  Perhaps it is too dry in this particular place right now.

Hauled one load of brush to the brush pile

No evidence of nests in the purple martin house, so that now comes down for the winter.

Barn swallows show up, but is too dry for them to find mud to build nests, so they leave.