Kayak Adventure VIII
This is likely our last kayak adventure of the year. It was a calm morning just after high tide. It was remarkable how much things had changed since our last trip. The berries were stripped from the bushes and acorns were the food source of choice. We did not see a lot of bird activity in spite of being out for a couple of hours. It was slack tide when we started and we just drifted in hoping not to startle the birds. There just wasn’t a lot of activity. We could hear a few birds but they were too deep in the woods to photograph. Once we got out of the wind, it was flat calm. Sometimes the journey is an end to itself. We took some pictures just to set the tone.
There were some geese to greet us on the way to Shackford Point.
We saw a few birds in the trees.
Goldfinch 
Chickadee 
Rose Breasted Nuthatch 
Red Bellied Woodpecker
We hadn’t seen swans all year, until today. We usually have swans nesting nearby but this is the first time we saw them in 2020.
We keep learning. We had to use Merlin app to verify the identity of this guy. Apparently there are fourteen subspecies of red tailed hawk with color variations among them. We have been seeing this guy but his coloration is quite different than the red tailed hawks we usually see.
We mostly floated with the tide to watch the birds. It was a very relaxing way to spend the morning.
Birds
We still have our bird baths out front. They have had ice on them twice so far. I think that this is the last week for them in 2020. They will need to be cleaned and put away until next spring and we will have to plug in the heated bird bath on the porch.
The bird activity seen from the house has been slowing down now that fall is settling in.
Mammals
We got the pasture mowed this year. It was too wet to mow last year and so it didn’t get done.
Mowing the field brought the fox out. Unfortunately this fox has the mange and looks to be in fairly poor shape.
It is possible for foxes to survive the mange. We have been hearing coyotes which will make the foxes life that much more difficult. Coyotes will kill foxes.
Chipmunks have been having a banner year. There is a lot of food available for them.
Fun with Food
Self isolation takes a toll on a body. We try to have fun with things we have to do anyway. One chore that has potential to be a creative outlet is cooking. We have two traditions we are trying to maintain: Friday Mini BYOB and Sunday pancake day. It can add some fun to take pictures of the food and try to spice up the presentation. So the problem boils down to cooking and then trying to make the result pretty. So can you imagine a cook for who how the food looks is more important than how it tastes? So be relived that how ever bad it is, you are not reduced to eating Mark’s cooking.
We did our civic duty and celebrated.
Fun with Benji
Wink thinks it is possible to have too many pictures just like it is possible for Benji to have too many toys. So that might be, but we are a ways from bumping into that limit.
There is still a lot of yard work to catch up on. It is a rainy day so I am trying to catch up on my blogging.
Mark, Wink and Meg
Could the hawk be a red shouldered hawk? We have those in our neighborhood! Some times I identify better by identifying the call.
Those swans are so elegant even in flight! It sure has been a gorgeous Fall & I think you’ve taken pretty good advantage of it. It will be a long winter…you’ll have to invent a new “segment” for the blog to take the place of kayaking. I enjoy following your adventures on the water & in the kitchen.