Cool Nature Photos

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I too planted a wildflower bed. Beside our pond is a green pastured area. Its only about 20'x 50 ish'. Gonna plant sunflowers in another area near our grapes/blackberries/blue berries this evening. I'm hoping to attract some goldfinch's there as well as other colorful birds. Then if successful setup a ground blind for some cool photo op moments. We'll see....

 

[EddieWalker]

Before moving to Texas, I wanted to do all the things in CA that I should have done while living there but never did.

One of them was hiking to the top of Half Dome. Going past the waterfalls was one of the highlights. We camped just above them, spent the night, and then went up the Ladders to the top of Half Dome the next day, and spent the night at the campground.

Third day we took a different trail back down to the parking area to see more of the Park.

The campground was overrun with black bears. At least a dozen were visible from the campsite at any given time. It was required that everything edible was put into metal containers that they had there because of the bears. One couple had their backpack destroyed by a bear that ate their 35mm film. We didn't have tents, we just slept on pads on the ground. I woke up in the morning with a fresh bear turd about five feet from my head. I'm glad I slept through that!!!

It was one of the best backpacking trips that I've done.

 

[masseyrider]

I too planted a wildflower bed. Beside our pond is a green pastured area. Its only about 20'x 50 ish'. Gonna plant sunflowers in another area near our grapes/blackberries/blue berries this evening. I'm hoping to attract some goldfinch's there as well as other colorful birds. Then if successful setup a ground blind for some cool photo op moments. We'll see....

You plant it and they will come.
Believe me, I know. My acre plus of sunflowers is always swarming with goldfinches.
You might want to think twice aboot planting close to berries and grapes unless you intend them for the birds to.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Good point. I may have to till up another area near the pond. Its a hundred + yards from the other stuff's. I want people to enjoy them as they pick fruits (and pay for those pickings) but hadn't thought about them being too close to the main profit centers... We don't have a huge problem with birds (cept crows) eating our stuff.

 

[masseyrider]

Good point. I may have to till up another area near the pond. Its a hundred + yards from the other stuff's. I want people to enjoy them as they pick fruits (and pay for those pickings) but hadn't thought about them being too close to the main profit centers... We don't have a huge problem with birds (cept crows) eating our stuff.

The birds peck the heck out of my cherries and grapes.
They even find my strawberries and ruin the nicest ones.
I don't even play the corn game. By the time the kernels form up the crows gat at them.
Around here I can get corn sometimes as low as $0.10 a cob. Even this week it's 0.33 and we're at least 2 months from the local stuff.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

On our cherries I use an owl decoy and move it every few days. So far it works but we only have one producing fruit now. More young ones coming but its years away.

As for corn, I planted some Ohio blue corn this year. THe hope is I can try out my new grain mill. The plan is to try growing as organic as possible our stuffs. Wife loves grits so this will be our first attempt at that. What doesn't make it then becomes meal or chicken feed.

I have inoculated a many a crow. When I do its interesting to watch the funeral. It really works to my advantage too. I can usually easily get 2-3 more as they attend it. Then they disappear for weeks or months. I wish there were such a thing for squirrels. They are eating my plums now they are green and about 1/2 the size of a golf ball. Took almost all off one tree and 30-40% off another. Its inoculation time for them too. JUst can't find time to set out there and inoculate em.

 

[dj1701]

4000th of a second. Trying to figure this action stuff out.

 

[MountainBuck]

Here is skink I found on the deck. That split tail is unusual.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Good point. I may have to till up another area near the pond. Its a hundred + yards from the other stuff's. I want people to enjoy them as they pick fruits (and pay for those pickings) but hadn't thought about them being too close to the main profit centers... We don't have a huge problem with birds (cept crows) eating our stuff.

You could water it from your pond. If it's lower than pond you could do like they do in the Thailand village my sister in law came from. They hand dig a small trench pond to garden, trench along rows. They have a simple door at pond They slide up to water when needed.

 

[t1kilo]

4000th of a second. Trying to figure this action stuff out.

View attachment 3440398

Great pic!