DRY CRIK Journal

July 6, 2009

July 6, 2009

Morning and dusk the past two weeks has been filled with cries of several Cooper’s Hawks, darting beneath the canopies of the trees in the yard – one against the window yesterday. We first suspected that our quadruple-bumper crop of kittens brought them closer to the house. And though the kittens are getting shier, we haven’t lost a one yet.

Outside the door this morning, I caught what appears to be a young bird tearing into a mouse. It later hopped onto the branch and cried until a second young bird finished the remains, while an adult circled, crying encouragingly.

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May 31, 2009

After feeding calves in the corral at Paregien's Sunday morning, and while waiting for the pump to fill the water tank, Bob and I drove to a den of coyote pups we ran across while gathering early Thursday. Though we don't agree on the number of pups, there's at least six, as large a litter as we've seen around here. And though we put a helluva sneak on them, I couldn't catch more than two in the same frame.

More later, perhaps.

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Continue reading "Mouthful" »

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                                                                         from Dry Crik

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Lower Field, Greasy Creek

Continue reading "Coyote Pup" »

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Continue reading "New Neighbor..." »

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Ready for Winter
Section 17

Too Full To Fly
Sulfur

EAGLES

Run and beat the ground
with great wings in a frantic boil
of dust and last year’s
feed and seed,

an uphill waddle
seeking purchase
for the leap and declining glide
of gluttony.

Not all that proud afoot,
they stoop to carrion –
get scared and embarrassed
at the same time.

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Top
November 17, 2006

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Lower Field, Greasy Creek
October 23, 2006

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September 19, 2006

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Perhaps not for the squeamish, this trio rolled out from under a bush in the garden to provide a good hour of educational entertainment while we barbecued for our dove hunting friends.

King Snake, Garter Snake & Tree Frog

Continue reading "Dinner on Dry Creek" »

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Spanish Flat - Lower Field
August 31, 2006

While checking the stockwater pond for fresh baby calves, caught this group of hens and poults at water’s edge.

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August 29, 2006

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Belle Point
August 24, 2006

Apart from their cuteness, these twins in the wild oats indicate a good year for the deer as well – in fine shape they both have survived coyotes, eagles and lions thus far. The doe is browsing acorns from a nearby oak and they have frozen for a photograph on one of our many trips up the hill to check on our calving heifers.

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August 18, 2006

It’s nearly impossible to escape the world’s problems or find joy with much of what we have to do to navigate these modern times, but Robbin and I feel especially blessed and lucky to have the ranch as our work place. Though we’re physically spent at the end of most days, our few moments watching this Gadwall pair feeding in the pond at Railroad is reassuring, reaffirming Nature’s prosperity beyond the convoluted and urgent matters of mankind.

Posted by John Dofflemyer at 5:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 18, 2006

We have been both concerned and disappointed that we haven’t seen more Roadrunners this past spring and summer. Great watching, normally we have two or three in the yard, even walking the furrows of the garden gleaning tomato worms. They’ll eat insects, lizards and small snakes – raid nests for small birds and eggs – they’ll eat damn near anything. With the quail having such a prolonged hatch after such a wet spring, perhaps they’re out making a living like this one high in the Greasy Creek watershed.

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Green Heron (immature)

Raised on a ranch
In the Tules
Among the Redwings
That strafe its Great
Blue cousins
On long stalks
From tadpoles
To bird eggs,

Just out of the nest
Shypoke waits
On a dragonfly.

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Nesting on Dry Creek

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April 15, 2006

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March 13, 2006

We've lost a few entries in cyberspace that I can't recover from this end. If I can get the bobcat strolling by the house to stick, I'll work on reposting what's missing. The young feline has just heard the dog bark from the pen.

It's been raining off and on for the past week:

3/10     0.15
3/11     0.13
3/12     0.10
3/14     0.10

with snow down to 2000' and lower in places.

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Photo by John Dofflemyer
February 11, 2006

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Sulphur
November 17, 2005

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Six Jakes - Gathering Field, Greasy Creek
November 29, 2005

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Live Weathervane
December 12, 2005

Heron Landing [seeking safety from a squadron of nesting redwing blackbirds ]
April 23, 2005

Never sure who is entertainment for who, we have a good supply of gophers here, frogs and minnows too.

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M R Pigs! Cleaning-up the oat hay.
July 28, 2005

"Wild Sow" in the weaning pen.
September 8, 2005

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