2023 Year in Pictures

Gallery

 

1st Snowfall Jan 25, 2023  2 inches

 

Wet Snowfall – Ice on Trees

 

Light Snow at the Pond

 

Wet Snowfall – Mom and Pop in Marsh

 

Sun Beam in the Forest

 

Black Eyed Susans and Echinacea in Front Garden

 

Beauty Berry, Frost Aster, Joe Pye, Goldenrod on Path to Barn

 

Territorial Bear Fight Around Pond and Barn

 

Monarch Butterflies

 

Giant Swallowtail

 

Painted Lady

 

Racoon Family Relaxing on Hot Summer Day

 

Virginia Creeper on Tree Trunk

 

Tulip Poplar Raining Fall Leaves

 

Variegated Fritillary Chrysalis Forming on Pineapple Sage

Highlights

Birds seen on the farm during 2023: 126 species; Last Hummingbird Oct. 2

July/Aug. had 3 weeks with 4 close encounters with black bears

Lilacs re-bloomed at the end of October

Butterflies seen:

  • New:
    • Eastern Giant Swallowtail,
    • Variegated Fritillary (brought in chrysalis, released after it emerged late Sep. – host plant passionfruit! vs violets preferred by other fritillaries),
    • American Lady,
    • Painted Lady,
    • Mourning Cloak,
    • Viceroy
  • Monarch: very few early but found caterpillars on some of the milkweed plants, no chrysalis though;  more in Sep./ Oct. but still sparse

Canada Geese:

  • 7 pairs attempted to nest multiple times but only the New Island Family (NIF) hatched eggs this year.  Fox and mink destroyed all the eggs in the other nests, and the NIF nest was hit once but 2 of the eggs survived to hatching. In 2022 none of the geese successfully hatched any of their eggs.
  • Waterfall Family (WFF) update – April 2nd was the last day Scooby (3 year old) was seen.  Prince Charming (PC = her mate) returned in June, stayed with Mom & Pop (WF2=parents) til molting completed and left with them.  Scooby didn’t return in the Fall, so fears confirmed she was lost trying to nest for the 1st time this Spring. WF2 nested in 3 locations and all the eggs were destroyed.

2022 Year in Pictures

Gallery

Geese in Marsh After Ice Storm 2022-02-25

 

Starlight Getting a Neck Rub (Pic Courtesy Beth Meriwether)

 

Geese in Snow

 

Bullfrog (Pic Courtesy Beth Meriwether)

 

Morning Rush Hour

 

Martha and Mortimer

 

Great Spangled Fritillary on Queen Anne’s Lace and Black Eyed Susans

 

Geese in Pond Behind New Wildflower Garden

 

Geese in Marshland Path

 

Dainty Sulfurs

 

Chicken in the Woods Mushroom on Dead Ash

 

Fall Leaves

 

Vending Booth at NJ Fibershed Fall Sale (Pic Courtesy Laura Chandler, Smiling Dog Farm)

 

Waterfall Family (Momma, Poppa, Scooby) Resting Before 2nd Sunset Take Off Attempt

 

2020 Year in Picures

Gallery

2020 was a crazy year by any standards.  A farm is a great place to be during a pandemic as there’s always lots to do, the scenery is great, and isolation is built in.  Because of a more inward focus perhaps, there were far more wildlife encounters/ sightings than usual.  Here are snapshots in time that capture the essence of 2020.

Highlights included: I lost James (15 year old Angora goat) to heart issues and gained a lot of Canada Goose friends (learned a lot about them – subject of another blog entry wip!).  Re-did the pasture fences to fence out the areas now too wet for ruminants (meningeal worm) and began returning the soggy areas to wetland habitat for wildlife.  Lots of fox, skunk family, and baby racoon interactions this year.  Ghost (hen) got nabbed by a grey fox while out in the grass but I ran to the rescue and she put up a good fight.  Once I found a specialty bandage she couldn’t pull off she healed up quickly and is no worse for wear!

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

Violets and Spring Beauties

Toad Lilies

Dogwoods in Bloom

Goslings Playing in Rain Puddles

Tater in Lawn

Fence Replacement Project – James at Log Pile

Fence replacement project in progress

Snapping Turtle Digging Under the Fence

Who let a fawn on our property?

Fawn Standing on Island

Fawn looking for grey fox that keeps chasing it

OZ spots an airplane while hanging with his best bud the water dish (Temporarily orphaned)

Rowboat Family Looking for Snacks

Doo – Special Needs Goose (Missing Over Half His Bill)

Morning glories Take Over the Garden Fence

Tiny spiders on Queen Anne’s Lace

Butterflies on Joe Pye Weed

Fog on Fall Foliage

Evening fall fog looking back at pond

Fall Foliage Near Creek on  East Side of Pasture

Red Fox passing through, no squirrels!

And then there was the time the red fox ran off with my mitten when I was standing less than 15 feet away!

Red Fox near bird feeders stalking squirrels

Pine Siskins and female Evening Grosbeak

Pine Siskins and Evening Grosbeaks are rarely seen in this region.  They only show up here when there is a food shortage in their native region.  First time I’ve seen Evening Grosbeaks here (23 years).  There were crowds of both for a short time.  

Pine Siskins

 

Rowboat Family

Snow at Pond – Deer on Hill

Water Fall Family – Doo closest

Doo

Hoar Frost on Plants

Water Fall Family ex Doo (Poppa closest, Momma left, Scooby back right) Chilling on Top of Snow Bank

2019 in Pictures

Gallery

2017 in Pictures

Gallery

Quarter Moon and Venus at Sunset

Waterfowl on Pond – Buffleheads, Mallards, Canada Geese

Dish Mount Pole Excavation Project Feb 2017

Dish Anntenna Mount Burial Project

Orphaned Rabbit

James’ Tumor

James Surgical Scar

TyeDye Enjoying the Sunny Day

Jasper Sleeping Under Blanket on Couch

Percy with Andi

Percy with Andi

Percy on Fence Railing

4 Baby Robins, 2nd Clutch

Baby Robins on Very Hot Day

3 Chipping Sparrow Nestlings in Beauty Bush

Ozzie Sleeping on Shetland Fleece Next to Picker

Dusky Blue Damselfly

Chip the Sparrow Fledgling

Fledgling Chip the Sparrow in Grapevine Hide Away

Joe Pye Weed

Cosmos and Russian Sage

Skipper on Butterfly Bush

Eclipse Photos

Fall Foliage in Fog

Megan Enjoying the Fall Sunshine

Hoar Frost

Hoar Frost

Hoar Frost

Hoar Frost

Bald Eagle with Crows

2016 in Pictures

Gallery

Wet Snowstorm

Ozzie Sleeping on Washed Shetland Fleece

Jasper on Washed Shetland Fleece

Fuzzy First Day Found (~4 days old)

Fuzzy Taking a Bath

Fuzzy After Taking a Bath

Fuzzy After Taking a Bath

Fuzzy talking to Andrea

Soaking Wet Baby Robin Day of Fledging

Geese on Shed Roof

Twin Fawns in Buddy’s Pasture

Jasper Supervising Baby Chicks

Jasper Supervising Baby Chicks

Goldfinch Family Learning to Eat Sunflowers

Goldfinch Family on Sunflowers

Goldfinch Family on Sunflowers

Goldfinch Family on Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Dominique Hen in Catnip

Coq Au Vin – Ameraucana Rooster (Photo Courtesy Alice Su)

Blue Heron on Rowboat

Cardinal Flower

Monarch Butterfly

Great Spangled Fritillaria

Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Hummingbird Moth on Lilac Monarda

Dragonfly at Pond

Ingrid and Starlight (Photo Courtesy Alice Su)

Jessie, James and Rembaldi (Photo Courtesy Alice Su)

TyDye in Deep Snow Path

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2015 Farm Highlights in Pictures

Gallery

Pond at Sunset with Geese and Mallard Ducks

Pond at Sunset with Geese and Mallard Ducks

Girls Going Out to Graze

Girls Going Out to Graze

Leaves on Creek at Sunset

Leaves on Creek at Sunset

Breakfast in Bed

Breakfast in Bed

Spring Wild Flowers

Spring Wild Flowers

Fritillaria on Milkweed

Fritillaria on Milkweed

Monarch on Butterfly Bush

Monarch on Butterfly Bush

Hoar Frost on Sage

Hoar Frost on Sage

Hoar Frost on Puddle

Hoar Frost on Puddle

Snapping Turtles Resting Between Battles

Snapping Turtles Resting Between Battles

Young Geese with Parents

Young Geese with Parents

Spring Wild Flowers

Spring Wild Flowers

Ms Cluck

Ms. Cluck – Ameraucana hen

TyDye (Shetland Sheep) in the snow

TyDye (Shetland Sheep) in the Snow

Foggy Sunrise

Foggy Sunrise

 

11 Inch Bear Print in March Snow

11 Inch Bear Print in March Snow