Saturday started out with checking out some of the flocks of trumpeter swans working the fields by our home.
Lots of birds in the air working the corn stubble and soy beans.
The rolling fields made for some interesting perspectives at times.
Including birds flying straight at me as I sat in a snow filled ditch.
In the afternoon, my wife and I decided on a 2.5 mile winter hike along the river to see if there were any deer left or if they had moved up to the woodlots for the yarding season. Quite a few eagles on the drive over.
Not too far into our hike Melinda spotted a barred owl along the trail.
Shortly after we did find a few groups of deer moving towards late in the afternoon. Although we didn't see any big bucks, it was still fun to watch. At one point the little buck in the close up above decided to have a stare down with me. Pretty funny as I would stomp one leg to mimic what they do and we would bob and weave his head if I did that and put my arms over my head like antlers.
The weirdest thing was we saw two deer which appeared to be bucks which have already shed their antlers this winter. Seems early by a month or so.
The hike ended as the day had begun...with an eagle. This one was keeping watch over a pool a bunch of common mergansers we keeping open.
On Sunday Melinda and my step daughter, Jessica, accompanied me on a dry land swan rescue after I received a call from one of the local game wardens. All those years of hunting pay off as it's basically the same skill set in capturing these critters...just with a different end result most of the time. So, the good news is Jess finally got to hold a swan on her own!
The above normal temps this week are going to do some more damage to our dismal snow pack so may take a week or two off in hopes once we get closer to the holidays the pattern will allow for a cold, wet system to restore my white backdrop and get out shooting again.
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