The Celery Farm & Beyond

COOTIES!: The Video

   I took this 40-second video over the weekend. Something different, and not too long.
    The American Coots were eating near the water's edge and pretty much oblivious to humans. I couldn't decide which was the better-looking of the pair so only video'd one.

MONDAY MYSTERY: The Prime Suspect

  

I am not sure if the above video solves the CSI mystery I posted on Monday, but we do have evidence of the likely culprit returning to the scene of the body drop.  He stayed for 80 minutes before heading out again (the corpse vanished,too), and spent all day Sunday in the box.
   Curiously, he has not returned since then that I know of.
    Que sera, sera.
    In case you are wonderng, last year he did stay in the box full-time until late February.

   By the way, for non-TV watchers, "CSI" stands for "Crime Scene Investigation."

VIDEO: Snapping turtle two-fer

   In May, I did a not-to-be missed video of a snapping turtle laying eggs (including slo-mo). I have re-edited it, and produced a sequel.
   The eggs hatched this weekend, and I caught some of the little guys scampering across my driveway toward the Celery Farm.
   Here's the Mama Turtle video...

And the baby turtle video...

SCREECH OWLS: The ultimate video

   "Screech Owl Family Jamboree" was one of my first videos, and I realized it could use an overhaul. The video is now shorter, sharper, with easier-to-read subtitles. 

   (Might allow a little time for the video to load.)   

   And maybe it's just me, but that bluegrass music by the Hunger Mountain Boys sounds better than ever. The video simply must be played with the volume "up."

   I will try to re-do the Spanish-language version as time allows.

VIDEO: Celery Farm Memories

   I produced this video earlier this year, and thought I would present it again with a little new editing and the newer blog address as we approach the big "Stiles and Lillian Thomas Day" festivities.
   The video is of a remarkable poem by Patricia L. Cooper, who grew up here when the Celery Farm was really a pair of working celery farms. Many of the photos in the video were taken way back then.
   The music is by the incredible Hunger Mountain Boys.
    If you want to understand the Celery Farm's past, this is a good place to start.

VIDEO: Egret aerial ballet

   A gentle welcome to a long holiday weekend.

LITTLE BLUE: The Video

   

   The immature little blue has been at the Celery Farm for at least 10 days. Here's a glimpse.

   COMING SOON: Raising butterflies

OWLS: A screech owlet video

   

    I took this video from my backyard, at dusk, so it is not the greatest, but it gives you an idea of life as an owlet beyond the nesting box.
    It is a little outdated, but wanted to sure the owlets were completely gone before posting it.
    Tomorrow: A rare photo of an owlet outside the box.

Wascally baby wabbit

    I've had videos of baby owls, baby ducks, and baby woodchucks, so why not baby rabbits?     
   This guy and his mom are terrorizing the garden, but is such fun to watch.    
    And he gives me an excuse to quote Elmer Fudd.
    I hope he does not become a Happy Meal for our nearby family of screech owls.
    Sorry about the run on baby animal videos, but 'tis the season.

OWL: The Family Screech, Part VI

This is the last in the series of videos about this year's crew. It's one-minute long.

    Of the five owlets, one jumped one night, then three the next, then this last little one the third night.

    As far as I know they were all safe and sound after leaving the box. After they jump out of the box, one of the adults calls to it and (I think) helps direct toward a tree to climb.

   After his four siblings had gone, I figured this guy was going to get out of there as soon as he could.

   I have not cleaned out the owl box but hope to do so this weekend. I am expecting mostly wood chips and feathers from prey. I will take some photos and post them.

  I do not expect an owl to return to the box until late October at the earliest.

   In the meantime, I hope to do an upgrade or two to the box, including flashing on the roof to make it harder for squirrels to get in.

  In future days I hope to do a couple more posts about this year's owl adventures, including a few photos of owls and owlets outside the box and a little surprise that I learned thanks to the otherwise inactive Quacker Tracker camera in the nearby wood duck box.

Tuesday: Snapping-turtle egg update.