Sunday, June 8, 2014

Crows a' cawing, Bees a' buzzing

Besides the normal auditory assult I'm greeted with in the barnyard (Pickles yelling, six million roosters crowing), I noticed a rukous just past the back yard, into the Evil Forest.  Not a "something's getting eaten" sound, but the cawing of four or five crows.  Apparently the baby crows have fledged but are still crying to mom & dad that they want breakfast and they want it NOW!  It sounds like there's a bunch of kids out in the woods with party horns.

The were hopping along the back yard and into the area where I can only assume the majority of my squash seeds were taken downhill in yesterday's torrential downpour.  The juveniles were right behind the adults, complaining and cawing, waiting for a morsel of food.  I bet Crow-Mamma can't wait to get those kids out of the house!

I went to take a pictures of the brood (Did you know that a group of crows is called a "Murder"?  There's your little bit of trivia for today) but as soon as I opened the screen door they flapped their way back into the Evil Forest.

Once they were gone and relative silence returned to the back yard, I noticed another noise.  The low, constant drone of honeybees!  There is a big patch of white clover behind the house and I usually let it grow because I'm a lazy sloth and don't want to mow it for the goats, but also for the honeybees.  They were really working the clover and plantain flowers, but it seems they much prefered the clover.

I'm glad to see them.  They were really sparce this Spring and I only really saw them when the fruit trees were in bloom.  Hopefully they're getting their fill and taking care of the hive.  One day I'd like to be able to catch a wild swarm and set up our own hive.  Anybody know (pp) anyone who'd like to come (pp) down here and do that for me?  Hmmmm?  Cough-cough.  Maybe someone nice (pp) with lots of (pp) experience in honeybee (pp) things?  I even have supervisors here that would be available for supervision of that nice (pp) person.

Just saying.

6 comments:

  1. I'm waiting on the honey bees also. I think I'll let the grass grow with the "bee" excuse!!! Lol

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  2. We seem to have a couple crows hopping around in our gardens around dawn every morning. I watch them like a hawk to make sure they're not doing dastardly things out there. (So far, so good.)

    We lost every last one of our honey bee hives this past winter so I'm kinda worried regarding how pollination will go in the garden without the bees to work everything. I have seen a yellow jacket or two and some "wild" bees so maybe that will be enough to get the job done. Hope so.

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  3. Carolyn,

    I think we all should convince PP to go to your place, and help you capture a wild swarm for your farm.

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  4. We had a load of bumble bees this spring. I think they have nests somewhere around one barn.

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  5. Heh if you want some bees I will give ya some. It's a bit of a trip down to your area though. That is if you are where I think you are anyway. Otherwise making a swarm trap is pretty easy, almost as easy as sitting on a tractor hint hint :)

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  6. Great pics...looks like pp has got you covered

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