Despite gusty winds and my lack of an adequate zoom, I was able to capture better photos of the four loggerhead shrike fledglings, as well as one of the adults gathering insects for the nest in the pasture yesterday afternoon.
Winter is our normal dry season, but we are experiencing a severe to extreme drought here on Pollywog Creek. The dry ground crunches under our feet as we walk through the pasture and the open field toward the road, and the fire danger is very high all around us.
Only drought resistent vegetation and a few wildflowers and native plants along the banks of the pond and creek are surviving. This lack of normal spring flora is made even more depressing by our reluctance to replace the landscaping we lost in this winter's back to back freezes until the forecast for a wet season comes into view.
In other words, there's not much to look at right now on Pollywog Creek, and we're praying for rain.
6 comments:
I love the first shot the best. We've had so much rain here. We're expecting rain all week long. It sure does get old after a while. But, I guess it's better than a drought.
Great shots.
Mama Bear
Shrikes. They are a much disparaged bird, here. But still pretty marked...rather formal, wouldn't you say?
Wish I could package up some rain and send it your way. We are usually very dry, in Eastern Montana, and we've had more moisture in April than we usually get in three months, this time of year. I woke up to rain, at 5 a.m. and now, at 9:00 a.m., it's still just pouring down. I'm rained in with two preschoolers. (On second thought, I'll package THEM up and send them to you...)
there is always something beautiful to look at on pollywog creek, i love coming here
Patricia...your work not only delights me, it helps heal me. The ache of loss is somehow eased as I look through your lens. It is so easy to forget beauty during dry seasons...thank you for watering my soul.
Great shots.
Mama Bear
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