Category Archives: Animals

Going for a Dip…

Wood Ducks are one my favorites!  I was so excited when we spotted this guy…IMG_5808 IMG_5810 IMG_5811 IMG_5812 IMG_5816 IMG_5822 IMG_5823 IMG_5824

Cool Facts

  • Natural cavities for nesting are scarce, and the Wood Duck readily uses nest boxes provided for it. If nest boxes are placed too close together, many females lay eggs in the nests of other females.
  • The Wood Duck nests in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times over a mile away. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. The mother calls them to her, but does not help them in any way. The ducklings may jump from heights of over 50 feet without injury.
  • Wood Ducks pair up in January, and most birds arriving at the breeding grounds in the spring are already paired. The Wood Duck is the only North American duck that regularly produces two broods in one year.
  • For more information please visit here…

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Barrow’s Goldeneye…

On a hike by Fishercap Lake in Many Glaciers…IMG_0131IMG_0120

We spotted a few female (what we believe to be ) Barrow’s Goldeneye…IMG_0097

They ended up getting a bit too close together and duck decided she didn’t want the other around…IMG_0093-Edit IMG_0092-Edit IMG_0091-Edit IMG_0090-Edit IMG_0089-Edit

And chased the other one away!IMG_0088-Edit

Cool Facts

  • The Barrow’s Goldeneye is rather long-lived for a duck, with one individual reaching 18 years of age. Most females do not breed until they are three years old.
  • Like the Common Goldeneye, the Barrow’s Goldeneye is not too particular about holding on to its own offspring. A female may lay eggs in the nest of another goldeneye or other species of cavity-nesting duck. Once the ducklings come out of the nest, the broods of different females often come together and are taken care of by a single female. The young ducklings are highly independent, feeding on their own, and require little parental care.
  • For a species with such widely separated populations, it is perhaps surprising that the Barrow’s Goldeneye shows little variation from place to place. Those breeding in North America are essentially identical on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Female Barrow’s Goldeneyes breeding in Iceland do not get as extensively yellow bills as the North American birds, but have only a yellow or orangish band on the outer third of the otherwise dusky bill.

For more information please visit Here…

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Montana At It’s Finest…

Last night we had pouring rain and 40 degrees, sometime in the night it changed to snow and wind.  This morning it was brisk -30 degrees Fahrenheit!  I don’t mind the cold or snow but sure get hard on critters when we have wet conditions and then gets really cold.  I was happy to see every one fared the night alright and were anxiously awaiting breakfast this morning…

Teigen feeding Thor…

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Even though he has a cozy little place to hide out in, Thor has to hang out with his guys…IMG_9199

Horse raspberries…IMG_9167IMG_9257IMG_9184 IMG_9270 IMG_9193

Waiting for breakfast…IMG_9196

Frank’s a bit frosty too…IMG_9205 IMG_9194

Hayden giving Frank some love…IMG_9212

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Hauling bales…

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At least some one is happy outside…IMG_9179

The sun even tried to break through…IMG_9275

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Saturday’s Critters

Happy Turkey Day…

In honor of Thanksgiving, I am going to share some wild turkey pictures from around our farm.  Some I’ve shared before and others are new…

A hen roosting for the evening…

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Some fluffed up hens trying to stay warm in the middle of winter…

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P1130201-Edit IMG_0397Hens and chicks trying to get the berries off a tree…IMG_0403 IMG_0405 IMG_0406 IMG_0407-Edit

A little one jumping the fence…IMG_0422

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A Little Evening Walk with the Sheep…

Victoria and Madeline walking their 4-H fair lambs every evening…

 

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Most of the time they have a little shadow…

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Up and down the big hill, it helps exercise the lambs and builds their muscles…it helps exercise the girls too!  ;0)

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Then they practice setting them up…

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And getting them to brace…IMG_1974

Hard to believe we have fair lambs already.   I don’t even want to think forward to fair which means fall is just right around the corner but I’m sure it will be here sooner than I am ready for it…

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Rurality Blog Hop #60

Fabulous Day…

 

We spent a wonderful spring day moving sheds to the lambing paddock.  Only a week left until we should start seeing lambs!

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While dad moved sheds the kids had wheelbarrow rides…

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The sheep romped…

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and ate…

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Dugur watched…

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and the chickens did… chicken things.

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The Self Sufficient HomeAcre