Watch your feeders for Saturday’s ‘Christmas’ Bird Count

Everyone around here is talking about the weather and the lack of snow. We got just enough to coat the ground for the kids snowmobile races at Snodeo, but most of that will melt in the next couple of days.

It may have been 12 degrees this morning but when it gets up into the forties during the day snow will melt. The ground isn’t frozen, which is normal in this part of the woods.

When I grew carrots I never dug them up. I covered them with a few leaves and dug them up as needed throughout the winter.

I just marked the end of the rows and covered the place where I left off with snow so that place wouldn’t freeze.

When I was feeding deer years ago, they learned my trick. They would dig up where I left off so I had to leave my fence up during the winter to keep them out.

Speaking of Deer, the season is over. From the reports I have heard I would have to say that the take is down this year.

But we won’t know for sure until the DEC report comes out.

A couple local people mentioned that this week was guide week or locals week, a time to get out and take a Deer when no one else is hunting.

One young lad, Ben Czapran-ski, got his first Deer this year. I wrote about Ben’s taking of his first Pine Marten in a column I wrote last year.

Ben’s dad, Paul, told me this was his son’s first year for hunting big game.

He said he had a chance to shoot a 10-pointer, however his gun was standing against a tree instead of in his hands as the Deer went by.

You learn by your mistakes. His gun was in his hands a couple days later when he shot a nice 7-point buck.

Congratulations Ben. May you harvest many more in future seasons.

The last day of the season I saw a buck along the South Shore Road as it dashed across to get to the safety zone on the lake side.

The four Deer that are using the Thendara Bridge as a road crossing will probably be killed by cars before the winter is done.

I’ve herded them across a couple of times with my truck—just like sheep.

They stand on the sidewalk and wait for cars to pass before jumping the guardrails into the swampy area below.

This is an example of why deer feeding is illegal as it encourages them to cross the highway to get to a feeding area.

The snow and cold drove a few birds to my feeder but there are still a lot more out in the woods feeding on wild food.

I have had a small Brown Tree Creeper picking a little suet each morning. I have to look closely or I would never see that little brown bird.

Ducks and Loons are still hanging around in the open waters of the Fulton Chain. We should get some interesting birds on the Christmas Bird Count which is this Saturday, December 17.

Feeder watchers are welcome to participate. There should be some sparrows and juncos coming to feeders by that time as they are still around.

Anyone watching the open waters of the lakes should see some neat ducks. We rarely get them as these lakes are normally frozen this time of year.

Last year was the first time we got Common Loon. We got a Red Throated Loon three years ago so that is certainly a possibility.

I saw an Eared Grebe on Fourth Lake a few weeks ago which may still be around.

These birds are quick divers and look much like Loons on the water but they hold their heads differently.

During the worst of last Saturday’s snow storm I saw two flocks of over a hundred Snow Geese flying tree top level over Quiver Pond.

These Geese bark rather than honk so you know when they are flying even if you can’t see them. These guys were so low you could see their black wing tips.

Many times a Ross’s Goose or a Brant can be seen flying along with these birds.

Brant hang out until the end so there is always a possibility to count them late in the season.

Bald Eagles have been seen in the area. With all this open water and some ducks to hunt they will be around.

Land traps are mostly pulled except for a few mink sets, but that’s another story.