an owl update.

Besides the occasional calls back and forth along the creek we haven't seen much of our little neighbors for a few weeks. These pictures were taken in June just after a rain.

These little ones are such characters...we caught them on video hissing and carrying on at us though we were on the other side of the creek from them.

All 5 babies, (yes there are still 5!!!), were very interested and curious of us but on guard at all times.

We also caught daddy fishing. This is the "wet and wild" looking father himself. We are not completely positive that he has a second leg. We watched for a while as he would gather up yummies from the creek and pile them on the bank. Then we watched as the little ones flew over, acting very juvenile by hissing and pecking and then he fed 2 of them.

Me went over to the bank after they flew up into the trees and spotted a couple of crayfish claws left over from dinner. ;)

Oh, and our (human) neighbors spotted a barred owl fly into a try in their yard a few weeks ago. We've been hearing a barred owl now off and on at night too! Very exciting!

xo Stephanie

well hello there.

It's so hot here today. Actually just now the sky broke and let large bits of hail fall from the sky. It was so loud and there was so much of it that I yelled as loud as I could but couldn't even hear myself!! Maybe the brief storm will cool it down a little.

It was 81 degrees in this camper earlier...so hot. I have been trying my hardest to get chores and the likes done but have to take breaks in between so I don't over-heat! I decided to take a walk through the creek and wandered up on this little fawn resting in a patch of grass and rocks. I actually climbed back up the hillside through the weeds to get my camera.

I wondered if she were hurt. I got all the way up to where I was almost able to reach out and touch her until she jumped up and ran off as fast as her little uncoordinated legs would allow.

A magic moment indeed.

As for our little owl friends...there just so happens to be 5 babies and they have all learned to fly. They seem to have taken over the hillside along the creek now. They have become the illusive beings that they are...we have only seen the momma hunting since Tuesday night.



until later.

xo Stephanie

baby owl pictures.

3 little owlets were all spotted yesterday, 2 on a branch and 1 in the hole. This morning M said he saw all 3 out when he drove by on the way to work. I was able to photograph only 2 yesterday, the other was up too high in the tree.

Here we have juvenile 1 morphing when we first met. It remained like this for quite some time until I came back around later for more pictures...that's when I was able to capture it as below. So cute and fluffy all covered in down.

Below is juvenile 2, so curious and ready to meet the world. I hope I am able to catch all 3 of them today.

We went down in the evening when M got home from work so that I could show him the babies. We again spotted the grey male-adult sized screech. We also witnessed juvenile 1 trying to take it's first flight and blue jays trying to move it. We watched in terror as 1. the little owlet struggled to keep itself on the little limb it ended up on, and 2. both momma and the male grey-adult hooted and chased off the blue jays. There is nothing we would ever do to disrupt the natural process of nature so we pray that the blue jays do not come back to attempt the take over again anytime soon. p.s. The male adult has got the be the daddy...wonder where the other red male went that was there just last week...

Here's another shot of momma. She is so fat!!

Amazing. ♥ ♥

an owl update.

Yesterday we went down to watch the female and spotted a juvenile peeking it's head out from their hole. It was very curious, still flully and grey. Then yesterday evening we were there again to see momma, baby in it's hole and yet another male-sized grey phase screech hanging out just a few limbs from momma. We just saw the red phase male the other day so it's a mystery!!

Yesterday we planted a Big Boy tomato plant, some summer squash, cucumber and strawberries. We are trying out the hanging planters (Topsy Turvy) until we decide on a permanent garden location. M also built a 4x4 raised garden bed that we are going to fill this week. This weekend was spent working hard to finish our chores early so we could relax in the afternoon. This place has really came alive with sounds and lush greenery over the last 2 weeks! Our hammock will be worn out by the end of summer!

p.s. We have also recently spotted a Spotted Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and heard the loudest Whippoorwill ever, many nights.

xo Stephanie

We have new neighbors!

Last week we began hearing a Screech Owl by the creek just a few yards from the camper. I wandered down there one evening with binoculars to see if I could spot it. There she sat in the laurel watching me, comfortably, purring her little song. So close the binocs were not even necessary. Ever since then all of our neighbors have also welcomed her to the area. She had a big surprise for us yesterday...there are two...a pair!! We spotted them both on a branch together and they are living in a tree just a few feet from there.

Expect more pictures...and hopefully I'll be able to catch both together and some little ones in the future!!

♥ ♥

excursion 12.00.10

Just up the road from us is Valley Falls State Park. I've personally only been there one time before when we were visiting here. Since it's so close, a few weeks before Christmas we had a nice winter day without snow and decided to take a little hike through the woods. There were 2 kayakers there going down some of the larger drops! Crazy...it was SO cold!

Mostly the woods we barren but we did see 2 deer that walked up very close to us. Then not too further up the trail we watched in awe as a coyote ran across the trail in front of us in complete silence. The first time I have seen one in the wild and only the 3rd M has seen...the other 2 being on our property.

We did spot a few patches of fern and moss along the Rhododendron trail. And I'm looking forward to visiting again in the spring and this time I'll make sure to remember my tripod for some shots of the falls.

xo Stephanie

Raptors!

Today we had an awesome experience! One of my new coworkers from the hotel volunteers at the WV Raptor Rehabilition Center and he offered to take us to see the birds they are currently caring for. We jumped at the chance, of course! Right now they have several including red-tailed hawks, a turkey vulture and a few different species of owls; including horned and screech.

This is Annie, the red-tailed hawk. She helps them with educational programs and events. She was truly breathtaking.

She opens her wings on command!

Much has been done since my last blog. We have almost completed the pavilion, I got a job at a hotel in Morgantown working banquets, had a 2nd interview at the hospital for a full-time position, and we have been scouting out plants in the area to photograph (those to come). Marcus has photos and blogging to share about the pavilion, once he actually takes a break! He's outside from dawn til dusk always working on something. You'll hear from him soon.

Hope everyone is enjoying this crisp fall weather!

xo Stephanie

p.s. At the camp or on the way a racoon, groundhog and red-tailed hawk have all been seen. Those are so common that it almost seems silly to share but oh well.

4 years ago today...

we was marrieds. Yah! To celebrate we went out to the little ice cream place up the road. We had sandwiches and split a funnel cake. Mmmm fried dough. We'll be wrapping the night up with Season 1 Disc 2 of the Sopranos.

Progress on the pavilion has been slow...well really not at all. It's been wet and rainy off and on all week. The weather will be back to dry this weekend so work will start again.

I'm heading back to Winchester for the weekend for my last naturalist workshop, then I'll be graduating Sunday. I'll be an official West Virginia Master Naturalist!

Oh and we observed a possum just outside the camper the other night...rooting around under the bird feeders. We have lots of little gold finch and cardinals feeding right now too!

until next time. xo Stephanie


p.s Hi grandma Bonnie! =)

Thursday at the Bunner Hole

Thursday we got up and took a short walk through the woods...very short. It was so hot and muggy out that we decided the day would be better off spent at the Bunner Hole. For those of you not in "the know" the Bunner Hole is just around the corner from us, a hole deep enough for jumping in, spotting a few fish and the perfect place to cool off on a hot day.

I of course laid in a chair and relaxed...the view, the soft sounds of nature, zzzzzzz...

Marcus was more productive and tried to catch a few fish.

Today the weather has cooled down about 15 degrees. It's supposed to be really cool this weekend. Hopefully this will be the final leap into fall. Since we last blogged 2 looong black snacks, 3 doe, a fox and 2 more wild turkeys have been spotted!

We have a little (slow) internets now so we'll be able to blog more regularly. They started on the pavilion today so we should have some photos of the progress soon.

laters! xo Stephanie

We have arrived...

and just in time! We couldn't have asked for better weather. We had beautiful days both Tuesday and Wednesday and then got some much needed rain on Thursday. The creek was just about dried-up with a few puddles here and there. But it has been revived after a full day down-pour.

On Tuesday Marcus and the RV arrived in the early a.m. He told everyone how unnerving it was to follow our home and all of our belongings up the interstate going 70 miles per hour. =) The kitties took to their new views from the window quite quickly and are already back to their happy selves. They all seem to have new favorite spots now...watching butterflies and falling leaves.

We spent the first day celebrating our arrival with dad and a few of our new neighbors. Then Wednesday we got everything put back in its place and got settled in. Yesterday evening when the rain let off a little we walked up and down the road cleaning up cans and bottles that were tossed out by non-nature-friendly drivers. (boo!) Then we did a little exploring and scouting. During that day we spotted 6 wild turkeys, a doe and a raccoon!

It gets darker earlier there in the evenings and it's a little cooler at night. But we got to watch the fog roll into the hollow just before dusk and when the sun shines everything looks magical. It is quite beautiful there and we both seem to keep looking at each other with dumb-founded smiles on our face. We are home!

Over the next few weeks our pavilion will be built and the RV will be moved into its permanent spot underneath. Then we'll prepare it for winter. We have no internet...except for when I sit in the McDonald's parking lot and use their WiFi. We'll be back online soon.

xo Stephanie