Trap and Relocate

I had another reluctant volunteer for my trap and relocate program. I found this young opossum sleeping in the trap when I checked it this morning.



It took some prodding with a stick to get the opossum out of the trap at the new location, and then it just stood there somewhat dazed as what to do.



It's not often that I get a wild animal to pose for photos. It almost looked like it would make a sweet pet ...



This "sweet" little opossum has a mouth full of pointed teeth.



After a few more photos I left the opossum in the field and then watched it walk into the woods as I drove away.

Firewood

It's been a mild winter so far and I'm not using too much firewood, but soft muddy ground has kept me from working on next year's firewood supply. This week's colder nights firmed up the ground and I'm now able to process the ash trees around our lawn that succumbed to the emerald ash borer.



I have a hydraulic log splitter, but decided I needed some exercise and used a splitting maul to process the firewood.



Next year's firewood aging on skids.

Spring Time for Turkeys

After seeing some turkeys in the neighborhood earlier this week, I decided to check a couple of my game cameras in the same area. I counted at least 65 birds in this photo.



Another game camera photo of the flock of turkeys and a half dozen deer in the background.



The gobblers are ready for mating season and showing off for the ladies. (Somewhat like spring break for college kids)

Turkeys and Raccoons

The neighborhood temperature hit 52°F today and the turkeys were checking out our cabin property and looking for spring nesting locations. There are over 50 turkeys in this photo and more still out of view.



These gobblers were strutting as they followed the large flock of hens.



Since this is a nesting area for the turkeys, I've been trying to trap and relocate the raccoons and opossums from this area. I trapped this guy today, about 100 yards from where the turkeys were.

A Splash of Color

With today's high temperature in the teens and tomorrow's temperature predicted to be much colder, it will be another couple of months before the spring wildflowers start to bloom. Our blooming Christmas cactus adds a splash of color to the winter view out our front window.



A Christmas cactus bloom highlighted by the snow outside the window.

After the Storm

We continued to get another inch or two of snow overnight and by midday the temperature was in the mid 30s. We were out checking our cabin property for storm damage and found this doe and her two kids bedded down at the edge of the woods.



One of the kids checking in with mom.

More Snow

We woke up to 10°F temperatures this morning and had lake-effect snow squalls throughout the day. The deer were out early this evening feeding.

Winter Weather

We have been mostly snow-free in the neighborhood so far this winter but it hasn't been a dry season. We received 3/4" of rain within the last 24 hours and then a change over to snow which dumped 6 inches of the white stuff.

Late in the afternoon, these deer were looking for a meal.



A couple of young deer digging in the snow for grass.