A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

  A little off nature today, but it feels so good

 I got a comment from a real birder, who thinks that the scratch nest and eggs are a Killdeer also.
 Larry also put a link in his comment for more info and video of Killdeer and young.
 Read the comment, or
  Here is the link.     Killdeer and young.

  And for some Happy news, an elk in the Pocatello, (Idaho)  zoo, rescued a marmot that couldn't get out of the elks water tank. Simply amazing. The picture links to the  story and video.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Also good news today,  an Idaho bum, er, politician, gets busted trying to squirm his way out of prosecution for poaching an elk and ignoring officials requests. As a wolf hating activist, he's supposed to be protecting not poaching. Evidently the laws were made for someone else.

 Picture links to the story and video.
And an earlier report, here      
                                                                                                                             Rex Rammell to be charged with poaching elk.

 Ah yes, a Beautiful day in the neighborhood.

  Tribute to Mr Rogers.  RIP

  Ciao, Y'all

Nest in the Road

  Now thankfully I didn't stumble across this nest.
It blended in quite well in the gravel.

        4 eggs , oriented tip to center in the "scratch nest" in the middle of the gravel road.

                                             My guess is a Killdeer nest.

   Please add your speculation as to the id  of these speckled eggs. 

Oregon gulch volunteer trail work day

Oregon gulch volunteer trail work day

                                            
         Thursday, June 16th, 2011
         Oregon Gulch Trail head
          17:00                                   

                                               
The new trail up Oregon Gulch gained momentum today with the volunteer work day.
Members of the Northwest Youth Corp trailcrew started connecting the trail over the new bridge circumventing the old trail taken over by aggressive beaver action.

The Sawtooth Backcountry Horseman provided a cookout  with healthy portions for all volunteers.

  So after a bit of thankfulness for the weather, 
                     
The Mule Skinner demonstrated amazing adeptness controlling the team with verbal commands and reign actions.

    After the log was delivered to the clearing, the Youth Core began peeling the logs to dry for a future project up the gulch.

          































  The skinners headed back for another log for the project.

And the last log brought in
  to be used on the project .

      Amazing kids the youth corps are. Spending a month plus out in the woodlands clearing trails.



  Will update on progress on the trail.

Kitchen Swallows

 Well today is the first really warm day since last Fall.
 Was actually sucking shade today  .At 6000 feet the sun gets intense rather quick.

Tree Swallow

 I rebuilt a bird house on the telephone pole, and had new tenants within days.

 So, I had the kitchen door open and was at the sink, when I thought a butterfly flew in,
but it was actually a swallow. It flew around once and the alighted inside on top of  the open door.    (directly above
where the kitchen fox used to sit).
 Now this type of swallow I didn't recognize. The usual are metallic blue/black top and a white breast.


 It was Black and sort of reddish, rust colored breast.
 It sat for a short bit, and I suggested it should leave before the fox shows up.
   Looked up on "eNature", it is the common barn swallow.

   Barn Swallow   

 No picture, as I didn't move quickly and scare it, but the link above has one.
I also learned that ll these "sparrows", around always eating gravel, are actually finches.
   Well I'm off, and see what tomorrow teaches.

Quick link addition information

 Just adding a couple more good links over in the sidebar.
 One because of the awakening of the rattlesnakes around the valley herald such caution.




And another, called Leafsnap, an app for i-phones and such for tree  identification in the USA.
 Only part finished, the Western area needs input from you and your phone, which can tell where the tree photo was taken.

                               
  Aside from that, the nightly frost every night has devastated any plants in the gardens not under protection in the valley.  :C(