New Visitors

 I really should have a little farm of my own where I can take care of animals.  I love going out in the morning and filling up the peanut holder for Chip, Dale and Nancy (actually we've counted up to six squirrels!) scampering through the trees.  Also filling the two bird feeders for every kind of bird and taking care of Quick and Quack who come by every morning and evening for some bread and duck food.  Thanks again Emmi for the duck food.  They love it!  And I'm sure it is much more healthy for them than bread.  And to add here that Sprout goes out with me to feed the animals and he thinks when I'm feeding the two ducks he should also get a bite of bread every now and then.  He gets very anxious.  

In case you are wondering, this is Dale.  You can tell by the anatomy!

Quick and Quack

And we also have two new visitors that have taken up their home in the Chip and Dale's tree nest!  Yup two woodpeckers, which are Ozzie and Harriett (and if you don't know who Ozzie and Harriett are you can look them up). The moved in some time a couple weeks ago and it has been so interesting to watch the battle going on between the squirrels and the woodpeckers.  The woodpeckers have quickly won the battle for the nest and, I think, have already laid some eggs.  The male sits on the nest all night and then some time mid morning the female come and they trade places.  I've loved watching this whole scenario.  It was also very interesting watching them clean out the squirrel nest and building their own inside the tree.  They were throwing all kinds of leaves and twigs out of the nest.  Fascinating.

These are the Northern Flickers which are common for the State of Utah.  Woodpeckers are protected.

This is Ozzie, the male.

This is Harriett, the female.  If you look to the right of the tree you will see Chip trying to get to the nest but Harriett will have nothing to do with it!  First bird I've seen the squirrels not have the upper hand on.

The female guarding her nest.

Often times in the beginning and they were cleaning out the nest we would see them taking a rest and just guarding the entrance.  It took the squirrels a couple weeks to finally get the idea that they weren't going to get the nest back for a while.  

I love Spring and I love nature!