Saturday, March 22, 2008

Red-Wings Trill & Thrill

Its a busy "day before Easter", but there was enough time to take a quick walk down the lane. Red-wing blackbirds are everywhere in the ditches and fencelines. This fellow's red badge wasn't glowing quite this brightly in real life, but he shouldn't mind the extra dab of color in his portrait.

On a fencepost across the road perched this competing songster. The two red-wings would trill and answer, trill and answer, trill and answer.......



I wanted to think that these two fellows were busy trying to articulate in song their pleasure at seeing me, but, of course, in actuality, they are competing tunefully for a mate. Ah, the romance of springtime! (Sorry, these photos are poorly arranged.) And, by the by, the I heard the first meadowlark song of spring this morning, too!
**************
And, ah, in the photo below is the capivating scene (and smell) of Husband out in the field spreading cow manure. That man is one happy camper when he's able to haul manure this time of year.......he's doing it early this morning while the ground is solid.

Unlike the aforementioned red-wing blackbird males, the man in above tractor is not showing off in the field with the intention of trying to impress a potential mate.......or an actual one, for that matter.
P.S.----- I came back to add this, because I often assume too much, as in how much you may know about farming: Cow manure is spread on the field for the purpose of adding nutrients to the soil......manure is a fertilizer containing lots of nitrogen to help the crops grow. How handy is that.......a waste product that is useful!!


*************

Well, best wishes today in your attempts to impress or attract, or in doing whatever your situation calls for! Everyone is probably very busy getting ready for tomorrow's Easter celebrations.......blessings to all!

7 comments:

Russell said...

Happy Easter, to you Jeannelle and your family!

I always enjoy reading your blog. I was surprised to see your husband in the field spreading manure. I would have guessed the fields are too soft. I would be happy, too, if I were him and able to get out in them this time of year! I have gotten tractors and spreaders stuck this time of year - even more often with discs in the spring...!

I was interested to see the Redwing Blackbirds are back. I have not seen them in my area yet, but maybe I have not been in the right places...

When I was a child and used to bring the Holsteins back from the pasture, I was always a bit careful around the Redwing Blackbirds as they were not afraid to "dive bomb" you if you got too close to their nest!! They were quite brave and aggressive!!

I would walk over a mile to bring the cows back - that was always a pleasant time for me though I do confess I was not crazy about those blackbirds!! But their song is beautiful, isn't it?

Take care.

Mary Connealy said...

My husband is just back from driving his 4-wheeler all over his stalk fields checking for new baby calves. I like going with him but not on the 4-wheeler, both too cold and too dangerous, no protection from a mad mama cow.
He can handle it, use the 4-wheeler to dodge behind, or hop on and drive away, but with me along, I'm just in the way enough to ruin his escape attempts. :)
So, until the ground gets more solid, I don't get to go.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!

Jeannelle said...

Hi Russell,

You're right about the boldness of the redwing blackbirds.....that used to scare me, too, when I was a kid riding my bike along the road. Yes, I love their trilling little song, though, too.

On days like in the photo, my husband hauls until the fields get too "schmeary", to use his term. I think he quit around 1 p.m. on this day.

You must have had a faraway pasture when you were young!!

************

Hi Mary!

I don't blame you for not going along on the 4-wheeler. We don't have one, but I know they are very handy around the farm, especially working with cattle out in fields and pastures.

Yeah, one must be really careful when working with baby calves and their mothers......that maternal instinct is in high gear. When I was a kid, we raised pigs, and, wow, new mother sows are frightening to be around, also!!

Thanks for stopping by.....I'm hoping to catch up on reading blogs today, now that the Easter rush is over. It think its the most hectic holiday of the year for me......worse even than Christmas!!

Sherry said...

I have not seen a blackbird mostly because we are mudded in, but I sure have heard them. The birds are really at it now, and I just ache for it to be warm enough to open a window.

I'm surprised you can get in the fields yet. Ours are way to sloggy, which is why the car is stuck down by the road again. Parker couldn't turn around anywhere and just could not quite pull it through. And he went early before it was above 32.

I wonder when its gonna dry out? Hopefully by June!

nannykim said...

I remember that smell---I actually enjoed it--however the farmers around us (growing up in CT) would often accidentally drop some on the roads. Our cars would pick it up on the tires and it would flick it up in the fenders etc--which gave a long glowing smell

Jeannelle said...

Sherry,

The snow leaves and now you are mudded in!! Sounds like no fun at all.

Husband hauls manure like this early in the morning while the fields are still frozen.....by late morning they become too soft. Soon they'll be too soft all the time, which will last until the fields dry out.

Its good that you're hearing redwings, at least!

Thanks for coming by!!

Jeannelle said...

nannykim,

You in SC and countrygirlin MD are posting photos that truly look like spring! I'm happy for you.

Oh, yes, manure slopped on roads is not a good thing. Thankfully, Husband doesn't have to drive on any roads to get to our fields. He drops globs on the driveway, though. Cow manure doesn't smell nearly as bad as pig manure, though.

Thanks for visiting! Enjoy spring!