Watching the Decorah Eagle Nest

 As you may know Mom and DM2 built a new nest, N3, and it is out of sight and no camera.  Well looks like we won't ever be able to watch them at N3.  See below from Rapture Resource Project.  I have missed them so much and wonder about all the antics and head bonkings and wingersizing we missed.

We're getting a lot of questions about watching the Decorah Eagles in the 2021/2022 season. John talked about this during our interview with Iowa Public TV last night and I wanted to share it with the wider world.

Are we going to be able to watch the Decorah Eagles next season? It's gotten very complicated. The N3 nest tree (as many of you know from Robin's Day Trips) is dead. Even if the landowner was excited about streaming, we can't climb the tree to install cameras and we don't know how well we can see them from adjacent trees, or how long those trees will remain healthy.

Bald eagles tend to abandon nest trees once the crown has died back and stopped producing leaves, so we don't even know whether Mom and DM2 will stay. They could return to the hatchery and N2B or build a new nest in another tree. Eagle researcher Mark Stahlmaster didn't count eagle nests as abandoned until they went five years without use, which gives us hope for N2B. Here's a video that gave several of you hope for a new nest at N1. Mom looks lovely and neither of the eagles seem ready to rent out N2B! https://youtu.be/GKGPrrRszOs.

So: we were working on ways to stream N3 until we learned that the nest tree was dead. This new wrinkle has caused us to rethink our plans. We'll continue to watch the hatchery in person and remotely, and hope to know a little more about Mom and DM2's plans by early September. We'll share our observations with you. You can help us by sharing your observations via youtube, explore, facebook, and our website as we watch and wait to see what they do!

Exciting Times

 So this just happened I watched it. Nature is amazing.  So excited to have all 7 getting ready to become Monarchs.  Stay tuned for more pictures.

Here We Go

 I watched this one crawl up to the top last night and never came down to eat.  This afternoon I watched it spin the silk button it hangs from.  So we are getting ready in about a week for the butterflies to start appearing.  They have all slowed down the eating today.  

#2:

And Then There Were 7

 I keep finding caterpillars every time I go get milkweed leaves. They are going through them quickly and boy do they poop a lot.  They should be ready to chrysallis any day now.  I hope they all make it to be butterflies.

Caterpillars

 Finally after 2 years of no Monarch caterpillars I found 2 yesterday while watering.  I quickly got their cage, put milkweed in and they are happily munching along.  I have a very large patch this year and was beginning to think I would not have any again but I saw a male a couple weeks ago so there must have been a female near by as well.

I am hoping they will both become butterflies, stay tune for progress.

I keep finding caterpillars and I now have 6 waiting to turn into beautiful Monarchs.

Memorial Day Weekend

 

Grandma's Buttons

 Most of us around my age have a container with our grandmother's buttons in it.  Mine is a tin that is pretty ugly and whatever lid top was on it is now just a hole in the tin.  You have to take a screwdriver or a knife to pry the lid off of it. I still have a few buttons left but have used most of them on craft items that won't depart the house.

Last week this came in and I fell in love.  I never knew they made plastic hearts that held chocolates.  I should have snatched it up but I did not so if it is still there when I go to work I will.  I love this and would seal around the opening and hang it on my craft wall.

BTW:  this was never put out for sale so I grabbed it up and it is sitting on my dining room table to figure out how to seal and hang on the wall.

Tomatoes

 

Pencils

 Those that know me best know I LOVE pencils. I collect them. My aunt sends them to me for my birthday, when she goes somewhere she always gets a pencil.  I have several hundred and yes I use them daily.  I love a bouquet of pencils in a jar.  So imagine my excitement when I got my email from Joanns this morning and look at this pattern, well you know I have to make some and I am going to add a pink eraser and the silver band.  Now to find the right fabric for them.

https://www.joann.com/super-snuggle-flannel-colored-pencil-pillows/522117185P91.html?utm_source=Joann&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=HTML&utm_campaign=20210506_E1_AM_GEN_PROMOX&utm_term=20210506_em_project_pencilpillow&rId=20210506_E1_AM_GEN_PROMOX&jid=0256043605&src=FREESHIP75&DWID=&bxid=174474941142&fbclid=IwAR3PnepnTCa0Ip-lqV1vrsY3Gz4V5zDkXPlE9tIc9NkzjVaw3AqP6Cic64M

I Thought the Dandelions Standing Up Were Funny

 More snow pictures

You can see the tinge of the pink red bud buds under the snow on the tree.

The dandelions standing up are kind of funny.

Are We Sure it is April?

 Woke up to this today, I think someone read the calendar wrong.

Has It Been 3 Years?

 3 years ago yesterday Dad Decorah disappeared and we never found him nor has he been seen.  Eagles usually live to be around 25 in the wild if they are healthy, and he was probably approaching that age.  The last day we saw him he provided Mom with many fish to take care of the babies and he cuddled with her protecting them from a bad snow storm.  Did he know and spent  time with his family before he left to die alone?  We miss you Dad and you will always be in our hearts.

Spring is Here

 The red bud and mock apple tree are in full bloom.  The jonquils are about done but how bright yellow they are this year, the tulips are about done and the first hatch of the season has 4 House Finches.