Crazy Kitty

There is a long hair tortoise shell colored cat that lives across the street. I think she is a little bit crazy but she is a sweet cat.  She lets me pet her and I tell her not to eat my birds.  This morning she was sitting in the flower bed where my lizards live. I told her no lizards.  A few hours later I saw her playing with something in the yard, so I ran out and she caught a mole.  I praised her and she is back sitting watch again.  I guess she can stay now that she has earned her keep.  I also noticed my wild strawberries are turning red. I don't eat them but leave them for the birds.

Already?

Since this post is about birds I had my first hummingbird this morning.  Let the season begin.

The eagles are growing faster than we can keep track. The past couple this one probably D26 has been self feeding, does not seem like he should be doing that yet, but he is.  Not sure what is going on with my PC, google is all messed up this morning.  So twist your head until I can figure out how to rotate.

The tail feathers coming in look like darts.

Decorah Eagles

I can't believe how big 26, 27, and 28 are now.  The color has sure changed and you can see the color difference 4 days makes.  In a month we will be holding our breath as they flap their wings, get a little hover going and start up the skywalk preparing to fledge.

Tajiri

Dad, can you come play with me?

Mom she is not one of us.  Alyssa and April having a quiet moment.

Can he get any cuter?

Mom, she does not smell like you?  Can I like her?

It is Almost Cocoon Time

The big boys have found the new milkweed and have really grown in the past couple days.  It is almost time for these 3 to cocoon and then I will  have butterflies and start the cycle all over again.  So exciting to watch nature in my own flower bed. (If you click on the pictures you can see them better.  The top picture has 2 and the bottom picture has one.)

Cool Temps and Plenty of Rain

I love pansies and violas or johnny jump-ups.  However our summers here are not good for them.  Right now the temps and rain is good and they are showing all their glory.  I may move the violas out to the shade part of the yard to see if they will survive the summer although they may still wither with the temps we often get. So for now I will enjoy their beauty.

Quit Eating So Much

The caterpillars have devoured the first plant and have found the 2nd one.  Since they are small ones and they are eating through them in less than 2 weeks, I went in search of some more.  I got 3 big plants that have buds to bloom and got some fennel for the butterflies.  I asked the lady about why at certain times of the day they appear to be gone she said they eat when it is cool, that makes sense, so when I got out at various times they may be hiding in the shade so they don't get too hot.  New plants are in the ground waiting for new caterpillars.

 

Monarchs

Yesterday I introduced my neighbor kids to the monarchs I am growing.  I explained all about them.  There were quite a few on the milkweed.  It got quite cold last night, low 40's. This morning I went out and many of them are gone, did not see them on the ground and they weren't that big.  The ones hanging on appear to be dead, did they get too cold?  So I don't know what has happened but I will continue to watch them and hope maybe they are just in a coma.  I don't think they are big enough to start the cocoon process but then I don't really know much about them.

I found a great article on growing your own.  I know I need to find some more milkweed plants and get them going so that every year i can grow my own monarchs.

http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/grow-monarch-butterflies.html

Tajiri

The baby boy giraffe received his name this morning.  It means hope.  If you have followed the birth of Tajiri you know the giraffe population is dwindling.  Here is hope that Tajiri along with Oliver and other bulls can keep the giraffe population growing.  This youtube is from April 23rd but he is so stinking cute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxGtCyX5QBs

I'm Growing Monarchs

Today I went out to look at some of my plants and look what I found.  I have about 4 milkweed plants that grow wild, and today I am growing Monarchs. I saw a Monarch butterfly a couple weeks ago and she must have been looking for a place to lay her eggs and she picked my yard.  I can't wait to see if I actually get butterflies from these caterpillars.

Giraffe Cam Starts Today Every Tuesday

The Giraffe Cam returns today, and every Tuesday from 4 PM - 8 PM Eastern. Why this time frame?

1) Soon the giraffes are outside, and you will be watching an empty stall, but with our closing daily at 5 pm - you will have hours of enjoyment while they retire for the evening. 
2) It allows us to capture the majority of our major fan bases (worldwide) at a relatively decent time in their daily routines.

www.ApriltheGiraffe.com is your source for the one and only link that is authentic and authorized.

April and The Nest Cup

I love it when April lays down and puts her head on her belly.  She looks like the eagles when they tuck their head in their wing.  The camera goes down on the giraffes tomorrow at 4:30pm Eastern time. I will miss watching them and seeing the baby grow.

Mom has been working on a new nest cup as the first one is now too small to hold the growing babies.

That's a Lot of Grass

Not sure what mom is doing, building a grass hut maybe.  But today there has been a lot of grass brought in.  Who are these babies and what did they do with the little dandelion heads?  Every time I look in they are eating.  But dad is a good provider and there is always some kind of meat to feed them with. Good thing they live by the hatchery.  Trout or sucker or squirrel or rabbit or bird or a pig last week.  Got to have their bacon.