Redbud Time - Turkey Opener - Morels

 It may not be peak redbud time, but it is close.  This is our view of the driveway on arrival.

Each of the field edges seem to have some redbuds.

The other excitement on the driveway was created by a killdeer deciding to nest right in the middle of it.  Van saw it and marked it so we are driving around the four eggs.  The Mom isn't always appreciative of our efforts.  Video of Killdeer Mom

Another bit of excitement - after a year or more of waiting, the Starlink satellite internet service kit arrived.

Installation requires a lot of line of sight of the north-facing horizon from east to west.  I think it is going to need to go on the roof but I temporarily put it in the middle of the field.  It has motors and orients itself to the available satellites.

I haven't gotten the expected 200 mbps with the 30 latency but it is still a far cry from the 2.7 Mbps that we have with current DSL (13,000 feet from dslam).

I did turkey hunt each morning.  I had a nice encounter with 5 gobblers at 150 yards.  They were gobbling and strutting and I could see a full fan (not a jake).  They would talk to me but they would not come into range.

My turkey hunting is really more like a nature walk.  I look at flowers and look for morels.  And occasionally I stop, set up and call.  I have more success with the mushrooms than with the turkeys.

This is one of my regular spots - 45 morels.

Things are greening up and it's nice to be out in the woods.

There are wildflowers everywhere.  Lots of different violets.

Trillium

I found this chunk of fur.  My first thought was the deer shedding winter coats.  Upon closer examination, there was some meat on the fur.  I'm guessing a predator meal.

The frog pond is getting active.

I could see the salamanders swimming out there.  Here's a video Salamander in frog pond.

Dandelion season too.

It's not just the redbuds.  Crabapples are also in glory.

The wind snapped the middle pear tree in this row.

Yellow violets

I saw this bird on the ground and at first thought tom turkey (red head) - but it was a turkey vulture.  I also saw a harrier hunting over the fields.

My spraying seems to have stunted some of the thistle - others seem unaffected.  This may take more chemical warfare.

I did disk up some plots.  Not sure what I'm planting where yet.

Joan and Violet helped with some chores.

There are definitely turkeys around - even if my calling doesn't appeal to them.

The predators are always on the prowl.

Shots like this indicate that we may need to take some does this fall.

They are called whitetail deer.

The bucks are showing some nubs.