A Little Foodplot Maintenance

It's early for spraying plots but I thought I would try a targeted approach on some of the grass clumps in the clover. I'm using clethodim.

 I also did some frost seeding to keep the clover plots fresh.  I used this bag of seed since the mice had nibbled a hole in it.

 I just sort of broadcast the seed over the existing plots and hope that freeze/thaw makes good seed to soil contact.

I also encountered a few obstructions on trails.  Recent high winds have taken a toll.

I only found this one old, small, nibbled antler.  Probably last year's.

 I put out just a little ear corn to get them thru this last period before green up.  The clover is barely sprouted but there were 5 deer out in the field last night nibbling it.

I did the camera tour on foot this week.  It was about 11,000 steps.

 This was a curious discovery.  A bone twisted in barbed wire.  I have no idea how long it's been there but I don't think that there could have been a deer stuck in that wire without being noticed.  So would someone pick up a bone and twist it in the wire for some reason?

 A pretty good size burrow made by something - ground hog?

 There was a little ear corn between me and the Ranger.  It had been there overnight and appears to have gone untouched.

I resorted to driving around with the backpack sprayer to get some areas with the grass killer.

This week's wildlife news:

NYT Opinion - Northern Rockies - Carole King

BBC Kenya Elephant Queen

BBC - Chickens Kill Fox

Grizzlies Awaken

Pop Sci - Eat More Roadkill

Deer Cull in Maryland

Nat Geo - Cougar Leftovers

QDMA - EHD vs CWD

Wolf Delisting

 Somehow, I missed setting the clock on this camera.

But the deer are using the atv trail too.

 Coyote

Little buck - hasn't dropped yet.

 One side drop.

 Three does wander out.

Followed by two more.

 This camera wasn't producing much - I'm trying another nearby spot.  It may just be on its last legs.

Busy night in the pond field.

Dogs.

Fox

 Fox

Fox

Coyote

Two coyotes

 Fox

Bobcat

 What all those predators are looking for - bunnies.  I get as many bunny photos as I do squirrels.

Some sort of bird triggered this photo - upper left corner.  I'm not sure what it was.

 Camera tour on foot.

The harrier was back this week.  Saw him on Sunday.

Drone, Harrier, and the Coyotes are Back

 We had 1.5" of rain overnight but it cleared up.  It was really windy but I decided to risk it and fly the drone.

I haven't had it out in about 6 months.  It's a re-learning experience each time.

It can definitely "see into" the woods at this time of year.

The pond is cloudy after all that rain.

I'll post some video links here as they finish uploading.
Drone A 3-10-19
Drone B 3-10-19
Drone C 3-10-19
Drone D 3-10-19
Drone E 3-10-19

 No leaf canopy means seeing all the way to the ground.

Here's this week's wildlife news:

Wildlife versus People Eating

Firefall at Yosemite

PETA on Steve Irwin

Wolves to Control Moose

Poacher Freezes Deer to Report the Next Year

TV Hunter Turned Poacher

CA Hunting Promotion

A Perspective on Wolves and the ESA

Forbes - Wildlife Photographer of the Year

A Conservationists Cry

I didn't take this photo but I had a harrier hawk like this hunting over our fields today.  It had to be a 4' wingspan.

There are a few signs of spring - daffodils.

 I walked a lot of trails looking for shed antlers - no luck.

Human trash is prevalent on all field edges.

After basically disappearing for a month, the coyotes are back.

 I haven't seen a turkey in some time though.

 The pounce.

 Did he get it?

Same camera, different time - something spooked this deer.

 Another pounce sequence.

 Success?

Bobcat.

Possum vs deer.

 Again.

Only antlers showing this week.

I think that this camera is busted.

I still had one camera acting up this week - it appears to be a battery issue.  Hopefully solved now.  The other rehab jobs seems to be working now (somewhat).

I re-aimed this one.

A taste of minerals last week.