A couple of days after being in the house, Anton made a bold proclamation, "We live in a world of bugs!" I do not really think he understood how true his statement is on the whole world and not just our new home.
With the 100 acres of crop land being used to grow soy beans this year, the deer have been everywhere. Our furniture guys commented on their desires for a shot gun because the deer did not seem to care we were only a few acres away. Later, while talking with our new farmer friends it was revealed that Deer season starts September 15 with bows and arrows. As it gets closer to the middle of September, the deer become more scarce. They know when they have a free meal!
While I was sitting at my table one morning, formulating the days agenda, I saw something large fall next to the window. It startled me from my seat and I went to investigate. Sitting on the ground, apparently clutching some breakfast in it's talons was a juvenile golden eagle. It looked me in the eyes and spread it's 4 foot wings to take his meal to the trees. I had never been that close to a non-captive wild bird of this size. I discovered it was a juvenile because the white spots had not all disappeared. Since that time we have observed these magnificent birds roughly every three days. Right now I find them beautiful and invigorating, when we get poultry, I will change my views. In case you were wondering, it is a felony to kill any eagle, not just the Bald Eagle.
And this leads me to Mr. Groundhog. The day we arrived, Mr. Groundhog was very interested in the new activity in his space. He observed us from across the drive until the children went outside to get a better look. He observed us from the over growth line behind the house, and took a little stroll to the neighbor's yard. (And you wonder why we have Eagles!) He amused us for the first week in the morning hours, then he disappeared. We saw nothing of him until this past Sunday after the overgrowth was cut down. I thought for sure the eagles had gotten him and while I was a little sad over his misfortune, I was trilled to not have to evict him from the area before the Spring plantings. With the over growth gone, he seemed very concerned about his lack of protection. Karl and I went out to get a better look. Once he saw us he ran, faster than a jack rabbit, to the tree line. I think it took him a total of 30 seconds to cross an acre. I later found the hole, about 12-18 inches in diameter. The farmers have an interesting way to get rid of them, a pistol. They estimate approximately 5-8 are running under their crops. They know where they are due to the yellowing of sections. As I am writing this, I noticed Mr. Groundhog gaily run in his trotting way from our neighbor's yard to his hole across the drive in front of our house. Yes, he is still here!
When Tim cut the overgrowth he confided to Karl what other wild life is lurking in our fields. There is good news, better news, and unnerving news. First, we have field mice and black snakes. Second, their presence means no rats or copper heads. Third, they are nature's way to balance things for a lively ecosystem. When you have mice, you tend to not have rats; it's a case of either/or. Apparently, the copper heads (poisonous) do not get along with the black snakes (non-poisonous) and will move to a new location say near the river a couple miles away. If we have to have one, I would rather deal with the mice than rats and nonpoisonous than poisonous. Granted, I would prefer neither, but nature is nature. I think we need a cat!
Now to fences and their necessity. I already pointed out the deer, who would love to make a meal or two of our fruit trees, but we have others to contend with also. Again, our farmer friends have been a wealth of knowledge! Come fall when everyone has their windows open, we should hear the ominous call of the coyotes. Tim and his son, Doug, have seen them in very early hours when fox hunting. Red and gray fox will let us know they are around if our poultry is not locked up tight, along with the night bandits, also called raccoons. This information is taking Karl and I back to the planning table. I was trying to avoid electric fences for the safety of children, but having at least one strand above the mesh would deter some predators and pests. Tim thinks the electric strand is a good idea and "children along with animals figure out the fence real quick!" We also are putting more thought into animal protectors. Geese will protect ducks, and male turkeys will protect chickens. I often wondered about this from my reading and research before we came here. There was great warnings about co-mingling of poultry types for fear of diseases. Then I began to notice several farms around the area doing just that! They use the larger birds to protect the smaller ones and do not seem to have a problem with the diseases warned about in the books. What have I learned, books are good for a basis, but there is no denying hands on knowledge!
Oh, so much to do and so little time to get it all straight!
