Labor Day Wildlife

Hummingbirds are leaving.  We only see an occasional bird at the feeders, not the swarm we had in July.
Two hen turkeys with 3 poults graced our afternoon for a few minutes.  The dogs must have been worn out not to alert. We've seen signs of them in scattered leaves, and scratched dirt.  Paul saw one fly as the dogs approached, and we've seen the south end of north running birds in the grapes and hazelnuts.  This is the first time they've been up close in full view.
It took 4 boys (Paul included) to protect this damsel from a disturbed groundhog.  Gambol took him on, gave his "I've got one" yelp to spur Kilo into action.  Buddy even got into the fray, although he stepped back when the bugger bit him.  Eventually, after Gambol and Kilo pulling him like the yellow chicken toy, Paul took over.  This guy was probably the owner of the hole that Jonathan and I filled with rocks last Christmas in the snow. and maybe the destroyer of our garden kale and tomatoes. The dogs and I continued on our walk (although the dogs had to be convinced to go in my direction) while Paul finished the g'hog off and put him on a brush pile. As we returned to the shed for drinks and cooling baths, a turkey vulture flew overhead.  I predict no bones will be there in the morning.
I saw 5 monarchs dancing together in the walnut grove, and we have 8 cats munching on milkweed by the front door.  We're doing our part.
It's dry and ugly hot; leaves are falling yellow. We probably won't have a good color year.

Kettle of vultures

At dinner time Leslie saw a large gathering of turkey vultures circling above our forest below the house.  The term for a large gathering of vultures or buzzards is a cast, committee, meal, vortex, venue, and wake, but the most common description for group of vultures circling in the air is called a kettle.  She counted 18 birds in the air, but there were a lot that had already passed over the house and were hidden by the tops of the trees.

Another leap of faith and a couple of bears

Paul was out digging potatoes in the garden when Buddy joined him, alone, off leash and quivering. A thunderstorm was on it's way. That dog is using up his lives.
Weather delay on the path work.
Two bears visited on their walk arounds today. One had a collar and was large, although not as large as the monster that visited last month; the other was smaller. They both looked healthy with glossy fur and bright eyes. They could have been mother and 2 yr cub but Paul didn't see them together or even going in the same direction. Luckily neither had a taste for chicken on the wing.
We did find a pile of cardinal feathers on a path but that looked more like hawk damage than bear.
A kettle of 6 turkey vultures spiraled over the valley tonight. We've never seen so many. It must have been a good year for breeding in our valley.