Our Western Wild Horses are in Danger

I read this CNN News Blurb this morning and that lead me to the Let 'em Run website and the video you see above by Lacy J. Dalton, Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg.

The idea that our government would purposely kill healthy beautiful wild horses just to save pasture land for cattle is stupid and saddens me greatly. Our wild horses are part of our western pioneering heritage and belong wild and free on the land. I don't have money or the means to save the horses myself, so I am doing what I can to share their story with as many people as possible. If you can adopt a horse or help them in any way, please do it, and do it soon. Thank you from me and the horses.

© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

New Life In North Fork - Continued

The other day I heard the loudest commotion in front of my store. Two sparrows up in the redbud tree were chirping excitedly back and forth, obviously announcing something very special was happening.

Knowing how skiddish these tiny birds can be, I practically walked on my tip toes with my camera to check out what all the excitement was about.

As reported in previous postings, the returning sparrows had been building a nest just under the old shake overhang in front of my store. I have been looking daily to see if any new life was appearing, but for weeks it has been rather quiet.

But not today, Dad sparrow was obviously very proud, announcing to the world about the special new life that had just occurred.




Mom sparrow was settled in the safety of the red bud tree, she was excited to, and there was a non-stop excited dialog of chirping going on between the two parents.



As I quietly observed nature unfolding right in front of me, Dad sparrow would occasionally fly off, disappear for a few minutes, and then return with exotic bird yummies in his beak. Obviously, new sparrow babies had just hatched just hours ago, and were impatient and very hungry waiting for Dad.




And, if you look very closely in the nest under the old weather shake shingle, you can see a tiny smiling beak and two birdie eyes. I believe I saw at least three tiny brothers or sisters later.



Hi Mom & Dad, what's for dinner?









© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

New Life In North Fork......Continued

The weather and Springtime has not been cooperating at all this year. It has been miserably cold and unpredictable for us humans for weeks, but still our resident returning sparrows have braved the weather, and have been very busy transporting nest building materials to the nest site. Look closely and you can see two long wing feathers as Mom is tidying up the nesting area.





This year the neighbors and I decided to help out our industrious sparrows, note the mound of nest building material consisting of lint, tiny sticks, fluff, and, string hanging from the red bud tree.



At first the wary sparrows were more cautious than thankful for the scary cocoon looking mound of nest material as it tumbled and twisted in the wind. The sparrows soon discovered, however, that the odd looking cocoon was a much easier way to obtain building materials than darting all over town.

As attested by Dad sparrows mouth full of fluff, our offered up cocoon appears to be a very successful helpful hand.




Here is Father sparrow on the constant look out for danger as Mom is arranging the nest to suit her fancy.




Even Moms need to take a rest occasionally..............




Stay tuned for more reports on our returning sparrow family.


© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

New Life in North Fork

As promised, I am reporting back on the nest building activities under the old weathered roof shake near the corner of my building.

I check daily for activity by the knothole entrance to the nest, but not much has been happening until just recently. A couple of days ago I noticed a tangled remnant of yarn stuffed into the very edge of the knothole. Work on the nest construction has obviously commenced.

Evidence of springtime is everywhere you look. The earth is warming, the tulips in my wine barrel at home are about to explode into blossom, the redbud trees in downtown North Fork will be ablaze with crimson blossoms, and tiny green leaves on the now barren oak trees will be unfolding soon.

Today, when I arrived to open my business, I looked again for any activity near the nest entrance. And, there perched in the redbud tree, just under the knothole, were Mom & Dad sparrow chirping excitedly to each other. One sparrow was slightly built and colorful, the other more rounded and plain. They were obviously partners about to put together a family, and they were checking out the neighborhood.

The sparrows seemed to trust me, so I slowly moved a little closer to get a picture of them chattering at each other. They have just started the nest construction and there will be many more trips back and forth. I may even help them this year by hanging some string and yarn in the tree.

In a few weeks there will be barely audible peeping sounds coming from under that old shake, and tiny feathered heads bobbing up and down under the edge of the roof. I love how nature’s story unfolds right in front of me.

© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

Springtime in North Fork

Now, one would wonder why a worn out piece of facia board under the eve of my store front at North Fork Hardware would be of such interest, or most especially why this had anything at all to do with the happenings in the tiny village of North Fork.

You can't see much activity quite yet, but very soon new movement will be happening just under the right edge of the old weathered shake you see in the photo. If you look very, very closely, a knot hole can barely be seen under that old weathered shake, and has been the entrance for several generations of sparrows building a home for their newly arriving babies. I have watched this miracle of nature for several years now and always wonder how the next generation finds it's way back to that exact same old knot hole.

I can already see my neighbors and me gathered quietly in wonder watching several trips of the very focused sparrows bringing in nest building materials. It's really quite something to watch, and definitely clear evidence that Springtime is about to arrive in North Fork. And, if we venture too closely to the nearby red bud tree just under the eve, Mom and Dad sparrow will give us a severe scolding. So, we back off and watch like little kids at the wonders of nature unfolding in front of us.

I really enjoy this time of year, the new growth like the daffodils my Mom planted in front of the store last year, and the promise of better things to come. Stay tuned, I'll be submitting progress reports on how our sparrow family and North Fork is progressing as Springtime arrives.




© Copyright 2008 North Fork News