6 November 2012 - Last of Fall?

Lots of pictures for you today. The snow has disappeared, and we have had beautiful fall weather that includes the requisite blue skies, great color and the attendant rodents. The forecast is calling for snow (again?) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so I have to enjoy every bit of this gorgeousness while I can.

Even the sunsets have been spectacular--they start out pink and move to gold. A change that metamorphs in about 10 minutes. Don't blink or you will miss it.

With the cooler nights the deer are coming down in droves. We currently have six to eight does and fawns come through the yard several times a day.  

We had quite the excitement this morning. A doe jumped the fence and came to a stop about 10 feet from our patio. Her sides were heaving, her tongue was hanging out, her back legs were quivering. She took a quick drink out of the bird bath and fled. 

We were wondering if she had been chased by a dog, when over the fence comes a small 2 point buck. He takes off over the back fence after her. We run to the next window in time to see them cross the street. Ah-- rutting season. Got it. 

But here's the fun part, a large four point buck comes out of the trees, chases off the little buck and herds the doe back up the mountain. You just never know what is going to happen around here. 

Jack and I both thought he was smaller than the big bucks we had in the yard last winter, but he certainly out-weighed the little two-pointer. 

In addition to deer watching, we have been amused by squirrel antics. The cats have also had their noses pressed against the windows while nattering at the squirrels.  I moved our trestle table onto the balcony and covered it with a beach towel to protect it from who knows what. 

The red squirrels and rock squirrels think the towel would make great insulation for their winter nests. They spend hours gathering huge mouthfuls of towel then they jump up and down trying to take the towel with them. This is a rock squirrel and he has a really good grip on the towel. 

 We just happened to be looking out the kitchen window watching our covey of quail run from across the street into our yard. What a shock to see a peregrine swoop in and take one. You can see the feathers flying. Not something you  see everyday. Wish he'd take out the squirrels instead of the birds. 

And speaking of birds, we are thrilled to have Steller's Jays showing up at our feeders. Don't know if they are just passing through or if they will stay all winter, but they are are a gorgeous blue with striking racing stripes on their heads. 

They are very fast, very shy birds so trying to get a decent shot is really hard.