Fall Catch at Hendrickson Marsh

Fall is a wonderful season on Hendrickson Marsh...A place where I've spent minutes and some-days hours watching different types of life in motion, or setting suns. This particular post is focused on November 11,2015.

My plans are to write many posts in retrospect because of so much I have missed - telling a story and sharing pictures that might add maybe a bit of wonder to an  existence that goes by so fast you can't get out there on your own to see...

Ah! You say...a disturbed circle of water on the edge of a Marsh?!?

How interesting!

Well, I guess it's time to start telling you just why there happens to be a disturbed circle of water on the Edge of the Marsh.

What do you suppose could be riling up the water so much?
                                                                                                                  Out of the middle of the roiling water rose up a waterfowl - One of many Pied-billed Grebes taking shelter for a brief time and feeding before moving south for the winter.

 I would go out on a ripple and say they had decided to do a little catch and release fishing.

You know that little Blue Gill just kept trying to roll away with every wiggle it could muster to escape the jaws of the persistent,hungry birds

In the words of the dueling Grebes...Don't forget me! I know you caught the fish but for heavens sakes keep a hold  of the wiggler or I will certainly have lunch.

A back and forth chase across the marsh continued for a considerable amount of time in the life of a dangling fish.                                                            
Pursuit was futile - control remained with the darker of the two Grebes.                                                                  

It made me wonder what type of relationship the two birds might have minus the obvious draw.

The afternoon sun was coming to an end and I didn't see other birds so clearly embroiled with a task at beak.

I will have to say the weather was certainly warm for November, allowing for an enjoyable viewing experience on my part.

As the controlling Grebe turned tail to head in the opposite direction the follower was heard to say...Let's play  some more!

NO ...Got to go!

The Grebe was so compelled to make a run for it at this point - I lost sight of  whether or not it actually was able to swallow any part of the Blue Gill that had created such a feeding frenzy.

 Olly, Olly Oxen Free was not going to  work in this situation...



Thank you for your visit today! All photos posted here are the property of Timber Life.

Risen

Risen , a movie now playing throughout the United States during Lent  is about the crucifixion and investigation of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the experiences of Tribune Clavius,a non-believer. He was given the task by the Roman Ruler Pontius Pilate to expose the perpetrators of the lie of a  Risen Messiah.  To find those who could tell him about the tomb he had sealed, now opened and empty...

My husband and I had the pleasure of spending the last two weekends viewing the movie on Sunday afternoons.  Both weekends  we, my hubby and I visited the new Cinemark XD Theater located in Altoona, IA to see the movie.

Cinemark XD Altoona,IA

We felt the content of the movie followed the scripture and would  like to suggest to those seeking a different point of view on a life changing event to stop by your local theater.


I wanted to share the movie experience with my older brother while he was available...

which happened to coincide with the second Sunday afternoon.

I would like to address the new seating arrangements that we found quite appealing. A new amenity in the theater going experience.

On our first visit we discovered that you could select your seating. They show you a diagram at the ticketing counter  for you choose the available lounges. Cinemark offers online ticket purchases with two ticket dispensers available at the Altoona location.Once inside your particular theater the aisles are lettered and the seats numbered for identification, simple and easy.

As you can see in the picture, the young woman is reclining on a lounger, much like you would get to do at home. The middle arm that includes a cup holder will fold up if you need more room and are sharing the chair with a familiar individual. It looks as though she is enjoying some tasty concession snacks.

Getting back to the movie Risen... My simple recommendation when you take time out of your busy schedule is to stop, look, and listen, to what God is trying to share through the eyes of a Roman Tribune - in search of the truth...

The Sciuridae Family

Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel

I want to pickup on a topic I spoke of rather briefly in the second part of the post on Talkative Thursday.

The Sciuridae Family and my experiences with at least 6 of them, 4 of which are apart of the Timber Life family.

The only member of the family that isn't a ground dweller is the Foxtail Squirrel showing off in the third picture below. I truly have fun watching all these little critters running here and there...

Chipmunk

Groundhog

Foxtail Squirrel

Prairie Dog

However, a downside to these ground shifting rodents - unexpected holes to fall into when walking or driving around the farm and timber. After falling into holes created in the hard packed drive ,one will want to reconsider how fast the travel speed should be to complete the trip.

Soft soils are excellent medium to start a new tunnel and living quarters for most of  the cousins who live here in Iowa.                                           


The larger Groundhogs find no difficulty in expanding  their tunnels from between 8 - 66 feet with multiple rooms and exits.In the construction of their den it has been found to contain a room specifically associated to the bodily function of defecation. They usually have more than one den to keep them close to the best sources of food and protection. My observations have them building dens under wood piles, at bases of trees and in the slope of a hill in the timber floor.


I have been privileged to watch them scamper up trees and freeze in place so they won't be detected.



The Foxtail Squirrel is very industrious when it comes to distributing the Black Walnut seeds found in abundance here in our timber.

I would prefer they go about planting more acorns and hickory nuts instead of eating them...One of those human traits I would like to pass along - eat some, plant some and save some . The only problem with the last theory is the number of rodents and birds that feast on the same resources, there doesn't seem to be enough to save some.


                                                                          



In  September 2007, middle afternoon sun we found several Prairie Dog colonies in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Hubby and I hadn't seen these little creatures in the wild before this trip. It created a curiosity about their habits due to the problems they were said to be causing for the cattlemen and the destruction of the grazing lands over vast areas.

At the time of our visit to the Badlands they were beginning to test Blackfooted Ferrets as a means of biological control.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

This past summer during June, I had the great privilege of visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park outside Estes Park , CO., with my family.

On one of the Tourist Pull-off areas at Forest Canyon Overlook , we came across this chubby little Marmot out enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Please click the captions to find more information about each of the members of the squirrel family or previous posts here at Timber Life...


My hope is that the next time you see a member of the Sciuridae Family you'll have time to watch a little bit of nature in action in the great outdoors.


Thank you for your visit today! All pictures posted here are the property of Timber Life Wildscapes.