Larry A. Smail's Blog

A friend of mine and I were talking about Screech Owls and my nesting box success. As the conversation continued plans to build him a box came into mind. I said I may have enough scrap lumber overhead in the garage. I continued, if I find enough I would build one for his residence.

I found a sixteen inch wide board I had placed overhead. The board was a shelf board. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough to make the owl box without using some old weathered deck boards I had saved. The back and bottom of the box were made with these boards.

This morning I watched the skies and decided to run the box out to his place before doing some hiking. I rang the doorbell and lightly knocked without a response. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but in case the couple were sleeping I decided to set the box down before heading to the woods. I would later find out they were home but neither one had heard me outside and the bell was disconnected.

Afterwards, I walked in familiar country where I often hunt. I spotted a flock of turkeys in a field of around 7-8 birds. I circled around the field and tried to see the flock. They had already exited the field. I heard a couple of toms gobbling far off in leased land.

I had a bag of native Wild Leek with me and I planted a stalk of the leek, also called Ramps, here and there hoping the bulbs would survive allowing for established future colonies. I had planted a few last year, but couldn’t find any. However, I plant randomly and could easily miss the leeks.

Last year I had carried and transplanted some Virginia Bluebells. These, like the leek, are native plants. I recognized a spring seep remembering I had planted something in this area. I found two of the flowers growing. These flowers self-sow readily so I hope to find an increase soon.

I would see about eleven deer as I tramped around. I would see about five gobblers moving out ahead of my approach. I would see a lone hen, a gobbler with two hens and another strutter as the morning moved. I saw several strutting gobblers on a right-a-way, too.

As I walked I tried to concentrate and find some Morels, but I was having trouble staying on target with the fungus. It felt too dry to me.