Mystery solved!

I mentioned before that our hens had discovered the bird seed, and we were having the devil’s own time keeping them in the run. Sometimes Hilda would go out three or four times a day. The only silver lining was that once they were out, they stood by the gate to get back in. She’d open the gate, and in they’d go.

The thing was that we couldn’t catch them in the act. We clipped their wings after I saw one of them fly over the fence when they were young. Hilda thought maybe we needed to clip their wings again, that maybe the flight feathers had been replaced in a molt. When I looked closely, though, they still had one short wing.

Last Sunday, Jane happened to look out at just the right moment and saw one of the hens scoot clean through the fence. “I can show you exactly where it was,” she offered.

When we went out, a couple of the hens had their heads sticking through the fence on the west side so they could peck at the grass. Sure enough, another went right through. Upon closer inspection, we found a hole. Hallelujah! The mystery was solved.

The mended fence

I tied a new cord at the broken spot. I also found where one of my mending jobs had not been adequate, but I didn’t want to fix that with guests in the house. Since I fixed the first hole, we’ve had only one escape. I fixed the other spot this morning. We hope that’s the end of it. There is talk of getting a new fence. It hasn’t been the same since the turkeys.

I had to get a new telephoto lens for my camera. Every time I tried to use it, it gave me an error message. I tried cleaning the contacts like it said in the online troubleshooting. It worked once and reverted to the error. It’s not too surprising that the lens was worn out given how many times I changed lenses on my various trips in the tropics. I’d already had to get new close up lens.

While I was in Florida, I borrowed Jane’s camera with her new, more powerful telephoto lens. I had lens envy. I got my lens on Thursday. So far, it’s working well. I suppose the camera body will be the next to go.

My new telephoto lens

The new lens can take not-too-awful pictures of turkeys at the far end of the field.

Toms at the far side of the field

Enough birds have come back that the dawn chorus has begun. The redwing blackbirds are particularly vocal. This one was sitting in the top of a white pine tree. He puts his wings out when he calls. Since there are only males around, it’s probably a threat display to establish his territory.

Redwing blackbird

Calling and posturing--this is MY tree!

Terry is seeing as many as 9 tom turkeys congregating on our land. He reported that they hadn’t started their displays yet, but I caught one of them at it this morning. The wing man came at him once but was immediately subdued. Like the blackbirds, the females are so far in abstentia.

A tom turkey and his wing man

Spring is coming.