Honeybee Arrival In Jefferson County Oregon

Honeybee Arrival In Jefferson County Oregon




This is a typical bigger Honeybee operation that goes on in agricultural areas such as ours. These Honeybee's arrive by train. This area is a holding lot. Much like a cattle holding lot, however these are Honeybee's. You will not find this quantity of hives in someones backyard!



I do not advice anyone who is allergic to these insects to do such a thing as I did as far as visiting this holding lot.

First I called up and spoke to the scientist who is, was (?) doing a Honeybee study at this location. Then calling up the land owner to ask for access to their property. Then of course walking on over to the location. I would have loved to be a onlooker when getting these photographs haha!!

Keeping in mind, smoke can be a good thing!! Lighting up a cigarette kept the stings down to just one. Keeping in mind these Honeybee's are not wild per say, however they just arrived at this location. Tired, thirsty and cranky!



Somehow as I picked out the photographs to show you the photographs copied themselves so the photographs are a mess if you go to the album to look around!





These hives get shipped to different farms around our town where this is all located. If you happen to be walking down one of these farm roads, or even driving by with your window rolled down, well you may just get to meet some Honeybee's personal like!

Carrot seed is huge in our area. Someone has to grow it for your favorite garden store to sale to you, right?

We are known for many other crops, however the carrot seed is a big one around here where the Honeybee's help is priceless! Can you imagine hand pollinating something like the carrot seed!?



I also walked over to where the Honeybee's were getting their drinks at. Any insect who has traveled pretty much in any manor is going to be thirsty! I am one who will buy insects to have them shipped here to home. Insects such as ladybugs,praying mantises, some others. The last shippment of ladybugs arrives half dead. So, I stopped buying from that business. If you know of anyone else with a better live arrival rate, and better customer service, can you let me know? We are in Oregon.



I was much more comfortable at this location. The water is not where the Honeybee's live so they are much more docile!! No reason to protect something that is supposed to be for everyone.....



I may have even shown these photographs before?? I recall being at another location that I have permission being at and WALLA Honeybee's were drinking at that spot too. Not sure why I was surprised? Perhaps I was surprised for that other spot was really just a big mud puddle! A mud puddle made by farm equipment and pick up trucks.





This to is one reason why our garden just hums with the sound of Honeybee's as well. Our town is not huge and this holding lot is not a far walk. Honeybee's are supposed to like to stay and work one kind of flower, however we have a big infatuation to our garden when the Honeybee's show up!

I also notice the Honeybee's that come to our ponds, garden are sickly. Because of people using these killer chemicals? We know the Honeybee's come to our garden so they should be going to other peoples gardens..... "My brothers keeper", is something that seams to come to my mind. I sarcastically joke about, "not being my brothers keeper",  for most folks do not care about anything but themselves. Who cares if the Honeybee population dies out, right....... Not here to preach and this is a subject I can get real passionate about. Guy humors me and just lets me rant haha



Just joked with Guy about my ranting. Saying you heard it all before (my rants), but dogonit these people may not have! We both laughed and Guy says to you all,"Sorry about your luck", haha! Keeping the wording clean for some of my younger readers!

In the shot above a couple Honeybee's are gathered for drinks. I like to watch the Honeybee's communication between each other, doing jigs and what not! Predators have a field day with the Honeybee as well! Picking off the Honeybee one by one. No wonder they stay in groups! While I was here the birds staid away. The other insect did not......

I think that is enough photographs. I do have more photographs in the album I made just for this post, though like I said they are kind of a mess.... Thank you for coming by and checking out my photographs and reading! Even if some of my ranting came out in the process..... See you on Monday with whatever else I came up with haha

Spent Some Time With The Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Spent Some Time With The Yellow-Bellied Marmot



Meet the Yellow-Bellied Marmot AKA Rock Chuck. This colony lives on a farm and is protected by the farmer. Speaking with the farmer he told me the colony is out and about and where to find them.

Off I went and made me a nice spot to sit down and just watch. Did not take long for the "barking", to start. However after a short time curiosity took over the warning barks!





Other then the obvious barking Yellow-Bellied Marmots came movement as to what all the fuss was about!



Soon more then one started appearing ! As I was going through these photographs I even noticed more of them then I did when I was photographing them!



The pups started appearing in doubles or triplets. Sticking real close to each other, but wanting to see what I was too!



They weigh more then some cats do at ten to eleven pounds. Males being the biggest and he takes on more then one female. What up to four females that he has in his family and defends his wifes and kids. The colony seamed to have a population of ten or more. They were running and hiding then popping out to see what was going on! Their burrows are deep too! The hibernation chambers are supposed to be deeper then just the ones they use to hide in.



The only reason I got these photographs like I did is because I found a place to sit and chill out. These Yellow-Bellied Marmot are protected. I know the farmer and his crew do a good job of checking out who is on their property for I had the boss man and his hand come to me! Of course a phone call was made and the permission I had gotten was verified!

I think some day I will drop off a framed piece at the main farm home for him and his family? I do not know the farmer real well however the brief interaction with him told me he likes the wildlife that is on his land! I do get some very nice photographs and experiences on this farm.





This Yellow-Bellied Marmot seamed to me to be the biggest I photographed? I say "he", for he looked like he has been in a scrap or two!! These Yellow-Bellied Marmots can live up to fifteen years! Though it is said the pups have a hard time making it to a year old.



This photograph for me was fun! There are two Yellow-Bellied Marmots in the above shot. Can you find the second one? Not going to tell you where it is, this is a example of how well they blend in!! I finally showed Guy for he looked and looked. After you see something it is hard to unsee whatever ha Heck there could be more then two...... I just see two.

This spot seamed to be a good spot for some were running into the rocks from other places. So I figured the males must be around here and where I got what I thought was the biggest Yellow-Bellied Marmot on this day. Of course by this time I was gone from the house for gosh three hours? I was getting tired but waited in this spot.



Another popped out! Right now there are three checking me out!



Now there is four! The barking by now has stopped. I could not get my lens out far enough for more of the rocky area to be photographed without giving away the location. I promised the farmer I would not allow anything in the photographs to give a location. This of course protects the animals I photograph.

Sorry to say these animals are one of the critters that are slaughtered in our area for just being there. They do eat plants up! Though on the flip side the also eat insects!! However it is their burrows that cause problems. They are not small animals! I have said it once I will say it again, farmers in our area pay people to pick up rock! This is a job and duty of farm workers. Something needs to be done with these rocks, this farmers put the rock here. Perfect location for the Yellow-Bellied Marmot.

Their territory consists of what five acres give or take.... we do have a railroad line that comes through, though if you give a creature like this a good place to live without threat this means all these that are living in this rock that nothing is done with, the Yellow-Bellied Marmots are not burrowing under the railroad tracks...... this is my theory anyhoo.





We are up to five now!! All checking me out! The eldest one is the one who is being very still, and until you see it..... The way the others look, and are acting I feel those are pups ie young.





Here all five of them again, you can see the two on the top left a little better? Guy claims if I had bread they would probably had came right up to me haha. Guy gets to see first hand my interaction with the wildlife and he is always shacking his head haha

I did not use all the photographs I uploaded to this album, you are more then welcome to check out all the photographs. Make them bigger , you can view them in a gallery, share them and embed them. Some other options.

Thank you for coming by and checking out my time with the Yellow-Bellied Marmot!

Hanging Out With A Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Hanging Out With A Ruby-crowned Kinglet







This is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Very small and quick bird!





I do get a good archive of photographs going of one species of wildlife. This Ruby-crowned Kinglet is no different.





Na you can not tell he knows I am here photographing him in this shot! HA



I named the shot below "flying", however he was just getting his balance more then actually "flying".





Here he is flashing his color!







This next shot is one of my favorites. He is just kicking back and showing his color!







This last one he just hops off to somewhere else!







The shot I had to add in here, it is the last useable shot I got of this day of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet AND the closest this Ruby-crowned Kinglet or any of the Kinglets ever came this close to me and my camera. I actually was somewhat shocked for I make it no secrete to the birds, wildlife or anything that I am right here.... with my camera in hand!





My other Ruby-crowned Kinglet post can be seen and read here Thank you for coming by and Hanging out with this Ruby-crowned Kinglet bird!

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Spadefoot Toad

Spadefoot Toad





This is the Spadefoot Toad who resides at one of our ponds.

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Mrsroadrunner Photography | Morning With A Muskrat

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Morning With A Muskrat

I headed off as every morning when I go on a walk here in our town. Checking my camera bag and choosing which lens to bring with me, knowing it will never be the right lens ha! Choosing whether to carry the heavy water canteen,or just fill up a bottle I have around here. Filled up a bottle with water that fits nicely into my bag is what I chose to do this morning.

As times before a coyote disturbed the peace at the ponds. Hearing all the racket I new something was going down, however I just kept my slow pace hoping by the time I got there things would be calmed down?

If the Magpies would quit telling everyone I was there things would have went a little better? The ducks were on high alert due to the coyote no doubt?? All of them flew making loud distress calls as they went! Some in pairs going this way and that way! I did notice the farmers were busy doing their thing, which the wildlife get used to here in my part of the High Desert of Oregon. Jefferson County Oregon is a agricultural place after all!

As I looked over the first pond I seen nothing in the pond itself but for some small birds who looked like Robins taking baths. I was  keeping a lookout for the Coyote of course, though Coyotes really do not want anything to do with people! I made my way through the brush to the second pond.

I did see something dive under the water. Whatever it was made a ripple in the water. We do have some pretty large fish here, but not in a pond of this size I thought? Shoot someone would have to put the fish here! Fish just cant walk to ponds! Hence why the state of Oregon is dropping fish from helicopters in the more remote lakes for those who hike to the lakes and want to fish.

Really these seam to be holding ponds that are not really used anymore for the farmer who owns the land. Pipes coming from the ponds themselves as well as what appears to be a machine which I really do not pay any mind to for to have permission to be on the land I have to follow some basic rules. Common sense tells me not to mess around with such things as machinery! The owner did not have to tell me this. However, I do find the pipes nice sitting spots. They are really long pipes that are basically on the ground.

I made myself comfy, and waited. Whatever it was will come up again. Sometime! Sure enough up pops a head with vegetation in it's paws!

The Blackbirds in the tree nearest me were quiet for a second then off the male started doing his display calling to whatever female might happen to be around. The male Red Winged Blackbird did keep me company, along with the female who answered his call.

I watched the Muskrat eat her breakfast taking of course a lot of photographs! No I did not put all the photographs on here, just a couple!

The Muskrat after a time quit diving and bring up more vegetation to eat to what it looked like to me, she was checking on something?? Where she is there, that is the end of this pond, see the cattails and such?? This is a ok sized pond, I just call it the small pond.

In the next shot here, you can see she is contemplating something! Her behavior made me even wonder what she is thinking so hard about? I am only calling her a she, I do not know if this is a male or female? Perhaps the males venture out more then the females??

The morning was still pretty chilly at this time, I still had my sweater on. Though gosh the bugs!! I did have to check if I had ticks on me, though it is a little early for ticks I thought...... No tick thank goodness! I am a tick magnet, that is just the way it is! Guy (my other half), claims if there is a tick within a mile I will not only find it but I will bring it home with me ha! This is what happens when you hang out near the water!

Many places the visitors come to, these places do not have bugs to bother these folks as much for these places are sprayed with chemicals. This way folks can have a good time in our part of the world. You go off the beat and path, well.... you will get eaten up just like everything else by the bugs. However, these places off the beat and path are where I feel the best outdoor experiences come from! The trick is to learn where these kinds of places are.....

Now this next photograph is what made me know without a doubt this is no beaver!

Beavers do not have such a tail, hence Muskrat. Rat..... It is not like you can walk right up to a wildlife species and ask it what exactly do we humans call you?? I think most of my time photographing what I do when I get home is research!! I would of liked this to be a Beaver, why? Well, we do not see Beaver like we used to here! This really is not a place a beaver would be more then likely anyways, due to it not being connected to a river inlet etc.. Well, from what I know of Beaver without looking them up and reading.

I did kind of feel my observation of this Muskrat was over. Thinking just wait.... I am in no hurry, and I refuse to wear a watch or any kind of time piece. Though I did happen to notice the farmers , there was several people out on farm machinery on that piece of land over in that direction. That just happens to be where one can see as plain as day The Three Sisters mountains. What a horrible place to work right?? Where you have beautiful scenery of The Three Sisters mountain, with Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Hood right there in your face ha!

The farmers drove the farm machinery and parked all in a row. Common farmers like things neat and tidy! I assumed it was around lunch time?? Our town does not have a noon time bell like other towns I have been in. This is how I kind of new it was around noonish, or when it was going to start getting hot so 10ish?? WOW it did get hot later on btw!

I was contemplating getting up and leaving, but thought I would just sit tight.....

By this time a Robin come over where the Red Winged Blackbirds were to check out the situation! Robin birds are pretty much bullies !! They rather feel that everything is their business! Of course they back off when bigger birds then them are around however the blackbirds are not bigger then they are.

As our Muskrat was in the cattails I started watching the birds more. Jumping down getting drinks and heading back up to their perching spot. The male Red Wing showing off all his color as he screams for attention. The Robin bird trying to scare him out of his spot..... dint happen by the way! I also at this time heard hawks, well Harriers perhaps. This is where I typically see them and they make drive by's. Though I have seen my share of eagles out here. Though this was a hawk. Fact was, it was a Red Tailed Hawk soaring way up high. Circling, riding the wave until I could not see it or hear it any longer.

Keeping a eye on where the Muskrat is.... something is at that spot, for the Muskrat did not move from there! All I could see is it's butt, or um rear end for our younger readers! AND I waited.....

I wait a lot by the way!! Thinking most of my life is waiting! Of course I just can not get my lens in there to see what the Muskrat is doing, thus I think it is waiting when actually it is just a time laps for I have no clue of what is going on and I want to know, so I wait! Why I also do not wear any type of watch, or carry a time piece.... That is a stress I just dont need in my life. Since my sibling took my Cinderella watch did I think time should hold so much control over us. Or was it a Snow White, I think it was Snow White come to think of it.... I was always one to think about why folks do what they do. Hey, I wonder how much that watch would go for these days? MMMM, might just be neat to see one of those now a days. Ok back to the Muskrat!

The wait was finally over!! Went by pretty quickly. I had things to think about and other creatures to watch while I waited, and waited.

WHAM with delight and rather a proud look on the Muskrats disposition, I found out what on earth the Muskrat was doing!!

The Muskrat was cutting this down! Well chewing it down! Thank goodness we have a thumb right?

Looks like a pretty good piece of something to eat there doesn't it? If that is you are a Muskrat! Some nice bark, perhaps a bug or more within the bark! Yum Yum ha!

Now to get the piece of wood to go where the Muskrat wants it to go! Some folks say critters are not real smart..... I dont know about that!? We have watched this Muskrat use up a lot of energy to get this piece of wood into the water, so that piece of wood must be pretty darn important!

Off "she", goes with the piece of wood to her desired destination. This Muskrat disappeared where I could no longer observe what the Muskrat was doing.

I did make my way over to that spot, and seen it was built up of many pieces of wood! Though I dont know for sure, however I am wondering if this Muskrat had young and was taking this piece of wood to the young to chew on?? Or for this Muskrat to chew on later?? Or just to repair the nest as Beavers do??

Thank you for coming by and spending time with me and the Muskrat! Check out my other photography at mrsroadrunner.com . I do sale my photography so I can head out and observe our off the beat and path places here in Oregon! Facebook fan page (give a like??), of course Twitter .

Spent Some time with this hummingbird

Coralie aka Mrsroadrunner | Spent Some time with this hummingbird

Thought I would spend a little time with this hummingbird on this day.

Showing up with his/her click click lets me know this one or the others are around. Typically in the apple tree and coming out during the day. Fortunately for me, they all get hungry about the time I am outside doing my chores then doing my photography!

I personally think this is a young hummingbird of the rufous species.... possibly a adult female... however just the way it behaves I really think it is a juvenile??

This species is rather aggressive and new I was there. These hummers appear to think my camera is perhaps one of them?? Hovering in front of me as if checking me out as if making sure I am not going to be stealing anything from their territory? At times hovering in front of me so close that a photograph was imposable to get with the lens I have on my camera for these shots.

Well lets get on with the photographs shall we??

What I did was, I stood in one spot for 45 minutes to a hour and just waited. At times finding things to photograph just so my camera would make the click click noise! That is all it took as I stood near our patch of zinnia flowers! Yes I have a tripod, the question is, do I use my tripod? The answer is no. Not my style, and frankly this lens just is not big enough to need it on a tripod. It extends a foot, 12"?

The shot above he took notice of where the noise of my camera was coming from. There was oh three sessions with this little one. In the middle of the sessions the hummingbird would go and rest. Which of course would give me a chance to rest.

The photo above just makes me laugh when I look at it! Birds are not stupid, and it just appears to me as I was working on getting these photographs, that this little one was trying to play peekaboo with me. The clicking of my camera stopped when the hummingbird was low on those flowers, however when feeding on the top zinnia flowers the clicking of my camera commenced!

I personally like the hummer on the red zinnias, the color is darker and makes the color of the hummer POP. However this is just my opinion. Our worst critiques after all is ourselves!

What I like about this shot above is, this hummingbird is flying backwards. I am a avid bird watcher. With this said, never had I seen another species of bird do this, nor have I photographed any other bird doing this! At the time of going backwards, this hummingbird is also "talking".

Ok, I am trying not to bombard you with to many photographs. I will show two more and if you want to see all of the photographs they are in my birds,seed and insect eaters album.

This shot this hummingbird was happily talking.

This shot was just colorful! We have had a pretty good patch of zinnias in this spot this year which surprised us since we had someones pets here destroying parts of the garden. Anyone can clearly see the damage done by these pests called pets. We do not condone folks allowing their pets to destroy other people property. To bad others do not feel this way.

Thank you for coming by my yard, seeing my photography!