MISCELLANEOUS OUTDOOR OBSERVATIONS

10-05-08 BOWHUNT REPORT

Duane Deno and I headed out to our bow hunting stands again before sunrise on October 5 – the same two we hunted on opening day. As we settled in well before sunrise, a pair of owls decided to see which one could out-hoot the other. Duane’s stand is several hundred yards southeast of mine and one of the birds was somewhere between us, while the other was about 75 yards west of my spot.

As the sun came up, several ravens flew over. They circled the spot where the owl closest to me seemed to be perched, and began cawing to attract other ravens. Somehow in “raven language” they put the word out that an owl was there and soon several dozen of the black birds arrived. They harassed the owl for about thirty minutes before it left, flying below the tree canopy to stay out of reach.

These two species seem to be deadly enemies, and they sure make a lot of noise when ravens or crows find one of the predatory birds roosting. At times I’ve seen a hundred or more crows circling around a tree where an owl sits.

On this morning, the noise was somewhat welcome, because it was so calm that no other noise existed. When this happens, deer are much more likely to hear some faint sound made by hunters in a treestand, and avoid the area. I always prefer at least a light wind that rattles branches on days when I climb up into a stand.

As for deer, I had two approach from behind me, offering no shot. Both were does, and seemed large enough to take if a shot had been possible. Duane saw one, but had no shot either.

PARTRIDGE IN THE CRABAPPLE TREE

I was outside shooting my bow at a target a couple days ago, when a partridge flew past me and landed at the base of a crabapple tree in my yard. The russet colored gamebird picked at some apples that were lying on the ground, and strutted around looking for other bits of food.

I often scatter a few handfuls of dried corn kernels in the yard to keep bluejays, rabbits, gray squirrels and other wildlife around where I can watch them from the house. I think some other birds and animals have learned to listen to the sounds bluejays make when feeding, because the jays are always noisy. That commotion seems to let the others know a feeding opportunity can be found there.

“RIVERSOUND”

From time to time my wife and I have noticed changes in the sound of the river as it flows past our home. This is essentially due to the water level. When low, it rushes over some rocks and around others, creating more aerated swirls and tiny falls on sharply edged rocks. Its sound then is higher pitched, lightly rushing in the slightly deeper mid-stream channel. Birds that eat fish are seen more frequently under low water conditions because they can spot their prey easier and they communicate their excitement in shrill screeches that echo up and down the river corridor.

When higher, the river moans and groans under the heavier flow. Broad sloshing accents the current as it splits around larger, rounded boulders. The once shallow riffles that tinkled with melodic riverspeak, now gurgle and rumble with deeper baritone watersong.

Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008