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Beardy Guy Musings

Experimenting with ways to live a low impact life in a tiny house in the woods. Graphic and web design at Beardy Guy Creative . I often write about the Climate Emergency, Apple and the iPad. Living on the traditional territory of: O-ga-xpa Ma-zhoⁿ (O-ga-xpa) (Quapaw), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Kaskaskia, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo)

Critter

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    After breakfast this morning I had about 90 minutes before the rain was scheduled to come in so I got out for a walk with the dogs.

    There was a lot of bird song so I took the binoculars and went slow. They were deep in the woods, so I didn't see many but they were all around me: blue-winged warbler, Wilson's warbler, white-eyed vireo, red-eyed vireo, summer tanager, ovenbird, Carolina chickadee.

    Birds that I did get to see were: indigo bunting, chipping sparrow and a gray catbird

    Got back just in time to take a quick ride down to the creek. A peaceful twenty minutes before the storm listening to the birds and the light rain dripping through the forest.

    A few hours later an unexpected visit from a friend who I've not seen in awhile (Hi Bill!). We spent some time catching up on the porch and listening to the bird song. He has an uncanny ability to identify birds by their song and it's always a delight to visit with him. While we chatted another welcome visitor stopped by, a bright red summer tanager landed on a branch not too far away.

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    A few photos taken around the cabin yesterday. It's so easy to miss the beautiful but tiny critters.

    Camonotus castaneus, chestnut carpenter ant

    An orange ant is on top of a green bulb of an unopened flower. The ant is facing the camera, aiming towards the left bottom corner

    Augochlora pura, a solitary sweat bee found in the Eastern US. A small green bee is collecting pollen from a small white and pink aster with a yellow center

    Halictus ligatus, a eusocial sweat bee A small black bee with yellow striped abdomen is collecting pollen from a white aster with a yellow center

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    I was out is the garden yesterday and heard a bird that I didn’t recognize. I opened up the Merlin ID app and got the name. Then I spent a few minutes listening. Heard it just now outside my window and smiled: Good morning White-eyed Vireo. I love learning about this amazing planet.

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    Spring birds!

    Chipping Sparrow
    A small bird perched in a branch. It's back and wings are a mix of brown, black and tan. It's chest is a grayish white and the top of it's head is a dark orange brown

    Hermit Thrush A bird is on the ground. It's mostly brownish tan on the head and wings. It's front chest is white with brownish tan spots

    Rose breasted Grosbeak A bird perched in a tree. The bird is somewhat front facing, to the left side. It's chest is white with a bright patch of red in the center up to the neck. It's head and back are mostly black.

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    Spring Bluebird!

    A Bluebird perched on a branch with it's back to the camera, it's feathers are vibrant blue with black tips. It's brown neck is visible as it's looking to the side. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing the camera. It's chest feathers are golden brown towards the top and white towards the bottom. It's head is vibrant blue. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing sideways. It's head, back and wing feathers are vibrant blue. The golden brown front of the bird is also visable. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing the camera. It's chest feathers are golden brown towards the top and white towards the bottom. It's head is vibrant blue. The background is blurred forest.

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    Furballs

    Too many furry critters to work from bed this morning. Rosie started it when she decided to nap on my hand. 🥰

    a cat lays across the photographers fore arm as he tries to type from bed. In the background, a dog is napping

    a cat laying on a beardy guy's forearm, making it difficult to type

    a black dog is looking at the photographer, and beginning to yawn. An iPad sits on the shelf to the right side, and in the background are very shelves and decorations in a tiny house

    a close-up portrait of a black dog with an orange is brown nose,

    a small, black dog with long eyelashes is licking his nose as he nervously looks sideways at a cat, who is only partially visible in the photo

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    For some reason, my tiny little corner of the world seems to be a dog attractor. It's like a black hole, but for dogs. I try to find their people and if that fails I find them homes. Yesterday this little fella showed up with friends. They left, he didn't. I'm calling him Buddy.

    A beagle looks up at a camera. His face is brown and white and he seems friendly.

    A beagle is laying on the lap of a beardy guy with glasses. Both are looking at the camera.

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    The northern flicker or common flicker, Colaptes auratus.

    A large, grayish tan woodpecker perched on a branch. It's chest is covered with black spots and the feathers on it's back is a pattern of tan and black. It has a gray cap on the top of its head and on the back of it's head a red spot. It's chest bears a large black marking that looks like a bib.

    A large, grayish tan woodpecker perched on a branch. It's chest is covered with black spots and the feathers on it's back is a pattern of tan and black. It has a gray cap on the top of its head and on the back of it's head a red spot. It's chest bears a large black marking that looks like a bib.

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    Passerella iliaca, fox sparrow foraging for seed.

    A primarily brownish orange bird with white speckled chest and small bands of gray along the side and back of its head is foraging for seeds in the snow.

    A primarily brownish orange bird with white speckled chest and small bands of gray along the side and back of its head is foraging for seeds amongst a woodchip mulch covered ground.

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    Cyanocitta cristata, Blue Jay

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

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    Thought I might get a little work done this morning. Then the cat. 😂

    A long-haired brown cat sits on a desk near a keyboard and iPad looking at the camera menacingly.

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    Part two of my earlier post about working with cats. I've moved to my desk.

    A long-haired grayish brown cat sits in a brown chair in front of a desk that I'm about to work at. She has relocated herself from my previous location to take up residence in my new intended workspace. In the background there is an iPad attached to a large display, clear evidence of my plan as well as her intention to disrupt those plans.

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    Cats are not compatible with working from home.

    A guy with a beard is looking at a brown cat that has placed herself comfortably between him and his iPad keyboard.

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    Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata. They feed mainly on seeds and nuts, such as acorns, which, according to Wikipedia, they sometimes hide to eat later. I wonder how many birds to that? They also eat soft fruits, arthropods, and, occasionally, small vertebrates.

    A medium sized bird is perched an a branch set against a blurred, snowy background. The bird is predominantly white/gray on the front side and bright blue on the backside with a black beak. There is also a thin black band that extends back from the eyes then downward and around the front of the bird froming what looks like a necklace.

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    A small yellow bird is perched on a branch, holding a black sunflower seed in it's beak.

    American Goldfinch

    A small gray and white bird with a black head is perched on branch. Blurred snow flakes can be seen falling around the bird.

    Black-capped Chickadee

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    Snow Birds!

    Two birds in a tussle, both close together and in flight. The birds are mostly very dark gray with smaller areas of white on their undersides Two dark-eyed juncos in a tussle

    A small pinkish purple songbird is perched on a branch, blurred snow coming down around it Purple finch A vibrant red bird is perched on a branch, blurred snow coming down around it Northern Cardinal

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    The eastern towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus. Not the clearest photo, but if you look closely, you'll see that this towhee is having some dinner!

    A bird with a black backside and orangeish brown front side is foraging amongst winter leaves on the ground. Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the bird is holding a brown spider in its beak.

    A bird with a black backside and orangeish brown front side is foraging amongst winter leaves on the ground. Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the bird is in the process of swallowing a spider.

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    Some winter color thanks to the purple finches.

    A small purple, rose colored bird is perched on a branch set against blurred winter background

    A small tannish yellow and white colored bird is perched on a branch set against blurred winter background

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    Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus, a small hawk, with males being the smallest hawks in North America. I almost missed this shot at the end of a day. I was finished but at the last moment decided to stay just a little longer. The hawk landed in front of me moments later.

    A hawk with orange and white chest feathers and bluish gray feathers on the top and back of it's head and body is perched on moss. It's small beak is bluish with just a small portion of yellow. It's head is slightly tilted giving the impression that it is looking at the camera.

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    The downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, the smallest species of woodpecker in North America. I see and hear these often in the woods here.

    A bird is perched on the side of a tree. Black and white on the backside, white on the underside, it has a black and white head with alternating stripes and a small red cap on the back of its head.

    A bird is perched on the side of a tree. Black and white on the backside, white on the underside, it has a black and white head with alternating stripes.

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