The Oak Jungle

The mature Burr Oaks on the farm are just like so many other older trees in Iowa - much of their leaves and cover are well above the heads of the humans when the stroll under the canopy.  It just so happens our two-story farmhouse allows us to look out those 2nd story windows and observe some of the activity in the branches of these trees.  But nothing compares to those rare moments we climb up to the attic and onto the flat roof.

I have to admit that the last time I was up there was last year when we were doing repairs to that roof after a storm took the chimney out.  But, while I was up there I took a few pictures, including this one.

Over the years, we have added some bushes and other cover closer to the ground in the "front yard" of the farm house.  The result is that we are seeing more an more wildlife activity in and around these trees.  It has gotten to the point that neither of us can get any work done if we are facing any of the windows of the house that allows us to view the Oak Jungle.

This summer we have witnessed the tentative and often clutzy attempts of numerous young birds as they try their wings once they leave their nests.  We presume there are many nests in these oak trees.  It's probably a very good guess considering the sheer number of young birds we have been observing in the last month or so.  We've seen baby orioles, waxwings, woodpeckers, and bluebirds along with the more common sightings of young robins and wrens.

I am certain that we have had activity every year we have lived here, just as I am certain that our stewardship has encouraged larger and more diverse populations of birds on our farm.  The trick is trying to figure out how much of what we are seeing is because we are seeing better versus having more things to see.  

Don't get me wrong, I think we've always been fairly good at observing the world around us.  But, experience does teach us to see better, if we give it a chance.  

We've been giving it a chance and we're liking what we're seeing.  But if you wonder why we aren't responding to your emails as fast as you would like, it's probably because we're watching those darned bluebirds hopping between the lowest oak branches and the ground.  

That's entertainment!