Welcome to Sawyers Landing.  I'm Alan Andrew and my goal is to share things I see from our backyard and neighboring woods and trails. I will mix in family gatherings and of course pictures of Ky, our Standard Poodle.  You'll see plenty of pics and posts of Russell - our dearly departed Standard and really a key component of even getting me outside.  This post is purposely pinned to the top so look below for the most recent posts.

"Posts" will appear in chronological order but that's just how a blog is set up to work.  I can "label" (categorize) posts by a name or topic and that is how I see the blog being used.  To find categories, look at the menu (File Cabinet) on the right.  So for example if you want to see posts related to "Buck", then click on that and see them.  At any time, you can click at the top of the page and go back "home".  If you are in a label/category and get to the bottom of the page, look for "Older Posts" and you can continue until there are no more posts for that category.

 

This is not my backyard but I like this photo taken by my grandson Jacob.

Sleepy Barred Owl

Resting for a hopefully busy night.  Owl was about 10 feet off the ground.  They are not easily rattled or spooked.  I walked underneath one on a power line a few nights ago walking Kyanne and it just watched me go by.

Same pic closer...

Rut 2-3-4

 Four pictures.  Different days and times during the rut.

Owl Be Here for A While

 I was on the front sidewalk and movement caught my eye.  Captured this from the back bedroom window.  Setting up shop for the evening.

More foxes (or possibly the same family moving up the street?)

 Ky and I were out for our morning walk around 6am this morning and I noticed a fox in a fenced backyard.  It turned and walked out of view.  I looked closer and saw two kits on a woodpile.  And then from the other side of the house I saw what I presumed was mama.  Could be another family OR could be the one I saw down the street a month ago.  I would think the pups would grow so this is likely another family.  I've seen more fox in the last 9 months than the other 13 years we've lived here combined.

Pilly!

 I was out Sunday afternoon with Kyanne and looked out in the woods from the fence as I often do and there was a Pileated Woodpecker on a tree about 15 feet off the ground and fairly close!  I forgot my camera in the house and even though it's not a great camera for distance it seems better than my phone, so I ran back in to get it knowing I likely lost my chance at a decent pic.

It was still on the tree but lower to the ground.  It flew off to another smaller tree and then quickly flew down to the ground.  It started hammering on a fallen log and was mostly hidden in the weeds.  I watched it for maybe 10 minutes.  What struck me was how hard they hit with their beaks.  Below is the best of what I was able to capture.  I saw one flying in the woods a few weeks ago so this confirms they live in the area.  

Fox in the 'Hood

 Walking Kyanne this morning around 6:15 I looked over and saw a Red Fox just sitting in a yard.  Didn't seem bothered by us and Kyanne didn't seem impressed.

Zooming in with a cell phone isn't the best option but here's what I saw...

Our neighbor across the street posted a video of a fox and at least 3 kits by a shed in her deep backyard.  Possibly the mama that I saw?