Harvest is in full tilt going great guns! The yield has been good and the price of wheat is dropping as expected. Hopefully, nobody has used their hail insurance. This is one of the best times to live in Kansas! I cut wheat up here when I was in high school and still remember the cucumbers in cream, the bierocks, the pies and the weather. It has not changed very much.
My friend Todd Schneider called and asked if I had any good pictures of a turkey nest. He has a wonderful eye for wildlife and its world. “No, I don’t have a picture of a turkey nest,” was my reply. He said “I’m on the combine and I saw a turkey fly off her nest, and I cut around it as best I could—I hope she isn’t scared away too long.” In this hot weather, the eggs could get too hot and kill the babies. I hit the road and drove to the field where he was cutting. He was generous in his perimeter of the nest and she had returned and was sitting very courageously and shyly on the eggs. I got this picture and then waited until she made a exit over to the creek and I got a shot of the eggs. She was obviously nervous about the intrusion into her secret nest. I was really glad that Todd saw her in time to protect her and the babies. I wonder how many pheasants, quail, turkeys and deer go through the combine when they aren’t discovered in time. Harvest seems to occur earlier each year now, and youngsters are on the ground. The CRP program gave a lot of cover for a lot of birds and critters where no cutting occurred and they were safe from everything except the expected predators.
I have heard that turkeys eat quail eggs and baby quail. Mike Radar will know the answer to that question. It seems pretty logical that they would. We have lots of quail now—I hear them all around the lakes when I go to drown some worms and not catch walleye. Deer are growing antlers and the game birds are raising their young. It is a vibrant time for our local wildlife. The shorebirds and migrants are mostly gone. The cock pheasants are splendid in their tuxedo colors. I have seen quite a few on the roads—usually with some of the girls.
There are lots of wood ducks in the Bottoms right now—more than I can recall. The main ditch from headquarters to the first hub is the best place. There are also some night herons showing themselves, and there were some beautiful Western Grebes in pool 2 this week. Their red eyes are just stunning. Yes, I have some pictures, but Mr. Hogg won’t let me run a picture album, and this turkey and her nest are my first!
Stay cool, be safe in the harvest, and watch for the ladies with the babies—they need our help to be safe!
Doc