Monday, February 6, 2012

Concrete and barn

 Our new "garbage feeding" concrete slabs are complete and cured now.  I've got several, one in each paddock.  We poured these at the same time we poured the main concrete slab for the new barn. 
 The replanted pastures are greening up nicely.  I had a couple of puddles form, and I'll see if the reed canary grass colonizes it.  If not, I'll replant in drier weather.  Given that I planted this grass in october, I'm pretty pleased that it's this nice.   This grass is planted in compost that I generated last year.  It looks thick and healthy and vibrant.  I'll be interested to see what it looks like i
Noticed a very pretty bird working a pig wallow.  It's got beautiful yellow eyes and an irridescent blue-green plumage.  Click on the picture for a bigger view.  Flock of maybe 50 of them showed up.  I haven't seen them before; I wonder if they're migrating somewhere? 

4 comments:

Throwback at Trapper Creek said...

Looks like a cowbird - voracious insect eaters. They sit on our cows and pick off flies in the summer.

Did you see that Salatin has poured concrete sidewalks in one of his winter greenhouses for his pigs? He's leaving a 10" or so gap in between for summer planting. Interesting idea.

Bruce King said...

Thats interesting. It would make cleaning it out easier, that's for sure.

Bill Gauch said...

I believe it is a Common Grackle.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_grackle/id/ac

Enjay said...

I second the guess of common grackle, although they aren't often seen on your side of the Rockies unless they're stopping by on their way elsewhere. Could also be a Brewers Blackbird, the birding guide I looked at said they're often confused for each other in the Pacific states.
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/grackles