Grouse, Grouse, Grouse!!!

Enough snow has melted to let me take Molly for a walk around the puppy course here at the kennel. and she got to here her first grouse flush.  In fact she got to hear three of them go from under a blowdown.  She then went in and sniffed around for a bit.  It's good to see grouse after the winter we've had and if we found three down on the edge of the field you can bet there's more up on the hill behind the house.  They haven't started drumming yet but I'm sure they will soon.  It is also warm enough to go out at dusk and listen for woodcock peenting.  There's still quite a bit of snow in spots that don't get full sun but the forecast is now calling for it to be in the mid-70s Monday.  That will knock the heck out of the snow that's left.  The robins are showing up in good size flocks on the front lawn that just a couple of days ago was still covered with snow.   Got the three Bud Bros out as well and they are growing like weeds.  And the pigeon coop is ready for it's roof and perches inside.

Molly get a nose full of grouse scent just after 3 birds flushed from under this blowdown.

Still about a foot of snow on this stretch of the puppy course here at the kennel.

Flocks of robins were coming and going all day on the front lawn.

The Pigeon Palace is ready for roofing and other finish work.

Spring!!!

As far as I'm concerned yesterday was the first day of spring here in Northern New Hampshire.  Sam and Glo had the first woodcock find of the year (we moved a grouse as well) and the field at my next door neighbor's had 9 deer in it in the middle of the afternoon.  There's more open ground in the yard everyday and with night time temperatures predicted to be above freezing most nights the snow melt should accelerate.  Monday the predicted high is 69 which may push us towards some high water -- brooks and stream are already bank full.  There's still quite a bit of snow in the woods especially in the spruce and fir where there's a lot of shade.

Molly continues to be entertaining.  This morning she and Jack took a nap together.  She has her own kennel right next to his but decided to snuggle up instead.

Pigeon Palace

Lat year was a bad year for pigeons at Wild Apple Kennel.  The old coop got cleaned out three times and at least once was by a bear.  The coop itself had some design flaws and I've always had problems with varmints at it's current location.  So, I'm building a new pigeon coop and I'm going to locate within an easy shot for the .204 from the front porch.  It's also going to get a real fence.  I started it in the garage where the floor is relatively level and will move it out early this week using the forks on the tractor.  Should be done by the end of the week.

Decided to go with a solid floor and put down shavings.  At least one critter came up through the wire floor of the old coop.

The floor is 4' X 8' and the walls will be 6' tall.  It meant more cutting for the framing but it should make it easier to catch birds when I need them.

Since it will be visible from the house I use T-111 siding and will stain it to match the house.  Windows will be covered with hardware wire and screening which will keep out the pest both small and large.

Looking in from what will be the door you can see the opening that's been framed for the aviary.  It  will have some sort of closure on the inside so I can shut it at night.  The bobbed entry for the pigeons to get back into the coop will be right above.  I'll also put a perching shelf on either side.

Molly and Jack are settling nicely.  Molly thinks Jack makes a nice pillow.