See the GALLERY of common visitors to the Wiser backyard
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
When we used to visit our New Jersey based Wisers’, the popular early morning TV show was called The Backyardigans. The intro music and visual was once again brought back into my head as I contemplated featuring our version of “Back Yard Agains” by including pictures of what we see from our back yard.
Each spring I have written, most likely ad nauseam to most of you, about the wonders that we see in our back yard. I will not disappoint this year as this has been a “bumper crop” year for visitors. I have many “Trail Cam” pictures of the continual visits from the skunks, deer, stray cats (3), rabbits, opossum, and even twin raccoons. This year also offered up a repeat visit of an adult bear and much to our surprise and wonder, a bear cub. The Mama bear is usually out and about so we assume the back-to-back pictures of an adult bear one night followed by the next night’s cub had shown us the mother. I had to “chuck-le” just now as a flock of geese just flew over but they did not land in my back yard.
I think I now have a column name in mind if I ever just completely post humorous statements. Here’s a “head scratcher” that might be included in such offerings. Is it humorous or humerus to “get a leg up” on something?
I’m unsure as to how to include a whole album of pictures in this Wrambling so I may just tack a group of picture files at the end of my writings and let owner/editor Andrew figure out how best to display them. I do have a video of the bear cub and if I can figure out how to include that by press time, I may also share that. I’ll worry about that later and just continue Wrambling along with the rest of my topics for now.
Following are several photographs showing my backyard visitors:
Scanner Calls: There has been the usual such as: Mother cannot control her 10 year old; Strange car parked across the road; skinny male in black clothes walking by; domestic at Irony Road lot 913; I’m following a big red and white truck going past mile marker 96 on I86 unable to maintain lane. Writer’s Note: I left that wording vague intentionally, since as stated, it is difficult to tell if the caller or the vehicle being followed, is unable to maintain lane. The driver/caller is obviously on their cell phone talking while driving.
Lately it seems that there is an unusually high number of calls for elderly people having fallen and need assistance. I would say that within my daily listening hours or access to the scanner, this call is the most frequently repeated. Strangely, at least to my mind, is that some of these calls come from an assisted living facility.
Also, heard all too frequently lately were calls from emergency response entity that “could not get enough responders.” Why I mention this communication as it ended with “return to service.” Sadly, how can they report in service if they were not able to get enough responders? I have the utmost respect for, and applaud, the services they provide. I wish there were more of them. I have recently considered becoming more involved.
I had planned to mention the activity of “Downy Woodpeckers” feeding on the “sweet water” hanging feeders and then saw a recent Facebook post doing just that. I’m surprised that these small woodpeckers’ beaks allow them to access the feeder “port.”
Genesee Valley Chorus (GVC) updates: Despite the good weather occasionally dipping into the attendance, especially experienced this past Tuesday night in a week terminated with Memorial Day, plans are for a couple of upcoming performances. I will display a poster inviting the public to one of those in a later edition. I am mentioning this now as an invitation or reminder to former (GVC) members, who may still be interested in performing as the majority of the songs are those which have been performed recently and so just a week or two of “brush up” will put you “in tune” to sing with us.
June 2nd will be practices at Houghton University for a concert June 8th.
Later in June the chorus will participate in the Pioneer Oil Days celebration in Bolivar, NY.
Our mid-summerish hot spell and most likely sitting on eggs has slowed our bird feeders visits quite a bit after the frenzied feeding of the previous two weeks. We no longer can use our front door as once again a robin has deemed it appropriate to build her nest and is now sitting on eggs in the Azelia next to the steps leading down from our front door. We’re only days (or minutes) away from the peeping and teasing from the chicks. (sadly not “the Chicks.”)
Chuck Wiser is a Scio NY wrambler who always welcomes an email from readers at ChuckWiser@roadrunner.com
