Beardy Guy Musings Profile Photo

Beardy Guy Musings

Living and working in a tiny house the woods. Most of my time is a mix of experimenting with ways to live a low impact life. Writing about the climate emergency, tech and Apple.

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    Copperheads are fairly common in my area and I see several each summer. They're beautiful snakes. Venomous, yes, but in my experience never aggressive. Just respect them and let them have their space, they make fine neighbors. And frankly, they're beautiful animals.

    The tail of a copper colored snake is visible while the rest of the snake is hidden under a silver metal trash can
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    Oh, this cute boy wants attention.

    An adorable black dog with beige jaws and prominent eyebrows his his nose rested on a keyboard attached to an iPad. The screen of the iPad is behind the dog's head. On the screen is a wallpaper of the Earth and several widgets.

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    Futzing around in my photos, these were taken a few years back.

    Panorpa helena, scorpion fly.

    A winged insect is perched on a leaf. It's long with clear wings with several black bands. Its body is primarily orange and it has an elongated snout, black eyes. It almost seems friendly.

    Unknown bee on Spiderwort

    A small bee gathering pollen from the bright yellow anthers of a vibrant purple Spiderwort flower.

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    A short video from the morning dog walk.

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    Button bush, Cephalanthus occidentalis is always popular with the butterflies and bees. They have a very nice spicy fragrance too.

    Pipevine Swallowtail

    A predominately black butterfly with orange spots along its wings is perched on a cream colored ball that is covered with delicate white stems, each topped with yellow.

    Milesia virginiensis, known generally as the yellowjacket hover fly. They look intimidating but are friendly.

    A large intimidating looking hoverfly is striped alternately in black and yellow giving it the appearance of a stinging yellow jacket. The fly is perched on a cream colored ball that is covered with delicate white stems, each topped with yellow.

    Eastern tiger swallowtail

    A predominately yellow butterfly black wing borders. The bottom wings also have orange spots within the black borders. It is perched on a cream colored ball that is covered with delicate white stems, each topped with yellow.
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    From my archive, a buffet of Purple Coneflowers being enjoyed by pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor and monarch butterfly. Native wildflower gardens always bring the prettiest critters. 🥰

    A black butterfly with white and orange spots along the edge of its wings rests upon a purple coneflower gathering nectar. Other purple coneflowers surround it and woods are visible in the background

    A monarch butterfly with its predominately orange and black wings rests upon a purple coneflower gathering nectar. Other purple coneflowers surround it

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    Highlight of the morning dog walk: a Kentucky warbler landed in a branch just above me. Chat, chat, chat, chat. It went on quite awhile and I was able to watch as it hopped from branch to branch. Such a beautiful bird!

    Come fall and winter the Kentucky warbler will migrate back to the Yucatán Peninsula and the many islands of the Caribbean, flying non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico.

    Also notable, a yellow breasted chat calling in the distance. My current favorite bird to listen to. Such an interesting song! 

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    A few recent photos taken around the cabin and on the trail.

    Camonotus castaneus, chestnut carpenter ant

    A semi translucent orange ant, perched on a green bulb flower bud

    Arilus cristatus, Wheel Bug Nymph. This one was tiny and moving quickly hard to capture up close.

    a very tiny assassin bug with an orange abdomen, black legs, and black head

    Ramaria caulifloriformis, coral fungi

    a cream colored coral fungi, which resembles coral found in the ocean, some think it resembles cauliflower hence the name
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    My walk this morning was another slow bird walk. Started off 300 ft from the cabin with the beautiful and distinctive call of the yellow-billed cuckoo.

    From there many of the usual characters chimed in. A wood thrush and ovenbird at the beginning. Not long after a bird song I didn’t recognize, a yellow-breasted chat. Very pretty song. And not long after I caught sight of one and was able to watch for a couple minutes.

    Birds observed with binoculars: bald eagle, yellow breasted chat, white-eyed vireo, a thrush, likely a Wood thrush (my best guess, no sound ID to confirm) or maybe an ovenbird.

    Songs heard: Yellow-billed cuckoo, northern parula, chipping sparrow, yellow breasted chat, white-eyed vireo, wood thrush, ovenbird

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    After breakfast this morning I had about 90 minutes before the rain was scheduled to come in so I got out for a walk with the dogs.

    There was a lot of bird song so I took the binoculars and went slow. They were deep in the woods, so I didn't see many but they were all around me: blue-winged warbler, Wilson's warbler, white-eyed vireo, red-eyed vireo, summer tanager, ovenbird, Carolina chickadee.

    Birds that I did get to see were: indigo bunting, chipping sparrow and a gray catbird

    Got back just in time to take a quick ride down to the creek. A peaceful twenty minutes before the storm listening to the birds and the light rain dripping through the forest.

    A few hours later an unexpected visit from a friend who I've not seen in awhile (Hi Bill!). We spent some time catching up on the porch and listening to the bird song. He has an uncanny ability to identify birds by their song and it's always a delight to visit with him. While we chatted another welcome visitor stopped by, a bright red summer tanager landed on a branch not too far away.

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    A few photos taken around the cabin yesterday. It's so easy to miss the beautiful but tiny critters.

    Camonotus castaneus, chestnut carpenter ant

    An orange ant is on top of a green bulb of an unopened flower. The ant is facing the camera, aiming towards the left bottom corner

    Augochlora pura, a solitary sweat bee found in the Eastern US. A small green bee is collecting pollen from a small white and pink aster with a yellow center

    Halictus ligatus, a eusocial sweat bee A small black bee with yellow striped abdomen is collecting pollen from a white aster with a yellow center

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    I was out is the garden yesterday and heard a bird that I didn’t recognize. I opened up the Merlin ID app and got the name. Then I spent a few minutes listening. Heard it just now outside my window and smiled: Good morning White-eyed Vireo. I love learning about this amazing planet.

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    Spring birds!

    Chipping Sparrow
    A small bird perched in a branch. It's back and wings are a mix of brown, black and tan. It's chest is a grayish white and the top of it's head is a dark orange brown

    Hermit Thrush A bird is on the ground. It's mostly brownish tan on the head and wings. It's front chest is white with brownish tan spots

    Rose breasted Grosbeak A bird perched in a tree. The bird is somewhat front facing, to the left side. It's chest is white with a bright patch of red in the center up to the neck. It's head and back are mostly black.

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    Spring Bluebird!

    A Bluebird perched on a branch with it's back to the camera, it's feathers are vibrant blue with black tips. It's brown neck is visible as it's looking to the side. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing the camera. It's chest feathers are golden brown towards the top and white towards the bottom. It's head is vibrant blue. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing sideways. It's head, back and wing feathers are vibrant blue. The golden brown front of the bird is also visable. The background is blurred forest.

    A Bluebird perched on a branch and facing the camera. It's chest feathers are golden brown towards the top and white towards the bottom. It's head is vibrant blue. The background is blurred forest.

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    Furballs

    Too many furry critters to work from bed this morning. Rosie started it when she decided to nap on my hand. 🥰

    a cat lays across the photographers fore arm as he tries to type from bed. In the background, a dog is napping

    a cat laying on a beardy guy's forearm, making it difficult to type

    a black dog is looking at the photographer, and beginning to yawn. An iPad sits on the shelf to the right side, and in the background are very shelves and decorations in a tiny house

    a close-up portrait of a black dog with an orange is brown nose,

    a small, black dog with long eyelashes is licking his nose as he nervously looks sideways at a cat, who is only partially visible in the photo

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    For some reason, my tiny little corner of the world seems to be a dog attractor. It's like a black hole, but for dogs. I try to find their people and if that fails I find them homes. Yesterday this little fella showed up with friends. They left, he didn't. I'm calling him Buddy.

    A beagle looks up at a camera. His face is brown and white and he seems friendly.

    A beagle is laying on the lap of a beardy guy with glasses. Both are looking at the camera.

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    The northern flicker or common flicker, Colaptes auratus.

    A large, grayish tan woodpecker perched on a branch. It's chest is covered with black spots and the feathers on it's back is a pattern of tan and black. It has a gray cap on the top of its head and on the back of it's head a red spot. It's chest bears a large black marking that looks like a bib.

    A large, grayish tan woodpecker perched on a branch. It's chest is covered with black spots and the feathers on it's back is a pattern of tan and black. It has a gray cap on the top of its head and on the back of it's head a red spot. It's chest bears a large black marking that looks like a bib.

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    Passerella iliaca, fox sparrow foraging for seed.

    A primarily brownish orange bird with white speckled chest and small bands of gray along the side and back of its head is foraging for seeds in the snow.

    A primarily brownish orange bird with white speckled chest and small bands of gray along the side and back of its head is foraging for seeds amongst a woodchip mulch covered ground.

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    Cyanocitta cristata, Blue Jay

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

    A bird jay perched on a tree. The bird has a black beak and blue tuft on the top of its head with a black stripe from the back of it's head down to the throat. It's front is white-gray and it's back side a mix of vibrant blues.

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    Thought I might get a little work done this morning. Then the cat. 😂

    A long-haired brown cat sits on a desk near a keyboard and iPad looking at the camera menacingly.

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    Part two of my earlier post about working with cats. I've moved to my desk.

    A long-haired grayish brown cat sits in a brown chair in front of a desk that I'm about to work at. She has relocated herself from my previous location to take up residence in my new intended workspace. In the background there is an iPad attached to a large display, clear evidence of my plan as well as her intention to disrupt those plans.

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    Cats are not compatible with working from home.

    A guy with a beard is looking at a brown cat that has placed herself comfortably between him and his iPad keyboard.

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    Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata. They feed mainly on seeds and nuts, such as acorns, which, according to Wikipedia, they sometimes hide to eat later. I wonder how many birds to that? They also eat soft fruits, arthropods, and, occasionally, small vertebrates.

    A medium sized bird is perched an a branch set against a blurred, snowy background. The bird is predominantly white/gray on the front side and bright blue on the backside with a black beak. There is also a thin black band that extends back from the eyes then downward and around the front of the bird froming what looks like a necklace.

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    A small yellow bird is perched on a branch, holding a black sunflower seed in it's beak.

    American Goldfinch

    A small gray and white bird with a black head is perched on branch. Blurred snow flakes can be seen falling around the bird.

    Black-capped Chickadee

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    Snow Birds!

    Two birds in a tussle, both close together and in flight. The birds are mostly very dark gray with smaller areas of white on their undersides Two dark-eyed juncos in a tussle

    A small pinkish purple songbird is perched on a branch, blurred snow coming down around it Purple finch A vibrant red bird is perched on a branch, blurred snow coming down around it Northern Cardinal

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