Heart + You = 2 Love Her

 

 Bless Your Heart

 

Fresh flowers, cupcakes, and

other sweet treats!

We deliver!  828-295-4575

 

Prices begin at $12.50 and up... 

 

 Located on HWY 321 next

to Mustard Seed Market

 

 

BANNER ELK EXXON

Your High Country

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Your source for Ice & Snow

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Plus Towing Services and

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115 W. Main St.

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Call 828.898.5210

Dashing Through the

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from Idol's Tire

Great selection now in stock

 

Idol's Tire

1032 E. King St. Boone

828.264.5414

_________________________________

 

Professional Snow

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snow since 1991

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CALL Josh now at

828-963-3305

 

"Best Dog Trainer in the South"

"The REAL Dog Whisperer"

LITTLE HORSE CREEK FARM

Trained at Cornell University

John Quy has worked with

thousands of dogs from all over

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35 Years Experience

336-384-4399

littlehorsecreekfarm.com

 

14th Annual Valentine's

Weekend  Sale!

Jewelry at Near Wholesale Prices!

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Fri – Sun / noon - 5 pm / 295.7700 / gemsbygemini.com


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January Highlights
by Curtis Smalling

Latest Update: January 22, 2012


Wild Turkeys are very visible in fields right now. Photo by Steven Bullock
January is usually a very slow birding month in the High Country. This year is no exception, but all hope is not lost! The nice thing about living in an area of the state with little bird activity is that we tend to be thankful for the little gifts that we sometimes get, even with common species.

The past few days a huge flock of Wild Turkeys have been in the bottom below Meat Camp Baptist Church. They really are beautiful birds and so amazing that they are so big!! Then last night I had a nice little Eastern Screech Owl calling at the house. Then just today, a really big Raven was in the road eating a rabbit carcass and it stayed in the road until the last possible minute then looked so big and amazing blue-black as he wheeled up in front of the car. Just gorgeous.

But a lot of birders do like the rarities and we have a couple just off the mountains. Dwayne Martin found a Ross' Goose and a Greater White-fronted Goose. There are also some Rufous Hummingbirds still around in the foothills. And now that February is coming, early returnees will be showing up like big flocks of blackbirds and grackles, migrant waterfowl, and sparrows moving through in March. So enjoy these days and look for the passing flock of chickadees, or a Pileated Woodpecker.

For more information on birds in the High Country call the Watauga Birding Hotline at 828-265-0198. Also visit www.ncaudubon.org, www.carolinabirdclub.org, Visit the Audubon North Carolina blog at http://ncaudubonblog.org/blog/


You can always count on Song Sparrows to brighten a winter day. Photo by Don Mullaney


Keep your eyes open for Fox Sparrows. Photo by Amy Cook


Eastern Bluebirds are checking out homes now. Photo by Don Mullaney