Mystery Bird

I think this might be an Indigo Bunting . . .

He was on my feeder today and I got several shots before he flew away - almost all blue, except for the bit of black/grey on his wings. I have never seen anything like this on my feeders before!

Earlier this week, I identified a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak on my other feeder, but he flew before I could get the camera. Been waiting for him to return!

Also, the hummingbirds have come back to the feeder - it only took them a day to discover it this year. All-in-all, not a bad day in the back yard!

End of the Squirrels

New Bird Feeders:	$55.00
New Double Shepherd's Crook:	$25.00
Bird Feed:	$31.00
Hummingbird Feeder:	$20.00
Two Squirrel Baffles:	$40.00
Actually Feeding Bird Seed to the Birds:	Priceless

Backyard Additions

My dad had a relapse and is back in the hospital - but doing pretty good now. So, while he's been laid up, I've been doing some things in the backyard. Finally gave in and got a squirrel baffle that seems to work really well at keeping "Stinky" off the feeders, so got a new shepherd's crook and two new nice feeders.

And, the result of all this? Is is worth it?

I think so. This is a goldfinch sitting and eating thistle (Nyger) seeds. I'm thrilled. The feeders have only been back up a day or so, and already I've seen these, little red house finchs, cardinals, blackbirds, bluejays, sparrows and chickadees, and a wren. The bluejay was the biggest surprise. They used to be everywhere but lately have suffered some sort of setback.

I'll be putting the hummingbird feeders back up in the next few days, and hope to have those little friends back soon, as well!

What a Mess!!!

What a mess is right!

About 10:45 p.m. Thursday night, 30 Nov, I was sitting at my computer IM-ing with my niece and sis-in-law, when there was a horrible banging and I thought a plane had flown into my house. Power was still on, but by the time I got to the kitchen, there was a lovely blue glow outside, then total darkness. When I got up in the morning, I saw the power lines from the meter on my house had been ripped away, and the phone and cable lines had also been ripped. A tree in my neighbor's yard dropped probably about eight limbs, all of which were lying on the wires from both houses.

Managed to make it through two nights and a day here, running my gas fireplace (which puts out precious little heat) and the burners on my gas stove. But when the temp got down to below 55 inside, I decided it was time to head out. Stayed with my dad from Saturday through Thursday. Power was restored late afternoon on Wednesday, but by then the indoor temp was 45 and outside was in the single digits. UGH!

If it weren't for the suffering and inconvenience, it would have been beautiful. Everything looked like a diamond-encrusted fairyland outside. When the sunlight would hit these trees covered in ice, they just sparkled.

As you can see from one of the pictures, the poor birds at my dad's were starving! This cardinal loves to hang out at the feeder. Whenever any other birds would come along, he'd kind of take a step in their direction and they'd scatter! Was almost like the school bully watching him. But the real bully was the hawk. Almost daily he'd come swooping around the corner of the house and try to pick the birds off the ground under the feeders. Thankfully, I never witnessed a kill!

Am just so happy to be back home again. There are several weird things - like the condensation that collected here in my little home office - and dripped down the walls. Not sure how much food I lost from the freezers - probably some. Not like this summer when the temps were over 100 - this time we were able to put stuff in my garage then in my son's freezer. Hopefully most of it is salvageable.

Hope everybody else is managing to stay warm - or at least has a wonderful dad they can impose on!

Another Hummer

I couldn't resist trying to catch a picture of a hummingbird in flight. Must stay I'm thrilled. Either he was posing, or his little wings came out not as a blur, but perfect little wings. Isn't that amazing?

Note to self: They REALLY hate the flash!

Hummers!

The little guys are back! Yippee!! Saw one male hummingbird last week sitting on my phone wire, and he seemed to be wondering where the feeder was. So I filled it and hung it back up. And, as promised, they descended!

Sad Day on the Patio . . .

Today was eviction day . . . I finally evicted the wren's nest from my barbeque pit! They must have been toting twigs, grass, moss and junk forever! The thing was woven from the top half-grill all the way to the bottom of the grill. Seems like it was everywhere!! But when you opened up the top, there was this wonderous thing with a tiny little hole for her to stick her head out while the eggs incubated! And . . . she had a nice batch of fresh air from the back vent and a roof to keep everything nice and dry. It was wonderful fun to watch this summer! Hopefully, by next year I'll have a birdhouse and she can build there instead of the grill!

Good News!!

The Hummers are back at my feeder after being gone all last year!

I have the little ruby-throated hummingbirds. You can sit on the patio and they still will feed not more than 7 or 8 feet away from you!






Needless to say, I'm thrilled, as usual!

Summer Update

Well - things are going . . . . . going . . . .

Yeah. Anyway. Looks like the job I've been working at will be ending sometime in the next week or two. Been looking (as ever) for my next gig and hoping for a "keeper." Hopefully everybody who knows me (and some who don't) will be keeping their fingers crossed for me, too!

Big event of last week: Actually noticing when the car rolled over to 111, 111.1 miles. What a deal! Kinda fun, in an odd sorta way.

Biggest event in the yard this week - the wren who found the perfect place to nest - enclosed with a HUGE picture window! She built a lovely little mud/moss/stick/leaf nest in my barbeque pit! Of course, I'm too soft-hearted to move her out. Besides, she'd probably peck me!

Potato Update! The potatoes were planted in a half-barrel and grew out of that, so I installed a 24" chicken wire cylinder over that, and they've grown out of that, too! I just tucked some leaves around the edges and kept filling it with dirt to encourage more tubers. Can hardly wait now until I get to harvest them. Just about everybody I know is curious what will be there - including me! I will update with pictures when the time comes.

The garden is growing it's head off! The chicken wire fence still has not been breached so I now have eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, purple beans, cucumber plants, lettuce, beets, and squash and some mystery stuff (not sure, but is growing in a straight row, so I must have planted it!). All I ask for is just one meal with purple beans and cheese sauce!!!

For Father's Day, just couldn't get up the excitement to bake the "traditional" butterscotch pies, so managed a butterscotch cheesecake, instead. Think it was a hit - it's pretty well gone now! Grace fixed lasagna, Wendy made a salad, and Kelly and Jason supplied the entertainment - in the form of six month-old Lindsay. I also FINALLY got some pictures! Am thrilled and had to show those off at work today. It was a very nice day!

More pictures will be on the way soon!