It's HUMMER time!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Posted by Patti

They are back! My beautiful little hummers are back!
Two days ago, they started making an appearance. I have the type of windows in my office that crank out, so I had just one side cranked out, just a tiny bit- I was deep in thought and typing and heard buzzing and thought "wow, that must be a huge bumble bee", which I had seen earlier in the day. Out of the corner of my eye- I saw my hummer! It was the most beautiful shade of green and just staying there, looking at me...just long enough so I could open the window more (I didn't want it getting stuck),b say hi to it, and it flitted off.
I cleaned out my feeders today, put them out and now I have quite a few feeding in the back. I don't have any in the front yet...but they will come.
The rule with birds, "if you feed them, they WILL come".
Have you fed your birds today:)

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With the patience of a ...woodpecker???

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Posted by Patti

More tales of the pecker...I mean my woodpecker(s). I awoke this morning to the sound of my birds all singing on my deck this morning. I had didn't have any more bird food, so I  set out some stale cereal out there for them last night before bed. While doing that, I found some peanuts in the bottom of my birdfood bin, so I also put them out there. The bluejays and the squirrels "share" them ...*snicker*. If any of you feed birds, you know I say that with a chuckle.

I was doing dishes and kept hearing a knocking somewhere. My guy was sleeping, and it was not even 6 am yet so it couldn't be someone at the door...yet.  I looked downstairs anyway, nope, no one was at the door...went back to the dishes...knock, knock, knock. Ok, now I had to investigate.
It was my woodpecker, and he had the peanuts, which are in the shell, lined up in the slats of the deck and he was pecking at them! It amazed me, because last week, he and the bluejay were duking it out over them and the bluejay won of course, because the woodpecker couldn't get them open...he found a way! And they say birds are dumb?! Oh, but wait...it gets so much better!

I have now taken a seat and start to watch- that IS what it's called- birdwatching, right? He hops up to the screen and makes a cutesy little noise like a squeaky toy, and cocks his head. This gets my guy up, who is now peeking out the bedroom door- hair all askew, asking  in his ever-loving morning way "what the HELL was THAT?" The woodpecker does it again. I respond this time and told him " you're welcome" and he hopped off, grabs a peanut and get this...leans it up in the corner! This is "his" corner. I have seen him grab bugs and lay them there for later. Then he went to the side of the deck and made a different squeaky noise 4 times in a row, and here comes his cute little mate- with a big, fat, round tummy- awww. I kind of thought that was going on because this guy has been getting mouthfuls of suet and instead of sitting and eating, he's been flying with full mouthfuls to the nearby tree...

Well, he makes sure she is watching and shows her the lined peanuts in the slat of the deck and pecks, showing her how to get the peanuts. While she is doing that, he is keeping the other birds away- like standing guard. She spots where I put some peanuts in a blue dish for my chipmunk...and, thinking "hey, looks easier" goes to the blue dish and tries pecking at the peanuts- which roll all around in the dish and gets her nowhere. Mr. Woodpecker, goes over to the dish, and shows her to come back to the lined up ones. She IGNORES him, turning her back when he gets in front of her about three times. Well, I heard my first Woodpecker arguement today! Yep, definetly a tone to Mr and Mrs's squawking back and forth.

So, Mr finally got fed up with Mrs not listening...he went and FLIPPED over the blue dish, peanuts flying all over the deck.He then takes one of those peanuts and sets it up in his corner of the deck- and pecks it open! She was sitting there watching him- with her beak wide open...watching him go back and forth- BUT he didn't open anymore. He stood back and watched her go forward, then she would turn back and look at him. Oh, you just know what that think bubble said- haha!

What an awesome exciting morning! Who needs news? A cup of coffee and some stale cereal and about 20 peanuts- perfect!

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For the Love of Hummingbirds

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Posted by Patti

I have been doing some research on hummingbirds because this year, I really, really want them to feed out of my hand. I think they are one of the most amazing creatures on this earth! When I was hmmm, shall we say, to be nice, unable to do anything last summer due to Mama Nature's wrath on me- those little hummingbirds made my day. They are so fragile, yet so very strong!
Believe it or not, last year was the first time I saw one, a real one, and not on film or a picture...the beautiful thing was, when I saw one, so did my daughter...in another state but at the same exact moment! We were trying to call each other to tell each other- and when we finally got ahold of one another (it was busy forever on both ends) we were both so excited! My little hummingbird was attracted to a banner I had in my window of a magenta flower and was RIGHT there in my face. Just a window between us- the colors were amazing, and it just took my breath away. My daughter, on the other end of the phone and miles away was saying the same thing and although the colors were different, we were seeing the same thing- beauty!

I am just mesmerized by their color and beauty! Oh...and if you are standing outside and they buzz by, it does sound like a bee, and they will brush by your hair- just like an angel wing...yeah, I sure do love my hummingbirds!
 OK...if I haven't bored you by now- I found this!
Hummingbird Migration Map (and a whole lot more!) There are many, many things on this site, more of which I am sure I will post throughout the birding season. This just shows how they are migrating, and if you are so inclined, goes into depth about hummingbirds, how to attract, etc... Enjoy!

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Woody the pecker and the indentity crisis

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Posted by Patti

When I was small, that is what I called Woody the Woodpecker. I have tons of woodpeckers (and other birds for that matter) on my deck now, feeding. I have one that is having somewhat of an identity crisis though. He is feeding a female cardinal...which is well, VERY rare!
Typically, cardinals don't associate with woodpeckers and vice versa. When this first happened, it was quite comical. The female cardinal just looked at the woodpecker, and you could almost see the think bubble above "Dude, why are you getting close to me and WHY are you looking at me that way?", and she would side scoot away. The woodpecker, still with a seed in his mouth, sidled closer to her, while she pretended to look away...this went on all around one side of the deck, until finally, she must have thought "ok, feed this seed, then go away"...that was 3 days ago.
Meantime, I have an audience of my chipmunk, who we have named Hoover (he sucks all the leftover seeds and will just keep sucking and fall off the deck because he doesn't look up)a Bluejay, who is, in my mind- laughing his butt off, and a chickadee, who normally stays away from the bluejay...all just watching this.
I look at my guy and said "Wow, I wonder where the male cardinal is- they are pretty territorial." Without missing a beat, he says "oh he's the idiot that's out here buying curtains, and making the nest just so while she's out there not only getting wined and dined by another bird...but by another species AND his sworn enemy"...yeah, gotta love that romantic man!
Meanwhile...back on the deck- the romance continues. I have been trying to get a picture, but they always fly away when they see me.
I do see the male cardinal come around, then she will fly off with him...but she always comes back, and the woodpecker always knows when she's there, and somehow, the crowds gather...and story continues.
Stay tuned.

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First the rain...then the sunshine

Monday, April 26, 2010

Posted by Patti

The last few days weren't good ones. But I am again reminded that when the rain ends, the sunshine comes and we are reminded how much we appreciate that sunshine...and that happens in more ways than one.
I had a scare with the fibromyalgia, but I have to ask myself again...is it something more, or just ahhhh, well, those that deal with this PITA knows how I feel. Some days I just deal with it best I can and know how, then some days I want to fight like crazy, and figure it all out.
I was dealt a different hand to deal with the past few days, more severe spasms and in different places altogether- and much more scary...only to be told the tests came back "pretty normal" and go home, rest, use the heating pad, take your pain medication and call your doctor on Monday. *sigh* Well, going to fight this. I am NOT just going to sit back while this gets worse. I want life, and I want to do things like others...and I WILL. As I write this, I am looking up holisitic doctors. I am convinced that a combination of holistic and Western medicine is the way.
Onto the fun stuff...
I couldn't post my giveaways...my Google Connect Button ran away and from what I am understanding from other bloggers I guess that happens from time to time. So...onto the the giveaways, which WILL be posted later today. I plan on being a posting fool today.
I have quite fun watching a woodpecker lately. I think he is having an identity crisis of some sort though. He is feeding a female cardinal! It was funny because the female cardinal at first just looked at him as he sidled up to her, then she kind of walked sideways aways from him and he kept after her. Finally, slowly, she let him feed her a sunflower seed- blew my mind! I said to my other half "I wonder where the male is" He answered "oh, he's out buying the curtains and getting the nest all comfy while she's getting wined and dined by not only another bird, but another WOODPECKER"! Woodpeckers and cardinals are sworn enemies around here, so this is quite comical- our own little back porch drama
I am going to try and get some pictures.F

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Dedication to Earth Day!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Posted by Patti

Today, all posts are dedicated to Earth Day...except for, of course, the daily funnie. So, you might want to come back back, as I will be posting all kinds of treasures that I find all over.
I started my day by hearing the birds- they wanted me to feed the them, so I went out, filled the feeders and noticed quite a few robins in the yard. That reminded me to grab some used dryer sheets, and the lint that I am saving separately for them, grab my brushes, and take it all outside.
As I shredded the dryer sheets, into fine fly away pieces, same with the lint...I listed in my mind all that I am grateful for. I do that every morning, but this morning, as I let the sun shine on me, feeling the warmth of sun, listening to birds sing and chirp- I concentrated on Mama Earth and all she has given me...and more importantly- how I can preserve it for future generations to come.
Then I watched as the robins grabbed the pieces of dryer sheets and the, knowing they are going to use that to line a nest of their own. I cleaned out the brushes, letting the hair fly to the wind...See? My gray hair IS good for something other then making me shriek when I look in the mirror! The chickadees are partial to the hair for their nests.
And as I lifted my face to the sun, I thanked God for another day and went on with my appreciation list in my mind...It's such a great way to start the day!
Happy Earth Day everyone!
What are you going to do to celebrate it?

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