Heated water for the birds..

It's supposed to be drinking water.... but one cold snowy day...yes this early in the year darn it...  .... one guy discovered it was heated and decided he would like a bath.
Two others followed suit, and then all of a sudden there were so many that they were jumping up and down on the wall and the board holding the container ...  all clamouring to get in and have a splash!
It was sparrow bedlam!
I ran for my camera and this is what I saw... the colour is not great as the sun was shining brightly and  you notice the blueish tint of the UV protection in the window glass plus they are a bit dark...

I cropped the second one quite a bit so you can see the funny guy with the wild hair ... like he all of a sudden wondered why he would partake in such shenanigans or was shocked to realize he was bathing in his own drinking water ...  or something....

As usual... click on any photo to see it larger and get a better view... ..there is really nothing 'common' about the Common House Sparrow.. they are a lot of entertainment.

hahaha.... look at that little wild haired guy...!   Hang on.  Maybe that's a little lady and she is concerned now because there I am with the camera... showing her to the world in 'not-quite-her-best' form......oh 'dear .... that could be it........

Linking to Stewart's Paying Ready Attention Gallery.... for Wild Bird Wednesday.  Click on the badge below to go directly there to see other birds...  perhaps you have a bird photo of your own to add to the group?

What to eat on a big snow day.

This guy appeared and I thought he had something stuck on or in his beak.  It was long and pointy... I was wondering and worrying already...

Then, it disappeared and he grabbed a long lilac seed pod ...hahahah....he was eating them off the snow covered bush.

I've never seen them eating these seeds in the past, but usually I trim them off about now and there would be none on the tree in a week or two... but, our seed feeders would also be out there and that is all I ever see them eat at our house.

Maybe from now on I should just leave the dead lilac seeds on the bushes.  Ignore what they say in horticulture mags.... ... and trim them in late winter or very early spring instead.  Trimming in fall is supposed to encourage more blooms... but, they get plenty .. so who cares?  Maybe my birdies need them on bad snow days.

You will have to click on him to get a better idea of what he looks like up close.  I lightened the photo a bit.  The bright snow and sun were playing havoc with things.

Linking to Stewart at Paying Ready Attention.

Be careful what you wish for....

After seeing a Blue Jay one day I mentioned that I would like to see a baby jay ....   darn it.  Wish I had never said it out loud.

Two days later I saw this poor little tyke.  All alone in my backyard.  I don't even know how I noticed him because he was not moving...just sitting there very quietly... probably as instructed.  Or as instinct dictated.
Please click on the photo to see his cute little face up close....

He had no tail really...and, very little in the way of wings... he was too small to fly ..must have fallen and somehow glided or flapped a bit to make it into our yard from a nest nearby...

I then heard an adult Blue Jay and saw what I decided was his Mom on the telephone wires nearby ..calling and waiting til I got the heck out of there.. then she flew down.

He more or less stayed on the blocks near the house and close to some tall grass... but, then..as the day progressed, he got a bit more animated and began to hop around all over the yard.  Over to the chairs, out near the shed..... I was panicked and was worse than his mother... dashing from window to window, worrying about some predator getting him.  I had to be ready to rush out and shoo away Mr. Karma, the prowling neighbourhood cat.  She flew back and forth for hours checking on him and bringing him food and finding little things to feed him from the garden.  She was very attentive and caring.  It was so sweet and yet I felt so sorry for her.

But, then I went to do the treadmill.... and ...when I looked, later in the day... they were gone.  I didn't know whether to be happy or sad.  He must have hopped out into the alleyway under the fence... oh, I sure hope they both went to a kind neighbour yard...... I didn't really see any Blue Jay activity after that.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday.

Happy not to be an enabler....

Did you see the article on whether city chicks.... (Black Capped Chickadees that is)...... are getting lazier than their country cousins?  Because of us bird feeders.

Apparently a couple of gals studied 100 of them and put them through the paces of caching food and then finding the caches of seeds and things and discovered that people who feed birds are not doing them a disservice.  Whew.

There was no difference between the rural and urban little guys... all found their caches about the same ..

There is plenty of info on the fact that the size of a chickadee hippocampus changes with the seasons... (we always joke about it when they stop coming to the feeder as often when it finally warms up) and the fact that they need, or don't need, to find and cache more food at certain times of the year.  Hopefully this latest study took all of that into consideration.

They also don't show up in moulting season because they are too embarrassed to be seen with big bald patches...like one I saw a year or so ago.  Poor little thing was hiding in the lilac leaves so I wouldn't see him.
I was pretty mean and did take his photo anyway.... I feel kinda bad showing it.  Awww... poor wee thing.

The recent article also said more study was necessary to see if urban vs rural birds had differing responses to "novelty".... not sure what that means.  It didn't explain.

However, I like to think city birds have a very curious nature... and love to explore new things .. like this little guy having a shower and a bath and a drink in my new little fountain...about 3 minutes after I filled it and turned it on.

I had one come last year to the other fountain...about the same time frame after we turned it on... maybe it is the same little curious guy/gal?  Who knows with chickadees? ..

All I know for sure is they sure have all the "c" words going for them.  Cute, clever, curious, clean,


....etc...............

First of all....isn't this the cutest little water fountain you have ever seen?  $60 at Home Depot.  Love it.




So did this little guy.....

First, he sat on the edge and had a sip of the waterfall...then, he jumped right into the centre of the leaf and had a bath...then he got up on the edge... and then..he jumped into the leaf above.  I was waaayyyy too slow to get more than these two photos.

I was peering through the slats of a venetian in the kitchen window and didn't want to put it up and scare him off.  Silly me... I finally did put it up and totally ignored me.  Darn!  Why didn't I just do it sooner?  I could have had much clearer shots.

Linking to Stewart's blog for Wild Bird Wednesday.  Click on his name or the photo below to be immediately transported.........

Walkin' on water

 What!!? ....   well, it isn't all that tough.... but it sure is annoying when I just want a drink or a bath.......

Not perfect photos as it was through the venetian blinds and screens, which is more or less the norm around here most days....

It is getting down to freezing temps. overnight now and the birdie bath gets frozen solid.  They come as soon as the sun is shining and hop around all over it searching for tiny crevices or eventually making a little hole to get a sip.

It's pretty slippery and they fall around... feathers stand on end...they do the splits...look pretty awkward and probably even stretch things they don't actually want to stretch... slide around a bit more and then.... leave.

But, they come back often to check for open water as the day wears on and the temps. climb to acceptable numbers ...like +15C... it's great days right now ... oh, to have it last until December..hahahahhahahahhah ...oh, sorry, lost my mind for a moment there.  As I'm sure you all remember, we have already had a huge snowfall to remind us of where we live.  That 17 inches melted finally, and hey!..there was still green grass under it.  Now it is more seasonable... like ...dying ...oh, alright, going dormant....and a bit more brownish with more coloured leaves on it and looks about ready for winter weather.  Almost.


Click on them to see a bit larger and more detail will also be visible ..even if it is semi fuzzy...

Wild Bird Wednesday

I got lucky ...   

I never get pics of Blue Jays … people say they are brave, cheeky and all of that…but, I have not found it to be so.  Around here …they just land …squeak, see what is around, and fly off….

So, yesterday when I was trying to clean over a foot of snow off the patio wall and make a trail in there so I could get to the feeders…one flew by.  I set out some mixed nuts that I buy for the bigger birds and tried to lure him back.

He did come back. But, grabbed a nut at lightning speed and was gone!  Dammit.  Missed him.  

So, I went in and sat by the window.. with the blind up a crack so I could get a clear photo.  He flew back about 15 minutes later… grabbed another nut at warp speed and …poof…gone again.  Nuts!!  Literally.  I wasn’t quick enough. 

I waited.  And, waited.  About 10 minutes later, he showed again… this time I actually was ready and got a few shots..but just not as good as I wanted.  I hoped he would come again.  He did ..about another 5 later… this time I got one or two ..and off he went again.  The last time he showed up … he hopped around… looked right at me and hung out long enough to pose for me … the little bugger!  Taunting me…I know it.  He made me use up the better part of an hour hoping for his return.  Hhmppf….. 

But, he is a beauty.  Well, I say ‘he’, but it could just as easily be a ‘she’ couldn’t it?  How do you know with Blue Jays? ….



























We had a huge snowfall... about 16 inches at our place.... the snow was this deep on top of the patio wall too..so I cleaned it off to let them have a place to sit.
It is too early for this much snow... all the tree branches were drooping from the weight of the snow on leaves that haven't even fallen off yet.  A disaster for many trees....
The guy was supposed to come and blow out the sprinkler system.... not for how long now I wonder?  It will take days for this much snow to melt..... and more is forecast for next week.  Darn it.

Three more chin ups.......

..and I can have another nut. ...

... Oh, yeh.......

                         

Linking to Paying Ready Attention Gallery..just click on the photo below to be transported there.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Well, sure ...it isn't Wednesday any more..but, I'm here ..

So were all the birds we usually see about this time of year.  In the space of 20 minutes...I took 84 photos... not all of them good enough to use... so there was a lot of deleting.  Normal for bird photos ... Dave will attest to that.  He has a blog totally devoted to bird butts... I'm serious..check it out. He has the cutest photos.

We had nuthatches, black capped chickadees, sparrows, Northern Flickers, Downy woodpeckers, ... Even a robin came to see what they were all up to, but robins don't do bird feeders so he just had a bath instead in the birdie bath and carried on his merry way, looking for Mayday berries.

Black Capped Chickadee

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Male Downy Woodpecker

Female Northern Flicker

Male Northern Flicker

American Robin (but, he lives in Canada)

My lovely half hour sitting near the window watching the patio feeders.... what fun.

Have some fun going to Stewart's blog too....lots more birds to see over there.. click on the badge below to be immediately transported there.

Wild Bird Wednesday

I think it is a Sparrow Hawk.

This guy flew onto the patio wall the other day... looking for snacks I guess.  Little birds that is.... they hang out in the lilac and on the wall too.... begging for treats.  'Somebody' must have noticed.

And, besides ..there is a new little fountain in the patio with burbling water...maybe that enticed him.

All I know is..I saw him swoop in....mostly just a shadow, and jumped up, grabbed my camera and managed to get a few shots through the window before he flew away.  He took a quick peek into the lilacs..but I'm sure the little guys had fled by then... thank goodness.  Didn't need to witness any of that nonsense...

He/she... looks pretty fierce.... hide little birdies !!

Linking up to Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday (on Wednesday) ...

Click on the photo of this crazy bird to go there..

Wild Bird Wednesday

Hey!  It's Wednesday.... and, I will actually be posting on the correct day.

It's a bit cooler today but only because the sun can't even penetrate the smoke layer.  Golfing was kind of weird.. almost like a thick mist all the time we were out there.  Luckily, I don't seem to be bothered by it .. some of our group seemed to be having a bit of difficulty.

The birds have been around the new little fountain we got for the patio... but, so far I've only seen a brave little chickadee and one Flicker and one crazy crow land on it... this little guy had several sips from one portion of it.  The Flicker was gone before I grabbed my camera.  They all look at it and several fly down and up again without landing...but, this little guy...or gal.... loved it.  Sat there quite a long while and then...turned to look straight at me.

It almost looks like he is drinking from the little waterfall... nope.... just the angle...

Did ya get enough photos yet lady??

Linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday... have a look at other people's birdies.........

Wild Bird Wednesday

You just never know with birds.

What are they doing?  What are they thinking?  Why do they do that?  Are they nuts?

Every year some little sparrows work diligently ... dragging leaves, long stems of grass, and twigs and bits of string and all sorts of things up inside the top boards of a privacy fence in the yard.

I can't decide if it is several nests in there or if it is just one looooong one... the fence is 8 feet wide and they go all along the full length of it.  Maybe a communal  nest? Who knows.  All I know is... they work at it...then, work stops...and all of a sudden there seems to be no interest in it anymore.  Nobody comes and goes...no babies show up or anything.... hmmmm... what the heck is happening?

I pull out handfuls of stuff later in the season..or sometimes I try to do it as they are dragging in "stuff" to dissuade them..... nothing works.  We always say we are going to put in some blocks between each upright but, we never seem to get around to doing it and it begins again mid summer each year.  They are at the stage where they have sort of slowed down and are not so excited about dragging in any more material now.....

Look at this little guy...his leaf is bigger than he is.

He noticed me moving in the window...and took a running start with his prize, whatever it is ... ...you can almost see the soles of his little feet...hahahhaha...

See the tail feathers?  They jump and climb up inside there .... it's crazy... they come out looking all wonky and their feathers are standing up on end...it is a pretty tight fit.  A throttled " 'and brush" as my Mum used to say.

Missus Limpy sits on the patio wall...just watching,.. wondering what they are up to.
Oh, and that's another myth bashed.... crows do not keep the little birds from your yard.  As a matter of fact... the sparrows and others steal the seeds or crumbs right off the garden stone that is the "crow platter"... every time the crows step more than 2 feet away from it.  Crows don't scare anybody......

Linking to Stewart's blog and other bird pics and stories about birds.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Red Polls.

It's been awhile now since these photos were taken...but, I didn't want to just archive them and forget about them...

These little guys are so cute with their little red caps.  They only come around in the wintery days... and, come in little groups and hang out for some hours.. or even days.  Flitting in and out to get some seeds.

It says they are members of the Finch family...but they have tiny "seed eating" beaks.

Here is a Male House Finch sitting on the feeder with the little polls...you can see a huge beak in comparison.

These two are a different type ...   Hoary Red Polls I think because they are more white overall... especially whitish rumps ... smaller chin patch...

I like this one with the little guy coning in for a landing with his "wheels" up....

I'm thinking mainly Common Red Polls in this photo....but, I am not altogether sure.  Some females and some males...

I'm calling this a Mister....

and this is the Missus.....

Linking up with Stewart on Wild Bird Wednesday... pop on over to his blog to check out the other birding goodies...

just click on the badge below to be transported directly there....