Happy Chickadee, Happy Me
I found this video on YouTube and had to share. We have so many black-capped chickadees at our feeders. Scotts did a great job on the video. It tickled me pink to see it eating at the squirrel proof bird feeder too. Enjoy!
Happy Chickadee
Sailing
When I think of sailing, I picture water, boats - sail boats, that is. Today however, as the sun gleamed and brighted, there was one of the clearest views I have ever enjoyed of birds sailing over head and over the hill and field abouve my house. There was a hawk, too high to identiful and sea-gulls. They were gliding and sailing about in the graceful way.
It seems quite wierd to me, as I do not live anywhere near the ocean, but we have oodles of sea gulls. I have been noticing more and more of them especially over the wide open parking lots, and today was the first I saw them sailing and drifting over my back yard. Due to the presence of the hawk, there were absolutely no other birds, and for once it just fine. What a beautiful sight.
I am always happy to have my binoculars close at hand at times like theses.
His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Happy Sunday, everyone! What a glorious day. It sure beat out the dark and dismal cold and snowy days of our previous weekends. So, what’s with the title, you ask? It is one of my favorite hymns, and it has been running through my head since church this morning.
“I sing because I’m happy; I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.” You see I am always looking for how God wants to use me to bring more to his saving grace and to make a difference in someone’s life. I don’t believe in coincidences, so when I have a wonderful and positive encounter with a stranger, I know that God is using me. I know that if we keep trusting in him and singing His songs, others will catch on.
If you ever have a moment when you feel like GOD can’t use YOU, just remember that Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was afraid, Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was prostitute, Job went bankrupt, Peter denied Crist, the Disciples fell asleep while praying, and Lazarus was dead! So, no more excuses; God will use you to your full potential if you let him. Afterall, you are not the message, just the messenger.
I am a birdwatcher, a birder, whatever the term should be. I sing because I am a happy birdwatcher when the sparrows are singing at the bird feeders in my backyard. God Bless!
Just Browsing
Passing pleasantries with lots of browsing customers came easy today. It was the first weekend day in ages that we have had totally blue skies not to mention the upper 55 + degrees of wonderful warmth. The store was bustling most of the day with people who mostly just wanted to be out and about. Few of them were on a mission and an even smaller few were attempting to get what they needed to finish a project.
The best part of days like this is getting acquainted with the customers, and of course the best of those for me are those who are browsing through the bird feeders, bird houses and many varieties of food and seed and nuts. One of my customers just couldn’t stop complaining about the squirrels. He was truly frustrated and was asking for advice. I have a couple of favorites squirrel proof feeders, but he finally purchased the one above which is among the most affective of them This one has a 2 lb food capacity and operates on the weight factor. When the squirrel jumps on it, his weight closes the feeding door.
I hope my customer is happy with his new feeder. I wouldn’t have recommended it if I didn’t believe in it. Hope you are having and sunny and wonderful weekend.
Touch Of Blue
“The bluebird carries the sky on his back”. Henry David Thoreau
It was a gray mornning, I tried to find blue skies, and they just weren’t there. The temperatures are rising though and the enormous piles of snow are disappearing leaving in their wake a glimpse of green grass.
As I peered out the sliding glass door watching the starlings decimate a new suet cake in the suet feeder, I was dreaming of the blue skies of spring, and how it is time to get out some the decorative bird houses that have been stored inside for the winter. Then, out of nowhere came two eastern bluebirds. They landed on the mealworm feeder, and I couldn’t help but be brought from my dreams to the reality of Thoreau’s words. There was the blue sky that I had been looking for so desperately. It was carried on the backs of the two little bluebirds. It became a ray of sunshine that set the tone for my entire day.
Hope you are having a great day!
Building Nests In Your Hair
You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair. Chinese Proverb
Chinese proverbs are filled with profound wisdom. This one churned up memories of when the birds of sorrow found their way into my life. Do you let them build nests in your hair? They played havoc with my mood, my productivity, my relationships, my job - every aspect of my life.
Are you letting the birds of sorrow spread dark clouds on your day - your life? Wanna know what my anticdote is? Gratitude. I think of everything I can for which I am grateful. I name them, and thank God for them. Then I play music - happy music. I take the controls and choose my mood.
Try it - it works when you focus on the good and the positive - the good and positive are the outcome!!
Try birdwatching. Grab the binoculars and go for a walk. Listen to there glorious and happy songs of the birds. Choose your mood for the day and make it a happy one.
Very Very Strange
Some things never cease to amaze me. Yesterday when I was doing my blog and looking for a picture of the brown-headed cowbird I discovered that this small member of the blackbird has some very strange nesting habits. They have a larger head than some of the other blackbirds and a shorter tail.
These rather distinctive looking birds have always fascinated me. They are always around, bobbing around on the ground at the foot of the feeder poles. They enjoy eating the seeds of grasses and weeds, as well as insects. They are enthralled with the free meals at the feeders too. The one I spotted staring at me from inside the platform feeder, flew over and sat on top of the blue bird house for quite some time before taking up residence on a high prominent tree branch.
When it comes to breeding time the female puts every bit of her energy into producing eggs. These are sometimes in excess of three dozen a summer. She doesn’t bother building a nest though. Rather she deposits her eggs in the nests of other bird species. A study once showed that the cowbird’s eggs have been found in over 220 other specie’s nests. They abandon their young to be fostered by the others, and usually at the expense of at least some of the other’s chicks.
Needless to say, the female is in need of lots of additional calcium due to laying so many eggs. So they eat snail shells and often even the eggs of some of the other nests they visit.
Definite Signs
It was a sunny morning, and I actually had a few more minutes than usual to watch as the birds came and went for thier morning meal. At first it was just another day, and then all of a sudden I realized that the Goldfinches were here in mass and actually starting to show signs of their golden feathers.
There was a cowbird staring at me as he sat proudly in the platform feeder, and the mealworm feeder was becoming very quickly in need of a refill as the bluebirds swooped down to fetch them .
The first red-winged blackbird that I have seen in some time sat at the heated bird bath and drank before jumping in for a bath.
All of this took place in a matter of a few minutes and I felt the excitement growing as I saw these very definite signs of the dawn of spring. It is March after all and even though it is snowing as I write this, spring is all a flutter at the feeders.
Are You Ready
I don’t know about you, but I am sick of snow, cold, wind, sloppy streets, mud, dirty cars and everything that is part of winter. I am tired of the dark mornings and the early dark evenings. I am more than ready for spring.
I am anxious to take my overhauled wren’s nest out and get it hung. I am eager for the hummingbirds and the hummingbird feeder. The hummer helper nesting material is all ready to put out. It’s time for flowers and green grass, and spring smells and the warmth of the spring sun. I am ready - but we have 21 days to go before spring actually arrives. Worse yet, there is more snow predicted for later this week, not once, but twice.
Maybe the daffodils will just pop right up through the snow and nod their yellow heads.
Sunday Blessings
For some reason I just cannot get the whole graphic in here, but the bottom says, “God Bless.” And I mean that. God Bless you and yours
It actually got up into the mid 40’s today. Before we ate dinner tonight, my husband accompanied me to the back yard where we replaced the old finch feeder with the new one and filled it with fresh nyger seed. I replaced the suet in the suet feeder, put water in the bird bath.
The mealworm feeder was empty, and while I refilled it, kept wondering where the bluebirds have been lately. I haven’t seen them in a while. While we ate dinner, my husband and I enjoyed watching a downey woodpecker at the new suet cake. I actually think my husband is catching my “bird watching itis.” Oh goody!
I was blessed with a great Sunday and I hope you were as well.