Sunday, March 2, 2014

Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

Well, at least we are up to seven above. 


Taken through the front-door window. 

These are not just starlings... there are many red-winged blackbirds in there, too. 


And looking towards the old henhouse, you see hundreds more. 

I have not put any feed out in the henyard because the ducks are inside. 
Sadly, they can get into the old henhouse through a hole in the eaves, so I am 
kind of sick with anticipation of what I am going to find in there when I go 
out to refresh the water here in a few minutes. 

I thought I would outsmart them, so I put a saucer with some seed 
in it on the porch, so that the little birds could find it. 


And some juncoes, two bluejays, and two female cardinals did.... 
before the starlings saw it. 


Some female redwings rested on the railing.  
I feel so sorry for all the wild birds, it is snowing again now, and has still gotten no warmer than seven degrees. 
I can't go out and put feed out every hour, though, it is so expensive. 

I'm going to let them all disappear for a while, and then will put some more out early this afternoon. 
The cardinals and mourning doves feed last, so I put some out in the evening for them. 

My left foot froze again this morning, as it did two weeks ago, so I am double-socking when I go 
back out.  I did not let anyone out of the new henhouse today... and there were only three starlings still locked up in there, but no telling how many have gotten in the other side, so I'll go out there with clean 
water shortly and take care of them all.  

I have to tell you all that this is NO fun, I am going to be 64 this summer, and 
have to question whether taking a chance at falling on ice and snow is 
worth it at this stage of my life. 
I fell on Friday, did not write about it... but tore my knee up. 
Every time that happens, I wonder if it's the time that 
I am going to tear my meniscus again, or worse. 


 I closed with a picture of Lilly at the door of the new henhouse yesterday... she caught TWO starlings as they flew out... she has one in her mouth and is picking up the other here. 


Ummmm this was a THIRD starling she killed in the yard. 

As I type this at 11:45 AM Sunday morning, we are almost in white-out conditions here. There are still about five hundred birds in the yard, and I know there can't be anything left to eat out there. 
I am getting ready to fill two buckets with warm water and go out to the old henhouse and chase the starlings out.  I have to work fast, as my fingers freeze quickly at this temperature. 

The goats... I fed and watered them this morning and they were fine, though not happy.  The back of their shed "leaks" and there was snow on the north end, along the wall.  I know they are okay, but I feel sorry for them, too.  A big barn would have worked so much better for us.  

I had hoped that the snow would stop at two inches, but it does not look like we are going to luck out. 
I should stop boo-hooing, because I know so many of you are going through worse... and my heart goes out to you all, too. 

Stay warm and safe, friends! 


11 comments:

  1. The thermometer here says it is 14 degrees, we will get close to zero tonight. I'm thankful for the 4 or 5 inches of snow we got rather than the 10 that was predicted. Oh my your poor knee...take care out there. I don't think that even in my younger days I would have ever attempted all that you do. I'll be 70 in a few days and am glad I can stay in and keep warm.

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  2. Lilly has the right idea! Have you ever heard of four and twenty blackbirds?

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  3. Thank goodness we don't have many starlings at the moment. My hubby's solution is a shotgun and the cats all come running because if he shoots at them in the tree there are usually 3 or 4 that fall. I know they are God's creatures too but I HATE them.

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  4. Oh gosh it all sounds like really hard work, I'm really hoping for some respite for you soon, it's been a hard winter. Take care and may you see Spring soon.

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  5. Oh my, that is a lot of birds, feel bad for them but you are kind feeding them.....Keep Warm, Hope your knee is ok, Blessings Francine.

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  6. 64 and still taking care of the critters. You do have to be careful with that knee don't want to injure that anymore. My parents live in Wa state and they are cutting down on their animals they say, we shall see. They have the house up for sale now and do hope for a smaller place to take care of...but again we shall see. They are your age.....Dad wants to fully retire. Well stay warm and pray for warmer temps.

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  7. Hi ... Thanks for dropping by my blog today.. I loved your pics and was reminded of this poem by Pam Ayres..
    Hope you don't mind me posting it here for you.. It is so funny..
    I'm a Starling my Darling..
    We're starlings, the misses, meself and the boys,
    We don't go round hopin', we walks.
    We don't go in for this singing all day,
    And twittering about, we just squawks.


    We don't go in for these fashionable clothes,
    Like old Missel Thrush, and his spots,
    Me breast isn't red, there's no crest on me head,
    We've got sort of, hardwearing...dots.


    We starlings, the misses, meself and the boys,
    We'll eat anything that's about,
    Well anything but that old half coconut,
    I can't hold it still. I falls out.


    What we'd rather do, is wait here for you,
    To put out some bread for the tits,
    And then when we're certain, you're there by the curtain,
    We flocks down and tears it to bits.


    But we starlings, the misses, meself and the boys,
    We reckon that we're being got at,
    You think for two minutes, them finches and linnets,
    You never sees THEM being shot at.


    So the next time you comes out to sprinkle the crumbs out,
    And there's starlings there, making a noise,
    Don't you be so quick to heave half a brick,
    It's the misses, meself and the boys!

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  8. Wow, I don't think I've ever seen so many starlings in a yard before. I'm surprised they would hang around with Lilly out there. I'm so glad we didn't get all that snow they were forecasting. If we can just make it through this record cold, I think we may be on our way to Spring finally!

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  9. OHMYPUG you have tons of those black birds, Lily would eat for a week..holey moley!
    stella rose

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  10. eek, reminds me of the movie "the birds"

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