Random Shots

A crazy day... we got up to 41 degrees and had a sleet shower this afternoon!

There is a fine layer of sleet on everything, but it does not appear to be "sticking". 

Crazy weather. 

Yesterday, I showed you how Buffy has been sleeping for weeks 

in the old nest box in the old henhouse. 

Last night I went out to lock up... and found her like this:

Will wonders never cease???  When Christopher and I 

went out there tonight... she was back up on the roost. 

I have not seen her roost for many months. 

Once, those roosts were full of birds... there were about 70 in that house. 

There were four little roosters just above her on the upper roost.  (they are stepped back so the birds did not poop on each other). 

This is the bare ground under the flat open feeder.  There used to be about two inches of spilled sunflower seed, etc. on the ground here, but the last three weeks have cleaned ALL that up... the birds were frantic to eat.  This is just bare shells... nothing more.  I have not even seen any grass or sunflowers trying to sprout here, there is nothing left, believe me. 

That is a very happy Buddy the Bantam Rooster having a dirt bath yesterday under the 

4 x 4 pen in the old henyard. 

And five minutes later, a red hen had taken his place. 

Today, the sun was gone, and the skies leaden all day... but the hens came right outside this morning. 

The juncos, cardinals, and mourning doves now have the opportunity to feed without 

500 starling and red-wings crowding them.  Yes, there ARE a few there, but nothing 

like before.  Once the weather improves, they are off to better climes. 

This was taken this evening. 

And for the time being, this is the new seed mix we are using... from our feed store, who 

mills all their own grain... we have dropped the higher-priced mixture I showed you a few weeks ago for this less-expensive version.  It is long on scratch grains, and black oil... no striped sunflower, or peanut pieces, or safflower.  I had to cut back somewhere, and should have done this months ago.  I fed 80 pounds 

between Friday and Monday morning. 

As I told you yesterday, we are going to get a decent feeder... with perches for the smaller birds, 

and sneak away from here lest the starling hordes follow us. 

Even when we rented in Leavenworth, we fed the wild birds, and in Illinois, on our third floor apartment balconey... I fed the wild birds! 

Here's hoping for sunny skies tomorrow!

These two (Winnie and Windy) want the sun back, too!