I can Bird from my office, can you Ski in yours?

I’ve had loads of critters fly past my downtown office window: Peregrine Falcons, Sandhill Cranes, Cooper’s Hawks, bats, butterflies, and what not. It is a fact, I can’t even keep my rosey flowered Gloxinia or Geraniums on the windowsill because hummingbirds do not think 9 or 10 floors is too high to fly for a chance of nectar slurping. One of my favorite fly-bys are flying cigars, called White-throated Swifts.

Sixteen Swifts like flecks against the sky
Today my boss came into my cubicle, and when I swung around to speak to him I saw some 30 or 40 White-throated Swifts bulleting past my window. If there had been no glass between the birds and I, I could have netted one. So while I chatted with my supervisor I was hard pressed to get my eyes off the birdies - I felt like a cat at a goldfish bowl. Even my boss who doesn't get the 'birding' thing, commented on the birds. Myself, being a nature-nerd, corrected his identification of the birds as swallows - close but no cigar - flying cigars that is.

Then my boss left and I had a happy five minutes, enthralled, trying for a clear shot of one of birds with my dinky Canon sureshot – no such luck. Oh well, how many people can engage in their very favorite activity in their office without getting injured, fired, or arrested?


Swifts mirror each other's flight
Can just eek out the top bird's white collar
A bit far off, but nice silhouettes
Yes, not the best White-throated Swift shots, but my office windows are filthy and those birds fly like UFOs. Some day I'll get the perfect swift shot, just not today.

Spending the Afternoon with my 'Peeps'

Had a ball today. My friends Terry & Terry2 invited me me over to their place today in El Dorado Hills for dinner and to visit their animals; dogs, goats, wild turkeys and of course best of all, their horses. When I got there Terry greeted me at the front gate with Splash, a beautiful gelding Terry works with every day - the woman is enjoying her retirement! Splash is a paint, white, chestnut over his ears and crown so he's a 'Medicine Hat' horse - animals believed by Indians to be extra special animals. Splash is pretty special to me - he loves hugs & attention and happily, I need horses to hug sometimes so it's a win-win situation.

Splash & Terry2
For fun, we piled into the car and headed for the Feed Stores which can be infectious what with all the critter feed, pens, live animals... Oooo! Look at the baby chicks! Look at the widdle baby ducks! We are sooo very bad. We came home with 2 Rhode Island Red hen-chicks. I think Terry2 was feeling like she'd like some warm baby chicks and a future fresh egg supply like I'll have next month. So next thing you know, Xena the Warrior Chick, and tiny Queen Bodicia were in a box on my lap for their trip back to the ranch - and for starters - into the sink!


So! With two infant beaks to house and feed it was time to quick, build a chick nursery!

Terry2 wanted to know, if it's Kosher to use Duck tape on a Chick Pen?
The new chick nursery is ready - large & roomie
I was worried the bay-bays didn't know where things were so we put their bills into the water and Hallelujah! They were drinking water and when placed in their food dish, they started wolfing down their chick mash. Good girls!

Then it was time for a nap - they were rather
worn out from their trip home & their feeding lessons
While Xena and Bodicia peeped and slept it was time for the sucessful birdie Mamas to have their dinner. So while Terry2 got some incredible steaks on the grill, Terry and I went to the garden for a nice tour of the tomatoes, beans, lettuces and such in the garden. They have a wonderfully large garden, the kind that really can supply all their veggie needs.

Terry decided on Swiss Chard and Basil.
Dinner was delish, with locally raised beef, the chard and baked potatoes with fresh greens sprinkled on it - and Julia Child would have approved of the generous amounts of bud-duh!

Terry asked if I would like some Swiss Chard to take home, and I was eager for some. Next thing I knew I was taking home a HUMONGOUS Swiss Chard plant in a big ole terra cotta pot! Terry says as you cut leaves to eat, the chard ups it's growth to compensate. How convienient is that? So move over cucumbers, the Gulag Garden has a new tenant.

Recap on Wasp Nest and More Home STUFF

Had a student friend by the house today. Made a half day of it buying and installing gutter covers. Got the whole shebang finished, and I'm happy about it.

You know I love before/after photos - bear with me.

Before, open gutter...

After... covered gutter!
Ok, calm down now there Skippy. Sit down. I know the raw excitement of the before/after gutter photos overstimulated you. Breathe deeply. There - that's better.

Now, recall yesterday's bit about the Yellow Jackets that took over my little bird house. After dark I popped the entire bird cage into a plastic bag and in to the freezer (-1 degree). I honestly thought there would not be an ending to that story for at least a month or two.

Johan, the guy who did the gutter covers was nice enough to open the frozen bird house this morning - end result? A half dozen frozen Yellow Jackets and one VERY small mud nest cell. It was only an inch long, with a single tunnel. I was correct in my thinking yesterday, that the wasps only started their nest yesterday, and I took it down before they got much of a nest going. *WHEW!* My final comment on the wasp nest - I couldn't - wouldn't - have opened the thing myself for months. So thanks Johan for keeping the wasp saga from dragging on for ages.

There are tons of Wasp nests under the eves of my house, and the one below is still hanging and there no wasps in it any longer - no idea why. It is NOT the ensy one in the bird house, and it is a paper wasp nest. Isn't it a beaut? Only about 4 inches across.

For whatever reason, these sorts of honey coned paper wasp nests creep me out!
Honestly, honeycombs have made me feel creepy since I was a tiny kid - I've no idea why. I recall my Aunt Verona asking me why I was squicked by such things and I told her 'the holes make me all squidgey'.

Well, fifty years later, word up - the damn things still do!