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What's outside of your picture window today?
As we get ready for the real winter to show up and COVID-19 still playing a major part in our lives I like to spend moments of my day de-stressing about what's going on in the world today. All I have to do is look out the window and observe some of natures beautiful creatures, how they interact and ponder how small it makes my troubles seem. Sometimes I may even get the opportunity to take a photo or two. How about you? Anything going on outside of your window(s) that you want to share?
For those members that have the ability to size your photos before you upload them to the discussion, may I suggest using the following sizes:
– 500 x 335 pixels (landscape)
– 210 x 210 pixels (square)
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@colleenyoung deserves all the credit Elizabeth. She noticed that your email address was bounced and reset it so that you could receive notifications and the Daily Digest again. But I am happy to play a minor part 🙃
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3 ReactionsWow, I obviously should have enlarged the chipmunk pics. I didn't see what was actually happening there! Yikes! I can't believe the chipmunks eat birds! I have the opposite problem with the birds going after my sweet tree squirrels. The hawks and coyotes pick them off. The crows that like the walnuts I feed the squirrels sometimes get territorial and dive bomb the poor squirrels. I LOVE my squirrels! I have at least 10 that come by daily to visit. They rattle my front screen door to get my attention. They come running from 100 feet away like a dog to see me. If I make kissy noises, they come running down out of the trees or bushes to see me. If I'm standing outside and don't see them, they stand up with their paws leaning against my leg or tug on my pant leg to let me know they are there. Soooo cute! They take walnuts (their fave) soooo gently. They used to touch noses with my poodle and sniff her paws. They were fascinated by her since she didn't try to get them like the other dogs. I have young ones and three nursing ones hanging around so more will be on the way soon.
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4 ReactionsNice pics of your squirrels! I'm starting to see some of my favorite birds visiting the feeder. Have to run to the store today and get some more treats 🙂
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4 Reactions@californiazebra, @loribmt, @johnbishop, @artscaping. and all...Cal, I had a love for squirrels when I went to college, here in Florida. We had buildings with internal open areas with trees and shrubbery and lots of squirrels. Hungey, active, 'friendly' squirrels. I fed them until one day as I was my usual walking to class feeding the cute things peanuts, one bit the heck out of my finger. I don't blame the darn squirrel, but myself for being so gullible. I had 2 full weeks of rabies shots in my stomach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and those things hurt like crazy! I was bent over for over an hour, in tears and pain, after each shot, then got to go to classes and play happily with the stupid squirrels. Not my favorite since.....until now.
I have 7 birdfeeders and a couple of water fountains on my deck/patio. Surrounded by live oak trees, holly trees, water oaks and maples...and lots of pines. So, lots of squirrels. After acceptance of the inevitable, I enjoy their antics, chasing and eating my tubes of peanuts and sunflower seeds. They are happy to munch on the birdseed not meant for them, but I've learned some tricks of placement, and covering to help keep them focused elsewhere. Added safflower seeds for many other birds, especially Doves, and squirrels don't like! Goody. Helps.
So, we're more of a happy family now, but for the rat's invasion, I've been attacking. Doing better. The deterrent spray may help, not sure yet. Poison is a good thing for them!
Resting today as ferritin levels keep falling. Getting referrals from rheumatology, Mayo, to Endocrinology/Metabolic Bone Disease and Hematology. YEAH! Looks like getting some help with these issues soon....Blessings, all. Elizabeth
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3 ReactionsWow, what pretty and colorful birds! I love the very cute bird feeder as well. It's fun to see the different wildlife that inhabits different areas. Thanks for sharing!
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2 ReactionsHi Elizabeth, I do admit that squirrels and bird feeders can be a challenge. They are quite the determined little gymnasts. I had a bird feeder, but they are not allowed by my HOA so I got rid of it when rats and mice showed up. I miss the birds. I had at least a dozen different kinds showing up as well as ducks.
Since I lost my last dog, I consider the squirrels my pets and I don't have to walk them or clean up after them. Perfect! I don't hand feed the squirrels anymore just because I have a hard time holding a nut with my neuropathy so it's best just to toss them to the squirrels. Also once in awhile there will be a grabby one that likes to hold onto your finger or climb my leg and they have sharp claws like cats. Ouch! One accidentally bit my finger a few years ago because I was trying to film it at the same time I was feeding it and lost track of the squirrel. The video then showed I pulled the nut away just as he was reaching for it so he dove for it and grabbed my finger by accident. Oops.
Lots of animals carry rabies, but my research including the CDC indicated that squirrels (and other small rodents and rabbits) do not carry rabies any more than humans do and no one in the US had ever gotten rabies from a squirrel so no rabies shots necessary. Sorry you went through the shots. I just washed my little bite with soap and water and all was good. Everyone should do their own research, but that was my conclusion and decision.
Hope you feel better soon! I would love to see some bird pics when you get a chance. 🙂
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3 Reactions@californiazebra and all...well, my new friend, you lucked out. I couldn't do any research and the medical world considered squirrels rabies carriers at the time. This was in the 1960s. No Google. No desk tops. No computers or unturned. Docs said shots. I got shots. Think it scarred me for life!I did get over it the last of covid and I gave up pretty much and let myself enjoy their antics. I did some research then to find some solutions that actually might work. Thus, safflower seeds, 2 feeders. Tues of peanuts to keep them nusy and off seeds fir songbirds and woods. I have 3 baffles that do work IF I'm smart where I hand the feeders a d what's nearby...chairs, fountains, birdbaths, pots, etc. Nothing they can't use to jump...I can't use window feeders which I love. They find ways to use softies, molding, whatever to hang or jump. So, tossed them.
My condo building neighbors all know these feeders are my joy and I have little of that in life last 25 years, so they all kindet me keep the.. we're about to rid ourselves of rats, rodent invasion. But, it was caused by poor maintenance and soffit holes not repaired well. I told the world the feeders stay and they agreed. Roof repaired. Holes repaired, traps set and poison out so were moving along.
I will surely send some pictures of my visitors after I wash the windows...then you can enjoy with me. BTW: we have raccoons in our woodlands at back of property and they do carry rabies. Haven't seen them recently...may have moved on.
Enjoy but no more hand feeding....blessings all.
Elizabeth
Added some pics from last years birds. Also, squirrel trees outside windows!!! Cheating....
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2 ReactionsPretty kitty and doves! I love your window view and that tree! Wow!
I was always told squirrels carried rabies, that everything did really so I was concerned before my research. In the late 60s, a kid's pet chinchilla bit me in class and it had to be quarantined for rabies. Now they are on the no rabies list too. Luckily, I didn't go through the horrible shots you did.
My son put a cone on our bird feeder pole to keep squirrels off and that worked well except when they started jumping from a kumquat tree nearby. My garden doesn't have good spots away from trees and bushes. My neighbors understand how important the squirrels are to me. Half love them and feed them and half can't stand them, but no one has officially complained. This is a huge community with the grand poo-bah of controlling HOAs so a bunch of us received threatening notices about too many decorations in the garden. Most everyone does. I try to choose my battles and the squirrels are the most important to me. The HOA recently put out another notice about bird feeders. I would love to have a private backyard to enjoy my critters and birds. Thanks for sharing your pics. Looking forward to more. 🙂
Those of you in Florida have a lot of neat birds. Check out these antigones with babies my aunt from Florida sent today from her walk. So neat!
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4 ReactionsLove the pictures Elizabeth @ess77! I see you have one of my favorite bird feeders that holds the suet nuggets, easy to fill and lots of different kinds of birds like it. And boy does your kitty look content 🤗
Yesterday on my way to the garage to get my lawnmower to finally cut the grass, I saw this tiny baby snapping turtle in the driveway in front of my garage. I picked him up and carried him out to my back yard where there is a culvert and heavy rains that might help him get back to the river on the other side of a hill where I think he came from.
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5 Reactions"Spring has sprung, the grass is rizen, wonder where dem birdies is?"
They're flying around our property! Scrubjays, blue jays, kestrel, crow, woodpeckers [busy tattooing the birch tree!], hawk, dove, quail, robins and starlings. All helping out with the bugs, for which I am thankful. It looks like Mama Bambi may have dropped her babies over in a protected spot near the property line and an old barn, so we are giving that a wide berth. The wild geese have their nests out in the field, and their goslings may have hatched already. The other day a couple of juvenile deer were harassing the nests.
The trees have popped out all new-growth green, the cherry trees with their blooms are leafed out now. We need to get the weed whacker out and trim down the fast-growing undergrowth of weeds. The wild blackberry bushes will be another story, perhaps needing a backhoe.
Ginger
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5 Reactions