Tuesday, May 29, 2007

New baby update...this time...a woodpecker!

Went to try to find Hairy today...I heard peeping...and it seemed to be coming from the tree where I put his nest! So I went over and round...


I shall name him Copper Top...even tho he don't have his red head yet. But he's a kindred spirit with me. I think I need to get him a White and Nerdy t-shirt.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Mockingbird update...probably the last one.

Heard the peeping outside and went hunting...the mocking bird wasn't in its nest anymore.

After listening, walking around for a bit, triangulating...I found it in our backyard, hiding in our of our plants:


Maybe it was used to me...I don't know...but it let me get very very close to get this nice photo:


Shortly after I took it, it hopped out of the bush, ran under the fence and tried to get away. I chased it into our neighbor's back yard (rather than towards the street...eek!) and I bet it will be able to fly within the next few days. They only are fledglings for a short while...a matter of days...before they take to the air.

Good luck, little one! I'll name you Hairy, since you still had some fuzz on yer head. Best of luck to ya!

Friday, May 25, 2007

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Happy happy, joy joy!

I got my car back from being repaired!
(Hurricane Wilma damage..yeah yeah, I took a long time to get it fixed, so sue me...)

(On second thought, please don't sue me.)

I hate it when this happens...

NOTE TO SELF:
...buy more driveway sealer next time...

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Mockingbird update...

I checked on the nest...from the ground...this morning, before I went to the office. All was quiet...and the wind was still. No parents in site, and I couldn't see if the baby was still in the nest or not. Hmph...guess I'll check when I get home, I thought.

I came home today from work, and as I walked up to the next, I could see one of the parents flying away from it, with the baby peeping loudly, and another one of the parents nearby. So all appears to be well, and they are tending to their baby...

Yay!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Good karma...

...helping out the little ones...

I came home today from an eye doctor's appointment, eyes dilated...when I went into my backyard, squinting, to find a toy one of my kids lost in the grass. As I'm walking along, peering into my neighbors lawn where she had been playing, I see a small dark spot in the grass, and then a tiny yellow mouth open up at me...it was a baby bird that had fallen from it's nest.

I didn't know what type of bird it was, but it was in the sunlight, in the open, and the next dog/cat that wandered by was about to have a nice meal, so I took it inside, put it in a small box, put a sock over it to keep it warm (I had the A/C on inside) and then tried to figure out what I was going to do.




I called my mother, who recommended I call my oldest sister, who apparently had experience in such things. After talking with her, we had a plan of action. While waiting to put the plan of action into motion, I had to wait for my wife to return home to help me. It was during that time that I realized it was a baby mockingbird, and the parents were looking for it. While I was waiting, I put it next to the tree it had apparently fallen from and made sure it was safe.

The plan was to get a small plastic container, poke holes in the bottom to let water drain out, put sticks, leaves, etc. in it, and then screw it in as high on the tree as possible. Then put the baby back up in it and hope for the best. The end result:

The parents never dive-bombed us throughout...thankfully...maybe they sensed what we were doing. I saw them afterwards getting insects from the grass and flying up to where I had placed the container...so I think all should be well.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Friday, May 11, 2007

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

The glow of life...

I live this every day...Doonesbury nailed it...

...my count is probably somewhere around 60...

Monday, May 07, 2007

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Relics...

All of these...
...all alone...

...especially this blue one...

...and the lonely lifeguard chair...