Monday, October 3, 2011

feeding time- where are the birds?

i'm often first up and the morning chores include feeding the cats and then feeding the birds in our yard. we have all kinds that come visit our feeder (an old coffee table): blue jays, hummingbirds, juncos, morning doves, grackles, chickadees, purple finches, and goldfinches, to name a few.

the cats are usually fussy about eating together so i snapped this pic for kymber just to prove that when there are "in the mood", it's not a problem. the big gray and white is called "barley-mow" or "barrel" for short (on account of his shape and weight - he is fit as a fiddle, but thicker than a woodsman all around, we think he is a bear cub). the tabby is "noodle-head" - noodie-noo, smart, agile and craaaanky!! he is my project manager, when i am building something or working in the yard, he is right there supervising the whole show.



they are cats after all and act real finicky any time they feel like it. kymber spoils them rotten so they take advantage at feeding time and get her to follow them all over the place with the plate of food pretending that if she doesn't get it right, they'll starve. this is ONE of the many guilt trips they heap on her that in my mind, is purely for their own amusement. she also carries them around several times a day - we call that "taxi". whenever they want to be "walked" around the house in a "taxi", she falls for it everytime. daddy isn't the same soft touch, so they behave at breakfast when i'm in charge.

anyway, next step is feeding the birds, after snapping the above pic, i looked out the kitchen window and saw one bird on the feeder - this hawk:



the pic is a little blurry on account of being taken through the kitchen window. it could be a cooper's hawk, but most likely a sharp-shinned hawk which are plentiful in cape breton and apparently love to hang around bird feeders for an easy meal. he wasn't going anywhere:



so i went out the front door to shoo him away - we're not running a buffet here!

of course there is precious little i can do about this:



new species at framboise manner - the broad-assed barrelhawk - , lol!!!!!

10 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I really love those snow pics.

    Mom and Dad have been complaining some about the rise in bird seed prices. What about you two?

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  3. Love the pictures. And I think that I have seen a broad-assed barrel hawk or two here in Golden Colo, at my sister's house. Different coloring though. lol!

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  4. Much to love about the Bras d'Or, but gosh I just flat do not at all in any way envy your winters, LMHO.

    Having said that, here in sunny sweet California, I did get snowed in for two weeks a couple years ago. But in spite of all the snow the temps never even got to freezing. It was all MUD under the snow. HAHAHAHA

    Hugs to you both while giggle a while.

    Winston

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  5. LOL....broad-assed barrelhawk
    Thanks for sharing. :)

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  6. I like the picture with the cat outside in the snow. And i think the ones sitting in the warm home are maybe missing out on all the fun he was having in the snow!. Richard from Amish Stories.

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  7. Matt:

    i haven't noticed a change in bird seed prices here yet, i'll keep an eye out - thanks!

    flier369:

    broad-assed barrelhawks can be found around the world, you are right, colouring varies with the territory!

    Stephen:

    that nice fluffy white stuff is beautiful... until you have to move it ;-)

    Winston:

    winters here are nothing compared to Ottawa which we left.. snow is one thing, freezing cold is another.. the temperatures are really mild here in the winter by comparison.. also, ottawa gets a LOT more snow...

    mind you, i am not so fond of mud either ;-)

    tango:

    glad to put a smile on your face!

    Richard:

    The cat on the left in the top pic IS the broad-assed barrelhawk, i took that pic about a month ago, the bottom two pics are barrel in late january... he doesn't mind the snow, but the tabby (noodle) cant stand the stuff!

    thanks for stopping by everyone!

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  8. I should take a picture of feeding time for the cats at my house. Just a furry, writhing mass.

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  9. Arsenius - ours are usually furry, writhing masses too - i don't know how jambaloney gets them to be so good!

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