I have a sizable operation going in one corner of the back garden where I feed birds large and small and a collection of squirrels and chipmunks who think it is a normal thing to be fed peanuts every day.
Feel free to make a contribution to my feed operation. The donation button is in the upper right corner.
All donations are gifts. They are not fees for service. You will get nothing in return that you would not get otherwise.
But the act may make you feel good. pl
I came upon a large, female red tail hawk in my backyard today. As I was coming around back, the crows were raising a ruckus. As I passed between the deck and the gazebo, there she sat at the base of some hollies. I’d say she was two feet tall or so. She didn’t take off until I was less than 20 feet away. She flew to a low branch of a crabapple tree. I had a straw broom in my hand and tapped the branch next to her feet before she took off. The crows stayed in contact as she eventually made her way out of my woods.
She was magnificent, but the smaller critters and birds in my backyard are under my protection. The hawks do get a few mourning doves over the Summers. Circle of life.I also set out seeds and suet and throw out a couple of hand fulls of peanuts to the squirrels and crows every morning. I put out apples and carrots at dusk for the deer even though it’s illegal to do so in Virginia during hunting season. Screw dat. Ya can’t hunt behind the houses anyways. I’ve gotten fairly close to a small herd as they feed.
TTG
I have never fed a deer. Just shot a good many when I was a kid and killing things seemed a worthwhile activity. I sometimes have hawks and falcons in the yard. They take a dove or two. Nature’s way. If you remember I had three immature black vultures in the yard this summer for a couple of says. Floor done?
I do enjoy having the wildIife nearby. They are joyful companions. Still have the main entry and the downstairs half bath to do. The hard parts are done. Closets were a bitch. Took yesterday and today to do all the yard work and work different muscle groups. A welcome respite. Going to set the Christmas tree up in the family room-kitchen area this year since the living room is where I stage my cabinets and flooring.
Left a donation on behalf of the hawks.
fred
Went out to feed them. It’s raining a bit. They thank you in their mute unknowing way.
Col.,
In an effort at keeping the peanuts flowing and forseeing another generation of hawks take flight I’ve made a modest donation to the cause.
Just read this and was just about to go over and make a donation, but just then one of the incredibly obnoxious mountain jays that I have been feeding for the last couple years came by and started bitching about the lack of service.
So I toddled out and laid down their peanuts on the concrete in front of the old homestead to shut them up. Usually a couple of the crows come by to take their share of the largess and get the last four or five peanuts.
Squirrels are kinda infrequent. We have some fat and sassy squirrels here and I think that they are too well fed to bother with such plebian fare.
In lieu of your request, I went out and added another handful of peanuts to the stack.
Be well. Thanks for taking care of the east coast cousins
The latest addition to my farm are 6 guinea fowl. They are strange and humorous creatures, unlike chickens they have not been tamed by humans. Among the benefits of keeping them is the fact that they feast on ticks, which is a great benefit if you are concerned about Lyme disease or other tick born ailments.
They make a lot of weird noise, and they do not respect human property boundaries. So if you want to host them, it might be a good idea to get your neighbors’ accord.
They always hang out together, they do not proceed in a straight line, rather it is a shuffle.
I was concerned that my dog would kill them as they are now only about 8 weeks old. But they saw him coming, and flew up to the roof with no problem.
Wife and I were visiting with her Brothers family in Aquia Harbour, Va a few years back and I was shocked one early morning looking in the backyard to see six or so deer feeding. Seems the Brothers wife had always left some food out before going to bed at night. It was beautiful sight to behold. I mentioned to her that where I come from my neighbors would of already had them hung, skinned and filleted at this time of the morning. It was great area for bird watching and nature.
Laying in the hammock at my home I see Chicken Hawks, Vultures, Osprey and the occasional Eagle soar past. It’s much more appreciated as I age as I have more time to dwell of the finer things of life. Enjoy the Day.
Newfoundland should watch storm.I will donate because I like birds.They taught me to whistle a tune or two
For some reason there is no donate button on my web page.
mcCohen
Leftist sabotage.
Do you have a humming bird feeder? Humming birds brains as a percentage of body weight are far larger than other bird’s, and humans too. They will come right up to you and look you in the face, hovering about two feet away. Chipmunks are one of their predators btw.
Stephanie
A hummingbird came and hovered near me to look at me a few days ago.
I’m good for a donation too, as long as you promise to starve out the mourning doves.
Running joke, no matter where I travel , and including my own back yard, there are always those penetrating and monotonous mourning dove whines. What is with the global distribution of this left over dinosaur? Antarctic was the only place I can recall offering mourning dove free solace
Do this in honor of the dodo bird and the gooney bird – otherwise known as the 2020 Democrat ticket.