With the early morning temperatures reaching down to the mid-20’s, daily chores start outside. It’s not like we have a farm, but we do aid the wildbird population by providing water and food stations. The birdbaths are frozen and get a quick dumping of the ice and addition of quarts of warmish water. The hummingbird feeder is brought in and defrosted on top of the heat vent as I change the birds water. Additional food is scattered along the railings for those lazy ones that don’t want to join the feeder mayhem.
Today I snagged two Pine Siskins who were struggling with the low temps. Back on Monday, I brought one inside for a warming (contained in a lidded box). After an hour, it was actively trying to escape, so I released it back onto the feeder. The two today warmed at different rates, one being released after one hour, the second after two. I suspect the longer warmer was probably the same bird from Monday. There will be several more days of cold temps so I’ll probably be bringing in one or two birds tomorrow morning. Bird #2 certainly won’t be surviving much longer.
On Tuesday, Ms MeMe kitty went off for an eye-tuck surgery and dental. She had been experiencing ongoing eye infections for the past several years. Part of the problem sprang from her eyelids turning inward and the lashes rubbing on her eye. The solution was to remove a small part of the lower lid. We have experienced this with a prior dog (our basset hound Chloe) so it wasn’t too surprising of a solution. She continues to feel better daily and fight us like crazy when we have to dose her eyes with goop. When she can’t be monitored, she gets the “cone of shame” with pink trim. The below photo was taken this morning during one of her break times.
And, of course I had to take a shot of Moby. Nothing like sleeping in the morning sunshine!
It is Thanksgiving but we won’t be celebrating with the traditional turkey dinner and family gathering. Instead, we’re doing BBQ’d pork ribs on our own. Should be yummy!
A Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 
When you wrote about the lower 20s I thought Celsius. Then I realised. Bbbrrrrrrrr. I hope the little birds survive. Have a lovely barbecue
Yes, I normally pop in the Celsius reading as well, but laziness prevailed. No birds to warm this morning so they must’ve found a better spot to sleep. Well, at least I can hope for the best! The ribs were very tasty but on the spicy side. Maybe next week I’ll cook a turkey for the heck of it. 😄
We’re thinking of having a goose for Xmas. Remember all those Canada geese in Boise?
I’ve never had goose before. Sounds scrummy! Yes, there were plenty of geese in Idaho. We actually have huge flocks in the field behind our house (hundreds and hundreds) during fall and winter months. This means goose poo on the skylights and cars. I still love seeing them and often go outside to watch the huge flocks come swirling in. 😀
Wow, don’t you hunt them over there? We have to farm them and they’re really expensive. Delicious roasted with apple, and goose fat makes awesome roast potatoes.
Oh, there are plenty of hunters, but it’s not something we personally do. If I were to get one, it would be farm raised. It’s not a fowl we grew up with. Turkey, chicken, and a smattering of duck.
We had wild goose in Iceland, they still hunt a lot of birds there, including ptarmigan and puffin. The folk in Boise seemed surprised when I mentioned eating goose as well. It’s delicious. We eat lots of birds here – pigeon, pheasant, partridge, quail, guinea fowl, goose, duck, chicken, turkey, grouse but never swan. Swans belong to the Queen.
Happy TG Gale! A little late but long lasting for sure. I love seeing your chores and the birds. It’s become really cold here too, we had snow yesterday, which was kind of nice. Sounds like your meal was fun. We are never very traditional and usually a very small gathering, just three of us this year and that’s okay.
Thanks Cathe! Sounds like a good TG for you as well. Enjoy the new snow! I think if I lived in your area I would have heated bird baths. However, they might not work with all the cold weather. No little birds needing help this morning. I suspect the one struggling might not have made it. Winter certainly culls the sick and old.
Have you ever thought of creating a calendar with your beautiful work? Just a thought! 😄
I am intrigued by your bird warming, how do these little birds normally survive without a kind human to gather them up to warm them? Not something we have to do here, though I will put water out on really hot days for the birds to drink and cool down in. Karen
Well, nature certainly makes sure the healthy survive winter and culls the sick and old. I didn’t have to bring anyone inside this morning so I suspect the ill one has perished (fortunately not on my doorstep). I helped prolong it’s life for a few days, but that was it. I could see it had labored breathing and more difficulty responding to threats (like a big hand grabbing it up). I would guess summers in your area certainly weed out the weakest birds.
Nature sure is harsh sometimes.