For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Good morning everyone on this beautiful spring Monday! The coffee is ready, help yourself, relax and enjoy the birds for a while. There are a lot of birds here this morning once again. While I was out feeding the birds this morning I could hear the loons calling to each other, that is such a nice wilderness sound. I love the calls of the loons and they are such a beautiful bird too, even though just black and white, yet their patterns are bold. And if you can see them up close they have bright red eyes. They are really amazing water loving birds. A true wilderness bird. More juncos have come back now, likely they are the young from last year that come back later than the adults.

Watching them yesterday, and trying to count them, I estimated there were at least 300. I have never seen so many. That means they survived the winter very well and there will be a lot of breeding birds to fill the forests this summer. Most of them spread out north of us but a some remain here as well. I only spotted 8 fox sparrows yesterday, there used to be between 20 and 30 of them, so they have begun their northward journey now. I’m still surprised that no other sparrows have arrived in the last couple of days, this is so late for them. Bert was back yesterday evening. I had just been out feeding the gulls and stood their watching them. When they left I went inside and right after I closed the door Bert came walking up the steps. He had been out there. I don’t like that. I’m now nervous just going out on my deck.

Bert has gone from being a nuisance to being a bit dangerous. He charged me 5 times on Saturday. Once he came up the side of the deck, over the railing and I just made it inside as he landed on the deck. That was too close. The other times he was coming up the steps and I held my ground which caused him to stop, though he was definitely mad. I had to stand my ground since I was too far from the door to run, but each time I moved closer to the door until I could get in fast. Then he came charging onto the deck that last time. He is a young bear trying to establish his territory, and my bird feeders he has claimed as part of that territory. He looks at me as a danger and wants me to leave.

The authorities here won’t do anything because I’m feeding the birds which is attracting him, therefore it’s my fault that he comes. So I might have to stop. That’s a problem since this is spring migration time, the best time of year to get pics of the birds. No bird feeding means no birds which means no pics. I’m not really sure what to do. I take my bear spray out with me whenever I go out to feed the birds, and when I try to get pics. It will stop any bear for 20 to 30 minutes, which gives lots of time to get away. It’s powerful stuff and requires special permissions to carry it with me. I always take it when I go to the river. It’s a beautiful spring morning, smells so fresh out there, might get some showers today. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
It’s a beautiful day, without Bert it will be a fantastical day 🙄 Now he thinks you enemy of his territory, don’t try for fist fight pls, the little bear won’t be able to handle your fury easily. 😹😁. Hope you enjoy the little shower, and looks you are very early today. Have a lovely day 🤗
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Yes, I needed to go shopping🛒🍞🥓🍟🧀🥗🧁🍌🥒🧅🥕🥦🥔 so I did my post early.🌞 I would like to be early every day, but it never works out that way.🙄 Enjoy your evening Simon!😁🤔😀😺
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Happy Shopping Uncle Steve..🤗🤗
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I finished already, but thanks!😁😸
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So let me guess what your shopping would look like 🤔um, bread, potato, carrot, brocoli, bird seed, peanuts and cat food Tuna 😸 did I cover major part 😁☺️
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Yep,😃 except I couldn’t get bird seed, stores can no longer sell it because it’s not an essential item.🙄 Sigh. Oh, it was salmon cat food.😸😻
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Ha ha so close 😁😁 If birds are essential so are the bird foods too 😐 government cannot think like us it seems 🤔 they should be taken to Mars without mask 😹
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Yep, lost out, I can’t buy them anywhere, not even online,🙄 so that means I have to stop feeding birds,😲 which means no pictures.😬📷 That also means nothing to talk about so maybe I should shut my blog down temporarily too. Decisions.🤔😳🙀
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Um, how about you limit that 🤔 sigh, if these birds foods are hard to get what is your alternative plan 🤔 No u don’t have to shut down the blog 🧐 why ?you’ll figure out a way or even if there is no way let’s stay calm 😉😸😁 and watch the nature as it is ☺️
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I was finally able to get some bird seed,😀😺 enough to last 3 weeks anyway,🙄 by then hopefully we will be back to normal.🤔 The store wasn’t really supposed to sell it, but by giving my contact info they agreed.😁😺
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Welcome back Normal Soon ✨💥 let’s hope we all get back to normal ASAP
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Yes, that would be nice alright.😁😺🌞
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Please be careful Steve. It might be advisable to take down the bird feeders.
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Yes, I might have to, but this is the best time I have to get pictures of birds, which I need for my blog. It’s a tough decision. I surely will be careful from now on.
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Please
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All right, all right, but please be careful!
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Yes, I am going to be very careful, that’s for sure. This is the first time I have ever been nervous to go outside, even walking way back in the forest by myself never bothered me.🚶♂️🌲🌳 I hope this nervousness will go away, but I will still be very careful.😬
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Don’t trade your safety for pics. You are much more important and we love you even without pics!
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Thank you so much Rossana! I will certainly try to be safe always. I won’t be taking chances. I hope you have a great day!😀😺☕☕🌞
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Yes it was, thanks. Hope your day is good too😊😸
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Yes, the sun is returning so I should have a nice walk to the river this afternoon!😀😺🌞
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Good!
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😃😸
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Looks like it is time to bring the feeders in for awhile…until Bert and others move on…so sad…thanks for the pics and delicious coffee ! ☕️☕️🤔😮🐻😼😺
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2 years ago my landlord had a bear on her deck in the spring and it found food. Even though it never found food again it kept coming regularly for 3 months. So basically I would have to stop feeding until at least fall or winter. But I need the feeders to attract birds so I can get pics. I will just have to be careful out here and when I walk to the river.😁😳🙀🚶♂️🌲🌳🐻
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Be careful with Bert!!
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I hope he’s careful too!😬😳🐻
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Yeah!!! Bears are so unpredictable!!🤨🤨
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Yeah! Bears are so unpredictable!!😬😬
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Are you being something with me??🙄🙄
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Something?🤔
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I would say smart, but it more like sassy🙄🙄
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Thank you!😃
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You’re Welcome!😛🤣🤣
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😀😛😀😛😀😛😀
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😂😂 You!! 😛😛
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Yep, it’s me!😂😹
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Ya know.. I am so much more relaxed down here.. 😎😁😁
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I have noticed that. I’m like that when I get out of town, just feels like a big weight is lifted.😁
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Yep! Expectations are gone! I can be me!!
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Bro, pictures are one thing but your safety is what is more important! You must be careful Steve!!!!!
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Thanks so much Stu! Yes, I will be careful for sure. Nature photography is the only hobby I have left that I can still do with my health, so giving it up would be hard. 😕🙀📷
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That would be a very tough call to have to make. Maybe Bert will just leave🤔
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I doubt he will leave, not until there is natural food to eat anyway and that could be a while yet. But I may have to stop feeding birds anyway, we’re in a strict lockdown, only essential items can be purchased and bird seed isn’t on the list. Can’t even get it online.🙄
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That’s crazy about the strict lockdown. You want to mail you some?
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I wish you could, but it’s not legal to bring seed across the border, both directions, and that’s anytime, not just pandemic related. Nice thought though.😁
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Well dang!
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😂
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that must have been scary having to stand your ground with Bert… and knowing that he is out there is creepy…
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Yes, I wasn’t sure if he would stop or keep coming, but I had no choice.
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looks like you made the right choice… 🙂
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Kind of scary though.
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really scary!
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I really hope it doesn’t happen again.
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🤞
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