Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Thursday’s Thoughts. #26
Good morning everyone! I hope you are all feeling well today and that you are enjoying this lovely day! It started raining here late yesterday morning and it’s still raining. It hasn’t been a heavy type rain, just a steady rain. We have had about 1 and 1/4 inches (31mm) of rain so far. Not much really, but everything is thoroughly wet anyway. Including the poor birds. The blue jays are a dark blue this morning because of those wet feathers. Some of them really look so completely soaked, it’s a wonder they can still fly so well. I’m spending most of my time this morning chasing the rock doves (pigeons) away from the feeder.
Actually I do this most mornings, but some mornings are worse than others. This is one morning where they just don’t want to give up. They are persistent birds, and I’m persistent too. I admit, they will ultimately win and get the seeds, but I won’t make it easy for them at least. They will get the seeds because when they land on the feeder they are already eating once their feet touch the feeder. It’s remarkable, but it’s true.
And by the time I get to the door to scare them away, they have already eaten quite a few seeds. After a few times doing this, the seeds are gone. But it wasn’t easy for them at least, that’s the best I can do. I could just let them eat, but then they would get the idea they are welcome guests. They are big birds. There are 33 of them. They would eat 100 lbs of sunflower seeds a month, easily. And I would have no other birds. They are actually quite mean, and will deliberately chase other birds away. Speaking of other birds, I only have 1 evening grosbeak this morning. What happened to all the others?
There were more than 60 of those birds up until yesterday. Perhaps the rock doves succeeded in scaring them away. Or maybe they decided to head further south for the winter. That would be bad, because that would mean a tough winter coming up. Having a lot of evening grosbeaks generally means a fairly nice winter, a lack of them means a cold and stormy winter. That’s my own observations over more than 30 years of feeding birds. It works that way every time. Hmm, there’s 3 of them now, but I don’t see any others in the trees.
The trees are now devoid of their leaves. They look barren, cold, lonely. It has it’s own beauty though, but the barrenness is always there, always evident. However, the tangle of branches going in every direction produces an artistic abstract that can’t be beat. This time between the colors of fall and the white covering of winter is usually wet and cold. It’s a time when most people would rather be inside than outside. But it’s a good time to be outside and enjoy a different kind of natural beauty that is all around us. And it’s good to be outside in the fresh air anyway. For the next little while I am going to show some of my favorite photos from the last 3 1/2 years of my photography hobby. I hope you all have a most wonderful Thursday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 
Nicely written Steve.😉😁
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Thanks so much Dusty!😁
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Very Welcome!😁
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we’ve had some good fall weather here, low 60s. I wish that was as cold as it got…
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Yes, that would be so nice!
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Maybe the rock doves have changed their diet ! Do they ever eat other birds ? It has been quiet here…chickadees and blue jays only…sleep well ! 🙂😻😴
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I don’t think they could catch another bird, they aren’t built for that, feet and beaks are too weak. They were a real problem all day today. Have a good night!😁😻🌙😴
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