Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Coffee at Steve’s Country #71.
Good morning all! It’s a cool one this morning, 5F (-15C), and it’s windy which makes it feel even colder. But, the sun is shining brightly giving everything such warmth and beauty that even the cold can’t destroy. The coffee is ready and waiting just for you, help yourself and relax for a few minutes. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get out for a few days due to that nasty fall on Monday and it will be awhile yet before I can get back to walking down to the river. And the feeders are not that busy these days, although the blue jays are busier than they have been, carrying away as many peanuts as they possibly can.
The chickadees and redpolls were here earlier but they have disappeared again. They have a new schedule now too, they come early just after it gets daylight, then they are gone for a couple hours and by 9 am they are back again for an hour or so. I’m still trying to get a pic of those hoary redpolls that are with all those common redpolls. They seem to be very shy, when I have my camera anyway. And they always seem to stay on the ground, unlike the common redpolls which come on the feeders all the time. The hoary redpoll is quite white looking compared to the others. Jasper is here right now, but it’s a bit cool to sit around outside and chat with him today, perhaps if he comes later this afternoon.
Now he’s chattering at something, maybe the squirrel from the front yard has come around again. Usually he stays out front, but sometimes he likes to try and sneak in for some peanuts. But he leaves quickly if Jasper is around. Muffin is going wild in here playing with her mouse. She is just flying around, now into the bedroom, onto the window sill, up on my insulator display shelves, across the bridge and into her cave. Her shining eyes are all that is visible as she waits. Wait’s for what I do not know, but she waits, until….she comes flying out down onto my bed and back into the living room and over to her food dish where she devours her breakfast which I had ready for her. I’m learning. Oh well. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Steve’s Bird Of The Day #31.
Hello again! As mentioned yesterday, here is the purple headed variety of the common grackle. Otherwise these two grackles look the same and are always together. They breed from the gulf coast to northern Canada. They are 11 to 13 inches (28 to 34cm) long, but they do have long tails making up a good portion of that length. They like to do something called “anting” where they lay on the ground next to an ant colony and allow the ants to crawl all over them. The ants release formic acid on the bird which helps to repel lice and other insects. Other birds will do this too. The oldest recorded grackle (not in captivity) was 23 years old, so they can live a long time. But their numbers have decreased by about 60% in the last 40 years. Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 