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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 |
How do posts disappear? I had 7, now I have 5! At this rate, I'll be a "stranger" forever! :0{
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
 You can have my title for free, it's me who'll be the stranger forever. Anyway it's not the count that counts, it's the conversation. I miss part of a conversation with you about blackbirds and buntings. So now I'll go feed the blackbird couple that settled in my backyard and became very tame. Breadcrumbs for a song.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
How do posts disappear? I had 7, now I have 5! At this rate, I'll be a "stranger" forever! :0{ there was (apparently) a problem with the forum database, and wordsmith (that's Anu) had to revert to a backup which was a couple of days old, so some posts were lost.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Our backyard feeder is plagued by squirrels. It wouldn't be so bad but they're such hogs. They'll knock the top off the feeder and eat it out from the top. I started putting chili pepper flakes in the mix on the theory that it would bug the squirrels but not the birds but they seem to be Mexican squirrels. I started swearing and hurly imprecations at them in Spanish, calling them mojados and things far worse to only slight effect. Yesterday, while I was off at work, the lovely AnnaS watched while a blue jay came down to feed off the scatterings on the ground and the squirrels split. Must be the jay works for la Migra.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 120
member
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member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 120 |
Decoying the squirrels away from a bird feeder with a post-mounted corn cob feeder is effective as well, reducing the need to hurl imprecations.
I have a hummingbird feeder in my back yard, and my poor old hound dog could never decide if they were permitted to feed or not. Any sort of game bird and he knew his role, but feisty little things that zipped and zoomed befuddled him. He'd watch them come feed, sneak up, and jump up to see what they were doing, with the end result of hummingbirds yelling swear words at him.
tempus edax rerum
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
Hummingbirds are fed on sugared water, Maven?
When I was in Ca. last september I got up making a sudden turn while picking some tomatoes and stared a hummingbird right in the miniature face. It was too close to free itself out of its stationary position. I guess for seven seconds the both of us were frozen. Then I moved and it took off.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 120
member
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member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 120 |
Yes, sugar water dyed red to attract attention. They also feed happily on a variety of flowers, including snapdragons, daisies, mums, and pansies. My husband and I have both had those face-to-beak encounters, and they can be quite the surprise! I watched as one inspected my husband, almost going so far as to poke into one ear. Refilling the feeder is sometimes a nervy proposition, particularly if there are multiple wooing males in the area.
I have some nice shots of them feeding, I'll link to them later if anyone is interested.
Last edited by Maven; 03/07/08 03:36 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I would love to see your shots of hummingbirds.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
You'd think being so small would make them shy but they're fiesty little things.
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