Snowbirds

Snowbird out in the cold (looking out our living room window)

This afternoon I happened to look out the side window in our living room and I saw about a half a dozen snowbirds picking seeds from our crepe myrtle tree.  

Poor little thing is cold and hungry

Today was another cold and windy day with more snow.  Not a whole lot of snow but enough to coat the landscape in a blanket of white.

My tracks out to the bird baths in our backyard yesterday

Earlier Bill and I went to Milton. I needed to get more bananas and some Neosporin for my wounds caused yesterday by my dermatologist taking biopsies.  Bill also need some medicine, Old Man Stuff.  We didn't tarry too long out in the cold and wind.

I'm so glad I didn't have a chance to cut back this crepe myrtle

Yesterday I saw our resident catbird land on our snow covered back deck, looking a bit bedraggled.  Poor thing, it was probably looking for some water and food.  I don't have a heated birdbath but I ordered one from Amazon.com after seeing the sorry state of my avian friend yesterday.

All puffed up to keep warm - that's the blinds at the top of this photo - he was too cold to care that I took his picture

I love our backyard.  My ongoing project is to make it a bird sanctuary/retreat by planting bushes and trees that provide shelter and food for the birds.  It wasn't my intention to have an animal retreat but I also have resident rabbits.  Bill said he saw one yesterday.  I don't know what the poor thing could find for food, the snow is frozen over everything edible.  

The rabbit lives under yonder shed

This is the first year that I've seen snowbirds.  I was very happy to see them feeding off of the seeds of our crepe myrtle tree.  I'm glad I didn't cut that tree back yet like I did the others we have. Next year I won't cut any of them back until the threat of snow and cold is past.  Now I know why the garden center advised me to cut them back in late February.  

Survival

While others do the Polar Dip and 5k runs for various causes, this is my Causes. Providing a backyard habitat for those creatures that were here long before us and will be here long after us.  That makes me feel good.

Cold in Delaware

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has finally arrived at Casa Tipton y Kelly here in the beautiful coastal plains of southern Delaware!  After the extended cold temps of the winter I began to despair that the warm temps would ever arrive.

Purple Martin house - they can't wait!

Bill cleaned out our Purple Martin house yesterday and before he even got the house all the way up on the pole, three Purple Martins landed on their summer home.  Bill says he hates all the noise that the Purple Martins make but to me, listening to their raucous cacophony is music to my ears.  I especially like seeing them gliding through the sky in circles above their house.  

Bluebird eggs in our bluebird house a few years ago

The robins are here as well as the swallows.  Bill said he saw a bluebird a couple of weeks ago but I haven't seen any.  Their house is here waiting for them.  Until last year the bluebirds usually raised two bunches of bluebirds each summer.  Last year though they had too much competition from the swallows and sparrows.  

Me checking out the new bluebird house a few years ago

I work tonight at the hotel then I have the rest of the week off.  I've already made my reservation for next year's Bloggerpalooza.  Yes folks, I will be staying on the premises.  This way I can have a few drinky poos (prefer martinis and margaritas) without having to worry about driving home.  Also, I can make the rounds of the different hospitality suites.  By the way, Dr. Spo and Someone said they will rent the Captain's Quarters which was worked so well as the hospitality suite last year.  

Cubby and Sassy Bear

You all don't have to make reservations yet but if you plan on coming you should reserve your room by the end of the year.  Also, let me know who wants to go on the Dogfish Brewery Tour.  There is no charge but the tour dates do fill up fast.  And........I have some great new fun plans for next year's get together.  Yes, I can TOP last year's Bloggerpalooza.  Some people can sing, some people can change a tire (I can't do either) and then some people can put together a fun event.  That's what I do folks.  And I love it!

Never know what surprises await at the Bloggerpalooza - the "Blue Thingie"

Have a great day!

Your host at the Inn

How Birds Beat the Heat

This is how the birds beat the heat in my backyard.  I took this video with my iPhone this morning from my bedroom window right after I got up (even before I shaved)!  I had to be VERY careful not to spook the birds with movement at my bedroom window while taking this video.  Their eyesight is very good.

This is what gives me GREAT pleasure, providing a backyard sanctuary for wildlife.  This unusually hot weather also affect our critter friends as much if not more than it does us.  Birds cannot sweat thus when the weather is this hot, they literally open their beaks and pant.  I am so thankful that I can provide some respite and even save some of our feathered friends.  Lord knows they have helped me this year because I don't have ANY Japanese beetles chewing away at my knockout rose bushes or even the crepe myrtle trees, both of which you see are right outside my bedroom window.

Excuse me now while I go out and change the water again in the three birdbaths and five saucers that I have out in my planter oval.  I think the birds understand what I'm doing for them because they're in those birdbaths before I even make it back into the house.

Terrorists

The European Starling - "The Terrorist"

Last year it was the House Sparrow who was terrorizing my Purple Martin house.  This year it is the European Starling.

Sometimes I wonder if it is even worth it to put up a Purple Martin house.  Every spring it is a battle between the non native North American birds like the European Starling and the House Sparrow and the native species of birds like the Eastern Bluebird, House Swallow, and Purple Martin as to who will occupy the birdhouses I have placed in our backyard.

Already this year one very aggressive starling has killed one of the Purple Martins who was trying to guard the Purple Martin House.  I've already torn our three starling nests with a total of nine eggs.  I took a picture of the dead Purple Martin (at the base of the bird house) and the starling eggs but I decided not to post them on this blog posting.  I don't want to be too gruesome with my blog postings, this subject is gruesome enough.

Frank "The Birdman"  - the man who installs and maintains my Purple Martin House

Frank the Birdman, the man who put up my Purple Martin house, suggested that I get a gun and shoot the starlings.  Oh sure, that's a nice activity in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood here, me shooting a 22 to kill starlings.  Oh don't get me wrong, I have no compunction about killing these orange beaked, black terrorists but I doubt if I would endear myself to my neighbors in this heretofore quiet neighborhood shooting a 22 caliber rifle every day, killing birds.  Oh yeah, my father's hillbilly genes would come out in me than.  He shot birds all the time on his property. In fact he had a gun at the ready, which upset me every time I visited him.  Funny thing about all his guns, I think they're still in his gun rack.  None of this three sons desired or took them after he died in August of 2000 even though my Mother said "They're now yours."  She also said each of us could have one of the stuffed deer heads in his knotty pine paneled living room. Those deer heads are still in that living room, staring glassy eyed (literally) at the opposite wall.  He also has a stuffed owl.  Nice touch.

My father Isaac in his garden 1962 - he fought a lifelong battle with non-native birds in his garden - the birds usually won

Anyway, back to my current problem with the starlings who are terrorizing my Purple Martins.  Any suggestions short of tearing out their nests each time they build one?

My ladder at the Purple Martin house a short time ago after I cleaned out yet another starling nest

Bird Migration in Southern Delaware

Southern coastal Delaware, where I live, is a major bird fly way.  Last week as I took my evening walk in the Oyster Rocks development behind me I took this short video of a flock of brown birds trying to rustle up an afternoon meal before settling in trees for the evening roost.  Look closely, they're hard to see.  Hundreds of small brown birds swirling around the vacant lawns of my neighbors in Oyster Rocks.

This is one of the many reasons why I like living in the Big Sky country of coastal Delaware.  Earlier today Bill and I were making our rounds (Walmart, thrift stores), the cold February skies above us were filled with the chatter of the Arctic Snow Geese discussing their impending departure for points North.

When we lived in the crowded suburban sprawl of southeastern Pennsylvania, we rarely if ever witnessed these centuries old seasonal activities of nature.

Just another reason I love living where I live, southern Delaware.

Starling Surpise

My Purple Martin House this morning - after

A few days ago we discovered that there was a starling nest in our Purple Martin house.  How we discovered this fact was that Bill happened to be looking at the Purple Martin house through his binoculars and noticed that some big baby birds were having trouble getting out of the narrow opening that is in our Purple Martin house  Those narrow openings are there for a reason...to keep out big birds like starlings!

After the baby starlings flew the coop - I check the damage

The last couple of years we've had a Sparrow Problem with those aggressive, killer, non-native birds nesting in our Purple Martin house.  I lost count of the number of time I tore out their nests and threw their brown speckled eggs in the adjoining cornfield.  Oh I know, I know.  How could I be so cruel?  I didn't always used to be this way but after a few dead blue birds and swallows, my view of the "cute" sparrow changed.  This year we didn't have any problem with the sparrows.  Apparently the world got out in Sparrow Land that they weren't welcomed here.

I begin the clean out - what a mess!

So this year I thought we were all find and dandy in our backyard habitat with one nesting of baby bluebirds already raised and out in the world.  The bluebirds have second set of blue bluebird  in another bluebird house, the swallows having taken over the original bluebird house.

Oh yeah, I'm loving this!

We have seen many new Purple Martins leave their apartment nest in the Purple Martin house but Bill's sighting a few days ago caused him some concern.  When we did determine that it was indeed starlings in the nest we were wondering how they were going to get out of that small opening.  The past couple of days it seemed like they were stuck.

So we decided this morning to lower the Purple Martin house and see what was going on.  Oh don't worry, I wasn't going to destroy the young starlings.  Once the birds hatch (sparrows included), I leave them alone.  I don't kill live birds although that's probably what I should do.  I'm not that hard...yet.

We thought the young starlings were to big to get through the opening.  I decided to open the front of the apartment and see if that was the problem.  Well, much to my surprise when I opened the apartment there were FIVE BABY STARLINGS!  They were crouched in the back of the apartment, on top of one another, terrified.  I looked at them and they looked at me.  Then one....two.....three....and four flew out of the apartment and into the open air.  There was one baby starling left.  He/she eyed me then decided to also get the hell out of there before this monster (that would be me) decided to DO SOMETHING.

Five baby starlings in that little apartment.  And what a mess they made of it.  Man oh man, did it stink. That little metal cubby hole was full of straw and bird shit.  I got my handy trowel out and started to scoop out this delightful debris.  WHAT A MESS!  Bill said I was grunting non-stop.  I guess!

While I had the Purple Martin house down I decided to check the other apartments to make sure there were no dead baby birds.  In previous years I have found baby birds that were killed by intruders like the starlings or sparrows attempting to build their nests.

What I found was two apartment with eggs in them.  Two more apartments with young Purple Martins.  And I might add, all the apartments were very neat.  It's interesting but both the starlings and sparrows have very messy nests.  Very messy.  Unlike the Purple Martins, bluebirds and swallows who have very neat nests.  And you know that me, with my anal personality, appreciates a neat apartment.

The Purple Martin house has six apartments.  If you were keeping count, you'll notice that I've accounted for five of those apartments.  I checked the six apartment on the other side of the Purple Martin house.  Uh huh, you guessed it...starlings!  Oh well, they're born and my rule is once they're hatched they become U.S. citizens.   That's the rule in my backyard.

All is well again in Purple Martin House Land  - they all returned home

The Birds of My Backyard

Mama swallow guarding her young yesterday, in my backyard

After breakfast this morning I joined Bill on the back deck to enjoy the early morning breeze and watch the backyard bird activity.  This year we didn't have a problem with the sparrows invading the bluebird house like we did last year.  The bluebirds have already raised one batch of baby bluebirds and are working on the second batch now.  The swallows just hatched their batch (see the above picture "Mom" warning me away from her nestlings).

In previous years I've also had a problem with the sparrows invading the Purple Martin house.  I was very pleased to see that I didn't have that problem this year.  I lost count of the amount of sparrow's nest that I tore out of the Purple Martin house and the number of brown speckled sparrow eggs I tossed into threw into the adjoining cornfield.  I hated to do that but I had no choice.  I draw the line at destroying baby sparrows though.  Once they're hatched, they're free.  I leave them alone.

So I thought I was getting off free this year without the invasion of non-native species of birds.  Ha!  Bill hands me his binoculars and says "Take a look", pointing to the Purple Martin house.  And what did I see? A mama starling feeding her young!  I couldn't believe it.  Starlings are too big to get into the Purple Martin house slots.  This one got in.  Incredible.  Well, there's nothing I can do about it now.  They look like they're about to come out.  I'll check the apartment after they leave.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are dead Purple Martin babies in there.  That's what starlings do you know, they kill the other birds then lay their eggs on top of them.  Same with the sparrows.  I've seen it first hand.

Starlings and sparrows are non-native species of birds that will be discouraged from nesting in my backyard.  It's a constant challenge.  I thought I got away free this year, apparently not.  Well, at least the bluebirds were able to lay two batches of eggs this year, unlike last year when the battle with the sparrows prevented that from happening.

I look at the life in my backyard as a microism of life in general.  Things appear to be going smooth until someone else comes in and takes over, destroying all in its path.  There won't be anymore starlings in that Purple Martin house, I'll see to that.

What It's All About

Swallow eggs in the bluebird house this morning -swallows always put feathers in their nest to "soften the blow"

This is what summer is all about for me.  This is a picture of four swallow eggs that the beautiful, iridescent swallow birds laid in the bluebird box in my backyard.  Normally the bluebirds raise two batches of young bluebirds in this box, but after the first batch left, the swallows quickly took over the box.  I let them.  Last year we had all kinds of trouble with aggressive sparrows which resulted in one swallow being killed and the next being abandoned.  Thankfully, this year the sparrows haven't tried to take over my backyard (including the Purple Martin House) like they did last year.

I'm very happy with my backyard this year.  I just finished filling a couple of vacant spots with some giant Asiatic lilies.  I think I'm set this year.  Now to set back and enjoy the summer.

This is what it is all about folks.  I worked hard a long time to arrive at this point in my life that I can do these little things to help nature.  This gives me a great deal of satisfaction to do my part.

I'm off to Washington D.C. tomorrow.  Hopefully it won't be too hot and humid.  I'm looking forward to taking a lot of pictures.  Sunday I hit the boardwalk in Rehoboth.  Monday my longtime friend Larry and his wife Lois are coming down and we're getting our picture taken at Olde Time Photo.  We're trying to talk her into posing as a dance hall queen.  My friend Lar and I will be the Old Grizzled Cowpokes.  We're never too old for that kind of fun.  I'm loving this retirement!

Have a great weekend.

Last of the Purple Martins

Purple Martin sentries this evening

The Purple Martins are raising their last batch of young and will leave their birdhouse in my backyard in a few weeks.  It always seems like they leave to early but I guess this is necessary for their long trek to their winter home.

I was successful in keeping the sparrows out of my backyard habitat this year.  None raised their young in my backyard.  However, quite a few were raised in my neighbor's backyard.  He doesn't discourage them like I do.

This was the first year in two years that I didn't have any bluebirds raise their young in my backyard.  There was one sparrow who was particularly aggressive.  He killed two swallows who attempted to build nest.  This was the same sparrow who probably discouraged the bluebirds from building their nest in the same bluebird house that they used for the past two years.

A few weeks ago a bluebird pair laid three eggs (they usually lay four eggs) but then they abandoned their nest.  Bill and I think the resident backyard catbird did the discouraging this time.  Lots of turf battles this summer in our little backyard habitat.

Summers wouldn't be complete without all the activity around the Purple Martin house and this summer was no exception.  The Purple Martins are always squawking, getting things sorted out.  Whenever I walked out to the back shed some of them with dive bomb me just as a warning to stay away from their house and young nestlings.  I think they know I won't  bother them but they give me the warning anyway.

Many nights during the evening in summer, before the sun goes down, Bill and I sit out on the back decks and watch the young Purple Martins practice flying.  I can't think of much that is more pleasing than to see these young Purple Martins doing their aerial acrobats and then landing back on the birdhouse where they were born.  They know instinctively that they have to learn to fly for the long flight that they will soon have to make before winter sets in here on the Delmarva peninsula.

View from the bonus room towards the back yard 

Then there comes the day that they are gone.  They all go in the same day.  No lingering.  The silence is so sad.  The only thing Bill and I will hear is the wind and the traffic on Route 1.  Sometimes the catbird hangs around but usually all is quiet in our little backyard habitat once August arrives.

I hear the thunder outside now and I write this.  Now I hear the rain pelting the side of the house.

It's late.  Time prepare myself for bed and put another day to rest as the gentle thunderstorm rolls in.

End of the day July 19 2010 where I live on the Delmarva peninsula