topic Re: August Bird's Nest in Community Chat

August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:55:39 GMT

Welcome Birding Friends and Visitors.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, can you believe August is upon us? According to Wikipedia (lol), August is Happiness Happens month, so here are some birds that look like they are having a good time.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:12:54 GMT

This workweek was a real corker and I'm so glad I planned ahead and reserved today as a vacation day. I have a couple of small errands to run and then I'm going to Kmart to browse around and see what speaks to me.

Bird of the Day - Limpkin

Re: August Bird's Nest

Winifred — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:53:25 GMT

Thanks for getting us started for August Bird mama. Ooops, today is my oldest Grand's BD and I did not call or send a card - too much going on in my life and two days ago was my youngest GRand's BD. Oldest is 45 and the youngest turned 39. Cannot believe it - both live in Topeka, Ks but are California born and raised. I sure miss them but they are doing fine.

Yesterday was one of the worst days we have had - just miserable and today more of the same.

Water pipe broke yesterday late afternoon - water Co came out and said they could not attend to it until this afternoon as they had another emergency going. They asked if I would watch it and if it did get worse to call them - it did and I did. Water was going down my driveway and had started up into the carport and I was more than unhappy. They worked on it until 10:30 and had stopped the water before then but needless to say I was sure late getting to sleep. They will be back as they did not do a complete repair - I don't think - they have the cones and etc out there. Lucky for us all there is no one living in the house down back or they would have a bad time getting out and Don's driveway misses it by about 5 feet - I am fine as my driveway is further along the street. This is a dead end street so sometimes we have problems when something goes wrong.

Stay cool everyone!

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:31:40 GMT

Winifred, I am so sorry that you are not getting any relief from the hot weather. I wonder if the excessive heat broke the water pipe? That happens in extreme cold here so I would think the same thing would apply to extreme heat. The last thing you all need in CA is precious water flowing down the drain.

You've had your hands full the past couple of months with the kids and new cats. Don't beat yourself up about the birthdays. Several years ago I forgot one of my relatives birthdays. Mind you, I have only 2 siblings and 2 nieces so it's not like a cast of thousands. Only have three in-laws in AZ too.

I sent a belated card and made up a chart for myself on the computer. I list the month of January and the persons birthday, the month of February and the birthday. I taped this thing on the inside of my kitchen cupboard that I use the most and luckily haven't forgotten one since. I still have cut it kind of close though when sending the cards

Re: August Bird's Nest

possummink — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:32:10 GMT

Hi Birding Friends, Happy 1st day of August. I c and p my last post on the July thread as I posted it late yesterday evening and wasn't sure if it was seen. Hope all is going ok with you.

Hot here, but that's the norm.

Winifred, Stay cool as possible with the awful weather you all are having in CA.

possummink07/31/2014 at 7:47 PM93939 PostsRegistered 9/7/2007Show Me State---MO

Hi Birding Friends. Wow, today is the last day of July. Summer is 2/3 gone and my GDs will be starting back to school in less than 2 weeks. I can't believe how fast this summer has passed me/us by. I know I say that a lot, but it just seems like I get up, do a few things, eat a couple of meals, and it's bedtime already again. Could be getting up in age, as that's where I am.

I just filled the feeder again and of course fed the squirrels. Some of the braver ones come down the trunk of the big oak and will sit and wait for me to toss them a big fat peanut or two. The fork in the tree, about 13 or so feet up, is where I try to toss peanuts, mainly to keep my basketball skills up, and to let the squirrels get some peanuts without making the trip up and down the trunk. The blue jays have learned to go to the fork and get peanuts too. I almost beaned a couple of them a few times. The squirrels don't care if I hit them with a peanut. They'll sit there and eat while I am aiming peanuts at that area. There's one "knot" hole that is where a limb was taken off, and it's like a mini basket. Now and then I get lucky and "make" a basket. I am always trying to do that, but usually settle for the fork of the tree. Talk about having a second 'childhood'. I figure it may help keep the brain cells a bit more active.

Puddles, When are you and Ian coming back to the states this fall? I guess you will miss the walks by the beach when you get back here, but it'll be great to be with your family. Does Ian have relatives in Britain. If that's too personal, please disregard my questions. I am guessing you bring "Dottie" back with you when you come back permanently. I think that's the name of your teapot? ~~~~It's been a while since 'Dottie' was mentioned on the Cafe thread. I searched for red polka-dotted teapots on Pintrest and found quite a few shapes and sizes. Had to Google to find small photos of the ones I found on Pintrest. I do get off on the silly tangents at times, but I do think of that teapot when I see red and white polka dot items.

Birdmama, The Oystercatcher bird you posted a few days back is really a stunning bird to see for real. They are really beautiful birds and it's fun to watch them wading in the shallows. We saw a couple at Clearwater Beach, but saw more of the Black Skimmers actually hunting for their fish.

Winifred, We haven't seen hummingbirds here much either. I only have seen 1 at thefirespike plant or at the pentas. It's been a weird summer for the birds in this area too. Usually we see vultures soaring on the thermals here every day or at least flapping along the roads, this year, days go by and there are none of them around. Don't know where they are going or why.

The same is true of the crows. Most of the time you can see big flocks of them on the wires or in trees near the roads and shopping centers. Lately I've been seeing maybe 3 or 4 at a time, and not very often. Really strange. Same with the hawks. Haven't seen one of them in weeks, and I used to see them a few times a week.

Mousie. Hope the light at the tunnel is getting brighter and bigger as the remodeling job gets closer to being finished. How soon does DD leave for college. My middle GSis going to be 18 next week and is starting college in a few weeks. That'll make it 2 in college for my son's family. DDIL and my GS are flying to CA for a couple days visit so he can see his childhood home, see a couple of teachers, and some friends that have stayed in contact for all these years.(13). He doesn't know about it yet.

Waving to Meuw, Stepping Stone, Hooty, Anika, Sweetpeace, Loves, Luvsbulldogs, and all Birding Friends. Have a lovely evening and a nice 1st day of August!! Oh wow!!!

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 14:17:43 GMT

Bird for the weekend - Great Crested Grebe

Re: August Bird's Nest

sweetpeace — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 19:49:23 GMT

Happy August everyone! I looked out the kitchen window this morning and saw a scene similar to this:

I counted six of them waiting in line to have their turn at the bird bath. They were so cute taking their baths and playing in the water. We haven't had much rain lately so I'm sure the water was a blessing to them.

We've had kind of an odd summer here as it hasn't been as hot as it usually is and the mosquitoes have been almost non-existent. Oh, they're still around but in comparison to the swarms we usually have every summer, the amount this year is miniscule. It's wonderful! I'm contributing the decrease in insects this summer to the exceptionally cold winter we had.

Speaking of birthdays, my one and only sibling's is this week. I only have one brother and one niece to keep up with. And my Mom. I can usually keep up with those.

I hope everyone is doing well. Even though Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, I still have a bunch of chores that need to be done so I'd better get busy.

For Possummink!!

Re: August Bird's Nest

Winifred — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:02:44 GMT

Well guess what - we actually had a drop in temps, somewhat drop in humidity and the best of all - some drops of water. Was just heavenly. Right now we are in the 80s. Could be a lot better but this is heavenly compared to what we have had. Only wish the temps would drop way down and LOTS more rain. Yes indeed.

Well off to TRY and get a twin window fan - intake and exhaust - so far no luck. I think all the fans are sold out everywhere. LOL.

Have a great day everyone.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:21:33 GMT

Bird of the Day - Emerald Toucanet

Re: August Bird's Nest

sweetpeace — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 03:34:28 GMT

Love the beak on the bird of the day. Just beautiful!

August is starting off hot and humid with highs around 90 for the next few days. The rain keeps missing my yard so I had to drag the water hose around this evening and give all the wilted plants and flowers a drink.

I made sure all the bird baths were filled up, too, because the birds depend on this water source and I can't neglect them. Filled up the suet feeders as well since I arrived home this afternoon to see my red-bellied woodpecker clinging to his suet feeder and staring at an empty hole. He didn't look pleased. I think the starlings have been hanging around again lately and when they're around, they demolish the food and the water and my regulars lose out and that's not nice.

Winifred, did you find your fan?

I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Re: August Bird's Nest

possummink — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 05:40:07 GMT

Hi Birding Friends, This is the 3rd attempt to get a post written and actually posted. I started yesterday and ended up going to the Mall to take advantage of the no tax weekend here in FL. Naturally the mall was packed and it took longer to check out at some stores than it did to find what I wanted for the grandkids. Then we went to the late Mass and that kicked me into the late evening timeframe and my DD called.

She called again tonight and said she'd sent me a "sound only'' email. She heard a strange bird and wanted me to see if I could identify it. It was in the little wooded area behind her condo and wow, all the crickets and katydids, love that sound. I did hear the bird and was pretty sure it was an owl, which I told her before hanging up and doing a search. I listened to Long-eared owls, Short eared owls, Barn owls, Boreal owls, and Barred owls to name a few I knew what Screech, Great Horned and Barred owls sounded like, or so I thought with the Barred Owl. It's distinctive common call is unmistakable, but listening to the recording on the Cornell Ornithology site, I heard Barred owl calls that I'd never heard before and the bird in her back woods, was a female Barred owl and the call was a plaintive sound called a "solicitation" call. I told her in a text that it was a big owl, capable of taking a cat, so she better keep her cat, BangBang in at night. He likes to go out at night, but not with this big owl being nearby. Cindy saw the owl fly from one tree to another and said it was really a big bird. So mystery bird call solved.

I went to Fresh Market this late afternoon to pick up some things to send to her and my GDs + brother. They love flash-fried okra which we had never heard of or seen till we went to Fresh Market while they were here. I love that store and the different variety of things that Publix doesn't carry and the bakery department has the best breads, cookies, etc. On the way there, I saw about 50 white ibises in a field, and there were immature ones there too, They are brown and stand out among the "herd" of all while ones. They look like "little white cows" the way they have their bills stuck in the grass. Also saw Sandhill cranes, 4 of them near the road. Such magnificent birds.

Today a hawk, probably a Coopers, or possibly a Sharpshin, got one of the doves near the feeder in the oak tree. I know they have to eat, but doves??' I wish they'ed eat salad. I know I say that a lot, but salad is so civil compared to doves and other birds. Nature does have it's sad and dark side.

Sweetpeace, Thanks for the squirrel graphic. I wish I could video and post a clip of a couple of the squirrels trying to catch the peanuts I try to throw into the fork of the tree. Today, one of them got a peanut and then with the peanut in it's mouth, tried to catch several other peanuts I tossed up at the fork. I hit the squirrel a couple of times and it finally grabbed another peanut and went further up the tree to eat it's "catch". One of them has been around for a couple of years at least. It's got some awful disfiguring scars from possibly being hit by a car, or bitten by some animal. I remember seeing it when the wounds were 'new and 'fresh'. I didn't think the poor thing would survive, but it did and it comes to get it's share of peanuts too.

Winifred, I am glad you had a cool down and got some rain. After I read your post, I saw on the Weather Channel that thunderstorms had hit part of CA and caused a mudslide. I hope you all get some gentler rains and a lot of it, just not all at once. Hope the cool temps stay around for you too.

Waving to all my Birding Friends, Have a lovely Tuesday. Tomorrow, Tuesday, would have been our 53rd Wedding Anniversary, so I will have my usual Chivas and water toast to Charlie.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Puddles — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:37:34 GMT

Hello Birding Friends! I'm so forgetful these days and forgot to help you welcome August. Thank you Bird mama for the new thread.

possummink, we fly to the States on October 8th and although I have so much to do to prepare for a 3-4 month stay, it can't come soon enough for me. I will miss our walks along the beach, but it can't take the place of being "home." Ian has only one cousin left and he does live in England, but he & his wife use to come visit us in the States and I'm sure they will again when we move back. Oh, you better believe I will bring Dottie the teapot back with me when we move back permanently. She has become apart of our family. I love all your photos of polka dot tea pots. I'm going to look for one to bring home to keep Dottie company.

Waving to sweetpeace, Winfired, mousie and all those who post on the Bird's Nest.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:25:50 GMT

Attempt #2

Bird of the Day - Cape Weaver

baby weaver

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:26:26 GMT

Re: August Bird's Nest

mousiegirl — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 16:51:27 GMT

On 8/5/2014 Puddles said:

Hello Birding Friends! I'm so forgetful these days and forgot to help you welcome August. Thank you Bird mama for the new thread.

possummink, we fly to the States on October 8th and although I have so much to do to prepare for a 3-4 month stay, it can't come soon enough for me. I will miss our walks along the beach, but it can't take the place of being "home." Ian has only one cousin left and he does live in England, but he & his wife use to come visit us in the States and I'm sure they will again when we move back. Oh, you better believe I will bring Dottie the teapot back with me when we move back permanently. She has become apart of our family. I love all your photos of polka dot tea pots. I'm going to look for one to bring home to keep Dottie company.

Waving to sweetpeace, Winfired, mousie and all those who post on the Bird's Nest.

Puddles - what a marvelous bird! You are so lucky to have such birds. By the way, I have a cousin named Ian. My Mother's side came from England, and settled quite a bit of Clinton, Ontario, Canada.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Winifred — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 13:55:26 GMT

You just never know - found the fan and I got it in the window just fine. However, haven't needed it yet. LOL. The weather turned quite cool, a storm, rain, you name it - and the nights have been heavenly. Yesterday, however, the heat started back up and I did some sweating but the humidity is very very low - thank goodness. I suspect today the fan will be used. I was getting so frustrated on finding the fan but I did. Got it at Target, where I could have gone in the first place but had wanted an expert to tell me about it at Home Depot - they had NO fans. But I took the fan to Customer Service and told them I wanted to talk to someone who knew something about it and to make sure it would fit. They had no expert but the very gracious young woman in customer service opened the box, took it out, we checked the side extensions which make it fit and she measured, etc so I came home feeling sure it would work - and it did.

Today is a busy day. Davey will be enrolled at the school Tessa goes to - he had tried it once before but did not do the work and this is his last chance. He is smart - just did not do the work and he ditched it so they booted him. This school is called Options and is great for kids who have problems of various kinds. So, it is indeed an option and up to the student to make it work - their choice. Well I think he understands as the regular school does not work well for him either. He is behind in his schooling and he is a big boy and had problems. Now if we can get some weight off him but his parents should deal with that but they really haven't. So Davey has entrance tests and later in the day Tessa has to talk with someone about a program she is suppose to be in, her Mother was not aware of it, where she will actually get a few dollars along the way which go directly to Tessa providing she gets her work done and gets good grades - not sure what that means. But in the end providing she graduates, she will receive a check for $500 - had never heard of this program and only kids at risk can get in it. Hope it works for her. She is doing well so far but has a tendency to do only the minimum amount of work and that will not be sufficient. Time will tell.

Puddles am sure getting things ready to come back stateside for a spell takes some doing. Will you fly back or sail?

Love all the bird pictures - as usual. Sweetpeace, Puddles, Possum, Bird mama, Mousie - hope all have a great day. Meuw, hope things are going well for you and Luvsbulldogs you too. If I missed anyone, chalk it up to old age or something. Several of our regular posters have been missing in action for a spell - hope things are well and we see you back here.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:00:59 GMT

Hello all

Possummink - my 11th wedding anniversary was July 19th. I wished my DH a happy anniversary, even though he's in heaven. I still consider myself married - my husband is just out of town so to speak. Before any of you get scared for me, I am not mentally ill, just sentimental . Today is my DH's 70th birthday (or would be) and I wished him a happy birthday when I woke up this morning.

Puddles - am I correct to assume you were born in the US? Welcome home

Sweetpeace - how is work treating you? Keeping the birds fed and watered is almost a part time job - I know my backyard birds keep me hopping.

Mousiegirl - you have got to be getting close to the finish line on the home renovations front. Has DD left for college already?

Winifred - are both kids staying with you while they are in school? Is getting them going to be difficult (location wise). I'm glad that you found a fan this late in the season. Well, it's late in the season for those things in Michigan. Maybe not so much so in CA.

Meuw4 and luvsbulldogs - I hope summer is treating you well. If I've overlooked anyone, forgive me.

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:05:19 GMT

Bird of the Day - Blue Winged Teal

Re: August Bird's Nest

Bird mama — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:08:17 GMT

Site if making me crazy:

Re: August Bird's Nest

mousiegirl — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:56:46 GMT

Hi everyone! The weather has been cooler the last few days, but no rain even though a promise of 20% chance. The sun is now waking up, and the weather will still be in the eighties, am really becoming tired of it, but as long as the humidity is low, okay.

Possumm - what a wonderful surprise for your GS.

Bird mama - yes, finally, nearing the end, at least of the kitchen project. Last week, my contractors returned to install the appliances. It was a horrible week as every day I was slapped in the face with bad news. First, the warming drawer didn't fit in the wall oven unit. I think I mentioned that the designer I hired to put down on paper the design I dictated, is a nightmare! She has caused one debacle after another along the way. When I bought the drawer, I sent her the specifications. When my drawer didn't fit, I told her she would have to order another cabinet oven unit, which would have cost her. Due to many unpleasant circumstance that I would suffer with, I agreed to buy a different drawer, if she would pay the difference and restocking fee. When I asked her if she were positive that the new drawer would fit, she unwittingly admitted that it would fit because the oven cabinet unit was designed specifically for the new drawer, so she deliberately ignored my drawer specs, and went ahead with different specs out of the blue!

The next day, I was told the dishwasher didn't fit, so part of the new floor underneath had to be ripped out, and a few boards in front, and the top now scrapes against the granite countertop, bad design once again. The floor company is going to prepare extra boards so that when the dishwasher dies, they will have the boards ready so as not to have to pull out whole slats down the line. What a nightmare!

I did get back into the laundry room last Thursday, which was very important, as I didn't want to go searching for a laundromat. That floor was coated in the wrong poly, so now, the exposed areas will be coated once more using the correct poly so it will match the kitchen.

My floor is being coated with poly this week, the last coat to to be applied on Thursday. It took a while, and my asking the previous floor company what brand of poly they used on the family room floor as it matched the rest of the house, and this company could not do it. Once again, I had to tell the so called professionals how to do their job. This seems to be the way it is nowadays. I plan on working in the kitchen this weekend, but can't use the rangetop yet as the fan isn't working, and won't be until the new electric panel is installed in the storeroom, specifically for the kitchen, another big expense I wasn't counting on. He was supposed to be here today at 8:00, but no sign of him. If I didn't have to wait around for the floor guy, I would be out of here. I am getting stir crazy, as there really isn't anything I can do until I can get into the kitchen.

My contractor left on vacation after moving the machines back into the laundry room, so the deck will not be constructed for another two weeks, but at least there is plywood down so we can access the yard.

DD's last work day was Friday, so she is home preparing for college, and hanging with her friends, as she calls it. She leaves on Aug. 21, and classes begin on the 25th.

Since she doesn't have a driver's license yet, we had to go to the DMV to apply for an ID. First, we had to bring a friend of hers and go before a Notary Public as two witnesses had to verify who she is, unbelievable that a birth certificate and school ID aren't enough. Now, it will take three-four weeks for it to arrive, which is two weeks too long, so don't know what the college will say if it hasn't arrived before she gets there, but I expect another hassle. I will have to ship some large boxes of things to arrive when she does, as she can't take everything to the airport.

I have been going through h--l trying to find a kitchen chandelier. There is just nothing in any stores, so went on line. I had to return the first one as it wasn't anything like the picture in color, now am returning the second. I just bought another yesterday, so hopefully, it will work. I never had this trouble years ago when looking for one.

Here's hoping everyone enjoys the week.