June 2022 Bird's Nest - Page 25

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@Bird mama wrote:
If I didn't mention it this month I must have mentioned it last month - the drama between a male and female sparrow as it relates to the 2 bird houses that hang off of the soffit of the garage addition.

Okay so we had the newer (2021) white bird house. There was a couple in it and I think it was the same couple who lived in that house year round for a couple of years. Wife died as did the egg behind her. I had to clean the whole house out, crying the entire time. Put some nesting material in there and male wintered over. He really decorated the place this year.

Along comes a female this spring. It looks like they are going to settle in the nicely furnished white house when I see her flying over to the older brown house a few feet away. He visits her in that house and also stays in his white house. Usually by Mother's Day I can hear the faint whisper like chirps of newborn baby sparrows in both houses. Well, Michigan finally had a spring this year (as opposed to jumping from winter to summer) and it was chilly longer. No baby sounds at Mother's Day. Usually the babies are chirping at Mother's Day and I'm watching for them to fledge by Memorial.

Memorial Day comes, I got nothing. So finally on Father's Day (usually the time for the second clutch of sparrows to be hatching) I hear a fain't whisper chirp coming out of the brown house. Thing is I'm not seeing the female go there much and I'm like, oh Lord, am I about to add another sparrow to my flock. I give her time and she's feeding the baby. Get this - so is the male in the white house. Mind you, he's helping feed the baby in the brown house while doing the dance of the seven veils on the patio like he's trying to get another mate.

I noticed today that all that traveling cost one of the babies it's life. There was the remnants of yolk and a broken egg dried out on the patio so at least the baby hadn't started developing. So I have a male technically living in the white house with the female feeding a baby in the brown house. A few minutes ago I saw the female on the stoop (perch) outside of the opening of the white house. She had the male sparrow dangling off her beak like she was trying to choke him out. I banged on the kitchen window and she let him go.

In summary - I have no idea what it going on with that dysfunctional relationship between the adult sparrows. I do have at least one baby in the brown house that is being tended full time by the female sparrow and part time by the male. In 20 years of having bird houses in the this location I have never seen anything like this.

@Bird mama Oh, the drama of nature, nerve wracking at times. I chased two Stellar Jays away from the baby birds under the deck eave by running out to the deck and when they heard the door and my yelling, off they flew.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@hellie jo Wishing you all the best with the surgery, and a quick, smooth recovery.

viva923 · ‎03-12-2010

hello all

Hellie i so hope doctor will get it all and it will be a short hospital stay

Leeny · ‎06-24-2011

@hellie jo

I wish and pray all the very best for you this up coming week. Prayers to help guide your doctor's and the "robot" too. Take gentle care. I wish all our issues get better soon too.

@hellie jo wrote:
I am packing for my hospital stay. I have been getting anxious this past week,so glad it"s finally almost Monday.I will be back to post when I can. The hospital stay will be 4 to 10 days,depending on how things go.The last time I had part of my bowel removed,it did not go so well and I ended up in the ICU.This surgery will be done partly by a robot with the doctor guiding. Things sure have changed.

@possummink Thank you for all the awesome pictures,especially the barn.

Take care all and I hope all of your medical issues get better.

Leeny · ‎06-24-2011

@Bird mama

You sure have a lot of excitement in your Oasis for the wild kingdom But, it is nothing you can't handle. I will say we don't have as many hummers this year as we've had in the past. We have 3 regulars and that is it. They seem to do well for themselves at the feeder though. We seem to be refilling about every 3 days, more often with the heat of course. We do have to spray the shepherd's hook with cooking oil to keep those darn ants out. At least it works.

Well, I got my news today from the specialist in Rochester. I do have osteoporosis. A long with all the other issues I sure didn't want to hear that. The meds that he is encouraging me to take are injections and vitamins, which I have to be super careful with. Who as a young gal years ago thought certain vitamins wouldn't be good for you?? Especially D and Calcium.. too much and those kidney stones of mine will be stirred up and I certainly don't want that!!

They still are highly suggesting back surgery, but not right away of course. My bones are not in the best of shape I guess. It seems to be always and I mean always something to keep a person going crazy.

possummink · ‎03-09-2010

@hellie jo

Hellie Jo, Sending prayers and positive thoughts for your coming surgery. Hoping it will be much easier than your last one and that you'll be out of the hospital, back home, healing and feeling much better and relieved soon as possible. Wonder what that robot looks like, I have heard they are very precise and effective. Cool!!

I know you like barn pictures and I think of you often when I see them while looking at country pictures. I love old barns too, lots of wonderful memories from my childhood and our barn.