Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Apples and Oranges

This morning I put out new oranges and apples. The ones I put out yesterday morning are gone~! The red bellied woodpeckers just love the fresh fruit. Good thing I have a lot of apples and oranges to keep them supplied. I also noticed the downy woodpeckers, the black capped chickadees and of course the robins all found the fruit. It's quite a gathering of birds in my garden.
Today I'm going to move the bird bath. The feeders are right outside my big window in the living room. That way I will be able to see them better up close taking their baths. They sure do use it a lot to wash up everyday.
The beautiful spring songs are getting more stronger everyday.. The Cardinal's and the Orioles are trying to oudo each other in their songs. The poor females should be overwhelmed by all this attention that is given to them this time of year. The grass is getting greener and the temperature's this week being in the 50's should bring out the worms and the bugs.
Those dog gone asian beetles are everywhere in the house now. They are flourishing with the warm weather. Coming out of the woodwork. I wouldn't care so much, but they leave a bright yellow spot on everything. Get out the dust buster~!~! v-v-v-r-r-r-oommmmm~!

Friday, March 18, 2005

Perty-Perty-Perty

The birds are all busy with their musical singing. The males are trying to outdo each other with their body lanuage and their singing. Mr. Cardinal is yelping how pertty he is,, he sings "Perty=Perty=Perty"
Cleaned out the bluebird houses and they were filled with sparrow nests. Lots of pretty feathers~bluejay, pheasants, goldfinches, mourning doves. Sorry sparrow's your not nesting this spring. The bluebirds are here and they are going to have first chance.
I love the spring songs that the birds sing. The geese are back on the pond and they are squaking and honking when another bird comes near their water. Very territorial.
Starlings have learned to hang upside down to get at the suet. They must of lifted weights this year while they were wintering in the south. Usually they can't hang upside down, but this year they are deligent in getting that good home-made suet.
They could of stayed in Florida, that would not of hurt my feelings. The red-wing blackbirds loved it while they were in South Carolina, don't know why they didn't stay. They like to sit on my bluebird houses and not let them make a nest. Do they think they are in the army with those stripes on their wings? I call them sargent birds. They are very bossy ~!
The bird bath is busy with all kinds of activity. It needs refilling every day. Splash, Splash, Splash.

Friday, March 11, 2005

Blue birds are back~!

The bluebirds are back in the area. Well, the male bluebird. He always comes early like the male wren scoping out a home for his sweetheart.
Did you know that you need to have their houses facing East? It protects the nest from storms from the south and the afternoon sun from the west.
If you have pesky House Sparrows that bother the bluebirds visit the website from the North American Society~~ www.nabluesociety.org/sparrow.htm for detailed information on House Sparrow control.
If you get the April 2005 issue of Birders World there is a wonderful article about rolling out the red carpet for bluebirds.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Clean your Micro-Wave

Boom! It’s Clean: An easy (and fun) way to clean your microwave! Fill a paper cup with water and a few tablespoons of baking soda. Nuke it for 30 seconds or so – until the contents explode! The explosion flings cleanser over the microwave’s inside; all you have to do it take a damp paper towel and wipe the cleanser (and any cooked-on grunge) off.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

IT's Spring~!~!

Here in Iowa it's finally Spring~!~! When I go outside the birds are singing their spring lovey dovey songs. Time to get out the baby monitor. Every spring when the birds sing their mating songs to each other I go and get the baby monitor. I put one monitor outside and the other one in my kitchen. It's too cold to sit outside and listen, so this is easier. My cat goes crazy the first few days when I do this. She looks all over the house and tries to find the birds. I love to hear the Cardinal, singing Birdy Birdy Birdy...Then the goldfinches with their lilting sweeeet. The green feathers will be molting off soon and their bright yellow feathers will come forth..
Do you know how you know when Spring has really sprung in Iowa? When you see the first red-winged blackbirds. Sorry Robins you are not the first sign of Spring.
What a relief,,Spring is almost here..