Hail to the Geese

Geese. Love em' or hate em', but they are still fun to watch. Every year we get a pair of nesting Canada Geese (and no, it is NOT Canadian Geese, it is Canada Geese), on our pond island that pretty much rule the place. They don't let you walk up to the building in the morning without honking their disapproval of your human presence in their general avian vicinity. And once the goslings hatch and start moving about- watch out! They spend their early mornings up near our door, leaving copious amounts of...doo? poo? What is a polite word for Goose poop? Copious amounts of Goose droppings on our front walk. Last year it was two adults and 5 goslings leaving their processed grass pellets behind. You'd think they'd be more friendly and grateful that we provide a nice 3-acre pond and unlimited grass for their Goose family goings on... Maybe, like cats that leave dead mice on their owners front porches, we get Goose dung as a thank-you?

I Semi-Apologize To March

I bashed March in one of my earlier posts because the weather was so hideous and I get so sick of winter and well...sorry March. Today is much better. But that just goes to show the fickleness of March.

The Tree Swallows are back today. I worry about them because they are insect-eaters and I don't know how they survive this early Spring. I worry especially when we get a cold snap, which we inevitably do before Spring takes hold for good. I guess I know how they survive- not always well. I have opened several nest boxes in the late Spring, usually during my Spring Bluebird Hike (which this year is really late, May 5th) and find dead Tree Swallows in the bottom of the box. A sad sight because you know they went in there to get warm and/or dry and died from temperature or lack of food. Nature's sometimes not so pretty. Today though, it's pretty.

P.S. A Sharpie!!

And I am not talking about the marker. Two minutes ago I posted about the wildlife outside my window. A minute after that, I see movement out my side window, and in glides a Sharp-shinned Hawk. He swooped low over the field and all the backyard birds flew the coop. Sharpies are predators, like all hawks. But one of their favorite foods is not rodents, it's OTHER birds. Talk about being preyish.Poor little backyard birds, having to watch out for your own kind to swoop down and grab you- scary. Not too far from life in the city, huh? :-)

Wildlife Out My Window

I think I mentioned that the view out my window is fabulous. Fabulous might even be a bit weak, spectacular? Not only do I get a perfect view of the hills and the Chemung River Valley, I cannot see one house or car. That, to me, is perfect. Add to that Tanglewood's bird feeders are just outside my window and WOW. Right about this time of day (4:30pm) we get "visitors" at the birdfeeder. Yes, we do have the varied blackbirds and cardinals, the chickadees, titmice, blue jays, but since we are where we are, and since "game" animals somehow "know" they are safe here, we also get deer and pheasant at the feeders. The pheasant has been coming every day for the past week. It's a male and he's really pretty. He's funny too because he's pretty paranoid-looking. He spends a lot of time looking around and crouching down while he's near the building. If he's feeling particularly uneasy, he'll crouch and jog a bit. The deer are wary too, but not as wary as the pheasant. They will stroll up to the feeders, all the while looking up towards the windows- they know that is where the noise they don't like to hear comes from (people). Their ears are perky and their tails are ready to lift if they need to run. Must be kind of nerve-wracking being a prey item? I guess that 's how some humans feel in the big cities though. Somewhat hyper-alert and preyish. That's why I prefer nature.

My Perfect Dog Attracts Burrs

My dog is great. She's an SPCA pooch that absolutely could not be a better animal. A few months ago I saw a dog in the paper from the SPCA, "Lucky". Cute guy, perky ears, good description, great name. So I made my co-worker Emily stop down the hill with me so we could visit Lucky in person. Turns out, I wasn't the only person to ask about Lucky; he was gone. Good for Lucky! But now I was there and so I had to check the other pooches out too. I am always bummed when I go in the kennels because of all those sad eyes and pleading barks. I would take all of them home if I could, but I know myself enough to know that despite my heart wanting to take all of them, I can only handle just one good one. And I need more information than just "sad-eyed stray there for 4 months". I have gotten other dogs from the pound, so I also know enough to ask the volunteers and staff which dogs would be suitable for a family such as mine. We have 5 kids and not much time to train. So puppies and Pit Bulls are out (nothing against Pit Bulls, I know many of them make spectacular pets, just not for us).

The staff pointed in the direction of a shaggy, quiet black dog named Erica. So I took Erica out, and long story short, she was sweet and quiet and walked like a proper young lady on a leash. The next day, after a short discussion with my firefighter about the virtues of having a dog, we brought all the kids in to meet Erica- done deal, she came home with us. After two months, Erica is still wonderful. She is house trained, walks well on the leash and off, doesn't get into the trash, doesn't jump on people or furniture unless you invite her...doesn't even bark much. Maybe a few times since we've had her. I keep thinking there has to be SOMETHING wrong with her.

OK, maybe one something. Burrs. You know, those prickly brown things that some plants make that hitch a ride on furry creatures to help spread their seeds? My dog is a burr magnet. She can walk down a city block and come home with burrs. And they aren't fun to get out. Why does she get so many burrs? Maybe she has some agreement with the plants to help them reproduce? Alright, probably not. Maybe she gets them on purpose so she can roll over on her back and be groomed for hours and inevitably belly-rubbed? More likely. But it's ok, she's worth every burr I've had to tackle.

Spring? I hate March.

I'm BAAACK! The answer is no. I did not see a Spoonbill, at least not in the wild. My firefighter and I went to the Tampa Zoo and there were some there, but that clearly doesn't count. Anyways, I am hoping to post more often from here on out.

OK, so in the Southern Tier of NY, March, in my opinion, is the worst month. We have already had some 4 months of cold/snowy/bleak weather and we get that "promise/tease" of Spring called the Vernal Equinox (which is March 21st this year), but despite that, we can't be sure what it is going to look like when we look out our windows. My kids are perpetually confused as to what to wear to school each morning. Will it be sweatshirts or sweatshirts and hats or winter coats and hats?

The birds are likely equally as confused. Migrants like the Red-winged Blackbird and the American Robin are coming home, yet they are probably hoping for, in their little birdy brains, no snow and warm enough weather to produce the emergence of one of their favorite foods; insects. I think the appearance of these early Spring migrants is the only thing that keeps me from going mad this time of year. I am sick of cold and snow and worrying about making up and down the hills that lead to Tanglewood. As I look out my window now, I see the ground being slowly covered by that white blanket that was so pretty in December. I see the birds frantically fighting over the sunflower in the bird feeders and I see my sanity slipping away... Alright, maybe it's not that bad, but I really look forward to the days when my kids don't have to wear layers that they may or may not have to peel off, and to the days when the seeing the sun means it's actually warm out and the birds eat bugs. Till then...Thanks March.