Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
Let's compare weather!
>
Weather - What's YOUR weather today? (Part ONE - Started Sat., March 14, 2009) (Let's keep this going.)
message 1551:
by
Nina
(new)
May 18, 2015 12:01PM
And today is perfect weather for the last, I hope, of my planting chores. But. a bit of a sad day as my 92 year old very nice neighbor died this morning. As Robert Altman(the director of Mash) once said, "When an old man dies it is sad, but not a tragedy," and that could be said of my neighbor.
reply
|
flag
Sorry to hear that, Nina. I'm glad he was a nice guy & had a good long life.
My condolences on your neighbor's passing, Nina. (The Altman quote is so very true!)
Sorry to hear about your neighbor's passing, Nina. My condolences to all.
Thanks for your caring thoughts. Somehow it helped to plant flowers in my garden and then I bought Finch feed and hope those little yellow darlings pay me a visit. Do any of you have finches at your feeders?
Nina, we used to have lots of lovely goldfinches and also house finches but we don't feed the birds anymore because the birdseed attracts mice.
We have a lot of finches & keep black thistle out for them all year both in the front & back of the house. We have a lot of Gold, House, & Purple finches, although we have trouble telling the last 2 apart most of the time. During the winter, it's hard to tell them from a Pine Siskin, too.
Yes, I too think it's hard to tell the House Finch from the Purple Finch. I don't think we saw many real Purple Finches.One year, to my surprise, I saw a Red Poll on our deck. That was a rare sighting! Once in my lifetime! The bird must have been in the middle of its migration. The red spot on the top of its head is hard to miss. Here's a link to its picture and page: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Co...
Thanks for the bird web link. It was most informative. I put up a finch feeder and one came once and never again so far. This happened about a couple of weeks ago. I keep hoping he'll return.
Interestingly I had never heard of a Pine siskin. Never too old to learn something or too young as the case may be. I was read to a lot as an infant and according to my mother one of my first spoken words was "book."
It must have been exciting to see that Red Poll on your deck. We once lived near an island of weeping willow trees where the blue herrons lived. So exciting to sail past them.
The Red Poll is another one we see a fair amount of. Ditto with Great Blue Herons. In MD, we had a pair that lived on the same stream, but opposite sides of the road - they're solitary birds. Their babies were far tamer than most & we fed one baby snapping turtles one year after I dug up a nest in the gravel pile. We even had a Green Heron by both our house & Mom's. They're a shy bird.We get all excited when we see a Rose Grosbeak, though. They generally only fly through, so we get to see one or two a couple of times a year. I guess it's all what you get used to.
You've seen some wonderful birds!Another fairly rare sighting for me was a Bluebird on our deck. So beautiful! It's the state bird of NY. Once I saw a flock of them in a bush. I was amazed. I often wonder why we don't see more of them. Here's a pic: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...
PS-This reminds me of my poem about a lone swan which flew past our window years ago. My poem and the story behind it is here:https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
I've never seen a flock of bluebirds. I made & put up 2 dozen houses for them around the farm. Most get sparrows despite modifications that sparrows are supposed to dislike, but I do have a few pairs nesting this year plus a couple of pairs of tree swallows.I have a copy of a ornithologist's report from years ago that said if I made the opening in the house a 1" slit along the front at the roof line, sparrows would not use it. Another says a 2" hole in the roof will keep sparrows out. Neither seems to make a difference. Pulling out the nests (the dogs love to eat the eggs or babies) & even killing the female make no difference. Killing any male sparrow that stakes out the box is the only way to clear it. Even so, they'll decide they want a box & will kill the bluebirds to get it.
Joy your poem was picture perfect and the ending was just right. Our writing critique teacher used to say we should go away from reading a poem with an "ah ha," feeling. Yours did that for me.
Jim, I haven't seen bluebirds in the city but we used to have them at the Lake of the Ozarks home. Also, we had green herons on our deck most every morning. You seem to have such a variety of birds so consider yourself lucky. And you are also so knowledgeable about their species. I love to read your comments.
Jim wrote: "... Killing any male sparrow that stakes out the box is the only way to clear it. Even so, they'll decide they want a box & will kill the bluebirds to get it."Oh my goodness! The poor bluebirds! We have a bluebird house in our yard and one year we even had bluebirds use it. However, usually the swallows get there first.
For some reason we don't see many sparrows around that yard. I do see them foraging for scraps at a MacDonald's located about a half hour away.
Nina wrote: "Joy your poem was picture perfect and the ending was just right. Our writing critique teacher used to say we should go away from reading a poem with an "ah ha," feeling. Yours did that for me."Thanks, Jim and Nina. Glad you liked it.
Nina wrote: "Jim, I haven't seen bluebirds in the city but we used to have them at the Lake of the Ozarks home. ..."Nina, your mention of the word "Ozarks" made me curious. I found the following at Wiki:
================================================
[The word] "Ozarks" is believed to be derived as a linguistic corruption of the French abbreviation aux Arcs which is short for "aux Arkansas" ("of/at Arkansas" in English)...
An alternative origin for the name "Ozark" involves the French term "aux arcs". Early French cartographers mapped the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. The large, top most arc or bend in this part of the Arkansas River was referred to as the "aux arcs" — the top or most northern arc in the whole of the lower Arkansas River.
Other possible derivations include aux arcs meaning "[land]of the arches" in reference to the dozens of natural bridges formed by erosion and collapsed caves in the Ozark region.
===============================================
FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozarks
Nina wrote: "... You seem to have such a variety of birds so consider yourself lucky. And you are also so knowledgeable about their species. I love to read your comments. "Nina, bluebirds are supposed to like a lot of space around them, so that probably explains why you don't see them in the city. Their nesting boxes are supposed to be about 6' high & 100' from anything else so I put on 4' or 5' 2x4's that I attach to fence posts.
I've got the oriented in different directions & 3 different designs so that I can see what draws the most bluebirds. They're all about the same size & shape, only the modifications of the 1" horizontal gap & the hole in the top compete with the traditional 1.25" hole for design differences. Since I have 2 dozen spaced around the farm, I get a pretty fair idea of what makes a difference.
From what I can tell, nothing does. I put one box on the edge of the woods & get bluebirds nesting in it every other year or so, contrary to what all the articles say about their habits. The modifications others swear by have never made a lick of difference from what I can tell. I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I don't think I know much. I keep trying, though!
;)
We are lucky in the number & types of birds we have. Of course, we live on a farm which supports their needs well. I laugh when I see articles on hanging out nesting material. We don't need to. We have Speedy! From what I can tell, that furry pony furnishes about half the nesting material for every bird within miles.We have a lot of woodpeckers, too. Downy, hairy, red-breasted, red-headed, & pileated are all here in force. The downies even drink out of the hummingbird feeder. Since the emerald ash borer killed off so many ash trees, their populations have boomed even more. The pileated are supposed need a square mile per pair & we've always had a pair in our woods. Now we have 2 other pairs close by. We don't see them often, but you can't miss their hammering.
We get Birds & Blooms, a wonderful magazine with gorgeous pictures, most sent in by readers. You should check it out. I think they're offering the first year for only $7.
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/
Because we like watching them so much, we have feeders all over the back & front yards. No worries about squirrels or chipmunks with our dogs, either. (Amber got a mouse the other day, too.) Besides feeding in trays & regular feeders, we also feed peanut butter, suet, & other treats. Not to mention there are horses around & the birds love horse poop.
So yes, we have a lot & foster them as best we can. I have several areas in the fields I leave for them so we have meadowlarks & kill deer, too. No ducks since Lily chases them off. We keep binoculars & cameras handy to watch the show. It's far better than the TV.
Jim, you sure have a variety of birds to watch. I think it's a great day when I see a cardinal or two! LOL
Jim, do you have whiporwills? Those I would hear at night at our Lake cottage just before I went to sleep. At our Lake house we owned three lots which made us more acceptable to wild life than one narrow space. We also owned 16 acres across the road from us and so there were skads of deer and wild turkeys and on occasion a mountain lion would show up in the area. We did have problems sometimes with beavers felling trees that blocked our roads out. One of my fondest memories was on an Easter morning when during a somewhat unusual snowstorm there were hundreds of seagulls fying amongst the snowflakes above the lake.
Nina wrote: "Jim, do you have whiporwills? Those I would hear at night at our Lake cottage just before I went to sleep. At our Lake house we owned three lots which made us more acceptable to wild life than one ..."Nina, those a grand memories!
BTW, a friend showed me a recent photo taken by her daughter. It showed a moose crossing the road just south of Ticonderoga on Route 9N. There's a moose on the loose! Very dangerous for drivers!
PS-Here's a LINK where you can hear the sound of a Whip-poor-will:http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wh... (Scroll down and click on the arrow.)
PPS-Where have I heard a famous reference to the Whip-poor-will? I know I've heard it but I can't place it.
Oh, how do I thank you, Joy for sending me the whip por will's song? I haven't heard it for so many years. It was always my good-night song before sleeping. I never hear it in the suburbs.
Weather today cool and drizzlly an set a record for this date; 54 degrees at midnight and didn't get any above that. Furnace back on.
Nina wrote: "Oh, how do I thank you, Joy for sending me the whip por will's song? I haven't heard it for so many years. It was always my good-night song before sleeping. I never hear it in the suburbs."You're welcome, Nina. I was curious to hear it myself!
Nina wrote: "Weather today cool and drizzlly an set a record for this date; 54 degrees at midnight and didn't get any above that. Furnace back on."It was cooler today than the recent warm days we've had. Temps in the 60s. Some days I just don't know how to dress!
Nina wrote: "Jim, do you have whiporwills? Those I would hear at night at our Lake cottage just before I went to sleep. At our Lake house we owned three lots which made us more acceptable to wild life than one ..."We do. Had one last summer in the tree just outside my bedroom window. Got a glimpse of him as I came out the front door to get in my car in the morning, but it was dark. I've never seen one well. Just glimpses in the dark.
It's chilly here, too. We got up to the low 70's, but last night & tonight are down in the upper 40's. I noticed a few rain drops on my way in from the shop right now, but no rain expected.
The best resource I've found for birds in Cornell University's site. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/onlinegu...
You can get all kinds of info on them plus hear their songs & some have videos, too.
Jim wrote: "The best resource I've found for birds in Cornell University's site. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/onlinegu...
You can get all kinds of info on them plus hear their songs & some have videos, too."
Thanks, Jim!
Thanks, Jim. I wish I could identify their songs. do know the cardinal is the last bird in the evening and the first bird in the morning to sing.
The Ohio state Extension Office used to have a CD with 20 bird songs on it for $5. While I've listened to it quite a few times, it doesn't stick in my head. I've used it & the Cornell site to confirm some sightings, but generally learned bird songs by listening to & seeing them about the place. That sticks.
Here's great YouTube about the Cardinal's song and how he sings. Good explanations:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LNe...
Great listening to the cardinal's songs. This website talks about the cardinal's song on returning to spring. Our cardinals stay for the winter.
Nina wrote: "... Our cardinals stay for the winter."You're lucky! :)
Joy, thanks for the link; I enjoyed that video! Here in Virginia, the cardinal is our state bird. A pair of them nest near our house, but I've never been fortunate enough to actually hear them sing.If I understand correctly, cardinals are not migratory birds. But I think the statement in the video is meant to be taken as saying that they don't sing in the dead of winter; they start doing that as spring approaches.
Werner, thanks for the clarification! Virginia is lucky to have such a beautiful state bird!
Joy wrote: "Virginia is lucky to have such a beautiful state bird!" Yes, I truly think they're one of the prettiest bird species in the U.S, at least of those I've actually seen.
As I mentioned earlier my next door neighbor died last Monday and she was ninety four years old. She spoke five languages fluently. She had an interesting life. I just atttended her funeral this morning. She was born in Alexandria, Egypt and her best friend in school turned out to be Queen of Egypt. My neighbor was half French and half Egyptian and her husband was Greek. I will miss her but she lived a long interesting life and was much loved.
Nina wrote: "...she lived a long interesting life and was much loved." That's what we all hope can be truly said of us when we're gone!
Nina wrote: "As I mentioned earlier my next door neighbor died last Monday and she was ninety four years old. She spoke five languages fluently. She had an interesting life. I just atttended her funeral this mo..."Your neighbor certainly had an interesting background! I agree with what Werner said.
We are into air conditioning weather now. I didn't wish for hot weather but it's here. I lived forty years without air conditioning and not bad when you are a child and can run under the sprinklers but not fun at all when I had one child at 105 degrees. Thankfully, the hospital was air conditioned but the only hospital in the city that was. Those were the days that I don't look back on with longing.
We're having a very cool June here. Some days it seems like March! Usually it's much warmer here in June. I hope it warms up soon... but I don't want it to get too warm! (lol)
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
Books mentioned in this topic
The Glassblower (other topics)The Paradise of Glass (other topics)
The American Lady (other topics)
Heavens to Betsy!: And Other Curious Sayings (other topics)
The Green Road (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Louise Penny (other topics)Petra Durst-Benning (other topics)
Anne Enright (other topics)
Anne Tyler (other topics)
Jane Gardam (other topics)
More...
