Bungee Squirrel Feeder

We got a toy for our squirrels. It is a special bungee cord with a hook at the bottom that you can attach a squirrel food block to. The squirrel jumps at the block of food and goes for a ride. :)

Within just a few minutes of putting it up a squirrel came and tried it. He looked very surprised! It was about to rain, and we needed to get our tools picked up so we went back outside, figuring he would run away. He didn't! He wasn't about to try the strange new toy out while we were there, but he was brave enough to scamper up to the pile of peanuts we had sitting on the boat.

A few moments later a blue jay landed at the peanuts and ate some while we were there. When the blue jay came the squirrel climbed up on top of the shed and flattened himself at the point of the roof with his little front paws hooked over the edge so he could keep an eye on us. It was very, very cute.

With the rain threatening Danny went on with his work of drilling a couple pilot holes for a little wall mounted bird bath we got. It looks so shiny and new... I wish I could hope it would stay that way.

I'm upstairs now, looking out the window. The birds and squirrels have come back, and are inspecting all the new goodies. The squirrel's nose is dirty from nosing around hiding his nuts in the mud. !He just jumped up to the cottage, swang a bit, and jumped back off, landing right in the middle of the old bird bath! He made a huge splash, and is now one very wet squirrel! Lick, lick, lick... at least his nose is cleaner now.

He is wandering over to the bungee feeder...
He's looking at it...
Eating a few seeds off the ground...

A huge flock of Starlings just swooped in and landed in the neighbors's tree. They have spooked him off. I guess I will have to wait until later to see him try the feeder again.

Birds

Saw 8 mourning doves at one time in the back yard.

The goldfinches are back. I hadn't seen them in a couple weeks.

Weeding and Bird List

Pulled lots of weeds in the garden yesterday. Still lots more to go. Most of them are corn and sunflower seeds that have sprouted. Cut the canteloupe back some more. Danny wanted me to post pictures of the vines over running the garden. Here a couple:




Birds observed in the garden today:
(*Represents that I definately saw both male and female.)

*Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
*House Finch
*House Sparrow (26 were in the back yard at the same time)
Mourning Dove
Mocking Bird
Chick-a-Dee
*Cardinal

Also saw:
Cat, Russian Blue
2 Squirrels

Pretty typical. :)

Chipmunk, Chickadees, and Cats

We have a chipmunk again! :) It has been a year or more since we saw one. He seems to be enjoying the bird bath as much as ever. I need to move his rock back so he doesn't have to do pull ups when he wants to get a drink.

We seem to be quite blessed with chick-a-dees all of the sudden. We have seen one on and off through out the summer, but the two we have now have become regulars.

One a sadder note, we seem to have a lovely Russian Blue cat that has discovered the wildlife in our back yard. We have lost at least one bird so far.

Woodpecker

A downy woodpecker has adopted our backyard! He is quite regular now, enjoying the suet and other treats. Today we went to the store to get a new finch sock, and came home with a finch feeder and seed, two special seed blocks (one that attracks woodpeckers), and a double hook type thing to hang things on. The cats seem happy that we have so effectively "paid their cable bill."

Hard at work

I finally tackled the solid mass of iris tubers in the little side patch of garden. It was rough going. The day was blisteringly hot, and the ground was mercilessly hard. The dirt looked so nice when I got done, that I didn't/haven't had the heart to put the irises back in the ground yet. If I do put them in, I think I may try to find a different location so that this area can have a bit of a Sabbath from the over working it has had. It all looks so nice and clean with its new thick coat of hard wood mulch covering it.

In the next few days I really need to work on the other side of the garden where the cantiloupe has completely taken over. It has covered the air conditioner, roses, fence, deck, everything! I have been very remiss in letting it get this out-of-hand, but I plead busy, because I have been trying to get ready for the new school year.