[dropcap]D[/dropcap]id you participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count over the holiday weekend? If not, at any time you can start counting birds and submitting your observations to http://ebird.org
A red-tailed hawk landed in our backyard while we were watching on two of the days. You might hear him screaming out as he soars above Mountain City. Red-tailed hawks are probably the most common hawk in North America.
The most abundant and widespread wood warbler in North America is the yellow-rumped warbler. All four days we counted several in our yard. The yellow rump is not always visible. Watch for yellow fore-shoulder patches beside the streaked breast with a distinct eye ring and long thin eyebrow.
We belly-laughed as we watched Eastern bluebirds stuffing their beaks with dog hair hanging in a suet basket, intentionally offered for nests. The male and female grabbed beak full after beak full. She added some of that soft fur (not from KissMe, rather from my mom’s Buddy) to the already complete nest of woven fine grasses, pine needles, and a bit of Ashe juniper (cedar) bark.
“She” did the weaving, I know without seeing. Female bluebirds built the nest. The male usually helps by bringing some nest-building materials. And, he’ll help with feeding nestlings.
It’s time for NestWatch’ing (http://nestwatch.org) now that I have a nest to observe. NestWatch instructs participants to look at the nest about twice a week and enter what’s seen.
Not here, but in The Woodlands, bluebird babies hatched this year on Valentine’s Day. That’s very early.
Oh yes … Valentine’s Day. Longtime readers may wonder, “Did he do it again?” Yes, for the umpteenth year RonTom gave to me the same card he has given since 1978 in the brown manilla envelope it transferred to before 1980. Each year, the “To my Valentine for ….” has the previous year “x’d” out and the current year added. The years go up and down and around, with some years faded beyond legibility.
And, this year, Ron found an absolutely adorable card that pulled my heart chords. It features the face of a red and white dog adorned with Valentine earmuffs that resembles KissMe to the point some friends thought it was KissMe.
KissMe earned brownie points last week by barking nonstop in the dark hallway until I responded with my presence. There, KissMe had cornered a scorpion. KissMe held him at bay while I found one of Ron’s empty medicine bottles saved for “scorpion safe removal”. The bottle goes over the scorpion; a sheet of heavy paper goes between the surface and the bottle’s rim; then, the bottle is turned rightside up and the lid is snapped on. Voila!
KissMe is registered for the Buda Wiener Dog Races, the last Saturday in April. He’s not a racing dog like BoD was. But, it’ll be fun. And, it’s a nice donation to the Buda Lion’s Club.
Ahhhhhhgarita yellow blossoms are in full bloom now. Watch out for bees if you step close for a whiff.
Watch for little details that might make a nice tidbit, please. Email [email protected] (subject: TIDBIT) or phone 512 268 5678. Thanks! Love, Pauline
