Bad news for the backyard birdies!

I know most people think of doves and think of gentle little beings......so delicate.  I, however, think of doves and immediately think - 'rotten little buggers'!   They are simply pigeons with good PR!   They swarm my backyard feeders and peck my little Chickadees and Titmouses on the head to make them leave.  And they will even intimidate the Cardinals into leaving the feeders.  No love lost here for the rotten little buggers!  But I wouldn't wish harm on the.....just wish a lot of distance from my backyard birdies.

Unfortunately, early last month I looked out of my window on my backyard oasis....here is a picture of my window on the world - I spend most of the week days sitting beside the window on the right....

 

I saw a falcon stoop on one of the brainless little doves.   I have seen it before in my backyard - it is a blur of light, an audible impact and then nothing.  The falcon strikes, grabs, and leaves just that fast.   So ...... is that snow on the ground?  Maybe gray leaves?

 



Nooooo.......

Lots of hiding places for the falcons in my backyard.....They can be up there.....



Or....maybe over there.....

RIP Mr. Dove......

Back to Beading!

 

Well - it's not birds of prey but.......for the Beady Eyed Bunch if they are still watching this blog!

 

I made a necklace to go with the bracelet I posted in July.  The diagonal weave makes a nice necklace with some additional beads for the curve.  I hope I remember how I did this!

Good old Ndebele - a very soothing weave to work on.  Those Zulu ladies knew what they were doing when they developed this one.   With cylinder beads it makes a better bracelet than necklace.   The cylinder beads (aka Delicas) seem to pinch my neck when I have worn the one necklace I made.  But it does make a pretty necklace and a very pretty bracelet!

 

 

Finally, a new weave!  A triangle pendent on a strung beaded necklace.   A smaller version of this weave makes nice triangle earrings as well.

 

 

 

Enough excitement for now - Happy Beading!

 



Raptor Rendezous!

 

Third Annual Raptor Rendezvous

September 7, 2013

Abe Martin Lodge, Brown County State Forest

Nashville Indiana

 

 

Thanks to Patty - we were there!

The dinner was a fund raiser for the Wildlife Rehab Center and featured birds of prey.  The birds in the show have been rescued but, for various reasons, will not be able to return to the wild.  They live at the center now and are featured in educational venues and fund raisers.  The loving care and incredible interaction between the birds and their 'people' was wonderful to watch and worth much more than the price of admission and dinner.

 

It was one of those beautiful Fall afternoons!  Sun, warmth, leaves not quite ready to turn.....Patty and I made our way over to Nashville.

 

 

We had a wonderful trip - had a chance to admire this beautiful part of Southern Indiana, laugh, talk, and catch up on life events. 

 



 

The venue was nicely set up to allow the rehab volunteers to bring the birds to our table, and so I could take pictures!  The best!

 

Big guy.....little tiny Screech Owl!

 

Same big guy but this time with a Great Horned Owl who imprinted on him when it was rescued and is very protective. I definitely wouldn't get between that big bird and her man!

 

 

Peregrine Falcon (I named her Fannie) sharing some private time with her favorite person...there seems to be a lot of communication going on there.

Wheeeeeeeee!!!!

 

Our friend the albino Red-Tailed Hawk

 

 

And yet another.....falcon?

 

This is one little owl that seems pretty happy to be warm, fed, socialized, and safe!  

 

 Fannie Falcon says - thanks for coming and don't forget to support the Wildlife Rehabilitation efforts in Indiana!

  

Gary, Great Horned Owl, will be watching you!

 



 

COMING SOON!

 



Sometimes I fly this way.....sometimes I fly that way!

 

 

The albino Red-Tailed Hawk met himself coming and going but finally found Fannie!

 

 

 

 

 



Gary Great Horned Owl here, and my little buddy, Billy Barred Owl, checking wit youse guys to see if my pal, Fannie, is around.

I'll find her for you, Harry!

Hi there - Have you seen Fannie Falcon? Oh - Wait!  I think I see her over there.  TTYL!

Hi there!  I am Fannie Falcon.   I thought I would drop by to see if anyone is out there.  I will be back with some of my friends.

So far - so good!  I did go back and put up some clearer pictures on yesterday's post.

I know I have pictures on my camera I haven't downloaded but I will save that for another day.   Meanwhile....Spring arrived!

And along with Spring arrives the red-winged blackbird who fearlessly dominates the feeders.....all of the other birds find somewhere else to be when they see his willingness to use that sharp beak!   I used to really like seeing the red-winged black birds arrive....I didn't know they were just bullies with pretty markings.

 

 

I got to open the window and enjoy the view from my office window!

 

 

 

Finally, some beading from the winter....I made a lot of the diagonal weave.  It is a very fast weave and looks very nice.  One lone little Ndebele bracelet from the winter..

 

 





 

So - now I will go look at what is on my camera!   So far so good with the new Blogger....so far...

Testing! 1-2-3....Testing!

It has been almost 6 months ......!    I believe I caught 'blog fatigue' or something.   In that 6 months Blogger has updated and so has Photobucket.  So trying to post a few pictures to see if it even works!

This is my 3rd try:


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I am not sure if this one will come through but I will try!  OK!  there are the Boyz!!  In January!

And Mr Red Bellied Woodpecker....he says his...butt...is cold!

Here is an odd looking fellow that visited this winter!   He was pretty scary - it required an immediate call to Patty to tell her that Aliens or....maybe something prehistoric with very very cold reptile eyes was here.    Apparently this is a Brown Thrasher, however.

 
But - speaking of prehistoric, I read in National Geographic where birds are the only living ancestors of dinosaurs.

 

The winter continued and even the little guys were getting mean.....ganging up on the Cardinal and wouldn't let him on the feeder

Even the little Blue Birds of Happiness weren't happy!  This poor fellow is sliding backwards and not very happy about it.

Well - I am hoping I got some pictures posted and hoping they will still be there tomorrow!  This new process has taken quite a bit of learning this evening.  Maybe more tomorrow.