Coons and Cats and Birds

Last night Mama Coon and her three pretty good sized babies came up to have dinner ( cat food). When I walked to the screen door she growled at me! Um, really!! In the years I have lived here not one coon has ever growled. So, I stood there. She kept growling. I kept standing there. She kept growling. On and on it went for a little while. She wasn't going to leave and neither was I! Finally she walked off growling the whole time. Ha Ha, I won!!!! In the background of the picture you'll see two white dots. Those are the eyes of one her babies.

This afternoon I had to go to town and as I was walking out the door what do I see? A cat with this bird. Geez, not again. Yup, chased the cat away, finally grabbed the bird, put it in a box, into the bathroom and off to town I went.

Came home, checked on the bird, yup, still very much alive. Alright then, time to go back outside. Hmmm, where to turn it loose in case it doesn't fly off and I can catch it again without cats around. Hmmmm. Okay, the backyard it is.


Thankfully as soon as I opened the box all the way out flew the bird. Thank you little bird!


It has been cloudy and kind of rainy. Yay!!!! I'll take this weather over those baking triple digits any day.

Until next time........................

Another Save

Earlier as I was sitting here listing on EBay what do I hear? A critter in distress. Stopped what I was doing, walked outside, located the sound and realized how quickly I can move!
What do you suppose is in the box?

It's a baby wild bird. Well, should say, "was" in the box. I had to argue with two cats who were determined to have this fella for breakfast. As soon as I grabbed one cat who was stalking the bird, the second cat would come around from the other side. One cat got the bird, so grabbed the cat and with a quick shake the cat let go only to have the other cat grab it. So, grab that cat, a few more quick shakes, bird gets away and hides behind a planter. Now there are two cats on either side of the planter wanting the bird. Um, what the heck am I going to do now!

Okay, grab one cat with right hand, use left foot to push the second cat away and swoop in and get the bird with left hand. Haha, I have the bird now kitties!!!!

So, put bird into box into bathroom. Several hours go by, time to check on the bird only to have it fly out of the box! Okee dokee, bird is fine. Bird flies all over the bathroom. Lands a few times, take some pics. Attempt to grab bird without over stressing it.

Bird flies up and over the shower doors and lands in the tub. Then flies into plastic cap. Hmmmm, good time to try to catch bird while it can't fly forward.

Success!!! Sorry picture quality is so poor. Couldn't focus very well.

Now that the baby bird is okay, out we went to a nice tall Oak tree. After a few seconds of realizing it was free, off it flew.

Hen is still improving. Oreo is the same. The haze from the Russia fires is better.

Until next time.....................

Wild Bird and a vent

This morning as I was coming back to the house after feeding, I heard a bird in distress. After a few minutes of searching I found Kirby ( one of the outside cats) holding down a wild bird. Um, nope, not while I see or hear it. So, I picked up the bird, looked for wounds, and tried to set it free. But it didn't fly off. Just layed their in my hand with no attempt to escape. The wings seem to be okay, however I suspect one leg might be broken. Okay, now what to do with the bird. It won't fly away. I can't just put it in a tree and let it fend for itself. Hmmmmm. So, I grabbed a cat carrier, put some pine shavings in it along with a container of water, set the bird inside, took the carrier out to the chicken house and hoped for the best while I went to town.

Well, as soon as I returned from town, out to the chicken house to check on the wild bird. To my surprise the bird is still alive! Eyes wide open, breathing normally, but no weight on the suspected broken leg. So, I will do my best to help heal the bird, then set it free. I really have no idea what to do for the broken leg so thank goodness for the Internet. Hopefully I can find some info.

Little Inger is still sitting on eggs. What is it with her and wanting to sit and raise babies! The other hens could care less.

And now Bonnie is insisting on sitting on eggs. Aw, come on girls. Just how many babies do you think we need around here!

Alright, are you ready for my vent? What is it with customer service anymore. Is there a question on applications that asks if you can be rude to the customer?! And if you check yes, you get the job. As I was grocery shopping this morning there were so many rude, inconsiderate employees at the store. They wouldn't get out of the way of the customers. It was the customers having to veer around them as they stood there talking with another employee. Or if they were coming in the opposite direction of an aisle, it was the customer who moved over to let the employee pass by first. Um, wait a minute. It is the customer who keeps the employee in a job! Make the customer a happy camper and they come back to spend their heard earned money. There are several stores in town I refuse to shop at because of their poor customer service.

I worked customer service for many years. And it didn't matter if I was in a bad mood, or not feeling well, or dealing with a ridiculously ignorant, rude customer, a smile was always on my face, tone of voice nice, being helpful, etc..... So I know what it is like on the other side of the coin. It is not easy dealing with the public. Most are wonderful. There are a few who are jerks. But you still put a friggin smile on your face and play nice! If one chooses to work with the public, then be nice, not a stuck up, non helpful, rude ass!

Yes, customer service is a big thing with me. And no, I am not a demanding customer. All I want is a smile and possibly some small talk at the register without attitude!

Until next time......................................

Wild Bird

Please forgive my talking on the video. I'm not very good at it at all!! The whole tongue tied, not sure what to say, brain fart thing. :)

Yes, the wild bird is now out of the chicken coop which makes Little Inger, Bonnie and the babies at ease.

Update on the ducks. Thanks to a friend ( Kim), she has identified the ducks as Egyptian Geese! So they weren't ducks at all. Oooops! Looks like instead of a Duck Crossing sign, it'll have to be a Goose Crossing sign.

Until next time................................

A Second Chance

This morning as I was giving my chickens some treats I heard a wild bird in distress. And it was very close! I started to do the hunt and search for where the sound was coming from.


Looked under the vehicles. Nope. Looked in the bushes. Nope. Looked around the wood pile. Nope.


I finally traced it to the travel trailer. Looked underneath and sure enough that is where the sound was coming from.


What do I see? One of our outside cats with a bird in his mouth. Little bird was hollering very loud. I yelled at the cat who came running past me and as I was just about to grab the cat with bird in mouth, another one of our cats came dashing in from the other side, hit the cat holding the bird and the hit was hard enough cat number one lost his grip and off flew the bird to the nearest tree.


Thinking that was the end of it, the next thing I see is cat number one climbing the tree at lighting speed to get the bird again. Um, nope, can't have the bird. I start throwing small rocks at cat number one to get him to stop going after the bird.


All the while cat number two is at the bottom of the tree doing that howl/meow/chatter noise cats do.

Finally after the third handful of rocks cat number one gets out of the tree. I suppose he didn't like those pesky flying things buzzing by his head he figured the bird wasn't worth the effort anymore.


As soon as cat number one is out of the tree and back on the ground, up goes cat number two. Geez, really guys! More handfuls of small rocks to get cat number two down. This time it took at least six handfuls of rocks to deter cat number two. Finally he comes down, looks at me, gives me a really dirty look, flicks his tail and saunters off.


The whole time this is going on the little bird is sitting in the same spot. Hasn't moved a muscle.


Do I run back to the house and grab the camera in hopes the bird will still be there or just go on about my business.


Of course I run back to the house, grab the camera, run back to the tree, look for cat number one and two to make sure they aren't around and to see if the bird is still there.


It isn't a very good picture, but sure enough, the little bird was still there! No cats to be seen so took a few pics all the while talking to the bird. As soon as I was done, I stepped back, and watched for a few minutes. The next thing I know the bird flies off.


Bird is to the left of the picture between the 'V' branch.

I know, cats catch birds and eat them. But, if any of my cats catch a bird and it is still alive while I am around, you can bet I am going to take the bird away. Most of the time I win and get the bird.

So, this little bird got a second chance today.

Until next time..............................