Goin' back a ways...

I have nada to post about, but still feel the need.
I was looking at photos from two years ago, and found some oldies but goodies.


Junior:


If you are relatively new to the blog, here's Junior's story.
About this time two years ago, he was sitting in a nice warm mew with free meals, awaiting his transfer to a nature center in Illinois.

That little head tilt just makes me melt. I was hiding behind the door as I took photos, in case he wanted to mate with my head again.



About two years ago, I went to my first OOS Owl Symposium:
(One of my Sunday Sketches...I so need to start doing those again. They made me giggle.)


And....sigh.
Boomer.

Off to his foster home, and onward to a forever home with another Boston, two kids and no cats.

The first foster home was completely useless, but the second time was the charm. Have you ever heard of a dog rescue returning your dog to you three months later???
I still miss him. The girls still talk about him. And Geoff says that Boomer was his favorite (we won't tell Nellie and Hooper).

I don't want to leave anyone depressed so how about an ending about food?

As most of you are aware, birds of prey eat meat. Bird of prey rehab centers need to supply that meat to their birds. A LOT of meat.

This was two years ago...during the quarterly "Rodent Run" (a fun video at that link...you have to have a warped sense of humor to deal with all this stuff), we were pleased (and a little horrified) at the size of some of the rats.
Some of them were approaching 2 pounds. They wouldn't fit in the bags.
So Marc had a good idea.....
Cut off the tails so the rats will fit.



(The birds don't eat the tails anyway....)
: - )

Bring it, Spring!!!!

Word of the Day:

trepidation \trep-uh-DAY-shuhn\, noun:
1. [Archaic] An involuntary trembling; quaking; quivering.
2. A state of dread or alarm; nervous agitation; apprehension; fright.

The weather is really doing all of us a lot of good. The girls have been stuck in the house for months, only able to go outside for brief moments. And I have been a basket case.
It is looking to be 76 degrees tomorrow!
I had two programs at a preschool today, and after dropping off the birds, I spent time frolicking with the girls in the backyard. I needed my kids around me...after presenting to a roomful of preschoolers, I can appreciate my girls' bird knowledge even more. Three and four-year olds just can't be expected to sit still, or know the difference between a question and a story. But they were cute, and they like the birds I brought.
Onto the yard:


Isabelle found the ONE dandelion in the yard. And gave it to me.

I was poking around the dutchman's pipe I planted last year, and found a crayfish claw. There's a creek across the road from us, and I guess the raccoons have been getting their food to go.


Isabelle was thrilled when I found a slug, her favorite animal.

We admired him for a minute, then tucked him back under the dutchman's pipe.

The gourd is cleaned and hung and awaiting the tree swallows who graced our yard last year.
They arrived around April 30 last year, but I am hoping that they come back sooner this year, knowing that they have a home waiting for them.

Now, some RAPTOR pics:

There are three juvenile red-tailed hawks recouperating in one of the mews. I tried to get a picture of them all lined up staring at me, but as soon as you stick your head in the door, they get nervous and jump around. So I made it quick, because stress isn't good for a bird on the mend.



Here's a good shot of what a juvenile RT tail looks like. In a year or so, red feathers will appear and the streaks will dwindle down to one single stripe across the bottom of the tail.



Here's our Junior.
Look at that relaxed foot. He was right on the other side of the door when I came in, so I just talked to him and he gave me a nice serenade of hoots and chittering. Cute little bugger.

Click To Play

Birds caught: Check. Car packed: Check.

Word of the Day:

malodorous \mal-OH-duhr-uhs\, adjective:
Having a bad odor.

I am all set for the Owl Symposium tomorrow morning.
The owls are all comfy in their carriers. Geoff and the girls are spending the night in Swami's Guest Yurt. I have a nice, quiet house in which to sleep tonight. Ahhh.
A few pics from today:

A skunk noodling around a yard near Stonelick Lake. I guess it just came from hibernation and was super hungry, because it didn't care that I was sitting there taking pictures of it. I even cleared my throat a few times, to get it to turn and look at me, but nada.

A red-tailed hawk hanging out near the highway. Look at the tiny twig it's standing on!

This speck is a red-shouldered hawk who was soaring with its mate over Stonelick Lake.

And finally, here's Junior, in his mew. It's weird to see him sitting inside a building. He is gaining weight and awaiting a new home as an education bird.
I was standing half behind the door when I took this, because I didn't know if he would try to fly to me, and he did the cutest little head tilt, trying to see me.

At least he is warm and well-fed.

Stay tuned tomorrow for my pictures and stories from the Owl Symposium. We are going to have such a blast.