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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 7, 2015 21:02:09 GMT -5
Wow, what a history of trial and tribulation, Lue! O.O Does anyone still hold Wendish services anywhere?
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Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 7, 2015 21:46:18 GMT -5
As far as I can tell, not regularly. It'll happen on special Heritage Days.
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 8, 2015 18:07:45 GMT -5
It's sad when a piece of the past becomes history. I'm glad they still hold the services once in a while so people don't forget entirely.
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Post by naturelover on Apr 20, 2015 16:10:05 GMT -5
Interesting story Lue! Wow, the things we learn on our forum!
Thought I'd catch you all up on local bird news. Ruby-throats are here, mostly boys but I've seen a couple of girls too. A pair of cardinals built a nest and had 3 eggs in the shrub right next to our door. I was surprised they would choose such a busy location. Sadly, the 3 eggs lasted about 2 to 4 days and disappeared.  The cardinal pair is still here and he is mate-feeding; I'm sure a new nest will be nearby. This morning 2 rose-breasted grosbeaks came to the feeders: a beautiful male and another who looked like a molting possibly after-first-year male. They may stay a few days to a couple weeks before heading north. The blue jay has started coming regularly for suet as they did last year in the spring. This afternoon a barred owl was calling in our woods behind the house. I love listening to that! Tragically, I lost a female red-bellied WP to a window-strike 2 days ago. Broke my heart; I know she was part of a mated pair, but don't know if they had started on a new family yet. She hit the window on the north side of the house where there are no feeders, but we have so many trees around that reflect in all our windows I'm sure she thought she was headed to a branch.
The juncos are all gone, and all but one or two white-throated sparrows are also gone. The song sparrow left before PFW was over. We still have half a dozen or so pine siskins! A male pine warbler is hanging around; The allaboutbirds website map shows they are here year-round but I've never seen them outside of the PFW season! I'd love for them to stay in the neighborhood! The American coots in the lake are nearly all gone to their northern homes.
In re-reading this it sounds like I'm a rambling idiot. I won't deny it!! Things have been a struggle here for hubby & me lately. I'm hoping life smoothes out soon.
Enjoy your birds everyone!
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 20, 2015 18:48:33 GMT -5
It sounds like the birds have been distracting you from hard times, Marilyn. Mostly bringing little joy to brighten your days, I hope! And I hope things turn around for you soon! We're anxiously awaiting the arrival of the hummers and the grosbeaks, but we have another 2 wks to go before we can reasonably expect them. (Mind you, I never claimed to be reasonable so I'll have all the nectar feeders cleaned and extra BOSS for the grosbeaks long before they arrive!  ) |
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Post by naturelover on Apr 21, 2015 8:18:49 GMT -5
Hazel, we put up nectar feeders here on St. Pat's Day in order to be ready for the little hummers! And as for BOSS for the grosbeaks - whew they can go through that like nobody else can (except siskins!). 
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 21, 2015 10:48:02 GMT -5
Holy catz! Hummers in March!! |
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Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 21, 2015 21:16:35 GMT -5
That's when they arrive here - mid March. Funny thing though, the hummingbirds I had are gone. A couple days before we went to Austin, we moved one of the three feeders. The morning we left I didn't see as many (not that we had bunches) as usual and I haven't seen any since we've been home (a week now). Weird. The juice, bottles and bottoms have been clean. Neighbor also came over and changed juice and rinsed feeders when we were gone, even though we were only gone 5 days.  |
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Post by hazelrunmama on Apr 22, 2015 20:49:19 GMT -5
Well, how weird!! Do you think they've started nesting already and are sticking closer to the nest? If you've got a lot of blooming flowers right now, they may be able to utilize wild sources of nectar closer to home.
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Post by hutchgigi on Apr 23, 2015 22:09:21 GMT -5
Scott's Orioles have returned as of today. No photo today - but here is a photo from last year to remind y'all of their beauty. What a beauty, We don't get them here so I really appreciat the share. Looks like a large goldfinch to me. lol Ginny H. |
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Post by hutchgigi on Apr 23, 2015 22:18:02 GMT -5
Y'all will have to be patient - we'll be gone nearly a week (starting Wed.) for a week. Going to the big city of Austin to see friends and "find" the church bell my ancestors brought from the old country. Turns out it is now at Concordia University that also has acreage in a preserve that has the uncommon Golden-cheeked Warbler.... hmmm, it'd be nice if I could talk my guy and our 84 yr. old friend to let me wander away for a little bit... Here's a quote from Cornell's site "The rare and endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler nests only in the juniper-oak woodlands of central Texas." and here's the link www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-cheeked_Warbler/id |
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Post by Calamity Creek Gal on Apr 24, 2015 22:04:10 GMT -5
Glad you liked the Oriole Ginny. I guess it does look like a big Goldfinch!! |
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The cardinal pair is still here and he is mate-feeding; I'm sure a new nest will be nearby. This morning 2 rose-breasted grosbeaks came to the feeders: a beautiful male and another who looked like a molting possibly after-first-year male. They may stay a few days to a couple weeks before heading north. The blue jay has started coming regularly for suet as they did last year in the spring. This afternoon a barred owl was calling in our woods behind the house. I love listening to that! Tragically, I lost a female red-bellied WP to a window-strike 2 days ago. Broke my heart; I know she was part of a mated pair, but don't know if they had started on a new family yet. She hit the window on the north side of the house where there are no feeders, but we have so many trees around that reflect in all our windows I'm sure she thought she was headed to a branch.
) 
