Quick Update

I have been extremely busy preparing to be completely lazy, but I want to reassure everyone that Marmalade is fine. He must have been recently attacked when I saw him on Thursday morning. He was very lame and shaken, but by evening, he was better, and on Friday he was no longer lame.

With regard to the bluebird nest and the unhatched eggs. They were laid at the end of summer. I consulted Diane, a bird expert at Wild Birds Unlimited, and she told me that the bluebirds that nest here in the summer migrate south when the weather gets cold. The bluebirds we see here in the winter are northern bluebirds that have come south to mid-Missouri. They do not nest here. So, the likelihood is that the eggs were laid by an optimistic pair. I did see both male and female bluebirds on the fence. Then, when they realized the warm weather was only temporary, they flew south. In any event, the eggs were not going to hatch. I put the nest out in the woods, and some little creature ate the eggs, leaving the nest undisturbed! Little creatures need calcium. It’s all an interconnected web of life out there. What a privilege to see these things!

And speaking of things we see – there were some deer in the neighbors’ field as we were driving out on Friday evening. The does hopped through the fence and galloped off into the woods. But there was a young buck with them, and for a while, he could not figure out how to get his head through the fence. I got a couple of poor quality pictures of him. Deer season opened on Saturday, so I hope he survives. I recognize him, having seen him a few times.

There have been many birds at the feeders, with the weather having turned very cold.

A rare picture of Weedy and Nettie sitting together…

That’s all for now.

Be safe, be well. Slava Ukraini! Peace.