http://spacebar.blogsome.com whatever comes to mind Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:28:07 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Boston Globe’s Big Picture. The BBC. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2011/03/11/japan-quake-stills-and-video/ A good explanation of Facebook’s Places feature with a link on how to disable it. Via Slate. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/08/20/if-you-dont-want-everyone-to-know-where-you-are/ Each year we get a few tiger swallowtails. They glide over the ivy, and if I get lucky, they land. It was very breezy this afternoon, and this one managed to cling to leaves despite being buffeted about. I don’t know how they do it. The ones that stick around ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/08/04/a-summer-resident/ A pair has been around the yard for a few months. Still very shy, they head for the hills the second they see me move toward the door. This afternoon I was distracted by the beef stew simmering on the stove, and headed out for something in the garage. To ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/26/the-doves-2/ Do I turn off the laptop when cleaning the keys? No. Do you? Sometimes odd things happen on the desktop as I do this, but nothing particularly dramatic. This morning, I seem to have hit a happy combination of keys. The CD that has been stuck for a year or ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/12/a-happy-accident-with-the-keyboard/ A few days ago, there was a new frantic sound, the rapid buzzing of a hungry fledgling on the ground. It was big. Alongside the parent junco, it looked enormous. My first thought was, this can’t be a junco. Maybe it was a hybrid. A quick check proved me wrong. Till ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/09/another-baby/ Those dang squirrels. Those dang crows. Via Zooillogix. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/07/animal-behavior/ If you look a little more closely at the second photo in the preceding post, you’ll see that the raccoon is a lactating mom. It did not move erratically or otherwise seem sick. Most likely, it is out looking for food at a time when most of its ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/07/most-probably-not-rabid/ There I was, minding my own business after a fine lunch that included a protein and not one but two veggies. My usual bird friends were fairly calm, and the only discordant note was a bluejay that kept swooping in and stealing their food. Then the raccoon appeared. Around the corner ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/07/daytime-critter/ Earlier, I’d mentioned that Sparky seemed to be in the last stages of a molt. Over the holiday weekend, we noticed what appeared to be a new hummer at the feeder. Last year at certain times, Sparky would change to what I called his courting colors. His gorget colors extended to ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/06/maybe-it-is-maybe-it-isnt/ The lingering scent of a man’s deodorant prevails in here as I work, even though I work alone. The UPS man uses this particular kind. Ditto the FedEx guy. Various workmen that make expensive visits to disabled appliances and plumbing. On occasion, a son, despite my pleas for him to ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/02/man-pits/ And then when I catch him blinking and sticking his tongue out, well that just gets a little strange. Sorry for the blurry action, he and I still aren’t back on our old routine of sharp close-up footage yet. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/02/stop-it-sparky/ When Sparky deploys it, he looks a little spooky. He’s still recovering from his adventures, might be going through the last stages of a molt, judging from the look of some of his feathers. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/07/01/the-nictitating-membrane/ If I was uncertain if it was really him, all doubts were dispelled today when he appeared to challenge one of the goldfinches. It is said that a wandering hummingbird will want to find his old feeder in the same spot upon his return. So far, I’m keeping it right ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/17/no-doubt-about-sparky/ My optometrist took one look at my bloodshot eyes, and handed me a list of ‘approved’ artificial tear products. The one I have in the medicine cabinet is not on this list. Few stores carry these brands. Since I needed to check out birdhouses at Walmart (best prices, if you ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/16/artificial-tears-real-tears-and-walmart/ Please bear with me, he’s been gone a couple of months, looks scruffy and has gotten camera shy again. Here is a terrible shot through a really dirty window in very little light: How do I know it’s him? Between 7:00 and 7:56 p.m. tonight, he has come by the feeder ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/15/hes-back-that-sparky/ I’m not the only local person missing resident hummingbirds . For the past few days, however, a smaller version of Sparky has been appearing sporadically at the feeder. I know it’s not him because it doesn’t have the full gorget, plus it is easily intimidated by the chickadees. Sparky ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/14/hummingbirds-back-from-vacation/ Three years ago, it would saved a lot of grief had I been able to get it before the event. In retrospect, it was a very interesting time. If only it weren’t for the itching, the swelling and the incredible pain. To keep distracted, I began work ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/11/the-shingles-vaccine-that-hardly-anyone-is-getting/ As the June 30th deadline approaches for a work project, I can’t allow distractions to keep me from falling behind. Life, however, tosses a dump truck full of issues on the doorstep when I get these deadlines. The days are just packed, as Bill Watterson used to say. Most of these ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/10/a-deadline-and-wii-tennis/ The tufted titmouse is one of the shyer residents of the yard, overly fond of mealworms. I don’t get many pictures of it, but lately it has become emboldened by the apparently addictive nature of these worms. Things have been really hectic around here on the human front, and I’ve ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/04/memo-from-the-titmouse/ The loudspeaker is turned up very loud at the junior high up the street. Soon the struggling sounds of the band will carry over on the spring breeze, a yearly interval of certain pain. Speeches are currently being practiced, and then there will be the reading of names. One night ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/06/02/graduation-practice/ As mentioned in previous posts, my yard has become heavily populated with wildlife of all kinds. Squirrels especially. Years ago, a pair of mockingbirds had an annual nest in the pyracantha bushes along the fence. Squirrels ran through their territory regularly. Those were the times when we would catch more ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/25/the-squirrel-and-the-towhees/ At least six, and sometimes a house finch manages to get a spot too till it is overwhelmed by the goldfinches, who eat all day long. This male was eating peacefully alongside another male, which certainly doesn’t happen very often. Underneath the sock feeder is a pile of black seeds ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/24/so-many/ Possibly the most retiring of the menagerie. It was all I could do to set up the tripod and camera (open door, equipment inside) without spooking it. And that, of course, is why it is not in focus. This is also from video. But it craned its neck so it ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/21/feeling-a-little-more-at-home/ Readers will note that the blog is mostly concerned with birds now. What started out as a small tray on an old table with two or three juncos and a few chickadees has turned into something completely different. Over time, a titmouse and a very shy wren would make an appearance, ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/20/a-growing-population/ The pair is finally making regular appearances at the feeding table, taking the cornmeal suet, but much hesitating and apprehension. I don’t dare try to photograph them yet, they startle so easily. Yesterday morning, I glanced out, debating whether to bring the feeder closer to the house since it was sprinkling. ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/10/first-time-towhee-parent/ For the last few days, work has been very intense and I’ve been unable to take photos or footage of the birds. The goldfinch mesh sock has attracted what amounts to a small flock that seems to eat constantly, and the pile of seed hulls underneath is thankfully blown away ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/08/gimme-worms/ For a couple of months, it seems, the two towhees have been trying to build a home in the large but dead arborvitae. I have a great view of this bush. Maybe the squirrels get in there and tear their efforts down. There is constant construction, and as late as ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/07/at-last-the-towhees-sample-the-feeder-contents/ I used to get terrible photos of the hummingbird till the feeder was moved into a brighter spot. Maybe this will happen tomorrow when I don’t have 10,000 other things to do. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/05/a-little-less-shy/ Turnabout’s fair play, as they say. I’m always shooting chickadees outside, and today, one of them decided to check out what I do in here. Yes, those are cobwebs on its feet. I tried to keep it away from the windows, but it just wouldn’t listen. At first I thought it ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/04/another-afternoon-visitor/ The other night a raccoon apparently entered the trap we set for squirrels (not the first time this has happened). When it was unable to exit in a timely manner, it called in the troops. One must have strapped on his handy tool belt. Next morning, I noticed that the ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/01/raccoon-tech-support/ For my nonbirding readers, goldfinches will feed from these mesh ’socks’ filled with tiny nyger seeds. It took them a day or so to find it. So far, I’ve only seen one, but I know there is at least one pair in the yard. This one fed from the other ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/05/01/a-shy-newcomer/ The titmouse is taking plenty of food back to its nest. It fought off the usually ferocious juncos this morning to get a prime spot. After spotting a pair of lesser goldfinches yesterday, I bought one of those mesh socks filled with nyger seeds. No takers yet. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/29/the-winner-and-all-time-champ/ Thanks, Kaiser, for canceling my appointment today, but not telling me till I got there. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/26/wasted-time/ Mealworms disappear fast when nests are full of ravenous baby birds (low-res frame from video). No matter, there are 1,000 of these coming in the mail today. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/23/live-food/ For several days now, a large gray squirrel has been sneaking up to the bird feeder tables. While I do sit in front of the window, the rain has forced me to move one of tables next to the wall on my far left. I can’t see it without pushing ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/21/a-persistent-pest/ This morning, a bright red/orange hummingbird flew in to sample the flowers on the lemon tree a few feet away. Could it be? I’ve never seen one before. Gone before I could take a photo. Still no Sparky but two small hummers were flitting about near the feeder early this morning, ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/20/rufous-hummingbird/ I stepped outside to check the mealworms, and hear the familiar whirrring sound a hummingbird makes when you are too close to its feeder. Could it be? It flies by again, and then lands on the tomato cage and looks at me. No bright red throat. Smallish, but then so ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/20/sparky-or-not/ The chickadee pair has stepped up their visits to the feeder, and taking mealworms as fast as I can get them out there. Their habit has been to land in the nandina bushes about a foot from my desk, then look for the feeder location, which has been changing due ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/20/fledgling/ The deer scare has been written about here before, and is simply a large black pot with the moving parts in the middle. On the lip of the bamboo portion, there is a growth of moss topped with tiny jewel-like capsules. Frequently, this moss keeps the deer scare from working ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/18/the-water-and-the-hummer/ It was almost to the other side of the room, and was unhappy. I left it near the deer scare container. Inside the container was another story. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/18/found-salamander/ In the process of mowing the lawn and picking up plant containers, the family member happened upon a salamander. Of course I wanted it to photograph, so he put it in a 3″ tall wood planter, and I put it on my desk. Then I proceeded to go through the ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/18/loose-salamander/ The towhees have a nest in the dead arborvitae, along with at least one other unidentified bird pair. I glanced up as a towhee flew out of the bush, and right behind it was a hummingbird, which landed somewhere in the bougainvillea. Just out of fun, I called out ‘Sparky! ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/14/possible-sparky-sighting/ Two of them, stopping at the deer scare, whose container is overflowing from recent storms. They stopped at the breath of heaven bush, then one came to the feeder, but doesn’t seem to know what to do. Is this a juvenile? It looked slender, but could be, I guess. I’ll ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/13/hummers-sighted/ Thanks to the continous downpours today, I now know what hydroplaning is. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/11/treacherous-out-there/ Surprisingly, the chickadee pair are making a new nest. I thought by now they’d have fledging chicks. Maybe the marauding squirrels ate the eggs. Daily now, the pair pull at the remnants of the long-abandoned nest (of another bird) by the window. One of them found the mealworms this morning. ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/09/mealworms-contd/ Last year, I bought roasted mealworms as a treat for the various birds that show up at the feeder. I’m going to assume that they got out their miniature cameras and took shots to put on their blogs, complaining about how underwhelming crunchy mealworms can be. Word certainly got out. After ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/08/mealworms-raw/ The resident hummingbird, Sparky, has been missing from his usual feeder activities for two weeks. After today, I suspect he’s more of a hands-on father (so to speak) than most male ruby-throated hummers. After reading up on the facts of nesting life, I learned that males don’t stick around, don’t assist ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/02/was-that-sparky-and-the-missus/ For those who are tired of the usual tighty whities, underwear with the look of Japanese armor. http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/02/samurai-undies/ Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it, flitting from one vinca flower to another, then it came at the feeder. Was it Sparky, missing for almost two weeks now? I got up to look. It fed for a few seconds, hovered, looking in the while and fled. ... http://spacebar.blogsome.com/2010/04/01/hummer-briefly/