Up early this morning to volunteer with some friends in downtown St. Pete. It was a brisk 46° when I left my house but I was well prepared (layered tops, thermal pants, down parka, and gloves).
Thankfully the sun came up and worked its magic- had us rapidly shedding our layers. What a wonderful way to start the day!
As you may know, I’m fond of a good deal. So occasionally, I’ll scroll through Marketplace ads, looking for items for my house and yard.
Last week a listing for a bird feeder camera caught my eye. I was dubious because it seemed too good to be true (only $20 for something that retails at $140?) but I reached out anyway.
Later that afternoon, the seller’s unwanted, unopened gift became mine. The feeder was surprisingly well-designed (it even came with a solar panel) and simple to set up.
After I installed it next to another feeder in my backyard I wondered how long it would take my birds to investigate. I didn’t have to wait long! The next morning I was able to watch videos of several different species.*
The grackles and jays I expected, since they are common visitors to my yard. Talk about messy eaters, they often flip food to the ground in order to get at the corn and sunflower seeds in the mix. At least doves appreciate it, they usually bob around under the feeder and clean up the mess for me (unfortunately, that means I may not see them on camera any time soon).
As for the woodpecker, he typically only drops in during cold weather. Same with the cardinals, a mated pair has been coming by but so far, only the male has braved the new feeder.
Previously, I had only noted Red-winged Blackbirds nearby but not actually in my yard. I can hear their distinctive calls emanating from the mangroves across the street as they settle in for the night. But now, thanks to the camera feeder, I know that at least one male comes over for a snack.
Speaking of loud birds, Nanday Parakeets are extremely talkative and since they always travel in flocks of at least ten birds, they certainly make a raucous sound! They are also ravenous eaters, scooping up large amounts of seed with their big, curved beaks. But they are such beautiful birds that I don’t mind.
The biggest surprise so far is the Tufted Titmouse! A dapper little fellow. I was very excited to add a new species to my yard list.
I’m going to relocate the feeder, so that I can get better light on the birds. Hopefully I’ll have more fun bird moments to share in the future!
*The photos above are screenshots I took from the videos.
I have a little story to share with you. While lamenting Florida’s recent cold spell, I asked for patience from my readers who know how to Winter. I am not very good at Wintering, as you’ll soon learn.
A couple nights ago, I woke up feeling cold so I needed to pull up my blankets immediately to prevent frostbite (slight exaggeration, but I’m prone to it). My bed not only had a down comforter and two cozy blankets on it but it also had dead weight in the form of a zonked out cat. Westley weighs in at a trim 10 pounds but somehow, when he’s asleep he feels much heavier.
After making that careful calculation, I grabbed a handful of blankets and yanked. Unfortunately for me, I did not have a good enough grip with my right hand and it came flying back into my face.
Now, I’ve never had a broken nose so I’m not entirely sure what one feels like but it’s been a few days now and my nose is still very tender. Warmer weather can not come soon enough!
As for Westley, he slept through the entire incident and remains insouciant about his alleged culpability.
Well, it finally happened. After several freeze warnings over the past week, this morning the conditions were just right for ice to form in the bird bath. The ice was 1/4” thick when I went out to fill the bird feeders at 8am.
Since it was still only a brisk 39°, I went ahead and broke up the ice so birds could access their water. Inland, away from the moderating influence of coastal waters, I heard they dropped down into the teens last night.
Which is worrisome for all the agricultural lands, especially growers who were in the middle of strawberry harvest. I’m sure their plants took a hit, and I imagine some of my plants did as well.
Like me, they are not accustomed to this chilly weather. Thank goodness warmer temperatures are on their way!
I was first introduced to Todd Snider when he opened for John Prine at Tucson’s Centennial Hall on November 10, 2001. It’s a pretty classy joint so I remember thinking “Who’s this guitar guy strolling on stage without shoes?” With his hat pulled low, Todd started strumming and singing, by the time he finished he had gained several more fans.
I won’t claim the everyone in the audience liked him, with his laidback, slacker style Todd was definitely not everyone’s favorite beer. His songs ranged from self-deprecating and irreverent to politically incorrect with a dash of biting social commentary thrown in to make the average listener slightly uncomfortable. It’s not easy to perfect a simple and straightforward story but Todd was a creative genius (and if a song bombed, he was the first to laugh about it).
Over the years I’d been fortunate to see the Barefoot Troubadour numerous times. The last one was in 2000, shortly after I moved to Florida. It was my birthday weekend and I was stoked when I won tickets to his Tampa show. It was such great way to settle in to my new home.
Sadly, Todd passed away this past November, just after heading out on tour for the first time in years. He had been scheduled to play here on January 31, so Noisemakers hosted a tribute show last night. It was a fantastic show, with various talented locals taking the stage to tell Todd stories and sing their favorite songs. We may have been an eclectic crowd of mixed ages, but we were buddies as we all sang along:
“A little out of place, a little out of tune
Sorta lost in space, racin’ the moon
Climbin’ the walls of this hurricane
Still overall I guess I can’t complain
I can’t complain, no I can’t complain”
I was introduced to Bee Hotels over a decade ago but only recently decided to make one for my yard. Designed with lots of holes or openings, they encourage native bee species which usually lay their eggs in naturally occurring twigs or stems.
I would’ve built one earlier but I read a compelling article that said they don’t actually work and was therefore, dissuaded.
But a chance sighting on my front porch changed my mind. One of the holes in my welcome sign had been capped with a papery substance, a sure sign of a solitary bee nest.
I’m hoping to host more bees soon!
Harvested most of my lettuce today since it’s forecasted to freeze here overnight (I left some in the ground just in case it doesn’t).
Pretty impressive haul considering I’ve been eating out of my garden for a couple weeks now. Guess what I’m having for dinner…
After unloading my kayak gear and taking a shower I figured I’d just head out to my beach for sunset. Then I remembered that the little town of Dunedin marks sunset in a special way this time of year, they host bagpipe performances on the pier. It was cutting it close but thankfully traffic flowed nicely and I arrived just in time.
A nice way to end a lovely day!
Yesterday morning I woke up to a beautiful sunny day. Aware of the incoming cold front, I decided to take full advantage of the weather. After checking the tide and wind, I realized that if I hurried, conditions were favorable for a paddle out to Shell Key. So, I loaded up my kayak and drove down to my favorite launch at Butler Hole. Thirty minutes later, I was paddling across flat, glassy water.
Good thing my kayak is shallow-draft because it was just before low tide, meaning there were only a few inches of saltwater between me and the sandy bottom. It made paddling a bit challenging but on the plus side, there were very few people out there.
Every time I looked up from beachcombing I was awed by the clarity and color of the gulf water. Such a gorgeous way to spend the day!
While walking the island I did not collect any shells since most of them were still alive; sand dollars, sea urchins, conchs, whelks, and tulips. It was a treat watching these creatures – I was especially impressed by the agility of a Fighting Conch.
Caught the ship returning just after sunset last night…
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