Visit us at Rancho Colibri
*** Ok, so I am giving up on trying to make frequent regular posts to this blog. It just isn't realistic in my busy world. ***
Bird watching. The hummer population has grown to about the full compliment now. They are busy chasing each other around and fighting over the feeders. Soon, they will make babies. I have noted that there just aren't as many as usual. Maybe due to the drought, although this spring has seen more rain than usual. Anyway we are happy to have them here at Rancho Colibri!
As for other birds, the newest arrivals are the Western Kingbirds. They are so delightful to listen to and watch as they go after flying insects. Apparently the Mourning Doves have had their first babies. I think I counted two new ones out with a parent the other evening. We are so honored to have THREE kinds of doves here: Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, and the Ringed Turtle Doves. Hearing all of their songs as the same time is a kick. They really don't sing in the same key!
Of course, there are also assorted babies from the Starlings, Pigeons, House Finches, House Sparrows and others. In June we usually start seeing the baby Roadrunners learning from their parents how to chase bugs, lizards,...and find baby birds. That's nature!
Chickens. Well, the chickens are still with us. The hens, Mazey and Chicken Little, were brooding and sitting on nests of about 16 (unfertile) eggs each, until a couple weeks ago when I removed all the eggs. Now they are out scratching in the yard, eating bugs and sleeping in the Wisteria vine at the front gate. The rooster we "inherited" has seen a doctor about the drooping wing. Doc wrapped it up, said it was just dislocated. He also noted that the poor guy is severely malnourished--not our fault, he came that way. Rooster Cogburn was OK with the wrap for the first three days but then on day four, he fell over on his back. We tried to right him but he couldn't maintain his balance. We removed the wrap thinking that maybe it was hindering him, but it didn't help. So, we have been keeping him in a crate on the front porch ever since. In the crate we have rolled up towels for support and it is lined with newspaper to make it easy to clean up when he poops. We got the recommended chicken feed for him and he seems to like that. We have to feed and water him every few hours. We change out the papers several times a day too. Who knew how much work a chicken could be! Our hope is that we can put some weight on him and then he will be able to stand up again. Otherwise, it may just be a lost cause. Our hearts are just too big sometimes.
Well, that's it for now. We are expecting the Rufous Hummingbirds to show up in mid-July. That will cause a bit more excitement around here. 'Til next time.
20 May 2004
08 March 2004
Rancho Colibri at sabrarmijo.com
Well, here it is March already! Spring is well on it's way here. Things are blooming and noses are sneezing! On the bird front, we watched the spring migration begin on February 14th. The sky was filled with hundreds of Sandhill Cranes winging their way North. Since then there have been more, smaller groups flying over on the warmer days. Temps this week are in the 60s!
New sightings on the Rancho. The White-winged Doves have returned. They are more common in this area now but don't stay here in the valley over winter. Same goes for the Red-winged Blackbird who just returned on Sunday (3/7). There is a European Starling living around here who has been practicing his imitation of the Red-wing call. He has fooled us more than once as he gets better, but it is good to see the real deal in the yard. His real call is much prettier! Now the real highlight of the week, the return of the Ringed Turtle Doves! They are listed as only being found in California, in the LA area. A pair showed up last March and caused quite a sensation here. Now they have returned. Guess they like our little rancho.
Oh, yes. The chickens, Mazey and Chicken Little, have begun to brood again. They each have their own nest and lay one or two eggs a day. Unfortunately, we only discovered them last Thursday. There were already about a dozen laid. So now we try to get the newest ones each day. I guess we are now in the egg business! But we don't really know anything about it. I need to find someone around here to help us out with how to handle the egg thing.
Of course, everyone is on alert to spot our first Hummingbirds. For us here in the Intermountain West, the birds arrive usually in early to mid-April, later than the West Coast, but they stay longer -- to mid-October. I was speaking to the people at our Wild Birds Unlimited store today and they asked if we had seen any hummers yet. One of their ladies lives in the mountains east of town, and she usually sees some of the first ones. (She is a certified hummingbird bander.) So, it's time to clean up the feeders and lay in a 50 lbs. supply of sugar for the season. Afterall, we are on Rancho Colibri -- that's hummingbird in Spanish!
TTFN, more when there is something to report. Please visit the website and give me your feedback.
Well, here it is March already! Spring is well on it's way here. Things are blooming and noses are sneezing! On the bird front, we watched the spring migration begin on February 14th. The sky was filled with hundreds of Sandhill Cranes winging their way North. Since then there have been more, smaller groups flying over on the warmer days. Temps this week are in the 60s!
New sightings on the Rancho. The White-winged Doves have returned. They are more common in this area now but don't stay here in the valley over winter. Same goes for the Red-winged Blackbird who just returned on Sunday (3/7). There is a European Starling living around here who has been practicing his imitation of the Red-wing call. He has fooled us more than once as he gets better, but it is good to see the real deal in the yard. His real call is much prettier! Now the real highlight of the week, the return of the Ringed Turtle Doves! They are listed as only being found in California, in the LA area. A pair showed up last March and caused quite a sensation here. Now they have returned. Guess they like our little rancho.
Oh, yes. The chickens, Mazey and Chicken Little, have begun to brood again. They each have their own nest and lay one or two eggs a day. Unfortunately, we only discovered them last Thursday. There were already about a dozen laid. So now we try to get the newest ones each day. I guess we are now in the egg business! But we don't really know anything about it. I need to find someone around here to help us out with how to handle the egg thing.
Of course, everyone is on alert to spot our first Hummingbirds. For us here in the Intermountain West, the birds arrive usually in early to mid-April, later than the West Coast, but they stay longer -- to mid-October. I was speaking to the people at our Wild Birds Unlimited store today and they asked if we had seen any hummers yet. One of their ladies lives in the mountains east of town, and she usually sees some of the first ones. (She is a certified hummingbird bander.) So, it's time to clean up the feeders and lay in a 50 lbs. supply of sugar for the season. Afterall, we are on Rancho Colibri -- that's hummingbird in Spanish!
TTFN, more when there is something to report. Please visit the website and give me your feedback.
21 January 2004
Rancho Colibri at sabrarmijo.com
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2004! HAPPY YEAR OF THE MONKEY!
Well, it's been a couple months since my last note. The weather has been mostly warmer than usual with little to no precip. The desert strikes again!
Anyway, here's my update on the bird watching. We have not seen any new birds for a long while. The winter birds are the Scrub Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Western Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Juncos, Kinglet, along with the Bushtits, Grackles and Starlings. Just lately we have seen a couple Goldfinches at the thistle feeder. Can't be sure if they are Americans or Lessers because of their dull winter colors. The Juncos also like the thistle feeder. We have also enjoyed the flights of the wintering ducks, geese, and cranes over our place everyday. They go from their river grounds out to the fields in the area. In fact, a group of 5 Sandhills were in a field just a block away yesterday and today. They were chasing around and make lots of noise. Maybe we can sneak over there and get some photos for the website. Because of the warm weather the trees are starting to bud out! And yesterday, I scared up a Mourning Dove in the neighbor's yard while walking the dog. I wonder what other signs I'll see of an early Spring.
Of course, we still have the residents around, including Mazey and Chicken Little. I really got worried about them a few weeks ago. They roost in vine near the front gate and it has no leaves to protect them. We had a really cold front come through with high winds and very low wind-chill temps, but they survived it all. We had a little snow/drizzle the last couple days too, but that didn't seem to faze them. They really are troopers. They love us and won't leave. We give them cracked corn and water, now it's their turn to provide us with some eggs! Oh, well, we do like having them here to keep down the bugs.
Well, that's it for now. Feliz Ano Nuevo!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2004! HAPPY YEAR OF THE MONKEY!
Well, it's been a couple months since my last note. The weather has been mostly warmer than usual with little to no precip. The desert strikes again!
Anyway, here's my update on the bird watching. We have not seen any new birds for a long while. The winter birds are the Scrub Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Western Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Juncos, Kinglet, along with the Bushtits, Grackles and Starlings. Just lately we have seen a couple Goldfinches at the thistle feeder. Can't be sure if they are Americans or Lessers because of their dull winter colors. The Juncos also like the thistle feeder. We have also enjoyed the flights of the wintering ducks, geese, and cranes over our place everyday. They go from their river grounds out to the fields in the area. In fact, a group of 5 Sandhills were in a field just a block away yesterday and today. They were chasing around and make lots of noise. Maybe we can sneak over there and get some photos for the website. Because of the warm weather the trees are starting to bud out! And yesterday, I scared up a Mourning Dove in the neighbor's yard while walking the dog. I wonder what other signs I'll see of an early Spring.
Of course, we still have the residents around, including Mazey and Chicken Little. I really got worried about them a few weeks ago. They roost in vine near the front gate and it has no leaves to protect them. We had a really cold front come through with high winds and very low wind-chill temps, but they survived it all. We had a little snow/drizzle the last couple days too, but that didn't seem to faze them. They really are troopers. They love us and won't leave. We give them cracked corn and water, now it's their turn to provide us with some eggs! Oh, well, we do like having them here to keep down the bugs.
Well, that's it for now. Feliz Ano Nuevo!