My Garden Remains Quiet But For One Charming Friend

The birds have gone for a little while now−whether South or Southwest, or wherever, because Fall is here and leaves fall freely.

One little charmer has remained−the Black-Capped Chickadee. Whenever I go outside, he chatters away. I remember when we used to walk in the woods and the Chickadees followed us on the bushes, hopping along, chattering away.

It seems not so long ago when three young Robins vied for the last of the chokecherries on the tree outside my den window. I managed a poor photo of the youngest, without his red breast yet, because he was intrigued by why I was staring at him. The other two, with red breasts, were more wary of me.

They have all gone, but for the Chickadees, and a few others of the winter birds that remain. They will come around when  the feeders are filled. Soon I will put out the small feeder for the little ones−my friends, the Chickadees and some Sparrows, who do not go far. The big feeder will be filled when I can get a friend to set it up. It needed a thorough cleaning. It is early days yet, but I hear birds occasionally in the high trees. It is strangely quiet, however, except for the Blue Jays..

How charming the little ones are, but I am pleased to know they will be near right through Fall and Winter.

Look Who is Back! The Birds Are Returning to Their Haunts

Look Who is Back! The Birds Are Returning to Their Haunts

The weather has turned a startling warm here. I went outside this morning to sweep off my front walk as a Robin pecked for a worm in my neighbor's front yard.

I went out back to open the screens a bit for warmth to come in, and to sweep the porch. Two Robins emerged from my large pine tree. They were very interested in each other--the male more so, the female less. I interrupted. They were unafraid of me, but they scurried away a little, the female to the neighboring yard, the male dropping down to the yard behind the house. Yes, it is Spring, and that time again.

The Geese have been settled in for several weeks, and the Crows squawk about. Today, a Blue Jay ate on the small feeder. The Blackbirds have returned also, so I will not longer fill the large feeder. At this moment a Blackbird is 'going at' my small feeder, and as around six birds come at a time, the feeder will soon be empty. Since there are thousands in the area when they return (I have seen them in trees in the fields above this area) I do not feel badly in denying them.

The snow is almost gone. Spring is truly in the air. I love it. I'm glad to have you back, Spring!

Have You Ever Seen a Butterfly Bird?

I had a most striking experience one day some years ago, while out walking with a young friend. We had walked almost a mile to a small pond we always used as a stopping off point on long walks, or when skiing. My friend and I sat resting on one of the large stones surrounding the pond enjoying the quiet, listening to the birds. The dogs lay quietly beside us. During one of the lulls, we noticed a small bird flitting about with an unusual pattern of flight. His flight reminded us of a butterfly. Bright orange on his wings and tail feathers struck us as beautiful. Otherwise he had a black head and back, with a white tummy. When we arrived home, of course we went for the Bird book by Roger Tory Peterson. Sure enough there was our bird. He was a small, 4 1/2 to 5 1/2" Warbler, a Redstart. Officially, Peterson calls him an American Redstart, (Setophaga rusticilla) "The Redstart is one of the most butterfly-like birds. It is constantly flitting about, drooping its wings and spreading fanwise its tail." This was the male. In the female, the orange is replaced by a bright yellow. We did not see her. Audubon has a great book as well, but I always turned to Peterson first. This was exciting. We had no need for field glasses; he was that close to us. Such experiences make bird watching a joy. Perhaps you have seen a similar spectacular bird. Nature charms. A friend in the Eastern Townships, south of here, saw in her wood, a Pileated Woodpecker, the largest of the woodpeckers. I always seem to miss the most spectacular birds. That is why I fill my birdhouses--in case someone of note comes by. When I had time to sit out in my garden--I never seem to these days--I used to watch the Hummingbirds flit about by me, drinking from the red preparation I had mixed for them in their special feeder. My brilliant red geraniums attracted them also. It is fun to watch colorful and fascinating birds. The "butterfly" Redstart was a bright gem on that particular day.

Puppies Anyone? Breeding Versus Shelters

One of the most moving sights I have enjoyed is that of newborn puppies drinking their mother's milk. They latch on to the teat, arch their little backs, push down on their hind legs, grab their mother's breast, and begin the push, pull rhythm on the teats. This has never failed to move me. The mothers do not seem to mind. I said newborns, because once the little ones develop teeth, for the mothers, it is a different story. How each mother handles it is unique.No doubt the sight of newborns feeding would be a joy to all breeders of their favorite animals. In my case, it was the breeding of Shetland Sheepdog bitches. My experience is small; there are many breeders out there with a vast amount of knowledge and experience in that particular area.I support breeders who are wise in their business practices. Those I have known are responsible members of their communities--as they wish their dogs to be. There is a lot to be said, however, for the many animals already in shelters who need homes. More and more I have come to believe their needs must be addressed. The fault, I believe, lies with irresponsible citizens, who get dogs without a long-term plan in caring for them. Thus, helpless animals are thrust upon society's resources. It was partly these irresponsible people who turned me off breeding. One cannot be in control of where puppies go. One needs the wisdom of Solomon to read people, and I did not have it.Support good breeders, by all means, but take a look in at the shelters. You may just find the love of your life there.There are many animal shelters, even ones specific to a breed. I know of two shelters south and east of me, where abandoned animals of all stripes are taken in. These places are not hard to find, nor are the abandoned animals in registered sites, where the kill rate is alarming. As one shelter lady said to me, when I rescued some abandoned feral cats in my area, 'Feed them; they are God's creatures.' She even offered to give me food. No one is supporting her financially. Here is another place we can help. The goodness of the heart does not fill the stomachs of these many dogs, cats, etc. Wild animals belong in the wild, but domestic animals do not.I hope we can do our part to support animals wherever there is a need. Rescue an abandoned dog or cat, rather than purchase it from a shop or puppy mill.

Raccoons and Their Supposed Invasions into My Roof

I need to bring you up to date on my Raccoons. I wrote questioning whether Raccoons had invaded my attic. Friends came to check. One was a young construction worker who gladly scrambled up onto my roof, the other a close friend who has rebuilt his house. They looked, and looked, and looked, and found no access. No hole was large enough to allow a Raccoon to enter.All very well, said I, but they were there. I heard them above my head, scrambling and vociferating. I know those sounds from the time Raccoons lived for some months under my house. The men looked at me a little strangely. It was a puzzle. No access. I did not doubt what I heard, and was a little nervous about their return. If they came looking for a breeding area the female was already pregnant. That meant they would return, in my way of thinking. Yet, how did they get in? The only thing the men found were mouse droppings, which was no surprise. In a huge attic, mice could easily find a small hole somewhere--but a big one?I worried it in my mind, and called a professional exterminator. He would know that breeding Raccoons were protected by government law. This man found the same thing--no access. What do you people think of that? What would you do? Have you had a similar experience? I had been certain my roof was tight.At my insistence the man looked further. It was possible the Raccoons found a way somewhere down below. (They cannot get into the crawl spaces, so if they found a way down there, why would they not stay like before?) He said they might have found some entrance to crawl into the walls of the older house, and make their way up to and between layers of protection, to "under" the roof above my head. There is a tar and gravel roof left by the builder above which he put the roof trusses. They stayed only a matter of five minutes, so they must have decided it would be too difficult for their "kits" when they had to lead them out.The man looked still further and found a small brown trail in the snow leading to the old shed next door. An appropriate larger hole gaped in the wall near the roof. An old, downed tree root made easy access to crawl up the old wall of the shed.I feel a tremendous relief. They were settled there, no doubt sleeping while we trampled below. My roof was safe--at least for now. They may visit next year--but that is Next Year.

Love and Loyalty in Training Dogs

Much has been written about Positive and Negative reinforcement in dog training, so I mean to speak only of my experiences.I took a number of puppies through basic Novice obedience courses. It is the owner who must take his or her own dog through these trials, and it is the owner who must be trained. Of course the puppies (and dogs) learn along the way.What I did come across in obedience training was negative reinforcement. For example, I had to pinch my dog's ear, causing her pain, before she would take the dumbell. It truly disturbed me. Our Sheltie club joined with a sister club to invite a special dog trainer as a visiting speaker. He trained dogs for police work, bomb, and drug sniffing, etc. What startled me was his statement that he could train a dog for sixteen hours, (my memory is a bit vague here) without treats, and the dog wanted to go on. My eyes were opened. I never again used negative reinforcement.It is pleasant to see a dog walking beside its owner with no leash, ignoring everyone around it but its owner. It is true some dogs are more easily trained than others, but it is a joy to see such a responsible dog and owner knowing the work behind it.I imagine many are aware that to take a dog through trials, it must be registered, in Canada by the Canadian Kennel Club, and in the U.S. by the American Kennel Club. Some clubs offer a basic obedience class for mixed breeds. The Novice classes include Basic obedience and Companion Dog (CD), the Open class, Companion Dog Excellent, (CDX), and the Utility class (UD). The latter dogs are used in movies and television, for instance. There are many other specialized degrees and training.A wonderful poet named Anonymous wrote, "You can't buy loyalty, they say. I bought it, though the other day. You can't buy friendship tried and true. Well, just the same, I bought that too..." The poem is used by most dog breeders, so you can find the rest of it on any breeder's site. Some may think the words trite, but I have found them certainly true. The reason I mention this poem is because of the following.I took a favorite female dog through her CD degree. At the time, I belonged to a local woman's group who looked for interesting items for their meetings. I was asked to talk on my dog since they knew I bred dogs, and because we met in a hall and not a restaurant, I was able to bring my 'girl' along. I had her sitting on a small table, high enough so that all of the one hundred plus women could see her. I was in the midst of quoting the above poem, when unconsciously I put out my hand and touched her head. She looked up at me with adoring eyes, and the whole room let out a collective sigh. I promptly forgot the words to the poem, and had to think hard to get back on track. I will never forget that incident, or my darling Katya, although I took her to other gatherings, putting her through her paces.My favorite dog quote is by H. L. Mencken. "Living with a dog is easy, like living with an idealist." You are the most important person in their world. It is humbling. May we be worthy of their charge

Livestock Guardian Dogs. A Courageous and Lonely Breed of Dog

Upon reading articles and websites about the Livestock Guardian Dog, I was impressed by how lonely and courageous these dogs are, yet they have been guarding flocks for centuries.The puppies are taken from their environment at four weeks of age and placed with a flock of sheep so that they can be imprinted upon them. There they are left. The Shepherd, or Handler brings them food and water, and arranges a place of safety in case they are bothered by the flock. Their success as a Guardian Dog is based on this imprinting, and upon their innate instincts of: Attentiveness—to watch for threats from predators, Trustworthiness—to remain with the flock, and Protectiveness—to drive off predators by barking. The training period (4-14 weeks), can last up to two years, and with certain breeds up to four. If the flock is large, then two, three, or four dogs are used, but each have a different function. One is embedded, the others walk the perimeter.The origin of the practice of using Guardian Dogs goes back in time many thousands of years. Illustrations of these dogs show up on Babylonian and Assyrian (Nineveh) artifacts. For centuries Bedouins all across Europe and Asia worked these dogs with their flocks as they travelled. These shepherds developed their breeds according to their needs. Mountain dogs required heavy, double coats for winter guarding. With threatening predators, such as coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, feral dogs, bears, lynx, and such, the dogs needed to be large and strong to protect the sheep, or to frighten away predators. Lighter dogs, and less coated, were developed for desert areas.Each country has its own unique breed, for example, white dogs for white sheep, and colored or dark dogs for dark sheep or cattle. Only a few of the breeds are known to us in North America, and even less acknowledged.Turkey: The Anatolian Shepherd (brown). It was used also in Africa against Cheetahs. The Akbash (white). The Kangal (black mask with gray).France: The Great Pyrenees (white), also called Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Used by the Basque people.Hungary: The Komondor (white, with a corded coat). The Kuvasz (white), used by Kings and nobles.Tibet: The Tibetan Mastiff (various darker colors). Originator of English, Bull, Neopolitan, and Dogue de Bordeaux Mastiffs.Italy: The Maremma-Abruzzese (white), 2000years old. Used in many areas of the World, such as Australia and New Zealand.Poland: The Tatra (white), Also named Tatra Mountain Sheepdog, Polish Shepherd Dog. From the Carpathian Mountains.Czechoslovakia: The Slovak Cuvac (white). Found only in this country.Romania: The Carpathian Shepherd Dog (white). The Mioritic (white)Russia: (Azerbaijan). The Caucasian Ovcharka (range of colors), Tibet 2000 years old. The South Russian Sheepdog (white).Spain: The Spanish Mastiff (various colors, shown in photo above). The largest Guardian Dog. A large male can weigh over 200 pounds. The Pyrenees Mountain Dog (various colors).Portugal: The Estrela Mountain Dog (black) called The Portuguese Shepherd Dog. The Castro Loboriero (usually black) . Medium Sized dog. Used in small villages for 1000 years.Other countries, such as Yugoslavia (old) Sarplaninac (brown); Kerst Shepherd (gray/black, and Torijak (white and black). Bulgaria has the Karakatchan (mixed colors), Greece, the Hellenic Sheepdog (various colors), a little smaller. Armenia has the Armenian Gasmpr (brown), and Afghanistan, the Sage Korchil (brown), plus others.The Livestock Guardian Dog is not a pet—too big for a family with small children; their size could harm a child. The breeds are too reserved and territorial, although in Europe they have always been loyal to family members when guarding farms and properties. They average in height to the shoulder, 29-30 inches, females somewhat smaller. Their average weight is 125 pounds, females less, but for the Spanish Mastiff, as noted.Some of the breeds are used in North America by farmers and ranchers. Some have used donkeys, or llamas for guarding flocks or cattle, but science proves the dogs most effective.Courageous, brave, the Livestock Guardian Dogs have survived wars across the years, but the breeds have bred true. As a former breeder of pet dogs, I cannot but feel torn for the puppies of the world who must undergo such rigorous training. Take a look at them. They are big, cuddly dogs, but they cannot be cuddled, cannot be pets. All of this is sacrificed for their work. They can if they land in North America, but the majority of these dogs are in Europe still, in mountainous areas, basically alone, guarding sheep.Copyright Audrey MoorhouseYou can find a great deal of information about Livestock Guardian Dogs on the web, such as breeds, training, and statistics on European and North American studies.http://www.lgd.org The LGD site. Much information here.http://www.canismajor.com/dog/livestck.html Breed Informationhttp://www.canids.org/occasionalpapers/livestockguardiandogs.pdf The LGD current Use Worldwide (2001 paper by Robin Rigg)

Odd Events This Time of Year. Should I be Surprised

On my wildlife calendar for January sits a cold, frozen-looking Great Blue Heron. Its legs appear to be stuck in the ice. I understand that in spearing their fish in ponds and lakes, they stand like that--only their eyes (and heads at times) move. Yet, how can he see into the pond for fish when it is covered with snow? It is a puzzle.I also understand that the Great Blue Heron ranges here along the Great Lakes and Our River during winter. In summer it breeds farther north, but generally spends winters in Central America. The puzzle continues. Why would they stay in such cold?It has been dreadfully cold here the last little while, with bitter winds and furnaces going full tilt. Yet, yesterday it rained--all day. My driveway looked like a skating rink. I visited the local town the other day, and the air bit at me, the whole area frozen. What is going on with the weather? It is like a Yo-Yo. One day the birds are freezing in their nests; the next day they are trying to keep dry. With our huge snow dump recently, the birds seem grateful for the food. After that rain they must keep from being drowned. How strange!Now the weather is back to freezing again, just enough to keep things icy. We should be so grateful. Saturday night, it was freezing, and the house temperature went so low I had to change my dual energy to oil. It warmed up quickly, so I turned it down again. Something happened.I listened to scrambling, and then chewing from my attic. How did the beast get in? I thought my attic completely sealed from invaders, especially Raccoons. The only door is accessible by a tall ladder, and padlocked. They broke in through the vents? The aggression of the chewing bespoke a male. They are fat guys weighing, what...at least twenty pounds. How could they squeeze in, being that solid? The female Racoons are smaller, but even so...I heard her last night scrambling around. The weather has moderated, so no doubt the male is back to his schedule of 'leave at dusk and return at dawn.' The female stays out a shorter time.I hope they are not breeding. I thought that lovely time comes in March. Oh dear! What am I going to do now? I need advice. Once the kits arrive I legally must allow them to stay.I suppose there will always be odd events, but I am surprised about the Raccoons. It is a mystery I must solve.

The Red Squirrel, a New Visitor to My Garden

I have recently seen a Red Squirrel in my garden, and on the other side of my house. I must say that I have never seen one in all of my years in this area. Has the Red managed to take over the territory of the ubiquitous Grey Squirrel?I began to see a Red Squirrel several weeks ago, after the first snow (that stayed on the ground). Yesterday we had a substantial snowfall. Today, I saw a Red Squirrel running up my tree. I was amazed at how much smaller it was to the Grey squirrel--half the size. My Red has a gorgeous red tail. Like the Grey, the Red squirrel is a Tree Squirrel. I was also surprised to read in some places that they are an endangered species. Other places say no. Apparently the Greys carry a disease for which the Reds have no immunity, so I hope my little squirrel survives.I read that the Red Squirrel is a solitary creature, unlike the Greys who run up and down the the trees chasing one another. The only chasing done by the Reds, is when the female is in estrous, and is ready to mate. She gives off a scent the males recognize, and they chase her until one of them mates with her. She might have multiple males in her short period of reproduction. She would produce one litter a year and have up to three or four offspring. I understand there might be only one Red squirrel in a large territory. Among other things, they eat spruce buds, needles and cones. Perhaps that is what attracts them to my area now, since I have a number of pine, spruce, and even fir trees not far away.How exciting to have a small Red Squirrel running around my house and garden! I hope the squirrel can establish a territory. I am weary of looking at only Grey squirrels. Let's have a little Red. Have they found a territory among the Greys? Or is it a passing moment or two?Do you have Red Squirrels in Your Area? This photo was taken by D.Gordon E. Robertson, 2008-03-30 and the source is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Red_squirrel.jpg The file is licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Surprise Happenings at Christmastime

Today is Christmas Day. I meant to post this yesterday, but things got pretty busy. A day before Christmas Eve day we had a surprise Snow Storm--only about 2-3 inches, but perfect for Christmas. That day, when the storm subsided, I went out to clean my car. I forgot, however, about the freezing rain of the day before. It was a struggle to scrape and clean.In the midst of the work, I heard familiar sounds. It was Honking Geese. Geese? The end of December? I looked up, and sure enough, a long string of Canada Geese appeared high above me. They were finally on their way south along The River. The leader had a follower to his right to spell him off. No doubt they would reform into a V at some point, but to leave it so late? I hope they meet no storms. I began to wonder why they were late--waiting for chums to come? Warmer weather gave them false hope of a "little longer." What our animal friends do always adds mystery that makes our lives more interesting. The sight brightened my difficult work.The birds appear to be resting with little activity. I suspect with the snow so late, they had lots of time to gather food and store it in their nests. I'll soon have to clean and refill the large bird Feeder. Some of the food might have got wet. The food looks clumped. I need a chum to assist me, but Christmas is not the time to ask. A friend came and brought his new "smart" book to show me. We had some fun with it. He offered to refill the feeder, another surprise.I hope you all have had a Wonderful Christmas Day, and that you will enjoy the whole Holiday Season, and will have many lovely surprises, not only in gifts, but in the warm relationships that mean so much to all of us at this special time of year.

Memories From the Corners of My Mind

Late this summer I had memories of a gorgeous bird I saw in my garden, but other activities crowded in, and I put off writing about it. I never forgot. If you have seen a PINE GROSBEAK you will understand.At first I saw a movement to my right as I worked on my computer. A bird sat outside my window, staring at me. I had never seen such a bird before and was intrigued. It was obviously a female--mid-sized, rough feathers, with a rusty head, grey back and lighter grey tummy. She was curious about me as I was about her. I wanted to see her mate. She hopped to the chokecherry as I searched.There he was on the ground in all his glory--pecking at seeds. He looked familiar. There was something about him, but he was stunning. I went for my field glasses. Wow! And my book. The beaks did it. They were GROSBEAKS, with the familiar, fat, yellow beak. These were PINE GROSBEAKS. Some years ago the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK came to my garden, and the more familiar EVENING GROSBEAK. These both have moved away.I watched ever so long, charmed. Of course the PINE GROSBEAKS were only passing through, but they stayed for a few days, perhaps drawn to a number of pines on my property, transplanted years ago by my husband as young trees. The trees are now mature.I called a friend. She looked the bird up, knew it, and had seen one a few years ago. If you do not know the bird, find a picture of one, or go online. I'll upload one here if I can find one. Do enjoy its beauty. You will have a warm memory if you see one.