The Noisy Miner and a Cold virus.
I haven't had much to write about on this blog since Anzac Day, but I was telling someone about our problem with one of our resident bird population, and it sounded so funny in the telling, I thought it was worth doing a post here.
We had a Noisy Miner (Aust. native bird) attacking its reflection in a window last week. It came back day after day, and we were going nuts with the tap tap tap on the glass all day. I tried rapping the window to scare it away, didn't work. I got a water pistol and sprayed it from the door, but it came back when I stopped. I taped paper on the window so it couldn't see its reflection - it tore the paper down, would you believe that??!! Finally, I poured treacle on the window sill. That worked! The first time he came back to perch on the ledge and peck his reflection, his feet got stuck. It was so funny. He finally got out of it and took off, and that was the last we saw of him!
Ken and I tend to get sick at the same time, which can be a nuisance, because it becomes a battle of wills when someone (usually me) eventually has to get out of bed and put the kettle on for a cup of tea. Ken started sniffing and coughing last week, and I started sneezing on Friday. He spent Saturday quietly at home while I went to the Quilt Expo. On Sunday we both spent most of the day in bed (at opposite ends of the house), but he is back at work today, and I am just keeping quiet. I've done three loads of washing though, as the weather forecast is for rain this week, and I wanted to get it all done and hung out while the sun is still shining.
I also want to get as much housework as possible done before Ken goes into hospital on Thursday for his pacemaker implant, because I have a feeling after that, I'll be doing the Carer bit full on!
We had a Noisy Miner (Aust. native bird) attacking its reflection in a window last week. It came back day after day, and we were going nuts with the tap tap tap on the glass all day. I tried rapping the window to scare it away, didn't work. I got a water pistol and sprayed it from the door, but it came back when I stopped. I taped paper on the window so it couldn't see its reflection - it tore the paper down, would you believe that??!! Finally, I poured treacle on the window sill. That worked! The first time he came back to perch on the ledge and peck his reflection, his feet got stuck. It was so funny. He finally got out of it and took off, and that was the last we saw of him!
Ken and I tend to get sick at the same time, which can be a nuisance, because it becomes a battle of wills when someone (usually me) eventually has to get out of bed and put the kettle on for a cup of tea. Ken started sniffing and coughing last week, and I started sneezing on Friday. He spent Saturday quietly at home while I went to the Quilt Expo. On Sunday we both spent most of the day in bed (at opposite ends of the house), but he is back at work today, and I am just keeping quiet. I've done three loads of washing though, as the weather forecast is for rain this week, and I wanted to get it all done and hung out while the sun is still shining.
I also want to get as much housework as possible done before Ken goes into hospital on Thursday for his pacemaker implant, because I have a feeling after that, I'll be doing the Carer bit full on!
posted by Gina E. | 11:51 am
5 Comments:
G'day Gina ~~ The minor bird was very persistent wasn't he?
I am so sorry you have both been sick and do hope Ken is well enough
to have his Pacemaker implant. I wish him the very best for that and hope his health will improve after it.
You will be very busy looking after him too, so I hope you hold up OK too my friend. I had an e mail from Val who is in Sth. Aust touring with her husband. We both barrack for Carlton and it was so good to beat Geelong.
Take care and feel better.
Love, Merle.
Hope the op goes well and that he's a good patient!
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Hi Gina
Thousands of smll birds were flying into McCormack place windows in downtown Chicago. It is a large convention center. They were being killed and someone finally got the idea of cutting large black birds out of black plastic (garbage bags?) and apparently it worked and far fewer birds were killed.
I will be thinking of you and Ken next Thurs or Wed. here and hope all goes well. Make sure his cold has gone or they might not do the procedure. What I mean is to talk to them before you leave to make sure if he still has some of it that they will still do it.
Keep us posted and hope you feel better soon.
Hugs
FredaB
Oh Oh Gina,
It's been quite awhile since my
last comment here on your blog,
and since you always write such
wonderful, interesting, funny
and insightful posts there is
always so much that I want to
write in my return comments in
response and those comments can
get quite ... ahem ... long.
But you knew that already, didn't you??
Re: Door to door postal delivery
being scrapped in favor of central-
ized postal boxes.
We live in a subdivision that is over 40 years old and still get
our mail delivered. This is a
good thing since I order books and cross stitch supplies which come in big boxes that don't fit in our mail box. I've arranged with our postie that he/she leaves those boxes on our front porch instead of taking them back to the post office where I'd have to go to fetch them.
In newer subdivisions there is no door to door delivery. Instead there is a spot on one street where people go to pick up their mail from a big "box" housing small individual mail boxes, one for each household. Needless to say these boxes don't hold anything that's bigger then a letter/bill so residents have to go to the local post office to pick up anything that doesn't fit in their box.
Also, these centralized mail boxes are not sheltered by any kind of a wall/roof but instead are out in the open. So you're standing there in the pouring rain trying to get your key in the slot to open your box and you pull out your mail while trying to keep it dry, not to mention yourself as well. Imagine this arrangement in the winter time when the ground around these units is covered in snow and ice.
So your concerns regarding the changes that your postal service plan to make are quite valid.
**********
Those Gouldian finches are so beautiful!! Especially the male with his bright, colorful plumage.
Congrats on the two new additions to the family there. I love it when you post pictures of Ken's birds, and the birds around your
neighborhood. I've been checking out your "bird blog" and seeing the birds featured there.
I had a nice chuckle over your story about the Noisy Miner.
What a hoot!!! Too bad you didn't record him doing his thing at your window. It would have been a sensation on Youtube. Loved your
various solutions to the problem and the birds determination to continue with his outrageous behavior in spite of them all. Until the treacle that is. You're
a genius!!
I didn't know that you could do
calligraphy Gina!! My goodness
but you're a talented lady. I
loved seeing your experiments
with the new inks that you bought.
Where did you learn to do this??? Did you take a class??
I'm sorry to hear that both you
and Ken have been sick and hope
that you're both feeling much
better soon. Especially since
Ken will be having his surgery
soon. I'm sending my best wishes
along to him for a speedy recovery both for his sake ... and yours.
Loved your post about the seven phone calls that you had to make
on April 13th. Um...you have to
pay a yearly fee for keeping a
cat??? Cripes!!!
Isn't it funny how bureaucracy
is the same the world over???
Useless!
And finally ... yes, the end is
in sight ... belated (and how)
but most heartfelt best wishes
for your 62nd birthday. Hope
the rest of this year is a grand
one for you. I'll be turning 52
at the end of May so I'm right
behind you.
Hope I don't break blogger with
this long comment. Is it still
a "comment" when it's ten
paragraphs long???
Have a great week Gina.
Hugs!!
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