Seed Chart, Cam Update, and Pork Recipe
It struck me the other day that those new to backyard birding and this blog might not be familiar with our two seed charts... These charts can help you decide what feed goes with what critter. Well, here's the first and second of the two.
Onward...
Now about that pesky bird cam... From the technical/electronic/computer/Web side of things, the bugger is working like a champ. Trying to keep it dry on the other hand has become a "Kludge Extraordinaire". The weather simply will not cooperate...
Yesterday, in a fit of "git 'er done!" I decided to simply embed the cam in a clear plastic tube and put that out in the wilds. One end was sealed, and the other sheltered the camera all the while giving the gadget all the light it could possibly want. Using the picture below and a little imagination, you can probably see the game plan. (Note that I've included the little Cobra USB video cam just to provide some perspective, and maybe even give a hint as to a future project.)
Unfortunately, the game plan went belly up because the plastic tube won't hold the requisite dab of epoxy needed to hold the current cam in place. So much for the brilliant but doomed "Git 'Er Done!". (Time for the "Acme Son of Git 'Er Done Kit!" I didn't watch all those cartoons for nothing...) So for the moment, the cam continues to be a fair-weather friend; and if you tune in and see darkness, that probably means that it's raining here on Cape Cod.
Onward yet again...
Stumbled across an absolute killer kitchen concoction the other day - this one involving pork tenderloin... Here's how to make it happen...
- Get all the appropriate cooking gear... Crock pot, cooking thermometer, blah, blah, blah...
- Buy a quality one pound pork tenderloin in a heavy air-tight bag. We use "Swift Premium All Natural". Also, pick up a large potato, a white onion, some carrots, and celery. Finally, snag a packet of "Crockery Gourmet Seasoning for Pork" by Superior Touch... And if you have a problem with salt, stop reading now.
- Freeze the pork for several days.
- Defrost the meat in the frig. (My theory is that the crystallization of the freezing process causes the pork to tenderize a bit.)
- Clean work area.
- Put pork in crock pot with peeled, diced potatoes, seasoning (directions call for two cups of water), and half the onion sliced.
- Cook until the internal temp of the meat reaches at least 160 degrees F. (The lowest safe temperature for pork.)
- Finally, dump in the carrots and celery and let simmer until the meat reaches 190 degrees. (Yeah, I know, I'm over-cooking the pork... Far better safe than sorry.)
- Enjoy as part "meat and veggies dish" and part stew. And the next day, it only gets better.
Gotta' run... See you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding
Comments
CCA
Thanks for giving the link to Bird Seed Charts. I know that it took somebody a long-long time to assemble and tabulate this data. I thank them very much. Who should I give credit to?
I am confused on one thing. The chart lists one check for "ALL BIRDS" for Sunflower Hearts & Chips but only 8 species of birds are checked. Why?
Later, I'll will asking why Milo Seed is not listed. That's another story.
Cheers,
Harry "Gipper" Morris
Posted by: Harry Morris | October 27, 2009 2:01 PM
Hi Harry,
The wife and I created the chart...
As for the sunflower hearts and chips... All birds will eat them, but eight species in particular love 'em! We like the hearts and chips because the blue jays don't scatter the shelled stuff looking for the goodies.
Thanks for your comment,
CCA
Posted by: CapeCodAlan
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October 31, 2009 10:00 PM