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November 30, 2010

Heidegger's Crow Feeder

Hi,

About four bazillion years ago, I was an all too brief philosophy major. (I made it through the 19th century, then slammed into Sartre et al and went sniveling back to the university registrar to change my major.) But one thing that did stick (I think), was Heidegger's ideas on the philosophy of thought (epistemology). I believe it was in his book, "Being and Time" that he suggested that for any given issue or problem, the essence of thinking is the stripping away of the esoteric, convenient, comfortable, and instead grappling with the most intrinsic - i.e. not what we want to think, or even what we believe should be thought, but rather what is most "think-worthy"*.

Still awake? Wow... Anywho... It's with that om wafting in the back, that I approach the "right now" problem of seagulls raiding the crow feeder (or any danged feeder they can get to for that matter.) This has to stop. Where the crows peacefully co-exist with, and even protect the smaller birds, the gulls are simply bulldozers. So how to stop them? Everything from a flying comfy pillow to starvation has crossed our minds, but I think Heidegger nailed it... What is unique about crows and seagulls and what is different? Well, crows are smaller, they have oscine feet (great for perching), and are highly intelligent. Gulls are huge, have larus (webbed) feet, and quite frankly aren't all that bright. So how about this??? A smaller feeder that crows can still use, surrounded by a perch wire, and if need be, only accessible by a foot trigger or "key". (No "key push" means the door doesn't open and the food remains inaccessible.)

rough drawing.JPG

It would be a relatively easy build, and would give the gulls fits... On the other hand, if the seagulls watch the crows, and learn how to balance and use the "key" to open the feeder door, they may be closer to Heidegger than I thought... Hmmm...

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

* And what did Martin think was the most "thought-worthy" subject for humanity??? He suggested that the fact that we're still not thinking takes the prize.

P.S... Contest still open...


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November 28, 2010

Changing Dynamic in the Backyard

Hi,

Some time ago, one of our readers asked that I (we) spend more time exploring bird behavior, and I think we've taken a fair shot at that request. But something is starting to happen that just gives me the creeps (again...) Lately, whenever we put out food for the crows, the seagulls have shown up, chased off the crows, and simply ravaged the feeders. Here's an old photo that shows the sheer size of the brutes...

resized_P1010011.JPG

Size wise, they make a corvid look insignificant...

But here's where it all gets truly freaky. Mrs. CCA pointed out that so long as the crows put a cease and desist on their "feed me" cacophony, the gulls pay no attention, and the tray remains unmolested. Pretty clever on the part of the crows, no? Now stop and think about it for a moment... If the crows can't call, how will they tell me that they're hungry? Very simple... They've taken to either knocking on the front door, or swooping by the windows. (I couldn't make this stuff if I tried.)

I'm not sure whether I'm flattered, being manipulated, being initiated, or just warming up for the Alcoa head gear. (Thank heavens that Mrs. CCA has seen most of this behavior... At least if I have to break out the ol' aluminum foil hat, I'll have to do it in the plural.)

Really, I'm at a loss... Who is really pulling the strings here? Where most backyard birders become emotionally attached to their "flock", I've become intellectually engaged with my fellow murder members... Who knows what's next?

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

P.S. You know... We have this contest...


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November 26, 2010

Mega-Crow vs. Octo-Turkey; plus a Shovel-Ready Pie Project

Remember the movie West Side Story? Two gangs, alike in dignity... the Sharks vs. the Jets? Well, we're re-enacting our own avian version of the story, only this time the gangs are the Turkeys and the Crows.

As regular readers of this blog know, we have long had a feeder tray out in the back of our yard, specifically for the crows. We regularly put food scraps out on the tray, and the crows know it's for them; in fact they get highly indignant when the squirrels or the smaller birds dare encroach on their territory. Plus, they'll let CapeCodAlan know in no uncertain terms when it's time to put out more food.

resized_IMG_1192.JPG
The turkeys on the other hand, are similar to an all-you-can-eat horde of locusts, who pass through the yard devouring everything in their path, hoovering up every bit of birdseed on the ground, leaving none left for the more sedate groundfeeders like the cardinals and the doves.

The crows and the turkeys have enjoyed an uneasy truce for the past year; the turkeys have the edge in size and brute strength, but the crows hold the high ground of the feeder tray, enjoying pride of position--until recently, that is.

Just last week, the turkeys discovered that there is actually food on that tray!

resized_turkey on crow feeder_IMG_1517.JPG
It remains to be seen whether the crows can regain their territory. We'll let you know if there's a rumble scheduled any time soon...

On a more mundane note, as a real shovel-ready project, I made a feast for Thanksgiving which included a pumpkin cream pie, which CapeCodAlan says is the best pie he's ever had. Now I'm no Pioneer Woman, but that is praise indeed!

pumpkin cream pie.jpg
It was, however, the Pioneer Woman who provided the recipe and says of the finished product:
"[This] is a pumpkin pie I can really get behind. It's adapted from a recipe found in my mom's infamous recipe binder, and really does provide the best of both worlds: the scrumptious, seasonal flavor of pumpkin and the decadence of cream. "
And really, who could ask for more than that?

Alan and I both hope you had a very joyful Thanksgiving.

See you by the feeders, waiting for the rumble!
Mrs. CapeCodAlan

P.S. 'Tis the season to win a contest...


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November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving and Bah Humbug!

Hi,

Well, a heartfelt and Happy Thanksgiving to you! (Yeah, the rest of this post is going right downhill from here.)

Did I ever mention that I don't like birthdays or holidays? Oh, there's nothing like a little time off, and yes, we should be thankful for things and acknowledge loved ones. That's fine. But that doesn't forgive the orgy of food, football, or excessive drink that accompanies holidays like Thanksgiving. Be honest... of the millions of Americans out there today stuffed to the gills, buzzed to the nines, and screaming at their juiced jocks on TeeVee, how many are inwardly thinking, "Geez, I'm sure thankful for Aunt Ezmeralda!" Exactly...

{O.k., so I'm of bad humor. (Welcome to my world.) My birthday was a few days ago, and on a whim, Mrs. CCA suggested that I check the expiration date on my driver's license.

Surprise!

expired_resized.JPG

After a joyous experience at the DMV (and a lousy eye test that even a hawk couldn't pass), I am legal once again... Grumble... As "Fed Ex Carl" would say, "But I digress." Back to the holidays...}

I don't know... It just seems that that old saw about the superficiality of the holidays is ringing all too true. (Though if you're reading this, odds are that you're into nature and have a clue.) You know what? If I were King of America for a day - this day - I'd send out an immediate edict ordering all to stop gorging, turn off the TeeVee, sober up, and think about what's most important to them for just an hour - just an hour of quiet somber thought and thankfulness.

But for the most part, that's not going to happen, and most of us know it. There will be the "light" version of the lip service, and then off to the debauchery... As I was saying, "Bah Humbug!" (And why isn't the DMV open 24 hrs and serving drinks?)

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

There's a contest just a waiting with no strings attached...


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November 22, 2010

Playing With a Digital Camera

Dag nab it... This day was bound to dawn sooner or later. I need to get a clue when it comes to newfangled cameras (i.e. post Instamatic X-35). On the one hand, I'm not ready to take on the details of f-stops, etc; on the other hand I should at least feel comfortable with the device's automatic settings. So, without further ado, here are the details, along with the results. Each photograph bears a title at the top showing the automatic setting...
  • Camera: Canon Eos Digital, 10.08MP, mounted on a standard tripod, and triggered by a wired remote shutter button (Canon RS60-E3)
  • Lens: Canon Zoom EF-S, 55-250mm, 1:4-5.6 IS, with stabilizer turned on
  • Distance from lens to feeder: Apx. 20 - 25 feet

Fully Automatic...
Resized_Full auto_IMG_1480.JPG

Landscape...
Resized_Landscape_IMG_1486.JPG

Sports...
Resized_Sports_IMG_1489.JPG

Portrait (with flash blocked by lens cap...)
Resized_Port_flash_blocked_IMG_1483.JPG

Low-light Night Portrait (with flash blocked by lens cap...)
resized_night portr_in_ low_light_IMG_1500.JPG

Observations:

Well, the results are obvious and absolutely surprising (for me anyway...) By far and away, the best Eos dial settings were the "Portrait" and "Night Portrait". Those two presets just made the colors come alive. (BTW... In low-light conditions {very late dusk} all other camera modes failed miserably without flash. We're talking blackish-gray...) I believe there is a caveat here though - the portrait modes leave the shutter open for a second or more... probably taking the time to soak up light. I'd guess that without a tripod, for this kind of shooting "Portrait" would be useless... But that's just a guess.

The sad thing is that I don't even know if I'm creating a major photographic goof by telling you this stuff. Perhaps my results are an anomaly - a function of my particular conditions and hardware. Probably the best I can do is suggest that you test for yourself. Be sure to get your cam on a stable platform, use a remote triggering device if at all possible, and make your experiments uniform. All I know, is that for the immediate future, we'll be taking portraits like the one below...

final_turkey on crow feeder_IMG_1515.jpg

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

We need to talk about that contest...


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November 19, 2010

Adventures in Birding, Estate Sale Edition

Hi all, Mrs. CapeCodAlan here.

Today we explore the wonders of the birding world from China to Denmark, via one of my favorite venues, the estate sale.

Those of you who have been reading these chronicles for some time may be aware of my penchant for attending yard sales, garage sales, and estate sales, not to mention swap meets and flea markets. Estate sales are particularly engaging, as you usually get to wander around a strange house, looking at rooms and layouts, furnishings and decor. Of course, when you do this, you are usually accompanied by many other strangers; and if the house is built in typical Cape Cod fashion (i.e., with small rooms, narrow halls, and steep stairs), and if people are wearing winter jackets and carrying around items to purchase, it does get crowded. But that's all part of the fun.

Another part of the fun is finding the one or two items that you can't live without, and getting them for a good price. Case in point: the estate sale I attended this morning was a house and shop competely full of blue and white pottery and porcelain. Being a blue and white porcelain collector, I was nearly besided myself viewing all the beautiful items, and I would gladly have spent several happy hours and several thousand dollars there. Not having an extra several thousand in cold cash to spend on estate sales (or anything else for that matter), I had to be choosy.

After waiting in line to enter the house (there was a line of 50 people waiting half an hour before the sale was scheduled to open--and it was a cold morning!), and wandering through the many rooms, I settled on two decorative plates: one charming Royal Copenhagen Christmas plate (from 1974):

owl_resized_IMG_1513.JPG
Who couldn't love a scene with an owl, a full moon, and snow on pine trees? While it's not of great value, it simply called out to the birdwatcher in me.


The other item was a lovely Chinese porcelain plate with cranes or herons, and what are possibly kingfishers, flying around a pond of waterlilies and lotus blossoms. While Oriental art is not my usual taste, I simply couldn't put this one down, and I was able to bargain it down to a paltry $5...

crane_resized_IMG_1511.JPG
With the owl plate, it was easy to identify and find a relative value. The Chinese plate on the other hand, posed far more of a challenge. Starting only with a search engineporcelain_resized_IMG_1502 small.JPG description of "chinese plate birds lilies", we verified that the plate was indeed Chinese. Then working with the maker's mark on the back, two hours' of research told us all we needed to know: that this is not a rare Ming dynasty lost treasure of untold value, but simply a plate made and fired in China and hand decorated in Macau for the tourist trade some time after World War II. It may be worth more than the five dollars I paid for it, but not much.

Still, I like it, and it adds to our "indoor bird collection" in an unusual and beautiful way. And for those of you who are interested, the maker's mark is from the Qianlong period, from 1736-1795; this was considered by many to be a Golden Age for Chinese art. And had the plate actually been from that period, well, let's just say that Gordon would be looking for a new blogger right about now.

See you by the feeders, and by those things which feed the soul as well,
Mrs. CapeCodAlan

P.S. Don't forget the word search contest...


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November 17, 2010

Strangeness of Backyard and Existence

turkey_resized_2010-11-17_151842.jpg

Well, the photo above (from our streaming eBirdseed.com bird cam) sure isn't the stuff of National Geographic. We've got a bunch of wet leaves, some turkeys roaming around, and the cam itself. What's so strange you ask? Here are just three things:

  • Water: Not only is this stuff the stuff of us and two-thirds of the surface of this planet, it also has one weird feature - when it freezes, it floats. (Only bismuth behaves in a similar fashion.) But what that means for earth probably boils down (pun) to the existence of life as we know it. Imagine every temperate pond bottom being frozen to death every winter.
  • Gravity: Talk about freaky... Why is it that a huge hunk of space rock is attracted to a turkey's mass? Worse yet, the big rock actually pushes the bird away when the gobbler pushes terra firma. (Yes, I had to study Newtonian physics, quantum mechanics, and even warped space-time, and I'm still ragingly clueless. Just because a person passes a bunch of tests doesn't mean that he or she can actually wrap his or her mind around a concept. I'm still struggling with the all important -1.)
  • Electricity and Magnetism: Without "EMag", none of this would be possible. And I do mean none of it. No light, no atoms... Nothing...
Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know I tossed in water and left out the strong and weak forces. Tough.

But the point being is that from a purely scientific point of view, the backyard is magnificent. Toss in sublime beauty, and I dare say we nudge the religious miraculous. I know I've mentioned this 1923 poem before, but here is William Carlos Williams' "The Red Wheelbarrow"...

so much depends upon
a red wheel barrow
glazed with rain water
beside the white chickens.

Mesmerized by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

Don't forget the word search contest!


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November 15, 2010

So These are Our Great Economic Minds...

Let's take a break from the birds... (What follows is not from eBirdseed.com, but rather from me, CapeCodAlan... )

Yesterday, an appalling story floated harmlessly out of the news cycle... Imagine the CEO of Honeywell, David Cote, one of Obama's new "Debt Commissioners" saying the following:

"It scares me that as a financially conversant CEO, I didn't know (emphasis mine: CCA) how bad this was going to get in the next 10 years," Cote said on ABC's "This Week." "The thing that everybody misses is it's my generation, the baby boomers, who are going to flow through Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. It's going to crush the system."

"Didn't know?" "Didn't know?!?" Does Mr. Cote not read the papers? Did he miss liberal 60 minutes? Did he miss independent former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker? Did he miss conservative Glenn Beck? How about Lou Dobbs? Art Laffer? Jeez... You'd almost think that this very blog mentioned a looming disaster.

And so it is... David Cote has the ear of the President of the United States, though I wouldn't trust him to mow my lawn. But what do we expect from a government of "Read my lips... No new taxes!" and "But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it..."

Worried by the feeders,

Contest waiting...

CapeCodAlan

Addendum1 11/17/10... Yesterday, powerful representative Charlie Rangel was found guilty of 11 House ethics violations... Surprise, surprise, surprise...

Addendum2 11/19/10... Feds eye 4 years for Mass. pol who hid cash in bra


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November 14, 2010

Where a Bird Book can Take You

Hi,

Man oh man, it all started so simply. I thought I'd break out an old bird book, scan in a print, and talk about the bird(s). (In fact, I was going to present a nice plate displaying gulls, and discuss why I don't particularly like them.) But that was not to be. When I opened the 1916 "Birds of New York" volume, and really started poking around, I found a note clearly stating that the book was, "To be given to Miriam Westwood". Alrighty then... That got me to pondering about who was Miriam Westwood, and who wanted to give her the book, and was it part of a will, etc., etc., etc. So, I decided to take a picture and write a post on the subject, but in doing so I stumbled upon some other vintage stuff, and, well, there you go...

vintage_resized_IMG_1465.JPG

The toy badges from left to right are:

  • "Deputy Sheriff": As these items belong to someone else (we're only documenting them), I don't know its exact history, but I'd guess it's a 1950's era piece.
  • "Straight Shooter": We know a bit more about this one... This is 1937 Tom Mix pin. It might be worth $50, but more importantly... What happened to the young hands that played with it?
  • "Scoop Ward, News of Youth": Gotta love it! "Scoop Ward" - what a name for a "junior reporter". This guy is from 1935 - 1937... The badge was a promotional item from Ward's Soft Bun Bread company.
When all is said and done, all of the above (including the book) couldn't pay for parking, a beer, and nine innings. But still, what happened to these former owners? Were they good people? Bad people? Did they find the loves of their lives? Realize their potentials? Were some killed in war? Are any still alive, and if so, do they remember their once-precious book and little toys?

So many questions spawned by an old book... Miriam, I hope the tome was special to you... I know it certainly is to me...

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

P.S. Next time, we have a heart to heart talk about that contest...


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November 12, 2010

Bald Headed Blue Jay, Molting, and Lamp Restoration

Hi

Well, you don't see this every day...

resized_bald Jay_03.JPG

I was poking through some old pics, and found the one above from August of 2007. It turns out that a few rare birds (mostly jays and cardinals) molt their head feathers all at once. This usually occurs in late summer, and (obviously) can be quite dramatic. Other possible causes for this include mites or poor diet, though given the otherwise healthy condition of this guy, I'd guess that he's just molting in his "own peculiar way" (apologies to Willie Nelson). Check out Ben Burtt's piece on molting...

Here's a turkey who looks like he's losing a feather, but...

front shot of turkey with beard_resized_IMG_1229.JPG

And from another angle...

side shot of turkey with beard_resized_IMG_1228.JPG

The aforementioned "but..." refers to the fact that the turkey isn't losing a feather at all, but instead sporting a "beard". (I kid you not.) Look it up... Here are a couple of good references for turkey info:

Finally, a photo of some work we're doing on a pair of 1930's era lamps. They were in pretty tough shape (note the earlier barbarism in the pedestal retrofit and the cracked base.) Still, these lights will shine anew. I'm going to epoxy in a pair of curved veneer backer strips in the pedestal, (one is visible in the shot below) and then Bondo the gaping hole shut and smooth. After that, I'll simply drill a new hole for the twist on/off switch, stuff the cracks with epoxy, re-wire, paint, gild, stencil, and poof! Classic lights...

base with mangled ped_resized_IMG_1414.JPG

Never a dull moment by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan


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November 9, 2010

Hutch Update and an Invitation

Hi,

Moving inside for just a bit... The cherry hutch project is finally (read that umpteen years) winding down...

front_resized_IMG_1370.JPG

- and -

back_resized_IMG_1370.JPG

The photos above mislead concerning the simplicity of the build... While the carcases are box-like (our design was for for something between arts & crafts and Shaker) the devil is in the details. And in this case, the detail is the wood itself - cherry. What an obstinate, twisting, warping, heavy, tool-busting stuff it is. If ever I am so foolish as to try another project in cherry, you have my personal permission to come to my very domicile and kick me right in the tail section and demand to know if that I've once and for all lost my mind. Creating the through mortise and tenon joints, dovetails, and recesses for the stained glass (below) were nothing short of Herculean tasks, and in retrospect, the Augean Stables don't look all that bad...

front_resized_with door_IMG_1370.JPG

Still, the whole thing should be pretty neat when all is said and done...

door with stained glass_resized_IMG_1375.JPG

Now... About that invitation... Sometime on or about December 11 or 18, Mrs. CCA and I and a few suckers friends are going finish this beast, take it apart, and stevedore it up to its final resting place in the dining room. My plan is to turn our bird cam inward to stream the whole event live. Yes, you too can be a part of the laughter, triumph, beer, skinned knuckles, and cussing. (I'll leave the volume off... My suckers friends are an earthy lot who've taken obscenity to a sublime level.) Consider yourselves invited, but be forewarned that this ain't going to be pretty.

I'll be glad when this behemoth is done so I can go back to building simple stuff like boats...

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

I'm telling you... There's a word search puzzle with a cool prize just waiting to be had...


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November 6, 2010

Trellis Update and Stuff

Hi,

In a way, the end of summer life on the trellis, etc. is melancholic...

trellis after frost_resized_IMG_1357.JPG

Yeah, we all know "Fate" ultimately takes no prisoners, but still, the process can, at times, be eerily sublime. (By way of analogy, if memory serves me correctly, the symbolism behind the book "The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough goes something like this... A mythical bird spends its entire life searching for a special thorn tree so that it can impale itself and as a result sing its last, but most beautiful song.) Anyway, for me, the photo above rings of Emily Dickinson and Billie Holiday, palatably crisp air and jambalaya, crunching leaves and a fireplace.

Back in the real world (or at least a less reflective one), eventually, the dead annuals will need to be replaced, the structure will have to be re-painted, and the process will start all over again... So this is it?

It's funny how these posts morph... At one point, I was just going to blather about the trellis and the dead creepers... Then, memories of fall experiences past renewed themselves... I tried to steer this puppy back to the doldrums of yard maintenance, but an old Joni Mitchell song kept haunting...

I guess that's the whole picture show of life... We'll take care of the trellis this year, and the next, and the next. Just a circle... Oh, we can choose whether we want a trellis or not, or whether we want to live on the Cape or not, or whether we want to live in a city or not... But whatever game we choose, it's always a circle with Fate waiting at the conclusion. Methinks the trick is finding the right game and playing it well.

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

P.S. And then there's pesky word search contest...


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November 5, 2010

Look Back at a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak in These New Days of One's and Zero's

Hi,

From time to time, it's simply fun to go back and visit an unusual picture or rare bird photo. For me, now is one of those times... A couple of summers ago we set up one of the video cameras by the oriole feeder and then just let it run assuming we'd get some pretty good footage of the usual subjects, which in fact we did. However, we also got the fellow below...

Rose-breasted grosbeak from video.jpg

(Sorry for the fuzzy pic! You can see the actual movie here. If you want to skip to the grosbeak, move the slider to the 1:20 mark.)

Before that video, I'd never even heard of a "rose-breasted grosbeak", let alone seen one. In a number of ways, that video (and this digital age) is absolutely revolutionary...

  • First, I was busy when the creature appeared, and if it wasn't for the camera, I never would have known it was here. (And I'd still be in the dark about the bird.)
  • Second, even if I/we were there to witness the event, at best Mrs. CCA would have logged him in her lifebook, and then moved on.
  • Third, while the video is far from ideal, it isn't bad. It makes me wonder about the shifting role of "photographer" in the world when relatively cheap (~ $100) cameras can take some pretty remarkable photographs. (Consider eBirdseed.com's contest-winning hummingbird shot by Kathy K., or my flickr image.)
  • Forth, in a way, today's powerful yet inexpensive (under $1,000) cameras allow amateurs to get to know birds "up and close" even from a distance. This has changed birding and birding photography forever.
  • Fifth, "cleaning up a pic" is no longer just the stuff of dark-room experts.
  • Sixth, what will become of the brush-and-paper artist?
  • Lastly, think of how we share our work. Case in point is this blog. Beyond that, will everyone contributing to social networks, Web sites, emails, etc. simply create a blurry chaos? Think of what YouTube and file sharing have done to the recording industry of old.

It's late and at last look raining... See where a rose-breasted video will take you?

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

P.S. That word search contest is still open!


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November 4, 2010

Turkey Attack!

Yeah, go ahead and yuck it up... Well, it isn't funny. (See this NPR piece.) After all, these are large birds.

pack of turkeys resized_IMG_1214.JPG

Here's what happened... I went out to put some old bread on the crow tray and was greeted by six turkeys. Being always prepared, I carried the oft mentioned "Comfy Cushion of Doom" - a simple lawn chair cushion I've used in the past to scare the things away. Not so much today... They simply circled me and then tried to implement a "peck-and-run" strategy. As soon as I would fend off one, another would go for my flank. (Do you remember the velociraptors in the movie "Jurassic Park?) As I said before, this is not funny. I was surrounded by six, belligerent, 20lb animals with five foot wingspans, each with a brain the size of a raisin. True, after a few charges, they decided to move on, but they made a fair attempt at ruining my day.

Upshot? The wife and I will still walk around our property in safety... anytime we want. Period. We'll do our very best to convince animals that we're the benevolent alphas, but one way or the other, we will remain the alphas. If the turkeys lose their fear of the cushions, then I'll move on to Frisbees. And if they still want to attack, there's always the garden hose or worse.

Not fooling around by the feeders...

CapeCodAlan

P.S. Don't forget the word search contest! A feeder would make a fine gift!


Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding

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November 1, 2010

Buzz Kill

Hi,

Sorry about my lack of post over the last few days - the attempted bombing kind of knocked me for a loop... I was going to write about the effects of digital photography on the masses and how those effects reverberate throughout the art world. Heck... I even had a semi-respectable picture...

resized with nut_DSC_0076.JPG

But the near-miss terrorist attack put me off my feed... (Here's the deal, I have a background in engineering, technology, and weaponry - I won't go into the details because it would bore you to tears, but I know what I'm talking about.) Bluntly, Friday's failed attempt(s) were too derned close... The explosive du jour was PETN - one of the world's most powerful... The big question is, "What will happen when fanatics and flat-out loons keep acquiring the ever-advancing and ever-more-ubiquitous technologies?"

I wish I had an answer for you, or had more to say, but I really don't. I do though have a few rhetorical questions:

  • Do we really believe Aum Shinrikyo, Jonestown, and 9/11 are the end or even the worst?
  • It's 11/2/10... Do our politicians understand what we're really facing?
  • Has the world seen its last mushroom cloud and if not will the nuke be fired in anger or by mistake, and by whom?
Told you that this would be a buzz kill. But last Friday we got extraordinarily lucky (as we did with the shoe bomber and the underwear bomber and the Times Square bomber...) How much longer will our luck hold out?

Sometimes there are events that push birding to background.

See you by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

P.S. On a happier note, there's always our word search contest...

P.P.S. This just in... Four mail bombs explode in Greece.


Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding

Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding

eBirdseed.com photo library

eBirdseed and misc. references

Other birding references

eBirdseed.com bird cam

Bookmark and Share