Birds

A Thorny Start

Today, I spent the sunlight hours doing yardwork. When I finished about half of the job, I went to scratch my ankle being something was sticking it. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked down!

My thistly shoes after doing just half of the yard work.

I ditched the socks, and that was not as easy as I wanted it to be. Taking them off had to be done delicately. The shoe laces took some time to dethorn. I have no idea what weed in my yard is depositing these things all over, but whichever it is…it won! I put another pair of really worn shoes on after that fiasco, no socks, and finished the day out in the yard with them.

Raven and Leissl played some more tug-o-war.

Here they go again!

I’m really grateful for whoever plays tug with Raven because otherwise, Raven is following me around shoving toys at me. The best time of day for this game of hers is when I’m fixing dinner for the Posse and she’s plopping down toys on the floor. I don’t normally see them till I step on them. I have yet to fall off my feet. Thank God! Of all times of the day, this is when my face turns reddest.

Raven mouthed off to the unimpressed Annie when the donut didn’t make it over the fence, (I’m really a girly thrower), and Annie took possession. It took Raven a minute, but she realized she needed to come back around the fence to get the donut.

Raven voicing her opinion to Annie.

Earlier this morning, I got a picture of two of my favorite things…one of our crows flying by the moon.

A crow passing the moon on her way to her destination.

Gorgeous!

The Birds of Oakwood Plaza

Every morning between 7.00 and 7.30, a flock of crows fly over my house on their ways to their daily activities. I hear them cawing on their way, and they don’t all go in one big flock, though the majority do. There are several flock pockets that come afterwards. They are gorgeous and amusing characters.

I went to the Oakwood Plaza last Sunday, the 9th of Dec., and found a huge number of the crows enjoying their day there along with many other varieties of birds.

I am very fond of crows. They are highly intelligent and just gorgeous. Besides, they are my favorite Dober color! Look how fabulous they appear in trees.

Have a seat!

On signs. The athletic ability to sit on a sign like that? I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t do that!

This sign makes a good chair.

The draping look of the tree limbs surrounding this crow is very romantic.

Handsome!

If this crow could talk, she’d certainly have a lot to tell. I wonder where this group goes during the summer. I hadn’t heard their morning cawing until recently. They also fly back at sunset to wherever home base is.

What a stunning fellow!

This crow was eavesdropping on a conversation at the diner near the pond. They are clandestine workers.

The Eavesdropper

I saw this crow with his claw in the air, and wondered if he wanted to come home with me. He told me he was fine, and we went our separate ways. I like seeing birds flying rather than caged anyway, so it was a good thing. Really.

This fellow’s giving his paw a rest.

There had been a loose cockatiel in my neck of the woods for months, and only recently I hadn’t heard her singing. She was a lonely girl flying with some accepting doves when they let her. But doves fly quietly. I know this because when I heard the cockatiel, I looked up and saw her flying amongst doves, who didn’t say peep.

Crows decorate trees beautifully

These were the festive crows who hung out at one of the posts that was decorated for Christmas.

Festive crows

This bird is not a crow, but is still stunning.

Stunning yellow bird

This fellow was fishing in the pond near the diner…

Up to her knees in water

which is a major hangout for all sorts of birds. I wish more businesses would consider the wildlife in the area when creating plazas like this. It’s too bad everyone was so busy as not to take a few minutes to enjoy the variety of creatures sharing this space with us.

At the waterin’ hole

But people rushed by, drove by, and basically didn’t even comply with such road signs as DO NOT ENTER!

Do Not Enter, Dude.  Never mind you just drove through the Stop Sign!

The Seagulls had an especially good time hunting fish.

Seagulls fishing

When one would nab a fish, the others tried to get it from her. It reminded me of home. When one of mine gets a treat, the other vultures stand by in case a crumb comes out, or if, God forbid, the whole treat comes out…good bye treat!

Seagulls flying high

Some birds used the puddles of water in various places around the parking lot for bathing and drinking. I always wonder how many birds perish from that practice.

An impromptu watering hole

At the PetSmart parking lot, some kind soul threw out food the birds really liked.

Feeding frenzy in front of PetSmart

The meal drew a variety of feathered friends…even gray cheeks!

Yum!

Those gray cheeks are very aggressive over their food. They have the beaks to back up their tantrums.

Yum!

All these birds have some of the most beautiful tropical skies to call their own in southern Florida.

Gorgeous and Moody Skies of South Florida

And unique bird’s eye veiws of our land-based characters.

Bird’s Eye View of Raven

Bird Brains & Lilian Update

After I got home this evening, I noticed certain members of the Fort Doberdale Squirrel Posse were gathered around the pine tree.

Something’s up over there!

When I got over there, I saw a blue jay had gotten himself caught in the plastic mesh I have on the ground so the dogs won’t dig.

What do we have here?

Blue jays are aggressive for bird brains, and this one was pecking Bouchard’s nose as Bouch tried to figure out what to do with it. Annie was on the other side of the fencing, which was this fellow’s saving grace, as Annie is the terminator of wildlife.

I called all dogs into the house, and tried to unmesh the bird. Knowing he was a peckerhead, and my immediate movement of the mesh didn’t loosen its hold of the bird, I went inside to get scissors. When I returned, I moved the mesh around to figure out how to trim it so the bird would not peck me.

Hello?

At that point, the bird decided to help me out a little, and he pushed himself out, and jumped out of his bondage and onto the fence, peeping his freedom song all the way. He said “thank you,” and was on his way…hopefully with a lesson learned under his wing. I have no idea what he was doing to get himself trapped like that in the first place, but he is one lucky bird, and should be glad it’s the FDSP and not Bird Posse!

Lilian’s update tonight is more promising than last night. She has started to eat a little…

Thank you prayer from Lilian.

and guard her toys.

Mine.  This is mine.  It always was.  Always will be.  It just is.  Mine!

She is taking Flagyl as of tonight due to her sudden and probably much needed onset of diarrhea to purge whatever she’s harboring, and also Zantac for tummy upset. She had chicken breast and a few pieces of banana. She loves cold bananas. Every time I bring them out of the fridge to divy up, that is Lilith’s signal to sit pretty. I cannot resist but to give her a piece of the fruit for her efforts. Lilian is a little Diva angel in her own right, and we will all be happy as her recuperation continues and she gets back to her Doberpeachy self.

The Harness

Well, good news. Premier Pet Supplies will give us a harness for the one “we” chewed for a $5.95 charge. They say this is for shipping; however, I have two harnesses that are chewed, so I will have to send both harnesses and $11.90. That’s a lot for shipping! Still, that’s better than nothing.

Doves on top of it all.

December 1st in Fort Doberdale

Here we are ending the first day of the last month of 2007. Wow. It was a busy day at Fort Doberdale.

Today Ollie turned 7 years old. Happy birthday, Oliver!

Today is Ollie’s birthday!

Here’s a lovely hibiscus flower that bloomed just for Ollie’s birthday.

Lovely lilac colored hibiscus.

In other news, someone changed our daily incoming mail routine. Normally, the mail pops out of our front door like toast, onto our floor, and sits there until I pick it up. But today’s mail moved from inside the house to the back yard, where the rubberband had been removed, and the mail had been scattered. And as Ginger walked up to the pile, I noticed a small band hanging from her mouth.

Ginger’s adventure.

Ginger was hesitant to share her find with me. Opting, instead, for the infamous “let me see if I can swallow the thing before I get to my mom” move.

I can’t seem to swallow this thing.

She couldn’t swallow it that fast, so we had a bit of a tug-o-war, which is rather unlike Ginger, who is usually more cooperative. Perhaps she has “stepping out of her comfort zone” goals, too!

Gimme that, Ginger!

A Mockingbird watched the goings-on…

A Mockingbird looking down on us.

…until I won and had the rubber band in my possession. Then he flew the coop, and Ginger confessed to what was obvious.

Yes, I did it.  But I wanted that rubber band!

She has promised me that was the last of her maildog endeavors. Not that I distrust the girl, but next time that mail comes popping through the door and I’m not home, I’m not sure if she can hold true to her promise. So I have to remember to put an ex-pen around the door when I leave. Staying one-step ahead of the FDSP is one of my daily challenges.

Meanwhile, one weekend, back in July or August, I had intended on teaching Luna to sit on command. That didn’t pan out. Luna is one of the most observant Doberdoggies I have met. She watches everything, as if she is planning on doing it next. My first attempt at teaching her to sit wasn’t as successful as today’s. Today, I took her out amongst the crowd with clicker and treats, and did exactly the same thing with her as I had on that summer evening in a private lesson, but instead of being wary of the whole adventure, today, Luna did magnificently well vying for the click-and-treat with all her buddies. Anyone who knew how to sit, did so, and in no time, Luna was sitting along with the crowd, getting her own clicks-and-treats.

Luna sit!  “OK.”

Luigi was particularly eager to help out. He is fond of Luna Kahuna, and moreso of treats.

Luigi demonstrates how to get a treat.

Leissl was another big-time teacher today. She can sit and lie down push-up style.

Leissl such a big help, too.

Raven also had a milestone today. She learned the beginnings of “down” on command. Unlike Luna, Raven has to do her learning without distraction. She did very well in the bedroom with the down command. She was a brainiac. But amongst the crowd, where the picture taking took place, there were too many other things to do. Like shove her toys at me. But, she is slowly piecing things together, and that’s all I ask.

Raven ponders what this finger on the ground thing is all about.

Finally, Baby and I spent alone time to figure out if she is going to compete anytime soon to get her Companion Dog title. We are still figuring that out, but the best part of working, for any Doberdog, is the playing afterwards. And Baby is no exception. She loves her Frisbee, and that’s how we ended the sunshine portion of our December 1st in Fort Doberdale.

I love a game of Frisbee!