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Thursday, January 9, 2014

A 70 Degree Difference!


After being -12F with windchills of near -40F just a couple of days ago,
it felt drastically different when the high reached 27F today!
Almost 70 degrees difference in how it feels to your skin! ha.

I took this photo of this sweet little house sparrow couple on
the coldest day.  The little Mrs. was having a hard time standing up
against the wind!  They eventually made it into the shelter of my pine
 trees and I fed them peanut butter spread on honey oat bread.

Did you know if you feed peanut butter to birds, you have to spread
it very thinly?  It can get stuck in their throats, causing them 
to suffocate!  I just make a thin sandwich of it and cut it in
tiny pieces.  Sometimes I put a layer of bird seed in there, too.
Spoiled birds. ha.  I need to make some suet!  Yum!



42 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. And it's going to be 10 degrees warmer still tomorrow! Our snow could melt! ha. I actually wish the snow would stay. Just give us some sunshine with it! haha.

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  2. You are a very good critter-carer. In a couple days it will be balmy here compared to the last few days. From -40C to 7C on Saturday. Nuts! Poor wee birdies - I always wonder how those tiny little bodies stand it!

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    1. They are amazing...being so tiny and not freezing solid. I'm sure they need to eat to stay warm. They looked more comfortable today. I do have one Robin. Amazing. He must have lost his mind not to fly further south. He's eating crab apples, though! ha.
      Yes, I would say 7C would feel wonderful after that! I ventured out for groceries today, along with many others.

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    2. I need to pick some up tomorrow. I have been a hermit too so thank goodness I stocked a lot for the holidays. Also got a big delivery one day which was so helpful. A Robin?? Believe me, he's only staying because he knows there will be better grub at Betsy's Bar and Breakfast!

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    3. Poor Robin! They don't eat seed! I think he's staying for the crab apples. I don't think he'll be seeing any worms for a while! ;)

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    4. Oh! I didn't realise they don't eat seed... Hope those apples will last him. Maybe he will fly further south this weekend.

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  3. Felt warmer here today as well...well...if you call -12c warmer! ha!
    I have never made suet...I know that Red would eat it all....the bred and peanut butter sounds very interesting....
    Did they eat it all?
    Did you get to spend a day by yourself today?

    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    Replies
    1. Oh Red would gobble it up. Probably no sense in putting the effort into it! ha. Yeah, the birds love the peanut butter sandwiches!
      ]
      Yes, the boys were back to school and I had the house to myself. Felt wonderful!

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  4. Yes - I don't want the snow to go either... but I want the slippery ice to go so I can walk again! Or hobble, as the case may be. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Maybe it could warm up enough that the sidewalks and streets melted clear but the snow would stay on the grass. :) Winter does look very bland without the snow!

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    2. You'd be rich if you could invent THAT scenario!

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    3. haha...wouldn't that be perfect? Snow on trees and grass and that's it. lol....

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  5. Seeing your little birds makes me shiver. Burrr. I had never heard about peanut butter and bread for the birds. Since our squirrel loves peanuts...maybe I should make him a sandwich. Can't you just see him holding it in his little paws.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, that would be a cute picture! haha. You and Linda with your squirrels! ha.

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  6. If I eat too thick a layer of peanut butter it gets stuck in my throat, too :-)

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    Replies
    1. Aw, you must be delicate like a sweet little bird! :)

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  7. It made it to 13 here. I'm really looking forward to this weekend when it is supposed to be above freezing.
    You take good care of your critters!

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    Replies
    1. It will at least give our furnaces a little reprieve!

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  8. aren't they sweet, isn't it amazing how they survive the winter, they appear so fragile.

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  9. Hopefully the warm comes our way
    would be nice at my bay
    And geez no wonder the birds like you
    Risking all the cats as you spoil them too

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    Replies
    1. Once in a while a cat gets a bird
      It's usually Shadow, how absurd.
      Have a hawk that wants to eat them, too!
      I'll show a picture when he poses for you!
      ha.

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  10. ha. we were a balmy 36 today...i wanted to wear shorts & flip flops...
    ok, maybe not but seriously comfortable in comparison...
    maybe the cold killed my nerve cells and i just cant
    feel right anymore...ha

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  11. You are a real true bird lover. Me too.

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  12. I read about how cold it is for everyone and then see that we were in the low 70's today and realize how lucky we are. But then again when we are well over 100 or 110 degrees this summer you will be in the 70's or maybe 80's. So I then realized that it all works out in that we all have to suffer at sometime. I guess it just depends upon where and when we suffer.

    Looking at what your birds go through makes me realize how lucky the birds are down here in the south. I guess you could say that we have a lot of smart birds who hate the freezing cold weather. Glad that all of yours are okay.

    God bless.

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    Replies
    1. I suppose if they didn't like the cold, they would fly elsewhere. Maybe they have long-johns under their feathers. ha.

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    2. I can see the headlines now. "Betsy proves cold weather birds wear long-johns!!!". That would be so cool. They must have an extra coat of feathers somewhere in there. They are definitely little fighters. Bless their little hearts!

      God bless.

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    3. lol....I do wonder what their secret is, though! They aren't much bigger than an ice cube as it is! haha.

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  13. I'm so glad that it is "warmer"!!!! for you, it must be amazing to feel the difference, and I'm sure the birds will appreciate it. We seem to have lost our squirrels this year, a mixed blessing, they were very cute, but a menace for digging holes to bury food, they love suet feed by the way - and so do the starlings! I hope the snow melts just enough for you. xx

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    Replies
    1. Oh, last year when I put out suet, the starlings gobbled it up in a matter of minutes! Little pigs. ha.

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  14. We are lucky in the Midlands in Britain so far this winter, we haven't had any snow, ice or temperatures lower than -1°C (don't know what that is in your °F) We are lucky really. The north and south have suffered terrible gales and flooding.

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    Replies
    1. Well, it's nice to hear you haven't been flooded out. You can stay cozy warm and make crepes for dinner, right? :)

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  15. I love these Little birds Betsy! por things with the Ice and wind, they are lovely!xx

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    Replies
    1. They seem a little warmer today! And they are still hungry! ha.

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  16. Great to see sparrows again - t think I mentioned that we used to have hundreds flying around and I have not seen one for months. All due to a terrible infection which almost wiped them out.
    You are very kind to you two winged visitors but don't give them second helpings or they may not be able to take off!! LOL Did not know that about peanut butter and birds suffocating - I LOVE that (peanut butter!).
    I heard today that after all the gales and flood we have had we are due for svere blizzards, courtesy of Siberia. Think I'll hibernate with panda LOL.

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    Replies
    1. Severe blizzards? Uh oh! Better stock up on peanut butter now! :)

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  17. I'm enjoying our rising temperatures in the northeast, too.

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  18. Hard times for the little ones! Hope they made it into your sheltering tree! Everyday I read in the newspapers about the icy cold most of your country has to endure. Dear Betsy, I hope you have a lot of hot chocolates and cosy blankets to keep you warm!
    Christel

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