Hey fellow bird watchers...
Posted By: annabanana on 2008-01-23
In Reply to:
We added a new bird to our backyard list today - one that we have been waiting to have visit for six years. I must admit I had given up, as this is known to be a rural bird and we are just inside town. We have downy woodpeckers out the wazoo all day long, but today, much to my surprise and delight, we had a visit from a hairy woodpecker. He landed on the suet cage that I have hanging on the offce window so he was only about 4 feet away and I got a really good look at him. What a thrill! Now if I can just lure in that elusive pileated...
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Bird feeder and bird food?
For the older ones somebody might need to keep it filled.
Well fellow MTs
I'm working away (it's 10:30 p.m. PST) and just wanted to wish all my fellow MTs a lovely Tuesday evening. May your shift be filled with more than enough work courtesy of outstanding clinicians doing the dictation.
Have a fabulous evening 
You might try Weight Watchers sm
I know that it is an expense, but so worth it. You can eat regular food, but most importantly, there are group meetings with lots of support. You'll meet nice people of all ages with the same struggles, and the goals are not set too high at first. It sounds like you feel alone, and you're not. I found Weight Watchers to be helpful in that you can eat regular food and the instructors were really supportive. We'd laugh and then get serious about our quests. You may want to consider a counselor (not being mean here), but I hear your cry for help. Why not make an appoint with your primary care doctor just to express your concerns. You have the power (you are special ya' know)! 
Try Weight Watchers instead.
For Soap watchers
What soap opera do you watch regularly and how long have you been watching it?
Mine is AMC and I've been watching it from the beginning in 1970.
For the B&B soap watchers...
Does Brooke make you wanna pull her hair out??? She is disgustingly desperate...I cannot stand it! I'm rooting for Taylor and Nick, bump Brooke and Ridge...hope he goes to jail and she dries up!
Here are some tips from a fellow
I have really curly hair and I only wash it once a week with organic shampoo. It does not have sodium laureth sulfate in it, which really makes your hair frizzy and tangled. I also use a good quality conditioner and put it in my hair (just a little) between washings and work it through with my fingers. Good luck. It took me into my 20s to really appreciate my hair. I think less is more as far as doing stuff with it. Don't cut it, you'll regret it later because sometimes curly won't sit right cut short.
About Weight Watchers...(sm)
If you look hard enough, you can find the information to do "home-grown" Weight Watchers. Their point system is patented and therefore public information. Since you plug in little factoids about your food (calories, fat, and fiber) to come up with the points value and the number of points for your weight are available with a online search, it is possible to do this without the Weight Watchers meetings or online support. I did. I lost a buttload and kept it off. You can do it too. Now just jog/walk while you watch the TV and you're good to go--for free. I get all revved up to do exercise videos for about 3 days. I have wasted too much money on them. :)
been there done that with fellow MT/friend
I was friends with this girl for years. She is also an MT. Thanks to me! Anyway, she thinks she knows everything and anything and she is not very popular among our other friends either. I finally had enough of the friendship and let it go. We dont even talk now because she is just too much work.
I dont think that you are overreacting at all.
A fellow member . . .
of the loss of a child. I understand and sympathize with you. I too lost a son 16 years ago in a tragic accident. He was 23 at the time. Yes, it does change your life forever. We all grieve differently, and somehow find our way back to a life. For me, it was our other only child, a son, that made me, forced me to make my house a home again back then. I thought about how my deceased son would want us to go on, and how it was hurting him to see us in so much pain. I thought about death a lot, and that we are all walking toward that end one day. I thought about how I need to help make my other son happy again. That helped me to gain some semblence of a life again. Now, I see death as part of life and try to focus on what I make of my life, and how I can make it happy for my loved ones. Yes, my husband and son, and I think of our lost one, but we try to think of him with a smile and how some day we will be reunited again. My sympathy to you and your family. It is not easy. You are so fortunate to have other children. God bless you all and give you happiness.
Weight Watchers Anyone?
I joined a week ago and stuck to it, but my scale says I haven't lost anything yet. Anybody have any success stories to encourage me?
Any experience with Weight Watchers.
I am thinking about joining, but hate to cook. Can I lose weight if I don't want to cook their recipes?
Weight Watchers is the best program
You can eat what you would cook every day, but it is the portion control. I used this program after having both of my children as I gained close to 100 pounds with each pregnancy (too much bread and butter). I have now stabilized, but still watch my portions. I do believe the water and exercise are a very, very important part of Weight Watchers. I did not feel deprived from sweets because as the other poster stated, the point system took care of that. If you know you will indulge, you simply cut back on one of your meals. I had a husband and two children to care for, but I still lost weight eating the same food that I served them, I just controlled my own portions. Hope this helps. Weight Watchers gets my vote. 
I remember cat-sitting for a fellow-MT once.
She was a first-time cat owner also. They had a little Maine coon, and she claimed he didn't play. She was only a year old, so I thought that was strange. I dragged a string for her and she proceeded to show me an extremely playful side, leaping onto the couch, running across the back, leaping to a chair ... I was rolling on the floor over this supposed non-playing cat. So make sure you leave a string toy. Or do you have one of those wants with a feather on it? or the other fishing-rod style toys. My cats were crazy for those toys that required owner involvement. And forget trying to read - my cats insisted I pay attention to the game during play. Cat servant indeed.
website for fellow dog lover
Hi. Its www.inthecompanyofdogs.com
when I was living in North Carolina I met a wonderful older lady at the vet who had her dog in a car seat and gave me the catalog. I Love this catalog. It can be on the expensive side, but the carseat was totally worth it. He loves it. When I get in car he goes in the back and jumps right in it. It took a little time in the beginning, so I gave him treats when he jumped in it. It has good restraints too. but there is another website called GWlittle.com that has carseats that are little less expansive than mine and pretty similar.
Have you thought of Weight Watchers?
I've been on it since the end of April and have lost 10 pounds so far. I have another 40-50 to go, give or take. You can eat whatever you want on WW. It emphasized portion control, which you seem to be doing already. You don't have to go to meetings if you don't want to. You can do it online, which is what I am doing.
Thinking of trying Weight Watchers
and am wondering if anybody has tried it. You can email me and tell me what you think. I heard the point system is easy and very balanced and you don't get hungry.
My fellow transcriptionists..for tomorrow (sm)
I challenge one of you to come up with something very interesting for us all to talk with...co-workers we are, shooting the breeze. I have gone out on a limb and told you about my strange sitings...now someone else come up with something tomorrow - please? Hayseed? Trose? Some other interesting MT? :-)
Weight Watchers at home
I didn't go to meetings. I bought the calculator and the whole kit off the WW website. The most important thing was that I had support from my husband and resolved myself to do it. I ate ice cream every night, but just a small bit. That kept me going.
I tried a bunch of different diets, but they obviously didn't work in the long term. My mind was the thing keeping me back. Once my mind was set to do it, I did it. I've had that weight off a couple years now with most of it off for 3 years. (I had a pregnancy in there!)
Sorry I didn't respond. You can give me a virtual slap on the hand. I'm happy to talk about it, though, if you'd like!
Weight Watchers at home
I bought the kit from the website but didn't go to meetings. It's setting your mind to do it and being really sick of being fat. I tried so many other times to lose weight, I can't tell you.
Good luck!
Anyone tried Weight Watchers online?
What's it like, what's it cost, did you have any success?
About your fellow land-dweller
She could easily put up her own mail box right next to yours. As long as she clearly labels it with her name, the postal carrier will separate your mail from hers. That's how theya do it out here in my neck o' the woods anyhows....
(Can you tell I absolutely ADORE being a redneck? LOL!)
Try google - Weight Watchers is online now.
I saw an advertisement on TV. Weight Watchers is the way to go to lose weight because you can eat regular food. You can also have the donut and Dr. Pepper if you go light that day!!! Good luck to U!
Nice to see a fellow athiest aboard!
:)
Fellow workers, you are gonna be proud of me!
I just sent email to a national morning program, has a guy and girl on there. I was watching the other morning, a wife and son on explaining about how her husband suffered extensively with pain, unable to get medications because, you know, some call it drug seeking? Well, come to find out through son being tested, this father had some sort of syndrome (sorry, do not remember the name) and finally died having suffered for years, unable to live a decent life, bedridden. On the panel was the wife, son, a physician and another person The wife started to say something and was cut off immediately but the lady host saying "Well, are you a physician?" The wife said no and the host said "Well, let the doctor speak then." I wrote this host this morning to let her know IF she worked in the field she would know physicians make plenty of mistakes- we clean them up all the time, right? I said people who do not know tend to hold physicians up as gods but if you worked in this field you would certainly know better. I tried to get Megace for hubby 1 time because not eating, lost appetite, starving actually and was told by physician would not help. I switched doctors, got the prescription and hubby regained appetite. Having typed on that for aid in TB patients as well as human immunovirus patients in regaining appetites, I knew better. I feel a whole lot better about myself right now!!
For my fellow Black Friday shoppers, a little tip
Don't wait until the last minute to get the big ticket items. I know they may seem like a great deal, but usually those items are only $20 to $50 less than they normally would be. The aggravation of trying to get it isn't going to be worth the money you'd save.
I generally go for the smaller deals -- like the cool PJs on sale and the board games or DVDs on sale. These are great sales. One year, I got 3 Fisher Price/Hasbro games for my 5-year-old for $3 each. DVDs were only $5 each. There were 3-piece fleece PJs for $9. These are best deals in my opinion.
I've stood in line waiting to get the $49 gameboy that was normally $100 only to get to my turn and find out they're sold out. Then I spent the next month trying to find one anywhere for my kid for Christmas.
I go out early on Black Friday for the excitement and some bargains, but never the big ticket stuff. I have that bought before then and stored away safe and sound. To me, it's like tailgating -- the thing that gets me into the spirit of the season!
First time I have seen a fellow Kansan on here. whereabouts?
I am in SW
With Weight Watchers Core Plan you can eat until satisfied...sm..
never go hungry, and lose weight in a healthy way. It emphasizes low fat or non-fat foods and whole grains. You'll learn how to eat healthy.
I had a fellow nursing student way back with a Jamaican patois who
s
Darn! I meant to say FORMER not fellow! I moved a few years back sm
but would LOVE to visit. My dad was stationed at Griffis AFB in Rome, outside of Utica..they moved and I stayed and attended college in Syracuse with a few friends. After a few years I finally left the area. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in that area anymore!!! So sad....I would LOVE to take my family there one day and show them the Adirondacks, etc. I actually have step-grandparents in VT who owned a 100+ acre farm they just sold for a million dollars....Now they have a small log cabin in the mountains but they are in FL most of the year! I actually live just outside of Atlanta now....I remember being snowed in the dorms for 2 days during a bad winter storm. You are right! The snow is like NO ONE ANYWHERE can even imagine..LOL Nice to meet you!
US Soldier Kills 4 Fellow Troops Before Killing Himself At US Base In Iraq
***UPDATE*** The Associated Press reveals more details about the shooter:
The suspect had been disarmed after an earlier incident at the center but returned with another weapon, according to a senior military official in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into the shootings was ongoing.
***UPDATE*** The American soldier who shot dead five fellow soldiers at a U.S. base in Baghdad is in custody.
"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters.
The New York Times adds some perspective to the tragedy:
The killings appeared to be the worst case of soldier-on-soldier violence among the American forces based in Iraq since the invasion more than six years ago.
The shootings, which took place at a stress clinic, highlight the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. soldiers, notes the Guardian:
Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
***UPDATE*** According to Fox News, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Monday relayed President Obama's response to the tragedy. Obama expressed shock and sadness and is promising to fully investigate what exactly transpired at Camp Liberty, so as to prevent such incidents in the future.
***UPDATE*** AP has another update. The shooting was at a 'stress clinic':
Pentagon officials say five Americans are dead after a U.S. soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad. They say the attacker is in custody.
The officials say the shootings happened on Camp Liberty at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or stress from personal issues.
One senior military official in Washington says it's unclear whether those killed are workers at the clinic or were there for counseling. He says officials also are unsure whether all the dead are members of the military.
***UPDATE*** ABC News reports that the U.S. soldier who attacked fellow troops on a U.S, base in Iraq has killed five of them and is now in custody. Initial reports suggested that he had turned the gun on himself after his rampage.
***UPDATE*** AP now reports that the U.S. soldier who went on a rampage against his fellow troops in Iraq may have survived the incident:
Pentagon officials say five U.S. soldiers are dead after an American soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad.
The officials say the shootings happened Monday at Camp Liberty near Baghdad's airport.
One senior military official in Washington said it was not yet clear whether the shooter was among the dead. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the circumstances surrounding the deaths are under investigation.
Initial reports indicated the Army soldier shot several others, then turned the gun on himself. But it was unclear whether he, too, had died.
***UPDATE*** CNN reports that 3 other U.S. soldiers were wounded during the friendly fire incident that has left 5 U.S. troops dead. An American soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself.
According to the Washington Post, it is the single greatest loss of life in a single incident involving U.S. soldiers since a truck bomb last month took the lives of 5 American soldiers.
***UPDATE*** CNN has just sent out a breaking news alert reporting that senior defense officials have told the network that a US soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself. Check back for more information.
McClatchy is reporting that a shooting at a U.S. base in Baghdad has left 5 soldiers dead. The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a base near the Baghdad airport.
I had a cat who once caught a bird...
in mid air. I saw it with my own eyes or never would have believed it.
Maybe it was a bird - a hawk!
My hubby saw one land in our back yard. I'm grateful my dogs are over 50 lbs so they can't get carried off. But a small cat? Maybe. I saw a red tailed hawk carry off a large cottonmouth snake once. Flew right over our truck hood. Loved it.
lonely bird
I've had all kinds of birds but only a couple types of finches, none of them Blues. I do know that finches tend to be colony birds and prefer companionship as a rule. I think she is probably missing her best buddy and she is also afraid because she doesn't know what happened. If there was any blood involved with the dying bird, this will terrify birds even more. (They don't even like it if you wear red nailpolish.) That might account for the odd chirping. It might be to your benefit to try to find out what the other bird died from because if it had anything to do with something that is still in Roxy's environment, this will upset her.
Some birds bond for life and will never accept another companion. Others can resist a companion at first but then get used to them. This is breeding season. I would think she would be accepting of another bird right now.
My first suggestion would be to get a mirror and put it in her cage and see if that helps calm her down. Just seeing another finch like her buddy might help. Then, if you want to try getting another bird (which I would definitely do if she accepts the mirror bird), get one and put it in a separate cage right beside this one. Don't just put it smack into her cage. She could attack it for not being her buddy or for territorial invasion. But if the new bird is sitting in its own cage (can be a small travel cage for the trial) and yours acts like she wants to go be with it, then put them together for short periods of time at first and watch them carefully to be sure she doesn't attack the new bird. If they are compatible, then you've got yourself a new pair and Roxy has a new best friend. Also, it would be wise to keep the birds in separate cages for a while and watch the new bird's droppings, even have them checked out by a vet for parasites, etc., before you let them live together to be sure the new one is perfectly well.
One other thought that comes to mind is perhaps you had a male and female and did not know it. I confess I do not know how easy it is to tell the sexes of Blues. I'm used to the larger birds and using blood tests to be sure, as I paired and bred for sale. But a blood test is impractical on a finch as they really can't afford to lose any blood because of their small size!!! BUT, one could have killed the other since this is breeding season and birds, even finches, can get very aggressive towards one another, even those of the same sex.
I would suggest contacting a Blue breeder and find out more about their personalities and habits. And if you buy your second bird directly from a breeder, you can be more sure it will be a healthy one. The ones that end up in pet shops aren't always the best of the clutch.
I wish you luck and please know you have my sympathies in your loss. These little guys are really easy to get attached to. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions I might be able to answer.
Yes, get another bird. They become very attached.
xx
Here is an unusual bird
The lyre bird is a mimic, but does much more than just other birds! See link below.
Bird watching
I like to watch the birds out my kitchen window, but they spook easily, like every time we walk into the kitchen. I'd like to put a film on the window that would allow me to see out, but not be the mirror reflective type that would cause the birds to attack the window or try to fly through.
The only one I've found like that had a military camouflage pattern (not too lovely, LOL). I'm sick of searching, and was hoping somebody else had already found something. Oh, and the easier to apply, the better! Temporary/cling is fine, but I do have to be able to see out.
Thank you. Never in bird. I'm too lazy LOL :-) NM
x
Can you tell me where the bird story is?
Thanks
You mean the bird's tail? (sm)
It's fatty meat and tail bone. I think people leave it, but don't serve it.
Bird story
 I just had to share this story with all.
This morning while downstairs doing laundry I hear my cats carrying on and on. I was concerned because the last time they were throwing such a fit our dog was choking and they cried to get my attention.
I walk in my den to see what was wrong and to my surprise sitting on my window ledge was a woodpecker pecking at the window. I shooed him away x5 but he kept coming back. I have never had this happen before.
I used to feed my feathered friends about 3 years ago but gave this up as our dog (german shorthair) started hunting them. While I know it is in his nature I just couldn't see baiting the birds for him.
Now I am wondering what has gotten into this little guy who is still looking in at me right now, not pecking at the glass but just watching, any ideas????
Any bird lovers out there? I have a question sm
I have had to female (didn't want to deal with breeding, been there done that) Cordon Bleu finches for almost 3 years. My hubby purchased them for me for out 17th anniversary. It has been just the two of them in their cage since we brought them home and they hang right beside my desk so I can see them when I work. Last night we found 1 dead. The other one has been chirping continuously since early this morning. They are not extremely vocal birds (usually the males are) but they would normally chirp a little and would fly around quite a bit. I know Roxy is probably wondering where Velma is and that is the reason for the continuous chirping (including a weird sing-sing-whisthiling noise that I have never heard before). I have been searching on the web about getting another bird for her to have as company. I can't find anything definite. We brought these birds 3 hours from here as our local pet store only carries zebra finches. I haven't spoken to anywhere there yet but plan to. Does anyone have any suggestions? My heart just breaks for the lone bird but am not sure if getting another bird is the best idea.
How is the bird who lost its buddy?
Responding to the post below about the dog made me think of the poster whose bird died. How is the little one doing? Did you get him a new friend?
If you didn't stuff it in the bird...
I would just wait until Thanksgiving to bake it.
bird feeder . . . not birdeeder LOL nm
x
We have a barrel of bird seed that we keep in the basement.
A few years ago, when the contents got low, we found a 3-legged mouse trapped in there. The seed was low enough that he could not jump back out. Well, having had kept mice in the past (pet store varities) I put thick gloves on, caught him and set him up in a nice cage with all the stuff mice like. I would hold him every day and sign Micky, Micky Bo Bicky, banana fana fo ficky....and so on. Every day. But after two weeks I realized that he was not enjoying it. So, 3 legs and all, I took him out to our bottom field and let him loose. He ran and skipped to the closest tree and climbed that tree up about 15 feet. He then sat an a branch and gave me the evil eye. Didn't know he could do all that with just 3 legs.
Well, a few weeks later, guess who was back in the barrel? I got the heavy gloves out and went to reach for him, he FLEW up my hand, arm, jumped 15' across the room and ran under the door to freedom. Guess he really did have enough of my singing. Never saw him again. (was definitely him cause you can't miss noticing a 3-legged mouse). Oh well...
Saw a surviving baby bird today!
That snake got something in my yard, but today I saw a baby bird on the ground. Just like last year there is a baby thrasher (I think I called it a thrush last time?) with this cute, stubby little tail. He's all fluffy and as big as his parents except that he has a little stubby tail in place of their 4-inch long tails, LOL. He hops out into view, opens his mouth, and then a parent comes down and shoves food down his gaping gullet. Soooo cute.
I had Sasha tied up, guarding the front yard to keep the neighbor's cat away. Not sure where the snake is, but he should be stuffed for a couple of days, anyway.
Have seen lots of birds do this with those fake bird-like
sdf
The Bird Cage! I love that movie.
Hank Azaria is a hoot. In fact, all the principals do a great job.
MTness: The bird story below is so strange. (sm)
I'm so sorry for your loss as well. I cannot even imagine (and don't want to!) how hard that must be for both of you who posted about losing your sons.
That bird thing is so bizarre. I have heard of people having signs that loved ones are about to die but did you ever make any sense out of the bird??
yeah, what strange bird story?
I couldn't find it either.
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