This is the front of the crappy little food market in the crappy little desert town nearest where I live.
In the spring, the front columns are always infested with chickadees. Apparently the columns are constructed of concrete blocks with lots of nice holes perfect for nesting.
And Spring is announced by the return of the chickadees.
Another clear sign that winter is over…
The bull snakes come out of hibernation.
Tobie found me this one. Bless his heart, he approached with proper respect.
Bull snakes are harmless to the point of benevolence. But I want my dog to treat all snakes with respect bordering on fear, because I assume he can’t tell the difference between bull snakes and rattlesnakes. It’s a proper survival trait.
And finally…
My friends S&L invited me to a dinner party last night, apparently in part because I recently passed a birthday. Which also happens in Spring.
Hey man, happy birthday. Snakes, even pictures of snakes, and even the big one who lives under my house the last several years keeping rodents away, creep me out.
Happy birthday!
Happy BD, Uncle Joel.
The photos you posted are English Sparrows, not chickadees!
By the way, what is your decision on the Chef’s Choice knife sharpener?
Will your power system tolerate it?
Happy Birthday, young feller…
Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday, Joel!
Look like chickadees to me. And thanks for the offer, Mark, but I don’t need the knife sharpener.
English sparrows, I dispatch them as soon as they show up. They take nest boxes from Bluebirds. Yes it’s legal, they are invasive.
Happy Birthday Joel!
Look like house sparrows, an invasive species ready for killing.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! And here’s to many more healthy ones!
Yo, man, Happy Birthday! I tried posting earlier, but it rejected me….
Happy natal anniversary. Many more too come.
Happy Birthday, Joel, and many more to come!
Major Babe and I both wish you a happy birthday. Major Babe agrees, them there birds are sparrows.
Sparrows of any kind eat spiders. You want spiders? Cause that’s how you get spiders.
Are there any studies about discarded antlers attracting rodents? They are a sought-after resource in the Rat-American communities of color.
But then…rats also eat spiders…maybe we should just nuke you from orbit. Wtf were you thinking?
Spiders eat insects. I prefer spiders to insects!
Happy Belated! I just saw this post so, as usual, I’m a bit late to the party:-).
I wonder if the sparrows would be worth harvesting. Doesn’t look like there’s a lot of meat there.
Congrats on another healthy year, keep it up, for our amusement.
Every year I’ll harass my dogs with a pissed off gopher/bull snake. They are usually pretty mellow, but if you mess with them enough, they’ll get mad. Then give dogs, snake aversion training. Been in the wilds of Tennessee for 8 years and no snake bit dogs yet.
Blue birds around here are holding their own with the sparrows.
Happy Birthday and may there be many more.
rural-revolution.com has a piece about chickadees, and they very similar. She would know.
Spiders and bugs are both sandwiches to a lbj.
Happy Birthday Joel !
(and happy springtime)
Happy Birthday, Joel. As for springtime, the storage place down the paved road, had a sign that said, “I GOT SO EXCITED FOR SPRING I WET MY PLANTS”.
A much belated Happy Birthday to you.