Taking Care of the Residents

From reading this blog, you've probably surmised that Bruce and I have a large menagerie to care for on a daily basis.  It's true- with 2 dogs, 3 cats, 3 parrots, 3 horses, 3 bunnies, and 10 chickens, all needing to be fed, watered, etc. twice a day, we keep very busy (and broke.... our feed bills are ridiculous!)  However, I would never consider living without our animal companions (but you'll notice, I don't try to speak for Bruce in this matter! :)

What you may NOT realize, are the many local residents we've taken on... residents who have come to rely on our kindness (or gullibility *shrugs*)  For example- the birds.

Bruce has to fill the feeders at least once every day!

We have regulars that we look for.  The cheeky little Downey...

the tiny Pine Siskins...

 my favorites- the chickadees and nuthatches (couldn't get the nuthatch to sit for a photo... perhaps soon)...

the flocks of Grosbeaks...

and the beautiful bullies of the bird world... Stellar Jays.

Sometimes we get visitors passing through... like this Northern Shrike! Today, we had a Rufous sided Towhee! (again... he flew off before I could get my camera focused. *sighs*)

They sit in the trees, and watch as Bruce fills the feeders.

You can practically hear them saying... "HURRY UP! I need to grab some seeds before the Stellar Jays come back!"

Most days, our "bird tree" is alive with birds of all kinds- often, literally, COVERED with flapping, flying, hopping, eating, grateful birds.  We can't let them down.

The Songbirds have to share, even though the Stellar Jays get disgruntled about it.

It's been a tough Winter, and the deer come in to glean whatever birdseed they can get.  Bruce and I have been known to throw apples under the tree. Just a little nutrition to help get our doe and fawns through this critical time.

and the turkeys aren't ones to be left out.

They come into the tree in flocks of 15-20.

Bruce says there is very little Winter range around here for Turkeys... very little for them to eat. I don't mind helping them out, although, they do tend to take advantage!

and of course, there's Raggie.  He's learned that the horses will share some of their hay.  Well... Journey will.  When Dakota and Wynter notice the bull elk feeding with them, they often get a bit irritated.  And they tend to let him know about it.  

That's when he steps over the fence to find the hay I've dropped just for him. I don't give him much... it's important he gets the majority of his nutrition from natural sources.  I just can't help myself from giving him a bit of a treat... I'm hoping it will keep him around for awhile. (and Bruce is hoping he'll drop his antlers here- a gift among friends).