buzzardnotes

Some nice snow looking very pristine in the backyard

I love how the snow fall in clumps on the trees. Of course I wouldn’t like it if these same heavy limbs were breaking power lines.

My backyard birds are always hungry and a snowy day is no exception. Ravens and tri-colored blackbirds are the primary birds here. The quail, sparrows and finches slept in, but they don’t enjoy being with the ravens very much.

It’s snowing and the ravens are roosting in the tree waiting to swoop down for lunch.  READY…

SET… He’ll go after the suet feeder in the middle of the trunk

GO!

ATTACKING THE SUET…The ravens wait their turn to try to get at the suet as if they realize it’s fruitless to bicker about who is first.

HANGING IN THERE.   Actually, ravens don’t normally hang on to a tree as woodpeckers do. But if they are hungry enough and like the food, they will try anything. Then, too, their beaks are thick and it’s difficult for them to get through the smaller mesh in the suet feeder. They keep trying and eventually do get a few bites. Starlings are better at this same trick because their beaks are smaller.  Quail usually hang out below and eat up the fallen suet crumbs when starlings are chowing down.

Sunrise after the storm. This was taken about 6:15 AM looking west to the Sierras. The sun has to rise over the Pine Nuts to the east and that is why the Sierras get lit up from the top down.

Isn’t it amazing how much a scene can change in ten minutes?

Buddy – aka Budweiser or Eeyore. He is a rescue from Utah and is suspected to be from a puppy mill. A lab thoroughbred with a bad back and in need of some orthodontic work. Sometimes he reminds us of Eeyore because he looks sad or woebegone. But he’s a sweet boy and so loveable. He’s 13 and had a stem cell transplant two years ago that made him seem like a puppy. He was running with Max and was able to get on the couch to sit with Jerri until just recently. Sadly, the transplant seems to be wearing off and it’s becoming more difficult for him to get around.

This is Max – aka Maxwell von Biddle or Maxwell for short when he begins to do something he shouldn’t. He’s a rescue from the Pyramid Lake Reservation and is a lab/black mouth cur combination. Max is a big boy who thinks he’s much smaller than he is. He is five and has lots of energy. He loves to run and is fast enough to catch squirrels and sometimes pigeons. Chasing birds to watch them fly gives him kicks. He loves the horses that live next door and runs out to greet them, rub noses with them or run with them.

You can see that Max is a lot bigger than Buddy. Technically, all dogs must be on a leash when outside, but Buddy is so docile that he just sits while Max is always on duty, checking out things.

Always on patrol

Buddy know he needs to stay hydrated in Death Valley

Is it morning already? Sometimes Max sneaks up on the bed and crowds Jerri and Allan so much they can hardly move.

Poor Buddy sleeps at the foot of the bed.

This isn’t one of Buddy’s best Eeyore looks, but it’s close.

The Boys like to be near the family at all times and choose a great place to take a nap right where we walk between the sofa and table.

Sometimes Buddy gets into a small place where Max can’t bug him. He loves to sleep under the desk in the computer room at home. Note: this is in front of where Buddy and Max were napping in the previous picture.

When Max needs to take care of an itch, everyone knows it. His tags rattle and a big foot goes after that itch with a great production. You should see when he cleans his feet. He puts the entire foot in his mouth and gnaws on it.  Truly a weird sound.

Then there is Bia (aka Beezie), Buddy and Max’s little girl cousin. Bia is also a rescue that is three-quarters lab and one-quarter pit bull. She has a lab personality and loves her family and people to no end. She is just a year old and is still learning the ropes. Bia’s energy is boundless and wants to play with every dog or critter she finds. Her tail is like a whip with no nerves. It whacks anything nearby (your leg, a wall, a tree,  a chair, ad infinitum) and without having any effect. But your leg feels it! She is so happy to see you and practically wags her fanny off trying to greet you.  Bia belongs to Jolee and her family.

One of Bia’s favorite positions to rest or contemplate what she’s going to do next.

Bia wants so much to play with Buddy and Max, but they don’t seem to want to. I think she moves way too fast for Buddy and he’s not able to run and jump with her anyway. Max, as big as he is (100+ pounds vs. 50 pounds) seems to be a bit intimidated by her.

Is that you, Max?

A wistful plea…Won’t you play with me, Max? I’m hoping when Bia gets a bit older that Max will play with her a bit.