Wee Bits of Wildlife.

Chick-a-dees and mice.

We have those in abundance.

I am getting used to seeing mice (and now voles) in the house. I'm not happy when I see them, but there is no yelling and climbing furniture at least. There are traps all over the house and one is bound to entice them so it's not too concerning.  But the other day I spotted a mouse the size of a quarter.

A QUARTER!!!!

I was more then just a little unhappy. One, full size mouse, might mean that it came in out of the cold and when you trap it that nuisance is taken care of. But a quarter size mouse, means that somewhere in our house a lady mouse used a midwife!!

A MIDWIFE!!!

You can be guaranteed sure that there are more tiny-wee fur-balls elsewhere and snap-traps are useless at that size. They gotta grow up first!

Everything in the kitchen is wrapped up tight.

The bread is in the bread-box. The staples are in canisters. Every glass and tin container has been called into service so I am not worried about food being ruined, but I may start leaving "crumbs" out to help these little ones grow up faster!!   I think it's this snow-less winter we are having so far. The ancient foundation of our house is uncovered and the cracks are such that even a pregnant mouse can fit through! Grr.

Enough about rodents though, let's talk about chick-a-dees instead. Now they are a lovely treat. It helps that Geoff made me the prettiest bird feeder I have ever seen.

It didn't take long after it was up and seed added before we had "customers". First a wood-pecker. Then blue jays. And although you could see chickadees all over the place they were slow about trying out the new buffet. Once they found it though there was no stopping them.

Except when jays bluster in, then they clear out and either go to the suet ball or ground to sort through the spilled stuff.  There is also a flock of starlings, comical they are, as they aren't worried about sharing, so it isn't unusual to see twelve or more all over the feeder. A single cow-bird visited, who although quite small, was given total, undisturbed access to the feeder, even by the jays!! There have been other birds too, but we weren't able to identify them. (even with Google, can you believe it!?). It doesn't help that they came only one time.They were so pretty though that I sure hope they visit again!

If you are a "friend" of mine on Facebook then you know we have been working on hand-taming the chick-a-dees. I think it has become our favorite part of the day or thing about this property.... the times we go outside to feed those little feathered tufts of cuteness!

We all carry seeds in our pockets since there are times we go outside to do other things but the birds come "asking" as soon as they see you. :) There is no way you can get an energetic power-walk in anymore. Not if you have a heart anyways. They won't land on your hand while you are moving. (except one, young, brave one) So you have to stop often and hold still while they light on your hand and pick a seed or two. The ones that decide to take two are with you a tad longer as they work hard to fit them in "this way and that" and they usually succeed!

Sometimes one will call out a cheery "Chick-a-dee-dee-deee" when it gets to you, before picking a seed and flying away. At first I thought it was a "thank you" but have come to realize they only do it when we are far from the house and feeder. I'm thinking now that the correct translation is "Hey Guys, the move-able feeder is now over here!!!" as it never fails to draw more of "the family" to you.
They also sound out a "peep" when they are approaching you. Well, some do. Sometimes you don't know a "customer" is coming until there are flutterings happening a few inches from your face. My startled hollering only causes them to retreat a little bit away and they watch knowing I will compose myself, reach into a pocket and ta-da seeds will be there.
An extremely entertaining thing to watch is how they will come all the way from the house, a good couple hundred feet, to the road to get seeds from us if we're out walking. They have the cutest way of flying, a serious of dips and ups. Love it! It's crazy but they don't fly out to the neighbours walking by. (I've asked) Some how they know us apart from other two-legged creatures. This was proven in another way when our nephew came over and The Youngest gave him seeds and didn't take any herself. She thought they may only come to her, and she was probably right in guessing that, as they took awhile to trust the "new" human. Once chick-a-dees approached us as we were walking past our neighbour's driveway!! About 700 feet or so away from our place! I was worried that the poor neighbours must be getting swarmed whenever they were out "thanks to us", but no, they aren't. Don't ask me how they can tell us apart, it boggles my mind.

Then a couple days ago something happened at the feeder that was "too close for comfort" but ended up being truly special. It started with The Youngest saying "Why are the chick-a-dees frozen on the feeder?" and sure enough two, wee things were there not moving. If you know anything about chick-a-dees is that they never stop moving. I knew from past bird-feeder experience that meant there was a bird-of-prey nearby. It took a few minutes to spot him, but yes, there it was in the willow that all the birds use to wait in or crack open their seeds. There is a family of voles that live in the adjacent shed (and some grew up and moved into our house!!) and they explore all under that tree, so we knew the hawk was most likely there for them. But since our little friends were out there trapped and terrified I decided to go out and scare it away with the hopes that it successfully find supper somewhere else.
My only fear was that I would startle the chick-a-dees prematurely.
Turns out they didn't move prematurely, but in their frightened state, once the hawk left one flew straight into the window and knocked the air out of it's lungs. Well, at first I was afraid it was worse then that, but I decided that I couldn't let it just die without trying. I picked it up and if I wasn't looking at it I wouldn't have known it was in my hand that's how light it was. Birds fill their lungs by the flapping of their wings, so when "their wind" gets knocked out it takes a fair bit of panting before they can get back off the ground. In which time a predator or in this case the cold can get the best of them.
I took my wee patient into the mud room and kept him warm while he labored to catch his breath. His eyes slowly became brighter, he began to "stand" a little taller so I removed the top, cupped hand, but one wing still didn't look right. I wasn't sure he could fly. I opened the door though so that he could go whenever he wanted, but he stayed where he was for some time, I started to call out to the family inside that maybe a bit of water to drink might help and when the inside door opened and a face peeked out the chick-a-dee took off with both wings working just fine! What a relief. I wasn't really interested in trying to work with a broken winged chick-a-dee, but when your youngest child is like mine I wouldn't of had a choice!!

Later that day we took our "pockets full of seeds" for a walk into the back woods. The chick-a-dees follow us through the trails that Geoff and The Man-Son have cut. The Youngest was getting most of the "customers" (as I call them) since she was in the rear and willing to stop more often. But once I got to my favorite part of the woods I stopped too and held out my hand.  It had to be the chick-a-dee whose life I had saved that morning, cause one landed and stayed on my hand for a couple minutes. Just sat there still, looking at me. No hopping about and checking out the seed selection. No looking over it's shoulder for other incoming birds. Just sitting there comfortable gazing into my eyes.

All three of us stood transfixed waiting for it to take off. Finally it took a seed and flitted lightly away and when I said aloud  "That had to have been the one I saved this morning. It was the same size", (when you play with chick-a-dees every day you begin to see differences), both my walking buddies quickly agreed with me. It had to have been.

And I think that time, in that truly special moment, a "Thank you" was said without a sound made.

Well, thanks for sticking with me on this rather long-winded blog.....stay tuned for more "Feathered Tales" that are sure to come. :)

P.S. And while I appreciate recommendations and suggestions on how to get rid of baby mice please know I won't be resorting to "sticky-traps". In order for me to be able to "live with myself" it has to be either a quick death or none at all.....even then the snap traps don't always work swiftly enough :(
And yes, we will be "investing" in a furry feline.....eventually.