The Uncaged Bird -Hummingbird feeder is up!
A reminder for coffee drinkers, please buy bird friendly or shade grown coffee. 75% of all coffee plantations grow their coffee in full sun. Trees are cut down which are needed for birds and replaced with coffee plants. Shade grown coffee is the solution and is available often it is fair trade and organic. But do check to see that it is also labeled bird friendly or shade grown. I'll post a couple of brands but you can find them online or at certain stores. Trader Joe's had a brand. I'll do some searching.
Morganna said:
Maplewood or South Orange?
South Orange, near Underhill Field
lynnl199 said:
South Orange, near Underhill Field
I will keep an eye out for them. I thought it was the end of the season. I had read that our birds go down as far as Mexico, and the ones that have traveled up to Canada usually make it to Florida. The trip across the Gulf can be pretty rough.
Please post any pictures that you get. Love to see the at other locations.
Not seeing any hummingbirds but I just discovered that the honeysuckle produces berries!
Surprised to be reporting the sighting of a female at my feeder today. I’m in NW Morris County
blackcat said:
Surprised to be reporting the sighting of a female at my feeder today. I’m in NW Morris County
That's amazing. I haven't seen a hummingbird for about 2 weeks.
I just refilled the feeder with the last of the food the other day. It is fairly warm here today. Hadn’t seen one for a few weeks.
blackcat said:
I just refilled the feeder with the last of the food the other day. It is fairly warm here today. Hadn’t seen one for a few weeks.
I just cleaned the feeder and put it away but I'll hang it out tomorrow. I felt pretty secure because my honeysuckle is blooming although not robustly. And my red salvia is still alive. The deer and the woodchuck don't care for it although now they are starting to eat almost anything. Thanks for the heads up!
Morganna said:
That's amazing. I haven't seen a hummingbird for about 2 weeks.
Me neither, and I'm down the shore. Took the feeders in yesterday to clean for next year. This season went very fast.
mumstheword said:
Me neither, and I'm down the shore. Took the feeders in yesterday to clean for next year. This season went very fast.
Me too, I just bought suet cakes for the chilly weather. Bird feeders are up all year long, bird baths filled with water, so important particularly with this dry weather.
And believe it or not even yesterday their was a pool party!These are more from a couple of weeks ago.
Just sent this pic to PeggyC, and thought to share it with you, too. We went out yesterday arvo, and came home to find this pair dancing under our deck and totally self-absorbed. The front, balancing on the top edge of the wooden rail, was like a young child on a balance barre.
We’re also seeing baby long-necked turtles! They’re hard to get clear pics of, though. And quite a few eels, earlier in the day.
The duck drakes have started competing for the girls - yesterday morning, I watched two boys chase each other and bump chests in fairly deep water, as they tried to stop each other from getting to the seed they thought I was going to scatter. What was funny was a third boy who sped up to them then violently jumped on both their backs mid-bump, forcing all three underwater, for quite a while, where the testosterone show continued.
@joanne sounds like quite a show and thank you for the beautiful pictures of the swans.
I'll be entertaining a guest from Australia in a few weeks. I've never met her or her partner but they are friends of my ex husband who has wanted me to meet them for a long time.
I believe both women were professors. I suggested that they come on the weekend that my studio is on the SOMA Artist Studio Tour. Should be fun.
Say hi to Peggy. I'm sure so many of us would love to see her post on MOL.
The pretty pair above are jabiru, a native stork. (Our swans are black, remember? We’d panic if we saw white swans in the wild)
I tried to grab a quick shot of the swan family today. That water is clear and clean; you’re seeing through to the sandy bottom
Morganna said:
Me too, I just bought suet cakes for the chilly weather. Bird feeders are up all year long, bird baths filled with water, so important particularly with this dry weather.
And believe it or not even yesterday their was a pool party!These are more from a couple of weeks ago.
My birdbath had an assortment of feathered friends frolicking yesterday as well. My new cat was curled up on my lap and I couldn’t reach my phone to grab a shot! They seem to enjoy splashing around so.
I have a similar birdbath — new this summer — any tips or winter care info?
mtierney said:
My birdbath had an assortment of feathered friends frolicking yesterday as well. My new cat was curled up on my lap and I couldn’t reach my phone to grab a shot! They seem to enjoy splashing around so.
I have a similar birdbath — new this summer — any tips or winter care info?
I just leave it out and keep filling it. When it freezes over I just boil a bit of water on melt it. The birdbath is concrete and does have a crack. The large fountain is some sort of resin or something. And there is another one that I believe is a concrete mix.
Cats name please.
When the pool parties die down, the birdbaths and fountain have other visitors.
Morganna said:
I just leave it out and keep filling it. When it freezes over I just boil a bit of water on melt it. The birdbath is concrete and does have a crack. The large fountain is some sort of resin or something. And there is another one that I believe is a concrete mix.
Cats name please.
Promise you won’t yell at me when you see Harry’s picture.
I spent weeks chasing orange tabbies, as you well know, and was stymied when one cat died suddenly at the shelter, and another cat was in a custody dispute with the cat’s owner. I looked at a gazillion web pages of kitties needing homes. I had neighbors, family, and friends on the lookout. You were very helpful - although, north Jersey and NYC potential cats threw me a transportation issue.
I checked out the Popcorn Zoo animal shelter and saw multiple orange cats, but, none were termed adoptable by the shelter for a variety of reasons. I had taken care of my last cat for weeks as she developed severe arthritic issues and had thyroid condition for two years. I just wasn’t ready to undertake a sick cat, but would have taken on an old timer.
My son was prepared to drive me to other shelters and at our first stop, a shelter in Manahawkin, I fell in love! This cat is a hugger, kneader, and loves sitting on my lap. All required needs on my part. He was a stray in Newark and I was told he was 2-1/2, but he looks more like a kitten to me. He goes to the vet tomorrow so perhaps I will know more.
So, here is Harry!
Isn’t this just stunning bird art? Reading about how it was made just increases my appreciation.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/19/birds-of-a-green-and-yellow-feather-flock-together-in-artistic-glory
and
joanne said:
Hello, Harry! Please scritch that adorable tummy for us!
Mission accomplished!
mtierney said:
Promise you won’t yell at me when you see Harry’s picture.
I spent weeks chasing orange tabbies, as you well know, and was stymied when one cat died suddenly at the shelter, and another cat was in a custody dispute with the cat’s owner. I looked at a gazillion web pages of kitties needing homes. I had neighbors, family, and friends on the lookout. You were very helpful - although, north Jersey and NYC potential cats threw me a transportation issue.
I checked out the Popcorn Zoo animal shelter and saw multiple orange cats, but, none were termed adoptable by the shelter for a variety of reasons. I had taken care of my last cat for weeks as she developed severe arthritic issues and had thyroid condition for two years. I just wasn’t ready to undertake a sick cat, but would have taken on an old timer.
My son was prepared to drive me to other shelters and at our first stop, a shelter in Manahawkin, I fell in love! This cat is a hugger, kneader, and loves sitting on my lap. All required needs on my part. He was a stray in Newark and I was told he was 2-1/2, but he looks more like a kitten to me. He goes to the vet tomorrow so perhaps I will know more.
So, here is Harry!
He is a looker! And I'm getting the feeling that he is going to be spoiled! Enjoy him and I understand that often it is all about the chemistry.
Is it a nice shelter? Many of my rescue pals have friends in South Jersey that they work with. We can't keep up in Essex County. A dear friend who does a lot of transport, often bring cats from the Newark shelter to shelters or rescues in SJ.
Either way thank you for rescuing him and making room for the next one.
Vet said Harry had his two year molars, so that question was answered, and healthy! But the vet said he was fully grown, so my little guy is a perfect fit on my lap.
I would highly recommend the Southern Ocean County shelter in Manahawkin. Very cat and customer friendly, however small, and spotless. It has been renovated in recent years, Staff could not have been nicer. Gave me lots of time to check out the cats. Especially since I started out looking for orange tabbies, but they had none. Harry was irresistible — I think he selected me!
I did not feel the same way about the Popcorn Zoo animal shelter. Chaotic layout, but very caring caretakers. Many more cats, but fewer termed “adoptable”. The shelter had a huge sunny room, with lots of cats relaxing on chairs, cushions, etc., who were “residents” - willed to shelter care and provided for by fosters.
Seven room house, but Harry found a hideyhole.
P S : Is there a cat collar that is a best choice for a house cat, who, God forbid, might sneak out? He is chipped, but I have an ID charm I would like him to wear.
mtierney said:
Vet said Harry had his two year molars, so that question was answered, and healthy! But the vet said he was fully grown, so my little guy is a perfect fit on my lap.
I would highly recommend the Southern Ocean County shelter in Manahawkin. Very cat and customer friendly, however small, and spotless. It has been renovated in recent years, Staff could not have been nicer. Gave me lots of time to check out the cats. Especially since I started out looking for orange tabbies, but they had none. Harry was irresistible — I think he selected me!
I did not feel the same way about the Popcorn Zoo animal shelter. Chaotic layout, but very caring caretakers. Many more cats, but fewer termed “adoptable”. The shelter had a huge sunny room, with lots of cats relaxing on chairs, cushions, etc., who were “residents” - willed to shelter care and provided for by fosters.
Seven room house, but Harry found a hideyhole.
P S : Is there a cat collar that is a best choice for a house cat, who, God forbid, might sneak out? He is chipped, but I have an ID charm I would like him to wear.
I don't know much about cat collars. I've never used them. I guess I project because I'm not comfortable with turtlenecks or anything that presses on my throat so I assume my cats feel the same.
I'll ask friends to see if there is something special, I remember something that was a kind of break away collar for outdoor cats so that they wouldn't get caught on anything.
My guess, is this lucky boy will be under your watchful eye at all times!
So much feeding the hungry hordes this morning! Swan family carefully brought the cygnets over around 9:30am and showed the cygnets how to politely call us, so we’d come out.
Of course this alerted around two dozen other ducks, most of whom had already feasted, and the flurry of activity aroused the sleepy long-necked turtles.
if you look carefully, you can see ducks swimming underwater as they scoop up fallen seeds and torn lettuce leaves. You might also see the bigger turtle just before the daddy swan kicked him out of the way. (Daddy Swan really doesn’t like the turtles. The turtles just don’t care)
Anyway, here’s Daddy Swan eating underwater with two nearby cygnets, assorted ducks all around, and probable turtles 
Say hello to today's surprise visitor! 
swimming regally around the entire lake, saying 'Good morning' to all the feathered friends on water and on shore, posing for photos (and food)...
Maplewood or South Orange?