The Birds and my Bee

Just this last week the weather started to turn more spring-like. Or more. Just yesterday the high was a more summer-like 80°. With the climbing temperatures we are starting to experience our first spring which also signals more wildlife activity. We had noticed a lot of birds in our backyard. Probably eating our grass seed. As I was sitting at the computer on Friday I heard our cat Harley chittering at something outside the window. This usually means a bird is outside. Sure enough, there was a bird sitting on the neighbor's fence. The brilliant blue wings and red breast caught my eye so I decided to try to take some pictures. The birds had moved so I went outside to see if I could get a decent shot. There they were. Sitting on my big yellow Dodge Ram Super Bee. I assumed they were attracted by the color, but later on I noticed them on other cars as well. I took a few shots and thought it was kind of interesting that they liked to sit on the cars, often clinging to the window seals and seeming to look into the car window. When the birds finally flew away I noticed that they had left a little something on the side of my Bee's door. Oh, the indignity! A little googling later and I'm pretty sure that the birds are a type of thrush, or blue bird.

Rain Damage

Take a look at these pictures. I told the people at Niblock Homes, who built the house, that the drain at the rear of the property wasn't working. No one listens. Niblocks warranty man, Dave Robinson, came by the house and took pictures to show to the developer. Although there is a swale at the rear of the property I don't think the developers thought about the fact that the rain drains downhill from the left and the right, as well as directly from the higher level land to the rear.

The force of the rain was so great last night that it totally filled the drain with mud. Once the drain was full there was only one way to go. Directly over my land!

The water flow was powerful enough to wash away the topsoil, exposing the hard pack red clay underneath.