Thursday, April 20, 2023

A Sorry, Starlings Weekly Link Round-Up

 


The birdbath outside the big picture window continues to provide entertainment for us, but it's also providing plenty of exercise because of the neighborhood starlings. I have to admit that I've never been a fan of starlings (and neither has Denis), so it rapidly became tiresome when a flock of those birds began showing up multiple times per day to take baths in that front birdbath. When six to eight of them crowd in, it doesn't take long for them to splash all the water out, leaving all the other birds high, hot, and parched. Something had to be done, dagnabbit.
 
Cathy to the rescue!
 

 
I have to smile: that small circular inset photo even looks like our birdbath! This small solar pump has three adjustable arms that keep it away from the edge of the birdbath. That way, the fountain attachments won't spray all the water out on the ground. It also means that flock of starlings can't crowd in and flap all the water out. Mwahahaha! This little gizmo has also had the added bonus of attracting even more birds, including a little hummingbird that likes to come for a shower and a drink early in the morning.
 
If any of you are feeling sorry for the starlings, don't. There are three large birdbaths in the back garden that they can (and do) use. They were just being lazy like a lot of us humans and using the closest one to where they roost.
 
Pardon me while I feel a bit smug. Enjoy the links! 
 
 

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
 
►Book Banning & Censorship◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
 
►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄
 
►The Wanderer◄
 
►Fascinating Folk◄
  • L.M. Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables, lived a far less charmed life than her beloved heroine.
  • Ann Patchett, owner of Parnassus Books down the street from Covenant School in Nashville, opened her doors to a grieving community. 
  • The miseducation of John Muir
  • 17-year-old Damian Earley has earned a patent for his invention that helps keep garbage off the streets. 
  • Money, murder, and Nancy Clem
  • Manet and Degas were dear friends-- and spirited rivals. 
  • Kwame Spearman has resigned as the Tattered Cover CEO to weigh a run for the Denver Public School board. 
  • Annie Londonderry barely knew how to ride a bike when she set off around the world. 
 
►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

No matter how busy you are, don't forget to spend some quality Me Time with a good book!

9 comments:

  1. Oh, I think that's a brilliant idea for keeping the starlings at bay, Cathy. It's humane, it gives all the birds what they need, and so on. I wonder if they had something like that in Ancient Egypt? I'll let you know when I get back from checking out those zodiac symbols...

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    1. I thought you might be taking a look at those!

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  2. I love your solution to this starling/bird bath problem. I'm not a huge fan of starlings...them being an invasive species and all.

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    1. They even tend to be a bit more invasive than the others, too.

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  3. Love your solution for the birdbath! Now I'm off to investigate those alternatives to Book Depository, before they disappear too.

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    1. The second I learned that Amazon bought Book Depository, I thought they'd waste no time in shutting it down. I'm still wondering what took them so long.

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  4. Wish I knew the name of that birdbath gizmo. My husband would love it for out birdbath. Maybe it would keep the neighbor cat away from coming too close to the bath?

    https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/

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    1. Harvee, I also meant to say that we have more than one water feature for the birds, and the cats stay away from the ones with running water during the day when the solar pumps are working.

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