I spent much of the morning cleaning my Turtle Pond filters. I do it a couple times a year. The pond has run mostly trouble free now for over ten years. I am an actual pond expert, not an internet expert. Most of what you read there is repeated crap. Contact me if you need advice, or join yardcraphome.com where I post.
My plan is to run a footrace in two days, but now here I am on the porch drinking beer. That does not bode well as my belly is already too fat. If I show, I will not just be the oldest one there, but the fattest. I will still place near the front as most are not good at racing anymore. That is sad.
I saw this in the bushes after I sat down:
In days of old, I had Yellow-rumped Warblers jumping around my feeders all Winter. This year seeing one is rare. I have not seen one at a feeder. This one is catching bugs around the Frog Pond.
Warblers eat bugs, so put out suet to attract them.
Also snapped this Screech Owl earlier. I have a million good photos of them, but this aint one.
They always nested in a house near my chair, so I put up a fancy new house for them. They don't like it and are in a different one where I can't see them as often.
This Chicadee seems to be checking out this new expensive and "improved " house. I put three up and am hoping they are used. Most likely they will return to the same old houses they always use.
So will I drink beer or do the foot race?