Birds and other Animals

My neighbor brought home a baby rabbit from work. He works on power substations and found one lost on the site. With the best intentions and green space behind our lots, he let it loose and it immediately breaks for the long grass. Well, one of those hawks I mentioned earlier within a second appeared out of the trees and snatched it away.
 
I have a 13 year old golden doodle. That breed is wonderful. They are hyperactive as puppies, but they are lovers. He has gone everywhere with me since he was 6 weeks old. Their lifespan is 12-14. Mine turned 13 in July.

He has kidney failure. He has an undiagnosed tumor on his shoulder that oozes blood and fluid. He can't walk at all at times and, at best, he can walk only a short distance sometimes. He is mostly blind and deaf. His decline has been happening for 6 months. It amazes me that he is still alive.

All of that forced me to call and make the euthanasia appointment last Friday. It's scheduled tomorrow morning. The facts tell my head that it is time. His unending ability to love and receive love makes my heart question whether I should wait another week or so. It's a form of self-inflicted emotional torture.

I thought that his long decline would make it easier when the end came, but when I called to make the appointment, the receptionist said,"Oh, I remember when you brought that little fluffball in here the first time" and I could barely speak after that.

I dug his grave on Saturday. Gave him his bath last night. I'm spending as much time as I can with him today. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day. Man's best friend. Indeed.

 
IVCguy said:
I have a 13 year old golden doodle. That breed is wonderful. They are hyperactive as puppies, but they are lovers. He has gone everywhere with me since he was 6 weeks old. Their lifespan is 12-14. Mine turned 13 in July.

He has kidney failure. He has an undiagnosed tumor on his shoulder that oozes blood and fluid. He can't walk at all at times and, at best, he can walk only a short distance sometimes. He is mostly blind and deaf. His decline has been happening for 6 months. It amazes me that he is still alive.

All of that forced me to call and make the euthanasia appointment last Friday. It's scheduled tomorrow morning. The facts tell my head that it is time. His unending ability to love and receive love makes my heart question whether I should wait another week or so. It's a form of self-inflicted emotional torture.

I thought that his long decline would make it easier when the end came, but when I called to make the appointment, the receptionist said,"Oh, I remember when you brought that little fluffball in here the first time" and I could barely speak after that.

I dug his grave on Saturday. Gave him his bath last night. I'm spending as much time as I can with him today. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day. Man's best friend. Indeed.

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I swear I mourned harder when my dog died than when some of my relatives passed.

Tough thing to do, God Bless.
 
I enjoy wrestling said:
Watching a male Cardinal feeding a sparrow right outside window. Interesting to watch, the guy is busy busting hump.
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I have a 1 1/2 acre pasture I have to mow. When I mow it, about a dozen barn swallows show up. They are related to purple martens. They have split tails and are little dive bombers and acrobats. The tractor stirs up insects and they take the opportunity to feast out in front of me. It's quite a show. I call them my "little friends".

They show up in mid-late May and stay until about early to mid Sept. It's always sad when I go out to mow the pasture in the fall and they don't show up. They winter in SW Texas, but always return to the same place to nest and have babies.

Purple martens have an even more remarkable migratory pattern. They winter in Brazil. They leave Ohio this month, flying over the Gulf of Mexico to Central America and to Brazil - and return in late March/early April.
 
IVCguy said:
I have a 1 1/2 acre pasture I have to mow. When I mow it, about a dozen barn swallows show up. They are related to purple martens. They have split tails and are little dive bombers and acrobats. The tractor stirs up insects and they take the opportunity to feast out in front of me. It's quite a show. I call them my "little friends".

They show up in mid-late May and stay until about early to mid Sept. It's always sad when I go out to mow the pasture in the fall and they don't show up. They winter in SW Texas, but always return to the same place to nest and have babies.

Purple martens have an even more remarkable migratory pattern. They winter in Brazil. They leave Ohio this month, flying over the Gulf of Mexico to Central America and to Brazil - and return in late March/early April.
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Put up some Martin Boxes. Grandfather loved them. Pops built a multi story motel for them.
 
IVCguy said:
I have a 13 year old golden doodle. That breed is wonderful. They are hyperactive as puppies, but they are lovers. He has gone everywhere with me since he was 6 weeks old. Their lifespan is 12-14. Mine turned 13 in July.

He has kidney failure. He has an undiagnosed tumor on his shoulder that oozes blood and fluid. He can't walk at all at times and, at best, he can walk only a short distance sometimes. He is mostly blind and deaf. His decline has been happening for 6 months. It amazes me that he is still alive.

All of that forced me to call and make the euthanasia appointment last Friday. It's scheduled tomorrow morning. The facts tell my head that it is time. His unending ability to love and receive love makes my heart question whether I should wait another week or so. It's a form of self-inflicted emotional torture.

I thought that his long decline would make it easier when the end came, but when I called to make the appointment, the receptionist said,"Oh, I remember when you brought that little fluffball in here the first time" and I could barely speak after that.

I dug his grave on Saturday. Gave him his bath last night. I'm spending as much time as I can with him today. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day. Man's best friend. Indeed.

Click to expand...
Have owned 3 Shelties. Tough Tough situation. In my early years I put the animals down. Just don't feel like it anymore. Good luck My wife has paw cemetery. Vet's make a clay pad and make impression of animals paw.
 
I enjoy wrestling said:
Have owned 3 Shelties. Tough Tough situation. In my early years I put the animals down. Just don't feel like it anymore. Good luck My wife has paw cemetery. Vet's make a clay pad and make impression of animals paw.
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I could do it - and have. But hated myself for it. A 9mm at the base of the skull does the job. But Honey Buns wouldn't forgive me, so we will take the clinical route.

Yes, we will get a paw pad clay impression.

When we put our last dog down, I planned it meticulously. I had the grave dug, I had the kids say goodbye before they went to school, and I told Honey Buns that I would let her say goodbye and see her before I buried her. Good plan.

So I load the dog up and head down the drive and here comes Honey Buns running down the drive hollering, "I want to go with you!" Shite.

The whole way to the vet she is laying in the back of the van, bawling, telling her she has been a good dog, etc. Shite again. She is bawling in the waiting room, bawling in the procedure room, wailing as the procedure was done, and bawling on the way out. Big shite.

I'm a sympathetic crier, so I'm a mess. I'm standing at the counter trying to write a check to the vet and dropping tears on the check. I apologized. The receptionist said, "Oh, no. Everyone is like that. She was part of your family." True, but shite.

Tomorrow I'm dropping a signed blank check at check in and we are going straight to the car after.
 
IVCguy said:
I could do it - and have. But hated myself for it. A 9mm at the base of the skull does the job. But Honey Buns wouldn't forgive me, so we will take the clinical route.

Yes, we will get a paw pad clay impression.

When we put our last dog down, I planned it meticulously. I had the grave dug, I had the kids say goodbye before they went to school, and I told Honey Buns that I would let her say goodbye and see her before I buried her. Good plan.

So I load the dog up and head down the drive and here comes Honey Buns running down the drive hollering, "I want to go with you!" Shite.

The whole way to the vet she is laying in the back of the van, bawling, telling her she has been a good dog, etc. Shite again. She is bawling in the waiting room, bawling in the procedure room, wailing as the procedure was done, and bawling on the way out. Big shite.

I'm a sympathetic crier, so I'm a mess. I'm standing at the counter trying to write a check to the vet and dropping tears on the check. I apologized. The receptionist said, "Oh, no. Everyone is like that. She was part of your family." True, but shite.

Tomorrow I'm dropping a signed blank check at check in and we are going straight to the car after.
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Be good, Crying is all part of it my friend.
 
IVCguy said:
💔😭
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You got me welling up now...

chs1971 I heard a bird the other day that sounded like a baby's "whah." I saw it but could not get a good look. Any clue?

Happens often where I'm walking and hear an interesting call and really want to know what I'm dealing with but can never locate the bird.
 
20220708_122945.jpg
 
irish_buffalo said:
chs1971 I heard a bird the other day that sounded like a baby's "whah." I saw it but could not get a good look. Any clue?

Happens often where I'm walking and hear an interesting call and really want to know what I'm dealing with but can never locate the bird.
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Gray Catbird? Unless it was a screaming baby, then no.

There is an app called Merlin that will ID birds by sound. We don't use it, but plenty do, and there is a free version.
 
irish_buffalo said:
That is it. Thanks.
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Catbirds should be all over that brushy thicket at MBSP. That call you hear as a baby's "whah," to others sounds like my cat's "meyew" when she is trying to get my attention. Thus, catbirds.

Their song is a "variable mixture of melodious, nasal, and squeaky notes interspersed with catlike mew notes; some are good mimics." (If you bought the Nat Geo field guide like I told you to, you could look that up for yourself.) So if you hear a pleasant sounding rambling mess think catbird.

Probably goldfinches and indigo buntings all over up there too.

Goldfinches tell you their favorite snack food while flying; po-ta-to-chip, po-ta-to-chip.

An indigo bunting sings in couplets; chew-chew, sweet-sweet, tsu-tsu.
 
chs1971 said:
Catbirds should be all over that brushy thicket at MBSP. That call you hear as a baby's "whah," to others sounds like my cat's "meyew" when she is trying to get my attention. Thus, catbirds.

Their song is a "variable mixture of melodious, nasal, and squeaky notes interspersed with catlike mew notes; some are good mimics." (If you bought the Nat Geo field guide like I told you to, you could look that up for yourself.) So if you hear a pleasant sounding rambling mess think catbird.

Probably goldfinches and indigo buntings all over up there too.

Goldfinches tell you their favorite snack food while flying; po-ta-to-chip, po-ta-to-chip.

An indigo bunting sings in couplets; chew-chew, sweet-sweet, tsu-tsu.
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You're good man. That is exactly where I heard the catbird and yes, there are goldfinches and indigo buntings in abundance as well.
 
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