HERE is a new hummingbird cam in West Texas. The camera host is West Texas Avian Research, Inc.
They are getting some interesting species via this cam, and have put up clips of the visits. The link goes to the Cornell's School of Ornithology site. When I checked this morning there were no birds, of course!
Speaking of hummingbirds, Sis found this on her garage floor a few weeks ago. She keeps a feeder up at all times.
Our little Wolf went to the vet's for his shots a week ago. He is now a 17+ pound doggie. He looks an acts like a puppy sometimes, one of the nice things about dogs, cats, and happy humans, is that they play like pups, kittens, and kids even into old age as long as they feel good. His looks are changing. Or else the groomer cut his facial fluff shorter. My sister thinks he's cuter. I'm thinking he's not. To me, he has always been adorable, but now he's gained in a certain dignity of expression, shall we say?
And his tail is truly magnificent now. It's prettier, and fuller, than my own ponytail, and I'm jealous!
The Tort Report:
We brought the babies in during the hottest days of this seemingly Endless Summer. The larger ones went into their tunnels to stay cool enough. Soon, when it's almost Thanksgiving, they will go into hibernation, which lasts until Easter. This is how it's been for some forty-five years that we've had Churchy, the Papa. These event times may change because so much is.
Overnight temperatures are the problem in winter. They need to stay around 55 degrees at all times to maintain themselves in their torpor state so that's why they go into tunnels in the wild in the winter, They use them in summer to cool down because their body temperature goes too high in that baking desert- and that's starting to be more the case now, here in the coastal region. They are native to the high desert where it sometimes gets a dusting of snow in winter.
I've been out there with the rock hounds and boy does it EVER get cold out there at night. Tiny Jazzie wobbled over to me at sun-up of after one particularly cold night, and snuggled up under the covers right next to my body. That little baby was freezing! After that we always made sure that he had a therma strip under him as well as a fleece coverlet pinned down over it. He always slept with us but never under the covers. Too dangerous!
Our torts have temperature controlled boxes in the garage but it's not been getting cool enough at night sometimes, so they will stir around when the sun heats up the still air of the garage. We just might have to dig them a "bunker" somewhere in the back 40 so that they can decide what to do with their lives! Lol
This summer was brutal.
They are getting some interesting species via this cam, and have put up clips of the visits. The link goes to the Cornell's School of Ornithology site. When I checked this morning there were no birds, of course!
Speaking of hummingbirds, Sis found this on her garage floor a few weeks ago. She keeps a feeder up at all times.
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| It's a flight feather from a Hummingbird |
Our little Wolf went to the vet's for his shots a week ago. He is now a 17+ pound doggie. He looks an acts like a puppy sometimes, one of the nice things about dogs, cats, and happy humans, is that they play like pups, kittens, and kids even into old age as long as they feel good. His looks are changing. Or else the groomer cut his facial fluff shorter. My sister thinks he's cuter. I'm thinking he's not. To me, he has always been adorable, but now he's gained in a certain dignity of expression, shall we say?
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| My favorite scruffy look, taken this morning |
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| Taken a few weeks ago while he snoozed in my lap during "Midsummer Murders" episodes |
We brought the babies in during the hottest days of this seemingly Endless Summer. The larger ones went into their tunnels to stay cool enough. Soon, when it's almost Thanksgiving, they will go into hibernation, which lasts until Easter. This is how it's been for some forty-five years that we've had Churchy, the Papa. These event times may change because so much is.
Overnight temperatures are the problem in winter. They need to stay around 55 degrees at all times to maintain themselves in their torpor state so that's why they go into tunnels in the wild in the winter, They use them in summer to cool down because their body temperature goes too high in that baking desert- and that's starting to be more the case now, here in the coastal region. They are native to the high desert where it sometimes gets a dusting of snow in winter.
I've been out there with the rock hounds and boy does it EVER get cold out there at night. Tiny Jazzie wobbled over to me at sun-up of after one particularly cold night, and snuggled up under the covers right next to my body. That little baby was freezing! After that we always made sure that he had a therma strip under him as well as a fleece coverlet pinned down over it. He always slept with us but never under the covers. Too dangerous!
Our torts have temperature controlled boxes in the garage but it's not been getting cool enough at night sometimes, so they will stir around when the sun heats up the still air of the garage. We just might have to dig them a "bunker" somewhere in the back 40 so that they can decide what to do with their lives! Lol
This summer was brutal.
Your posts are always very informative. (And btw, I love Wolfie - he's the epitome of cute and snuggly).
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the tortoises are a lot of work, but it also seems that you are very dedicated.
Send some of that summer over here, I'm already in winter sweaters and stoking up the wood-burning stove.
Brrrr.. Karen, you can have all the hot days we get! I'll send them special delivery unless the climate starts going really toe up.
ReplyDeleteThe torts are easy compared to the upkeep on the adorable and cuddly little doggie. It's been a little too hot to enjoy long snuggles on the comfy chair but Wolfie and we are getting into cool evenings now. Some of the neighbors are getting "red flannel fever", and are firing up their fireplaces. We get the smoke because we keep the windows open at night for the cool air. lol!