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Monday, January 9, 2017

Wintering birds and a recipe

As the cold winds blow...
Mourning Doves

only a nut like me would stand in one spot for any length of time to get a few bird shots.

I know the European Starling are hated by many but they do have beautiful feathers in the colder months. They need to eat, too, and really go for the suet.

Though they’re sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness, they’re still dazzling birds when you get a good look. Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer

And this cutie took his sweet time figuring out how to get inside the squirrel feeder. He's used to eating at the bird feeders but will soon realize that he can be out of the cold wind while dining.


It was too cold to stand there waiting but I did see him inside later from the kitchen window.

Our female cardinal showed up. 
A few hundred chickadees and juncos joined in and our mourning  doves stopped by for lunch.

I walked to the back of our property to clean up some fallen branches. The snow is deep but hard so it was easy to walk on.

All the birds now feed at the front feeders.
Our stone wall is covered in snow.
It borders two sides of our property.

Time for tea

Black tea, that is, and cookies
and I'm showing off my favorite milk pitcher.
named
Rural England.

The cookies are 
chocolate chip pecan
and they are made in one bowl. :)
you will need...

1/2 cup soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp corn starch
1/3 c chocolate chips
1/3 c pecans

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Think like a cat
and do stay warm.
Deb

14 comments:

  1. Nice triple dangle, Audrey! I am envious of your stone fence...WANT! I'm one of those people who loves rocks...go figure!

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  2. There's quite a bit of company around those feeders!

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  3. Well I learned something! I saw some starlings at the feeder yesterday and I fall in to the category of those that don't care for them. However, I did notice they looked prettier than usual. Now I know why! Who knew they had white speckles in the winter and not in the summer? Not me! Thank you.

    Cindy Bee

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  4. "They need to eat too". That's what I tell Poppy when he fusses about the crows eating his deer corn. I have a soft spot for starlings, and think they are pretty. Why are all the little animals around your place so cute? Like that squirrel. They look like little storybook characters.

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  5. Starlings are pretty with those little white 'snowflakes' on their feathers!

    Your cookies look wonderful! Yum! And I love the blue and white china...always a favorite!

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  6. Must say...Those starlings are rather
    plump...Are'nt they Audrey!x Audrey!x

    On the early news this morning, they showed
    a funny thing from Toronto...A shop keeper
    noticed that some of the sweets/chocolate
    bars were disappearing from the bottom shelves
    in his shop! When he checked the CCTV...it was
    a squirrel, running in, checking the bars, picking
    one up, and running out the shop with it in it's
    mouth. HeHe! Brilliant! :).

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  7. Keeping warm is a full time job with this winter mix, but hopefully it's going to get better. I'm looking forward to Spring!

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  8. Thank you for sharing the cookie recipe. You do get a lot of mourning doves - the ladies in sweaters as we call them. I don't get any of the starlings at my feeders in the winter - maybe more suet cakes out will encourage.

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  9. Such a nice backyard =) Love your feathered visitors.

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  10. We are snowed in, here in NC! A good day to bake cookies. Thank you for the recipe. They sound so good! June

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  11. Oh, they are pretty, those starlings. And you're right -- birds all have to eat. It's beautiful in your territory. We got snow last night but it's supposed to be 40 today so it'll probably mostly melt. Which is fine with me. It looks so much nicer in the pictures! Thanks for the cookie inspiration. Very Hygge!

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  12. Yum, those cookies look good! I like that cat plaque on the tree. Is that what it is? A cat? Looks pretty scary, like a cat owl. But so cool! :) I recently found a cement/cast cat that has a hanger, for outside, and I cannot wait to paint it and get it out in the garden! Thanks for sharing yours. I agree about the starlings.
    xo
    Lynn

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  13. I can't seem to attract birds to my suet cages.
    That cookie recipe sounds too easy and too good to pass by.

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