Did you know?

Hummingbirds are actually quite talkative little birds. When I sit outside and watch them at the feeder, I have found that they chirp. A lot. It's a very quick chirp. I'll have to search the web and see if I can find a recording for you.

I'm thrilled that with the cooler weather the owl is back. OK, maybe the owl was here all summer, but when it's 80 at night I don't have the windows open, nor do I sit outside. The other night I heard my usual owl, followed by some very strange sounds. I'm not sure if my owl was trying to hoot with its mouth full of yummy rodent or if another species of owl was passing through. We've had several species fly through over the years

Several years ago on a cold night about 10 p.m., Keith was running to pick up a lottery ticket. (We don't play unless the pot is really large). He had just left the house when he called me and told me to come to the other side of the street quickly. Bring a box, he said.

As he was driving along, he happened to cross the path of a diving screech owl. The poor thing crashed headlong into the side window and was lying in a heap in the street. My dear husband had parked his truck, turned on the hazards and was standing in the street over the owl so no one would hit it. Luckily our street is not a heavily travelled one, but I know he would have protected that owl even if it were busier.

I had picked up a pair of leather work gloves and a cat carrier. I scooped up the owl and took it home. With a potentially injured owl in the box, what does a person do? Call the emergency animal clinic, of course. We took the owl, and it just so happened that one of the techs who worked there also worked at the raptor rehabilitation center. She took the owl out of the crate. (She let me pet it - I'd been dying to. I just love owls.) She said the owl looked like it had injured it eye area. Maybe a head fracture.

Unfortunately at the time I never thought to get more information from her so I could follow up on the owl. I left it in her capable hands and wondered from time to time how it was doing.

Last year when Grey went on a baby rabbit catching rampage and brought me an entire litter of baby bunnies, I had a chance to wonder about my owl again. Here I was with baby rabbits, and I found a nearby vet that would take them. In return, it was suggested that I make a donation to a local wildlife rehabilitation facility. I had no problem at all with that and made a donation that I thought was less than I would have if I'd won the lottery all those years ago, but seemed quite generous to the vet staff. The mascot for this organization is a screech owl that had been injured in a car crash and was now blind! I've been meaning to go there and find out if this is my owl. Here's the link for Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort.

So I'm a sucker for wildlife, which is how I've found out that hummingbirds chirp, especially when a cardinal flies too close to them. I currently have the hummingbird feeder on the same pole as the suet feeder (the downy woodpeckers and hummers seem to ignore each other.) I think as fall winds into winter, and the hummers have migrated on, I'll move the feeder so that next spring they aren't as bothered by the songbirds. The songbirds ignore the hummers, but songbirds are so active and frantic sometimes that the hummingbirds just can't enjoy their meal.

Yes, there will be more knitting content for those of you wondering later today. I have finished my red scarf and need to photograph it. I will also post a picture of "Olive Oil for Eve", the Toasty Yarn that is named for moi. When I saw it I thought it was a lovely color, but not as olive green as I normally wear. It was funny when the dyer came in, as one of the first things she said was (and I'm paraphrasing), "I know it's not as olive as it should be for you, Eve, but it's just so pretty." I wholeheartedly agree. I can't wait to knit it up.

If you look carefully in the picture that includes me at the Yarn Harlot, you can see I'm working on Keith's sweater.