Boulder Backyard Birds

Purple finch

Chickadee

Northern red-shafted flickers

Yellow-rumped warbler

Robin

Magpie

White-crowned sparrow

White-breasted nuthatch

Crow

Birds

Sparrow and sunflower

Black swan and cygnets

Red-tailed black cockatoo

Goldfinches

An arctic purple sandpiper

Operation Safe Sparrow Successful

I was beginning to get worried this morning...  the sparrow that Nedi had caught yesterday was still at large in the apartment, albeit out of sight.  The kits have been very successful hunting since my return - I guess they need to get it out of their system, after being "trapped" inside for 5 days, while I was on vacation.  Saturday, they caught several young mice, but didn't harm them; Saturday night, Nedi brought in a live field mouse, but by the time I could get to him, he was dead.  I let the kits play with the body until they were bored, then I put the poor thing in the trash.  Lovey caught a large vole last night, just after dark, and killed it before bringing it inside - she was very vocal about her kill and demanded a great deal of praise.  I gave it to her, and about an hour later, quietly dropped that animal into the trash.
  But, mid-morning yesterday, Nedi came running in, growling around a completely limp female sparrow.  He and Lovey were skirmishing over ownership, and since the bird looked very dead, I decided to ignore them. A few hours later, I was surprised by the rush of wings over my head - the sparrow had revived.  Of course, the kits had to chase it all around the house. The bird flew into an open bureau, then dropped down to the floor, and ran under my bed. I opened the patio door to it's widest, and made sure the curtains were wide open, also - and hoped that the bird would find it's way outside.  It never did, but fluttered in and out of hiding spots all afternoon.  I guess it settled down for the night after 8 p.m. - didn't hear it at all, until I got up this morning.  It was fluttering about, both under my bed, and by the bureau - I could hear it's wings, and an occasional chirp.  So I once again opened the patio door and the curtains, and hoped for the best. Amazingly, it happened!  The bird appeared on the end of an art tube, and then winged very gracefully out the back door.  It was a big relief for me, if not for the kits.
  This morning was kind of chilly, but I wandered over to the store and got my fresh-baked bagel and returned home.  Just as I was leaving to go walk Rosie, the wind grew much stronger, and thunder began to rumble and then boom. Trees were thrashing against the sky, and a light rain, mixed with tiny hail started to fall.  I've pushed back my time for walking Rosie, hoping this weather will blow over...  The weather folks are talking about a mix of snow and rain for tonight and tomorrow morning.  - And I had just become happy with the 80s in Oklahoma City; how foolish of me!

High Park Fire; Nedi's Catch; Olympics Opening

It was a little hazy when I walked back and forth to the bakery this morning; but I could see Mount Audubon and the the Indian Peaks clearly, as well as the ridges and promontories between us.  Now, at 11 a.m., I can only make out the whiteness of the snow streaks on the Indian Peaks and Mount Audubon, most of the ridges can't be seen, and the Flatirons appear to glow eerily golden in the sun - all thanks to the smoke from the High Park fire.  The last I heard, the fire had consumed almost 46,000 acres, and was barely contained anywhere.  A 62-year-old woman lost her life in her mountainside cabin.  The loss of homes is over 120; and there are still more than 2,000 families evacuated...  Domestic animals are being rounded up and taken to a Good Will center that has veterinarians on site, as well as stalls, dogs runs, and kitty cages.  A lot of folks still don't know if they have a "home" to return to - and the fire is by no means over - it's hot and windy, and the fire is still spreading.  It's awful.
  Nedi caught a young female sparrow this morning - didn't kill it, or hurt it in any way, but brought it in for me and him to play with.  He thought it skittered into a cracker box, but I picked it up, checked it over, and released it out front, away from his and Lovey's sight.  Nedi is still looking everywhere he can think of, to see where the bird is hiding in the apartment.  I slept like a log last night.  My own bed, Lovey on my left side and Nedi on my right...  It was marvelous!  I've already taken care of Phoenix and Patches at Bret's and I've also walked Rosie and Remy.  I saw Joel as I was leaving the house, and he reconfirmed that they want me there at 7:30 tomorrow morning.
   The Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympics will take place on July 27.  The London Olympic Stadium will be transformed into the four countries that make up Great Britain: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The whole of the field of play in the stadium will be transformed into the rolling British countryside. Each of the four nations will be represented by their national flower: the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and the flax from Northern Ireland. Real farmyard animals will graze on the set: 12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 8 geese, 70 sheep and 3 sheepdogs.  Says the director: “The Ceremony is an attempt to capture a picture of ourselves as a nation, where we have come from and where we want to be. The best part of telling that story has been working with our 10,000 volunteers. I’ve been astounded by the selfless dedication of the volunteers, they are the purest embodiment of the Olympic spirit and represent the best of who we are as a nation.”