Sunday, March 18, 2018

Another new bird...

I just happened to look out the window and notice this fella hanging around the bird feeder.  I knew immediately it was a type of shrike.  I got a photo just before it flew off.  After comparing the Loggerhead Shrike and the Northern Shrike, I have come to the conclusion it is a Northern Shrike.  The only way I can tell the difference is there is a little white patch above it's black eye band.  I have not logged a shrike yet at the cabin.  I think I saw one a few years ago, but it flew away too quickly to identify.   I don't really want them hanging around the feeder, as they eat other birds.  I'm pretty surprised that I have logged two new birds so far this March. 
 Friday was 8 inches of wet heavy snow.  Saturday was a beautiful balmy day.  Today it rained all morning and then turned to snow in the afternoon.  The weather is driving me nuts.  I checked on my greenhouse plantings and nothing is up yet.  


 I had a question about the bottles in my greenhouse.  I bought these adapters at Gardener's supply.  You poke holes in the plastic according to your soil type.  Mine is clay all the way.  You then attach a bottle.  You can use plastic bottles, but they don't seem to last as long.  I like the look of colored glass, so I opt for glass bottles.  They work nicely.  It takes about two days to empty.  

I have wanted to make this cake for a long time.  It met expectations.  I saw it at this pin:  grammasinthekitchen.blogspot.com.

Hot Milk Cake
4 eggs (beat for 5 minutes)
2 c. sugar (add to eggs and cream)
2 1/4 c. flour
2 1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. milk
10 T. butter (melt in the milk then add to mixture above)
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Delicious!




Saturday was beautiful.  I took advantage of the sticky snow and made 3 little snowmen.  I thought they would be a nice welcome for my husband when he came back from work.  Unfortunately, the little suckers melted and fell off before he even got home.  Glad I took photos.  

That is all I have going on.  It is snowing pretty hard now, so I guess spring is on a pause.  I'm keeping my camera with me when I go to work this week.  On Friday, I saw 18 bull elk while driving home in the snowstorm.  The weather was too treacherous to take a photo.  I didn't want somebody running into me.  Maybe I will be lucky enough to see them again this week.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

Have you tried any new recipes?  When was the last time you made a snowman?  If you are smart at bird identification can you double check my shrike identification skills?  I appreciate it.

8 comments:

  1. Oh I love your little snowmen! I like the idea of those bottle waterers. Someday I'd like to have a proper watering system set up for my garden. -Jenn

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  2. It seems bad weather is a common theme in various parts of the world this year. We don’t have shrikes in the UK so I’m afraid I’m no help with the ID of your visitor.

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  3. Bonnie, we get the shrikes a lot here and I think you are right that this one is a Northern Shrike. It's paler than the Loggerhead. We have more snow too. Got 6" on Friday and another 5 on Sunday and a couple more over night to wake up to today (Mon.). The men are busy clearing roads and making places where we can go feed sheep/cows. This is some WET snow. Great for moisture and using my traditional snowshoes!

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  4. I posted a grasshopper on a fence barb once, a shrike likes to keep goodies around. I like your snowmen, I used to make them out along trails another friend ran just to cheer her along the way. I was going for a pineapple upside down cake this week, but shall try yours first. The texture looks firm, what I like in a cake.

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  5. Thank you for the bottle info. Those look great! How fun that you have new birds even if they are naughty.

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  6. Great snowmen. I haven't made one in 20 years at least. We used to have a flock of Shrikes. I don't know where they went, just like we used to have lots of different kinds of owls. I guess to many people.
    Your got such a great shot of that one.I think your cake looks so yummy. I am so sorry to say, I am still on Whole 30 and I am still gluten, sugar and dairy, free. The only thing I fix I get embarrassed to offer to anyone.I do think that cake sounds and looks fantastic.

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  7. How sweet that you made snowmen for your hubby!

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  8. well, I am going to try yours. Shrikes are not the nicest birds but they sure are pretty. B

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