“Arborvitae.” I had to look it up, not having gotten the gardening gene (nor the accounting gene). It is a pine tree, which is what I call all trees with needles instead of leaves.
I am not going to ask what kind of bird that is, but I do have a sister and BIL who are birders and participated in a recent x-mas bird count. They would know.
Your new bird-cam setup must be thrilling to your cats!
I’ve got more squirrel video than birds so I stopped using it until I can build a “cage” enclosure for birds only. I don’t have a suitable location that has the requirements of 1. no nearby trees for squirrels to jump, 2. direct sun for the solar charger, and 3. close proximity to wifi signal. But it’s fun to use when the squirrels are not on it. Mine has a remote siren which is fun to watch the squirrels jump, and a microphone which is nice for telling them to scram.
That only happened 1 day. Since then birds only. This thing takes great video and the connection is solid but the charging is crap so I bring it in every 4 days to charge with a USBC cord.
Only got doves, starlings, and sparrows so far… Waiting for the bluejays, cardinals, and woodpeckers which we get on the regular feeder so it’s only a matter of time.
This thing doesn’t have a food reservoir so needs to be topped off multiple times a day. It also has very limited storage (unless you pay) so I need to clear the drive multiple times a day.
It’s a chore but we will get a golden video one of these days that makes it worth it….
No feeder came yet (I have to go fill the feeder) but this guy might be my favorite. Yeah we get Cardinals and blue Jay’s and woodpeckers and Hawks and blue heron and we can hear a bald eagle, but this guy and there is a little yellow head guy I think are the most colorful.
Some where there is a robin that is slightly offended by not being mentioned …
No pigeons? We call them flying rats here in NYC. Squirrels, OTOH are cute and amusing, and should be fed.
I love this Squirrel Olympic series where a former NASA engineer built a whole course in his backyard to try to prevent the squirrels from stealing the seeds in his birdfeeder.
I quite enjoy that guy’s stuff.
Am I the only one that had the theme music pop into my head?
OK. Here’s the scoop…
On Christmas morning we were opening presents. Eddie comes by and pees on the wrapping paper on the floor. First pee out of the box ever. I grab him to take him to the litter box and out of nowhere Ollie attacks me. Hissing, howling, and latching onto my leg. We manage to get him and Eddie down to the basement. My pajama pants are ripped and blood is pouring down my leg.
Let an hour go by and opened the door and there are 4 eyes looking at me but one of those set of eyes is still aggressively hissing at me.
We had plans to go to my Dad’s house for several hours so we opened the door when we left and bailed. First we got Eddie and locked him up in my MIL’s house (upstairs).
Over the next 7 hours I watch on a remote cameras Ollie walking around, eating, sleeping, etc.
We get home and it was like nothing happened. Rubbing my legs, laying on me, just normal.
So clearly the assumption it was the Eddie pee (or maybe spray) that freaked him out. He’s always gone nuts (hissing but never attacking) if we even open a window in the house and he smells a stray outside. When I used to walk him outside he would find marked spots and freak, but again, never directed at me.
We kept the boys apart for 24 hours but let them back together and everything was normal (until this past Sunday).
Ollie was laying on our bathroom floor and rolling around kicking himself in the face (he has always done that when he’s excited and playful). He’s weird. I touched his back foot with mine and he snapped. Hissing, howling, but he didn’t attack me. I think he would have had I stayed still. I managed to get him down to the basement again.
I was gone at the supermarket for about 90 mins after that. I come back, open the door to let him up and he was waiting patiently. Everything seemed OK, gave him some treats and then he started hissing and howling at me again. Tossed a treat downstairs and he ran after it. So down he stayed for another 4 hours.
I was up at my MIL’s for a bit (where Eddie is again). I come down, make my way to my bed, and up pops Ollie. Rubbing my legs, purring, acting normal. And here it is 3 days later, and he’s been himself. Eddie has been locked upstairs with my MIL and I haven’t been back up there once to avoid smelling like him.
Trying hard to get a surgery appt to get Eddie fixed (7 months old). Hopefully early next week. Sadly, it takes 4-6 weeks for the testosterone to leave a male cats body post-neutering. In the meantime, vet wants Ollie on kitty-prozac ASAP. Probably beginning that tomorrow. Issue there is that takes weeks to start working.
Fingers are crossed and heart is heavy worrying about my best-bud. If this continues, and fixing Eddie / drugging Ollie doesn’t work, he will need to be put down at 2……
I am praying that doesn’t happen. I can’t effectively write just how violent he was during these 2 incidents and seemingly only directed at me.
We can’t be prisoner’s in our own home, looking over our shoulders to see when the next attack comes.
I was worried this was going to happen with Eddie as he matured but the vet (a relative) poo-pooed that idea. I was right.
Hopefully the fixing will fix this and we can get them back together and life can go on normally.
I don’t think Ollie understands where that smell is coming from because they really like each other and they are desperately trying to see each other. At the moment, the cat door between the houses is locked and stuffed with a towel. Ollie never acted aggressively like he did to me, to Eddie, even when the Christmas debacle happened. Ruined our Christmas big-time.
Only me can this ■■■■ happen…. Unreal
I can see why it took you awhile to start in on that missive.
Boy oh boy.
Hoping for the best.
Wow. I’m reading that and picturing all you were able to do for him with his eyes without any aggressive reactions on his part. What a turnaround. If it is Eddie’s scent, I’m surprised he’s not directly attacking him.
I hope there’s a solution that spares Ollie and restores your favorite person-status. ASAP.
I’m not a super big fan of cats but, personally, I would have been wearing steel mesh pants and a solid steel cup. But that’s just me…
I can’t understand why people hate squirrels and favor birds. In NYC we somewhat dislike pigeons, but put up with them, and often feed them, but love squirrels and always feed them.
Well FML. Made him puke. I give up….. 
Can’t catch a break.
