Nims in the doghouse

Nims with golden streamers on her collar

Our pretty Miss Nimbus is in the doghouse for killing birds.  To help protect the birds we have added gold streamers alongside the bells on her collar.  To be extra careful, she is now only allowed outdoors at night.  Catch all the rats you want, honey.

She spent a night in jail, the doghouse, (literally a large dog pet carrier), after bringing in the bird’s body.

Seattle is having a mild winter compared to many parts of the country.  The varied thrush only visits at this time of year; it’s a rare bird that looks a little like a robin but with a big black V on it’s chest.  Learn more about birds at the Audubon Society and get hooked by joining your local chapter.  Unfortunately, even well-fed cats kill a very large number of songbirds, with more solitary species being more vulnerable.  Here is an article from the American Bird Conservancy.

The fishpond in the yard is a water supply for birds and my bird list for recent visitors is pretty impressive.  The nuthatches have been absent this year, sad to say.

Bird list:  Chickadees (Black Capped and Chestnut Backed), Cooper’s Hawk, Crows, Juncos, Purple Finches, House Sparrows, Rufous Sided Towhee, Varied Thrush, Robin, Flicker, Ruby Crowned Kinglets, Steller’s Jay, Pine Warblers, and a glimpse of a wren.