Killdeer: Builds its Nest on the Ground

Speckled eggs near the center of the photo

Can you spot the 4 brown speckled eggs in the middle of the photo?

They are the eggs of the Killdeer, a brown and white medium sized plover bird that likes to build its nest on open ground, often in sparse grass, dirt, or gravel, even in cities.

The Killdeer is a shore bird that likes to hang out in yards and on golf courses. A noisy bird, the killdeer reacts quickly to any disturbance. If you end up too close to their nest, you will witness the famous broken wing act for which it is famous.

If you see a bird like this running around quickly acting like it has a broken wing, stop right where you are. Look carefully and step lightly away as you leave the area, so you won't step on the eggs or baby chicks.

Youtube has some fascinating videos of this smart little bird in action: Broken Wing Act.

Chihuahua Found: Underweight and Scared

Last night as we were getting ready to leave from my Daddy's house, a little chihuahua ran up to me, shivering and nervous. I reached down and picked her up, receiving no resistance. She was wearing a new-looking pink collar. Attached was a piece of leash that had been chewed, making me think she had been tied outside unattended long enough for her to chew loose. She has been neglected, for sure.

I've seen this little dog before. Awhile back she ran through my Daddy's yard dragging a pink leash. That time I could not catch her. I was afraid she would get hung up on something or get hit by a car, but instead of coming to me, she quickly ran away.

This time, she came right up to my feet and looked up at me, as if asking for help.

Daddy said, "Aw, just put her down. She'll run back to where she came from." But my daughter said, "Look how skinny she is! She's pitiful. Look, Mommy, she's trembling."

I wondered where she had come from. Daddy said he might have seen her before, but he had no idea who she belonged to. Several of the neighbors have chihuahuas. So we took off up the street to ask around. We checked with all the neighbors in the area. We saw several chihuahuas. But no one knew who this one belonged to.

One neighbor pointed out how skinny she was. "That dog ain't been fed," he said. 

Her ribs are very, very visible. And her stomach is sunk in. 

Then he noticed the leash attached to her collar. "And look at that piece of leash! She's been tied out for a long time. They ain't checked on her. It took a long time for that dog to chew off her leash like that. I'd call Animal Control. Somebody is mistreating that dog. Call Animal Control. They'll come pick her up."

I sure did not want to do that. I know they already have too many homeless dogs to take care of. I don't like adding to that if I can do something myself. So we brought her home with us. On the way home, my son decided she was probably hungry and offered her a goldfish cracker. She wouldn't take it.

We figured she was thirsty. When we got home, we offered her some water, but she didn't drink. Wouldn't eat either. Our dogs are much larger, so the dog food we have is big chunks. Catfood will be easier for her to eat, I thought. But she wouldn't eat it. So my son said, Maybe she's used to table scraps. He offered her a piece of chicken, but she wouldn't take that either. Then he said, "Well, she's a Mexican dog. Maybe she likes Mexican food." So he put some tortilla chips in a bowl and set that down for her. She grabbed one and ate it. Then another. And another. Aha! She likes junk. Oh well, at least she ate something. And finally, she drank a little water. We took her outside on a leash to see if she would go potty. But she ran to the neared porch post, as if expecting to be tied. Poor little thing. No tying out tonight, little sweetie. She never did go to the bathroom that night. I'm thinking she was dehydrated. We kept taking her to the water bowl, but she drank very little.

Finally, it was bedtime, so we put her in a crate to sleep. She whined for awhile and then got on her blanket and went to sleep.

This morning's storms kept us from being able to take her outside early for a bathroom break. When the storms finally let up, we were able to take her out, but she still wouldn't go potty. We brought her back inside and offered her some water and more of the cat food. She was too excited to eat or drink. Little boys are more interesting, I guess. She's watching their every move.

After a while though, she did go to her water bowl and drank quite a bit. Then back again. I guess we'll spend the weekend waiting to see if anyone claims her. And if not, I'll take her to the vet to see if she has any health concerns. I tried weighing her. It was close to 5 pounds. She appears to be full grown. Hopefully her appetite will pick up soon.

UPDATE: No one claimed this little chihuahua we called Taco, so we found a home for her. A young lady drove down here all the way from Atlanta to pick her up. We are confident she will be loved and probably spoiled.

Adopt a Dog or Cat Today

Abigail is available for Adoption
from Rescue K911 in Camp Hill, Alabama

Are you thinking of giving the gift of a pet for Christmas? Whether it's a little puppy for your child, a cat for your Mother, or just a watchdog for your property, instead of purchasing an animal from the pet store or a breeder, consider adopting one from a shelter. 

When you adopt a shelter dog or cat, you save money. Usually for the cost of shots and spaying or neutering, you can take home your new pet from the shelter. Breeders charge hundreds or even thousands for their animals.

When you adopt a shelter dog or cat, you save lives. In shelters, about half of all dogs taken in must be euthanized if they are not adopted. And for cats, the statistics are even worse.

Mixed breed animals often make healthier pets, but even if you prefer a purebred animal and have a specific breed in mind, you can still find that at a shelter. There are breed-specific shelters all over the country. My sister in law loves the breed bishon frise. She already had a purchased bishon who had been a loved member of the family for years. When she learned of a shelter offering rescued bishon frise dogs, she eagerly adopted two of them.

There are many health benefits to having a pet. Holding a cat in your lap is a known stress reliever. Gazing into the eyes of a loving dog has been shown to have a calming effect. Just having a companion who loves you is enough to raise spirits and lead to a happier and healthier life. 

Adopt a dog, and you will learn what it feels like to receive unconditional love.

Even if it's not a dog or a cat that you are looking for, there are shelters offering horses, donkeys, birds, and exotic animals who need to be rescued. Adopting your next pet can truly be the gift that keeps on giving.

Rescue K911 is a no-kill animal shelter in Camp Hill, Alabama. If you cannot adopt at this time, please consider sending your tax-deductible donation to Rescue K911.

Big Mama has Fourteen Baby Chicks

Big Mama & Her 14 Baby Chicks

Big Mama just had to outdo Pearl! 

Pearl hatched 8 baby chicks a few weeks ago. Then we noticed Big Mama was missing. I looked everywhere for her. When I realized I had not seen her in over a week, I feared that something (like a coyote, for instance) had gotten her.

For a couple of weeks we wondered where Big Mama was hiding. Then  finally we found her, hiding under the shed behind the ladder--sitting on about 18 eggs. 

Then one morning a week or so later, she showed up with 14 baby chicks.  Very soon, she began taking them all over the yard, teaching them how to scratch up the ground looking for bugs. 

They sure do go to bed early. She takes them around front and hides them beneath the fatsia bush. The other day, two of the baby chicks got left behind in the back yard. I chased all over the place until I finally caught one of them. When I took it around to the front to give it to her, she bit me! So when I finally caught the other one, I took it through the house and put it out the window nearby their nest, so I could shut the window quickly. She ran to the window and almost got inside to bite me before I got the window closed. I hope the babies will stay with her from now on. I don't want to get bit.

Pearl has Eight Baby Chicks

Pearl and her 8 Baby Chicks

Easy Tick Removal Post is False

Uh-Oh! The easy tick removal technique previously posted is False, according to Snopes.com. However, they do tell the proper method for tick removal on their site: Snopes.

I wish the liquid soap trick would work. That would be so easy.

Easy Tick Removal

I can't tell you how many times I have needed to remove a tick from an area of my body that I could not reach. Since I've always been very self-conscious and modest, I will not ask for help when I should. Therefore, I was glad today when a friend sent me an email which included this helpful tip I am about to share. If I get any ticks on me during my morning walk, I'll try it out.

A School Nurse has written the information below, and it really works!

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20); the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.  This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
"Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"

Tiny Tot is Tasty to Ticks

This method will certainly come in handy very soon, since ticks seem to congregate around the behind area of one of our sweet little kitties.