Pademic Hobby - Bird Watching List

 This is definitely in the category of pandemic hobbies.  I've been a casual bird watcher as just someone who enjoys the outdoors but not at the level where are knew any birds by name except for the very common ones.  I still don't recognize many of their calls because I usually forget within a day of noticing it. 🤷 I am just going to start putting lists and pictures here for anyone who's interested and anyone who's not, they know where to avoid it. 😊

I bought a bird feeder in May 2020 and a wreath that holds peanuts in September 2020.  This is just a list of birds I've spotted in my backyard since then.

 

3/23/21

As of March 2021, my daily visitors are:

- A Chipping Sparrow family (their are some of breeding age with the rust color caps, I though they were different birds at first)

- Northern Cardinals (Currently, two males that battle it out and a female.)

- White Wing Doves (currently, three)

- a pair of squirrels that sometimes tolerate each other and sometimes not.

Most days I also have:

- a pair of Blue Jays

- a Northern Mocking Bird (sometimes two)

- Black Crested Titmouse

Since it started warming up, I've seen:

- a male and a female House Finch (he's red, apparently they can be yellow or orange depending on their diet)

- a pair Carolina Wrens (one is pretty round but apparently birds don't look "pregnant"; and I am not the only one to google that because it popped right up)

- Carolina Chickadees (which I've seen occasionally throughout the winter)

- A Spotted Towhee (I've seen him or her twice this month and I saw them in the fall)

This January/February, we had a flock of Robins hanging around.  I didn't know that Robins traveled in flocks but apparently they do in the winter.  I have two different types trees that have red berries in the winter.  The mocking bird took care of most of the berries on the one tree and Robins swooped in one day and took care of the other tree.  It was crazy.  The tree isn't that big but was full of berries.  The Robins took care of the majority of them in one afternoon then came back for the rest of them the week of our winter storms. I saw them for about a week after that in the area but haven't seen them since.

Since the winter storms, Turkey Vultures have been circling more often. My lot is a little over an acre but the majority of it is wooded and I back up to a 10 acre lot that is mostly wooded and a green belt.  Lots of critters and I am sure the week long freeze left lots of things for the vultures.  😔

Chipping Sparrow family; looking up because one just flew away.

 

During winter stormageddon

One year, 4 months & 2 weeks - Covid Free & Fully Vaccinated

 One Year, Four Months plus Two Weeks - Post Lemtrada

March 4, 2021

Since my last post, the kids and I somehow managed not to catch covid from my husband; I got new blood work results; I've been on Vyvanse for four weeks; people in this State literally froze to death in their homes; the US hit 500,000 covid deaths; the governor of this State thought it was a good idea to lift the mask mandate before most people are even eligible for a vaccine; and I got my second covid vaccine shot.

I have no idea how the kids and I did not get covid.  The day my husband tested positive my sinuses were feeling a little dried out and weird.  I don't know how else to describe it.  I did my neti pot that morning.  After he tested positive, the kids and I were taking extra Vitamin C, Zinc, and some airborne.  I was also taking licorice root.  Even though I was sleeping upstairs, I wore a mask around the kids and used a separate bathroom.  I thought for sure I was going to come down with it; how could I not?  My sinuses started feeling better two days later and after another two days I was feeling a little more confident and not being quite as careful around the kids.  I am still shocked that we didn't get it...definitely, another bullet dodged.

I got the Vyvanse and for the first couple of days got pretty light headed within an hour of taking it.  I would say that it's helped my energy level some.  I am definitely a little speedier. 😉 I have a follow-up with the neurology nurse practitioner next week.

I wrote about the winter-apocalypse in a separate post.

The US did hit over 500,000 deaths.  It's just unbelievable to me and I am not sure many people let that hit them.  They are numb or don't care; I am not sure.  Half a million people in a year, just in this Country and people want to make wearing a mask a political issues.  It's very upsetting to me.

I got my second covid shot last week.  The City health department is behind and the winter storm pushed them another week behind.  It ended up being six weeks between my shots.  The last one didn't bother me except for a sore arm.  This one knocked me down for about 48 hours.  About seven hours after the shot, I got the chills. I don't remember ever having the chills that bad. I had three blankets on me and I was still shivering.  I was achy, my balance was off a bit, and I ran a low grade fever. That lasted for about twelve hours after that I was just fatigued as if I had been sick then after two days I felt fine.  Two days of not feeling great is worth the piece of mind.  I am tired of being scared of everyone.  On a related note, have you seen the flu case numbers this winter?  We are at about 1,500 cases for the whole country.  Compared to the 147,000 cases at this time last year.  I am wearing a mask every winter. 😷😊

My February blood work was normal. My lymphocytes were up a bit and my TSH was up slightly, only to 0.07 so not enough to excited about.  I did my March blood work today and my T3 & T4 were rechecked.  My follow-up with the endocrinologist is in two weeks.  I don't know how long a temporary thyroid issue can go on before it's not temporary anymore but I am losing hope.

That is all I have...take care and stay safe.