Last week we were hit with the heat wave that has been burning up most of North America. It was brutal- with the humidex temps were in the low 40's. For a province that tends to be cool in summer and temperate in the winter it was hard.
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| smart cat found the coolest place to sleep |
I managed to get up early and ride before the heat become unbearable. I was hoping that Carmen would be a bit quiet, it being so hot and all. Instead she was all 'I am a horse of the desert!' And then had regrets when I was all 'Okay then, let's go'. But we had some really good work and she definitely enjoyed the hosing off after.
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| why yes it's humid, why do you ask? |
We had a bit of an adventure with the barn swallows as well. I came in one afternoon and found the three babies on the floor of the barn, prostrate with the heat. I was so upset (I get very attached to the creatures who live on my farm- in case that wasn't obvious). I called the local animal rescue 'Hope for Wildlife' and asked what to do. While I was doing that I was trying to keep the chickens away from the babies.
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| actual footage of me and the chickens |
The woman asked me to try to get them up off the floor in the new nest (since I couldn't reach the one that they fell out of) and give the parents a chance to look after them. If the parents abandoned them we could arrange a pick up. Ed and I got them up and I set up the barn so that the chickens couldn't get in but the parents could. I was really worried- they looked so weak and helpless. However, they rallied and the parents started looking after them. It was fun to watch them up close (but not too close).
Every day they were a little stronger. Mom and dad worked hard at trying to get them to fly. I heard one in a bit of distress and saw that she/he was clinging to a hay stalk trying to get up on top of the hay but unable to manage it. I gently put my hand underneath and lifter her up to the hay. She looked at me for a second and then flew off.
Yesterday they were on their perch in the morning and, before I was done my chores, flew off. I'm sure I'll see them around but I was happy that they survived.
Honestly, I feel like their aunt at this point.
Then, just like that the weather broke and it became cold and rainy. Like 13 degrees cold. But it's hard to complain because we needed the three days of rain that followed that scorching. I didn't ride in the rain and this week we're getting our hay so I doubt I'll get much riding done. It will be a relief to have the hay though.
Oh man I get so attached to barn swallows (and admittedly even little barn mice too…) - awesome that you were able to revive the little bebe birdies!!
ReplyDeleteI am really bad at that. But I do love my swallows. :)
DeleteAwww you area good bird mom! So nice to see them all thrive, and that pail rim dance is so cute.
ReplyDeleteWe need a break in this weather too! The hay farmers here are down about 40% in their yield and are worried that they might not get a second cut. Please Lord send them rain! I have my hay spoken for and don't have to pick it up until September when I will have a little more room in my hay barn. Last year I was wintering (and bought hay for) 5 horses and a weanling- this year, 2 adults and a weanling, so I have a lot of hay left and only have to top it up. Thank goodness! I hope next year is better.
Our hay is looking better than last year (last year it was terrible). IT's good to have hay all lined up - it's such a relief.
DeleteYes, it's hard not to get attached to those sweet, beautiful birds. I had the same situation, but no let up in the heat. We did get a ladder, and place them back in the nest, but they still couldn't fly well enough to survive. I hope the last one made it out okay. With mine, I wonder if the damage they had from the heat just kept them from maturing correctly. We can only do our best to save them.
ReplyDeleteSend some of that cool weather our way! And kudos on getting out in the morning! That's the time I have to clean stalls. It's a very short window of opportunity between the horse's breakfast and extreme heat. Keeping nine horses really drains my time for Tumbleweed, but hey, I love it all.
It's easier with 2 horses (although work interferes too much at times). If I have to choose I tend to pick riding, knowing that I will do the chores later.
DeleteThat’s smart! I may have to do the same and push off chores to the evenings.
DeleteGood for you in taking care of the barn swallows! I love them too, and I am lucky enough to have many, many pairs nesting in my barn. Sometimes in the late summer, I will see up to 40 of them perched on a telephone wire near the barn. I am so glad yours were okay.
ReplyDelete40?! That would be awesome.
DeleteLove the cat in the sink! Great picture. We've had basically the same weather as you. Too hot to cool and raining for a few days. It's a good feeling when you help out the animals on the farm. My barn swallows have nests on our music speakers in the aisle and plenty of poop too. But no disasters with the babies...yet. Then there are the foxes who live under the feed shed. They seem to be fine too.
ReplyDeleteWillow in the sink made it difficult to brush my teeth! I enticed her out with treats. Foxes would be cool- except that I have chickens so maybe not. :)
DeleteAwww, glad the wee swallows survived - I think their numbers are low-ish? Did I read that somewhere or make it up...?? Either way, they are such neat birds and it is great that you were able to help these ones.
ReplyDeleteGetting hay in is a big deal - we did 575 bales last week, so that is a good start.
I think that their numbers are low too. But I haven't really looked into it. I love their gracefulness in flight and all the bugs that they eat.
DeleteAwww, glad they were okay! I haven't had any nest in the barn this year, but there are a few that come in during the day just to poop on stuff... I wish I could potty train them! But I do appreciate their help with the bugs!
ReplyDeletelol @ birds coming in to poop on things! I put my muck bucket under the next to catch the majority of poop. I did find some poop on Irish one morning. :)
DeleteCute birdies =) My sister has a hummingbird nest with two babies on her house, they are so tiny and adorable!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see baby hummingbirds!
DeleteThe humidity and heat were NEXT LEVEL.
ReplyDeleteWe're still on the tail end of a heat wave - it is supposed to dissipate by the end of the week but holy moly was it fricken HOT.
The story about the barn swallows is adorable <3
I've been hearing about BC on the news. It sounds horrible!
DeleteAwww glad your baby barn swallows are doing ok, they are so ugly cute as babies.
ReplyDeleteThey really are.
DeleteMy grandpa had some swallows living in a nest on his front porch, but the soil in the area was useless for building nests and they were a young breeding pair with no experience. Their poor little nest kept falling apart. So my grandpa mixed up a bit of cement, waited for the swallows to both go out and look for food, and then got on a ladder and patched up their nest with the cement. They used the cement as a foundation and built their little nest on top of it, and they came back for many many years after that and raised many broods of young in that cement-fortified nest!
ReplyDeleteYour grandpa sounds like such a wonderful person!!
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