After getting 14+ inches of snow due to an extended Lake-Effect snowstorm, it's now in the mid-40s. Tomorrow, I kid you not, it's supposed to get into the mid-50s and 1.5-inches of rain. By Thursday it drops to 18F (night 9F).
That's kinda Too F-ing Cold! Worst I ever saw around here was -10F. for an Hour around Dawn, Cold Front came through and then it got Clear and Still. Lots of Houses here have Trouble if it stays below even +20 at Night for a Week, pipes freeze eventually. You should see the Birds here, I keep trying to get a Picture of this Grey Owl, it sits around all fluffed up, it looks like a clump of Lint from the Dryer.
I'm not sure if this one is a 'horned' Owl (feather tufts on its Ears) because when I've seen it, feathers were sticking out in all Directions! There are Brown Owls that are a bit smaller, and Screech Owls (Barn Owls) that are actually pretty Small... (don't see them often) The number and Variety of Hunting Birds in this area is pretty amazing, and the Red-Tail Hawks especially are comfortable in the Subdivisions. Your Guinea-pig 'outside cage' would get Real Popular!
Surprisingly enough, we've not had any probs with big birds hunting them, despite them having free run in the outdoor pen. We do have a kestrel living around our yard, but he has enough trouble lifting an adult vole...
I did see an owl once, with feathers sticking in all directions... I was following a pickup truck in a snowstorm, on the way to Sudbury, the week I moved to Canada. He clipped the owl; I saw a big mass of feathers flying towards me I was finding feathers in my engine block for two years after that. Poor owl...
Around here, I've seen the Red-Tail Hawks and (grey) Owls nab Rabbits without any trouble... I used to know someone who would put out one of those plastic Kids' Wading Pools (not the inflatable ones) and put Mice and Guinea Pigs in it to 'Feed the Birds'. It was Downright Funny to Watch the Hawks flap around and Chase the Lunch... everyone Slipping and Sliding on the Plastic... I'm Sure this was 'against the law' somehow, but Why Wouldn't You Feed the Birds???
Ugh. Welcome to Michigan!
Owl (feather tufts on its Ears) because when I've seen it, feathers were sticking out in all Directions!
There are Brown Owls that are a bit smaller, and Screech Owls (Barn Owls) that are actually pretty Small... (don't see them often) The number and Variety of Hunting Birds in this area is pretty amazing, and the Red-Tail Hawks especially are comfortable in the Subdivisions.
Your Guinea-pig 'outside cage' would get Real Popular!
I did see an owl once, with feathers sticking in all directions... I was following a pickup truck in a snowstorm, on the way to Sudbury, the week I moved to Canada. He clipped the owl; I saw a big mass of feathers flying towards me
I'm Sure this was 'against the law' somehow, but Why Wouldn't You Feed the Birds???