Outside it is cold
As the winter draws in,
There’s ice in the bird bath
And frost on the bin.
The birds are all hungry,
So tending their needs,
I put out some fat balls
With peanuts and seeds.
The dog sits and watches them
Through the glass door,
She watches quite calmly
Curled up on the floor…
Unless I look out*
To enjoy the birds too…
For then she’s ‘on guard’
And makes quite a to-do.
Now, mostly the birds
That come in are quite small,
We get the odd pigeon,
The jackdaws, and all…
But days like today
We may get a surprise…
And the small dog, a bird dog
Will narrow her eyes…
It was war in the garden…
It couldn’t be helped
The dog took one look through the door
And she yelped…
“We have an intruder!
A new one, at that!
It’s blacker than midnight
And big as a cat!”
“It’s only a bird, dog,
Stop barking and hush…”
She opened the door,
Bounded out in a rush…
The corvid retreated
To sit on the fence,
Indifference being
Its chosen defence.
Considered the small dog
Ablaze on the ground,
Ignoring her frenzy
Looked up and around…
Then it turned to the dog
With disdain in its eyes,
“If you think you’re so clever…
Then try this for size…”
I will tell you no lie,
We all looked at the tree…
The only ones laughing
Were corvid and me…
She won’t look at kites,*
She ignores them instead…
The small dog retreated
And took to her bed.
*Perfectly true… she can watch the birds, but if she sees me notoce them, she goes scatty… unless it is a kite. Kites and buzzards do not exist in Ani’s world… I think it is a case of ‘discretion being the better part of valour.’
(Contributed to dVerse)
It’s funny what they notice … and what they ignore. Our dogs ignore people except the neighbors … or if they actually come inside the house. Duke is hysterical about the neighbors. Crazy, wacko, insane. Yet none of they bother to bark at deliveries anymore. Bobcats are a barkathon. And the two terrier go nuts if they see anything that might be considered a rat. Once they actually killed a rat and then I had to chase them around the yard trying to convince them NOT to eat it. DNA you think?
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Birds, cats and anyone (or thing) who is not (according to Ani) supposed to be near me or the house. The criteria for making that decision is a mystery known only to her. But she is odd with the birds… as long as I don’t notoce them, she’s fine. As soon as I do, they have to be shooed away… apart from the kites that she studiously ignores.
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Ani, Sonu is the same, there are certain things we can get him to ‘notice’… but others, he can totally ignore!
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Self preservation, I expect 😉
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I’m sure!
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There is no love quite like dog love.
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None at all 🙂
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This is fabulous Sue, the wonderful way in which dogs react to situations and us! I love birds too they have such a pecking order (excuse the pun) when feeding, and they all the small disappear when the larger birds arrive. They even hide sometimes. You set the scene perfectly and I know truth to be better that fiction more often than not 💜😁💞
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It was hilarious watching her with this one. The crow was obviously ‘just’ within her comfort zone for size…but only just 🙂
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It’s so funny isn’t it! Ruby ignores all birds and squirrels because of her training, but she likes cats now , they usually don’t like her though 🤔💝
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I’m pretty sure Ani would like cats…if she could catch one 😉
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Yes indeed 💜
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Ps. Fabulous photos 💜
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Thank you 🙂
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Ani is very wise. I cringe when a kite or a buzzard flies too low for comfort.
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I just love it when they do 🙂
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You have stronger nerves than I do 🙂
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I love the great birds 🙂
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I love watching them, but I don’t like them coming too close. I know Finbar doesn’t either.
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The closer the better for me. I get them in the garden sometimes…and it is not much bigger than they are 🙂
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Just think how the cats feel!
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I can imagine 🙂
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🙂
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Ani’s selective attention is quite interesting! You should be glad of her discretion with the larger birds. Garfield likes them all but is easily bored. He watches longer if there is a squirrel on the ground!
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Ani has yet to meet a squirrel. She’s usually too busy to notice them when we are out 🙂
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Welcome Sue! I love that title, it reminds me of Jasper, my Jack Russell cross who has been gone for a number of years now. The first two stanzas made me sit up – they describe the scene outside my window lately. 🙂 I love your close observations of the dog and the corvid.
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Thanks, Kim. Ani was just so funny with the way she sat up, all offended at the intrusion 🙂
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Perhaps, Ani’s attitude about raptors is some sort of ancient inter-species truce among hunters of birds. I’m reminded of my Dad’s last two dogs (in series, not at the same time). The first, a large Golden Lab, noticed a bear on the deck trying to get at a bird feeder, snorted and went back to sleep. The second, a Terrier mix who weighed no more than 25 pounds (11 Kg) went screaming bonkers and if let out chased them off in full cry of murderous ferocity. The bears, for some reason known only to them took the threats seriously and ran. The lucky dog never caught one.
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It is odd, isn’t it? Perhaps it is a racial memory of teamwork too… hounds and hawks hunting together. It is funny to see her ignore them, though, but go loopy at a sparrow.
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Enjoyed your story of the “bird dog”, told so poetically 🙂
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Thanks, Lynn… she is a bird dog by parentage… and a lunatic by choice 🙂
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Fabulous poem Sue and wonderful images.. 🙂
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Thanks, Sue 🙂
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Great poem, and really well done feeding the birds. Our cat – we lost em three years ago – could not accept birds. He tries to catch and eat them.
Have a good weekend. Michael
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Ani just likes chasing them… I don’t think she would catch one 🙂
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Also think so. Birds are normally not a dogs preferred meal. 😉 Have a good weekend. Michael
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She is just very good at chasing things 🙂 Enjoy your weekend 🙂
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Thank you! 😉 Have also a good weekend.
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🙂
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LOL at the indifferent approach. This is great
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Thank you 🙂
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It’s amazing how dogs interact with us and other animals in such specific ways. Ani probably knows exactly what she’s doing. 🙂
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She probably does… though she’s not letting me in on all her secrets 🙂 I think that if I notice the birds, she feels duty bound to protect me.
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Only from the little birds apparently. You’re on your own with the big ones. 🙂
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So it would appear 🙂
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Very nice sound and I like how Ani reacts mainly when you are looking.
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Only when I am looking, Frank, the rest of the day she will happily sit and watch the birds….quietly 🙂
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I love how you describe the power game in your garden… and also the dependency between human and dog… very nice little story and fine pictures.
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Thanks, Björn… the small dog fills my days with delight.
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I loved your poem… I could see it all unfolding… your photos were perfect.
Reminiscent of the rhythm of the poem The night before Christmas!
Dwight
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Thanks, Dwight. The small dog is a constant source of inspiration 😉
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I can see how much fun it is to watch them.!
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I wouldn’t be without her 🙂
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Heh, heh, heh … ‘Ya gotta know when to hold ’em, gotta know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run’.
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That’s about the size of it 😉
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Fabulous, Ani. A dog’s got to do what a dogs got to do me thinks🤗
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Thank you. Ani seems to agree with you, Robbie…and right now, that means snoring like a small steam engine 😉
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Dogs seem choosy who and what to notice. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Anything except the big birds of prey with this one 🙂
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Ani is a beautiful watchdog. ❤
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Sh is… about the cutest 😉 x
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🙂 ❤
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Ani’s selective attention is not unlike that of humans.
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I notice the same thing – sometimes 😉
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