In case you’ve been too frazzled to look at a calendar, note that we are upon Labor Day weekend here in the US. Not sure if any other countries celebrate with us. A smart way to celebrate labor is to take a break from labor, relax, lighten-up. Following that thought today, I’m including a fragment from my past labor. Followers might be able to spot which one it is. Don’t labor too hard on it. It’s Labor Day, lighten-up.
Mrs. 4444’s blog has the FF collection so please check it out.
A little sponsorship would really be nice at A Few Clowns Short. Hey potential sponsor, for the cost of a typical marketing business lunch your company could sponsor months worth of high quality blog posting here at A Few Clowns Short.
A beverage company sponsorship would be ideal. For example: Deer Tick Beer (the beer that digs into you) would be offered a deal that includes a modified small banner ad picture.
While down in the basement man cave, I hear my wife calling (note work on soundproofing) to alert me about something the neighbor had discovered in our downspout. What? I step out into the back yard to hear the bird-stuck-in-your-drain tale. As I’m being told the story, I restrain myself from asking why the neighbor is listening to our downspout. “What are you a weirdo downspout listener?” I want to ask but don’t.
At first I figured it must be a chipmunk but in fact it was a bird. I tried a few different ideas to evacuate him but my bird negotiation knowledge is severely lacking. The sun would set in 30 minutes and the area was very muddy so after those failed attempts I did what I do best - procrastinate and think it over for awhile.
Our daughter had an outside-of-the-box-thinking idea. Her suggestion which I tried was to place a light in the downspout to scare the bird to go out the other end. Sure it was an outside-of-the-box idea but it wasn’t a bird goes out of the drain one. I think the bird enjoyed a night light.
The next morning I disconnected the downspout and drain pipe. I even stepped back and waited. Nothing but a little scratching around. I got a long stick and thought maybe I could push him out. No, but I was able to clean some debris from the pipe. I could see him and he was larger than I expected. I held the pipe down level and just waited. About a minute or so he jumped out. One jump and he was in the air. I don't think he even touched the ground first. Flew to a nearby tree and was gone. Freebird!
Often we offer up our comments and never get any feedback on them. But over at A Few Clowns Short you'll typically get some feedback. It might not be worth a damn but it's feedback anyway.
Oh the comment section is a fun place. I once replied, “The only Playboy bunnies I ever met were paper.”
As we age we go from tripping out to tripping over. Who moved that chair!
Mrs. 4444’s blog has the FF collection so please check it out.
A little sponsorship would really be nice at A Few Clowns Short. Hey potential sponsor, for the cost of a typical marketing business lunch your company could sponsor months worth of high quality blog posting here at A Few Clowns Short.
A beverage company sponsorship would be ideal. For example: Deer Tick Beer (the beer that digs into you) would be offered a deal that includes a modified small banner ad picture.
While down in the basement man cave, I hear my wife calling (note work on soundproofing) to alert me about something the neighbor had discovered in our downspout. What? I step out into the back yard to hear the bird-stuck-in-your-drain tale. As I’m being told the story, I restrain myself from asking why the neighbor is listening to our downspout. “What are you a weirdo downspout listener?” I want to ask but don’t.
At first I figured it must be a chipmunk but in fact it was a bird. I tried a few different ideas to evacuate him but my bird negotiation knowledge is severely lacking. The sun would set in 30 minutes and the area was very muddy so after those failed attempts I did what I do best - procrastinate and think it over for awhile.
Our daughter had an outside-of-the-box-thinking idea. Her suggestion which I tried was to place a light in the downspout to scare the bird to go out the other end. Sure it was an outside-of-the-box idea but it wasn’t a bird goes out of the drain one. I think the bird enjoyed a night light.
The next morning I disconnected the downspout and drain pipe. I even stepped back and waited. Nothing but a little scratching around. I got a long stick and thought maybe I could push him out. No, but I was able to clean some debris from the pipe. I could see him and he was larger than I expected. I held the pipe down level and just waited. About a minute or so he jumped out. One jump and he was in the air. I don't think he even touched the ground first. Flew to a nearby tree and was gone. Freebird!
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| these birds are shot at targets which makes them angry |
Oh the comment section is a fun place. I once replied, “The only Playboy bunnies I ever met were paper.”
21 comments:
Kudos on freeing the angry bird.
Kudos on not asking about the downspout listening....I mean, how do you notice that? Good for the bird that they did however.
Wow, really weird neighbors. I would spy on them to see what else they are listening for at your house. Of course I am happy you saved the poor lil bird. It would have been worse to have to get a dead bird out of there.
I have just started to reply more to my comments. I am embarrassed to say I really didn't know I could...did I just say that?
Have a restful labor day!
Interesting bird situation. Do you suppose he needed to be horizontal to get out.
Better to be a downspout listener than a peeping Tom, right?
Lynyrd Skynyrd is proud you freed the bird.
Freedom for the angry bird is a great thing. Incidentally, Labor Day is usually celebrated on May 1 in many countries. It's not just for commies. It's traditional in many countries, including Honduras.
I'm glad it worked. thanks
It was the downspout nearest their house and scratching noise could be heard a good distance away. While funny to imagine, they didn't put their ears up to the downspout. thanks
It was the downspout nearest their house and scratching noise could be heard a good distance away. One of the reasons I switched to DISQUS years ago was the better reply features. Since then blogger added it. thanks
The bird found itself in that spot by falling down the downspout from the second story roof. I know that because the downspout goes directly into an drain that goes underground. There was debris and water in the drain pipe. He was trapped until I disconnected the downspout. thanks
Yes that was the song that came to mind after this was over. No peeping going on the best I can tell. They are great neighbors. thanks
Scared bird just sound as good as angry bird these days. It was a bird filled with emotion I suspect. Yes being a cold war vet, May Day is always equated to commies for me. thanks
Maybe you should have brought out the Deer Tick Beer and put that at the end of the Downspout instead of the light -- you never know he might have been a beer lover.LOL
Have a great weekend!
:-)
Traci
I like your thinking. Many problems solved over beers. Of course too often you can't remember the solution afterwards.
thanks
Too true!
;-D
You crack me up!! I would love to know why the neighbor could hear the bird??? I have no sponsors either, but stick it to me beer would be farther down the list for me. At this juncture, I would like gallons of milk for my sponsor... think they do that?? Feedback is always good, except from a hearing aid...
thanks - I am going to remember that feedback line. Great one liner for the retirement home tour.
Holy bird sh**!!! Birds can get caught in a drain pipe??? Please, please, never let that happen at my house as 1. birds freak me out. 2) I live in a really tall house and have no idea how to get the downspout down. That was a really dumb bird.
Yeah a bird brain bird I suppose you could say. I assume the bird was poking around in the gutter and fell through the hole for the downspout. I've seen squirrel rummaging around up there. It was not too difficult to disconnect the bottom of the downspout. We had a chipmunk come through the dryer vent all the way into the dryer. He did not survive. Animals just don't have the proper respect for human homes. thanks
The most perplexing part of this story is WHY your neighbor is aware of your downspout happenings. I wouldn't know what was going on in my own downspout, let alone a neighbor's.
it sounds funnier/odder than it was. The houses are not that far apart and we both agreed not to put in a fence. I dislike fences. The bird was loud on the metal downspout and the weather was nice so they were outside. Downspout listener sounds better though. thanks
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