Chat Back for January 17

Answering questions from comments and email.

Kathleen C asked . . .

I was looking at the bird mess hall shot... and I wondered if they all get along? Our hummingbirds were awfully territorial about their feeder this Summer... do some breeds chase others off or do they co-operate in this kind of weather?

In general they all get along, but some species get more respect than others.

When the Bluejays fly in, most of the little birds scatter out to the bushes and trees for a brief time. Those who stay, keep their distance. The Bluejays don't have to chase the other birds off, the others seem to know the Jays rule.

At the suet feeder, the woodpeckers rule. The small Downeys fly aside for the larger Hairys. The Hairys patiently wait for the even larger Red-Bellies to finish before taking their turn. Nobody messes with the Flicker while it is eating suet. But again, I've never seen an actual confrontation. The birds just seem to know their place in the pecking order.

---

Carrie asked . . .

Am I imagining it, or is that a very fat cardinal?

Don't worry, we're not over feeding the birds.

It's very cold here right now. The birds fluff themselves up to trap air in their feathers and stay warm.

---

Pat M. asked . . .

Is there a gauge that tells you if a shoe is a certain size what size the sock should be?

I use the Brannock Chart.

Click on "printer friendly version" in the upper right corner for a chart big enough to read.

If you know how many rows/inch you knit and you know how many rows needed for a sock that fits you, you can easily calculate how many more or less rows it will take to knit socks to fit any size shoe using the chart. Male, female, child, European sizes are all included and compared.

---

Sue J. asked . . .

I mean, how long can a person put up with sunshine and 50 degree weather?

I'd like to try some 50 degree weather. That's 50 warmer than it's been here in SW Michigan for the past week. But if all this snow melts too fast we'll be too busy dealing with the resulting flooding to enjoy the warmth, so let's work up to it gradually.

According to AccuWeather, the week we're finishing marks the end of the worst of the winter for SW Michigan. Temps are going to get back in the 20s and 30s and driving will once again be occasionally possible without risking our bumpers.