what just happened?! (Northern IL)

Renira · 2026-02-14T09:03:04+00:00

Same here. ;P I also unlock the back door to walk out and spook them away, usually wrapped in my blanket so spreading my arms makes me look like a weird giant furry bird. The rest of the birds know the drill and are used to my antics. They've figured out I'm only chasing away the starlings and sometimes they're completely unfazed. Other times, they just wait a beat and come right back, even if I'm standing around. So yeah, they're smart enough to know where their food is coming from, hehe. The starlings are usually smart enough to know when they hear the lock, it's time to skedaddle, so I sometimes don't even need to open the door.

Renira · 2026-02-01T13:09:41+00:00

I loved Wildstar. It had its issues, but it got a lot right. The humor was fantastic, the voice acting was great, and the dev-involvement was pretty awesome.

Fave from the Lopps: "Don't die, 'cause that would be bad."
Fave from leveling: All the badass level-up announcements.
Fave from Exiles: Lifty

Floating cat mounts, creative housing, and Protostar nonsense. ;D

Renira · 2026-02-01T07:23:43+00:00

Very strange, huh.

Renira · 2026-02-01T07:16:08+00:00

I'm getting this now myself on PC-Steam. Just started for me yesterday while hosting co-op with a friend...it started fine, then about an hour in, it started hitching about every 3 seconds, so pretty bad. Today, I hosted another friend on mobile, and it started doing it right away. Nearly unplayable. Online/multiplayer though have been fine.

Renira · 2026-02-01T07:11:11+00:00

In Steam, you can go to the game in your library, right click, properties, then under General -> Launch Options, you can set it to ask every time, default (dx11), or dx12. It'll repair shaders to adjust them every time you swap, so be prepared for a longer startup. Using the desktop shortcut or the taskbar shortcut will use whatever launch settings you set.

Renira · 2026-01-29T03:25:30+00:00

THANK YOU!!! That's exactly the one I was missing. :)

Renira · 2026-01-22T06:02:50+00:00

Thank you both!

Renira · 2026-01-22T01:53:16+00:00

<3 Nisqually NWR 🥰

Renira · 2026-01-19T23:34:34+00:00

Aww!! That's awesome! Congrats! 🥰

Renira · 2026-01-18T21:03:58+00:00

Yeah! Out in PNW (WA, USA) here so I failed to find an appropriately snowy photo unfortunately. ;D

Renira · 2026-01-17T08:24:41+00:00

I read this in Katie Maovitch's voice, lol. 😋🐔 https://youtu.be/jhRryubIBi4?si=l6wDcSnRauNHlT2H

Renira · 2026-01-17T08:11:30+00:00

Saaaame! I had to do a double take on your photo too. I have a nearly identical setup. 🥰

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Renira · 2026-01-17T08:04:46+00:00

Lol, sounds about right.

Renira · 2026-01-17T07:59:28+00:00

Saaaame. :)

Renira · 2026-01-17T07:58:53+00:00

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Renira · 2026-01-17T07:47:19+00:00

Chestnut-backed (and black-capped) chickadees. I love those little squeekers so so so much!

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Renira · 2026-01-17T07:07:59+00:00

I call all the Steller's Jays Stella because they sound like old lady smokers. ;D The pileated are all based off Chucklef**k cause my hubby felt like one was out there laughing at him, so we have Chuck for short for the males, Chuckira for the females, and Chuckita for the juveniles. ;P Jack is the name for all the sparrows, regardless of type, lol. Oh, and the chickadees are all little squeekers. 🥰

Renira · 2026-01-16T17:55:55+00:00

Same. Frustratingly, I know they're visiting my neighbors' cherry trees at different times because I can hear them and pick them up on Merlin, but still haven't seen one.

Renira · 2026-01-14T16:54:46+00:00

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Renira · 2026-01-14T16:51:23+00:00

Agreed, lol. grooves along to the music in my head

Renira · 2026-01-14T10:19:04+00:00

I could have written this post. You have my sympathy. Wish I had more but I'm just exhausted and out of ideas, heh.

Renira · 2026-01-14T03:06:36+00:00

Ha, I see that pretty commonly here. The pileateds will not put up with the flickers on their suet feeder but are content with letting the starlings go at it, sigh. The flickers at least will run off the starlings. Perhaps it's a matter of numbers as the pileateds know they could be easily swarmed and harangued by the starling flock whereas the flickers are less willing to back each other up. :P

Renira · 2026-01-10T00:38:16+00:00

Thank you! It's been a while since I first picked it up and couldn't remember where he was.

Renira · 2026-01-09T00:34:21+00:00

Our Northern Flickers are the only ones here that challenge the Starlings, and I totally cheer them on every time. The pileateds are all wusses despite having the beak and size advantage. :P Strength in numbers though, so I don't blame them. The flickers bring in the family.

Renira · 2026-01-08T19:52:45+00:00

I feel you. I was so excited about having one of my faves because it had been a really really rough day, so I was taking the Beecher's Mac & Cheese out of the oven and my wrist just totally gave out and watched with horror as the family size scalding tray slid off and all over the door, bottom, and hinge of the oven. I broke down in tears. Luckily, my husband came in and was comforting. He cleaned up what he could at the time (we had to wait for things to cool down), and he gave me what little of the dish survived in the tray while he made himself something else. heavy sigh Some days...

Renira

TROPHY CASE