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Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Woodpecker Pair



It finally happened BOTH woodpeckers on the feeder at the same time.
Saturday, May 24, 2008

Duck-Jacuzzi?


Can you see her? That is a female Mallard swimming in my FOUNTAIN! Now, mind you, she has been swimming in the water standing in my pool cover, about 30' x 15'. Not to mention that she has all of Lake Erie less than a block away.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

An Orange and Black Thrill

Once last year I saw a male Baltimore Oriole in my birdbath. I could hear their call once in a while so I knew they were around.

"Oranges!" it said on Wild Birds Unlimited. "They cannot resist oranges." I was determined to get them coming to the yard regularly so I got two oranges from my neighbor and hung two halves in the suet feeder. Another I hung further out in the yard just on a whimsical little dish on a chain. I didn't know what to do with the last half so I just put it on my deck railing about 5 feet away from the doorwall.

You can guess where I first saw the male...that's right...at the "extra" orange half. He was too fast for the camera but now I know they are around.

Today I snapped these photos. I suspect the first is the female and the second is a juvenile fledgling. The male is just SOOO bright I can't mistake him.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

My Northern Garden



Coming home to Michigan late in April usually means an overgrown garden but, honestly, this year wasn't so bad. The problem has been the rain. I am not about to go out and garden in the rain.

This is the first year to have my lovely back deck/porch since it wasn't completed until last fall. How handy that is! I have a few adjustments for my son to make when he comes by, but it is quite a delight.

The birds practically sit on my lap. They come right on the deck while I am sitting there. Even while my granddaughters are there, if they are quiet. I was amazed that they sit on the birdfeeders while I am on the porch, but coming right on the porch was a complete surprised.

The first thing I cleaned up for summer was the pond and fountain.

This year there will be as many containers of annuals in the garden as I can manage. This twig-cart was a rescue from my daughter's lake house. With the addition of a cocoa mat from ACO and good potting soil it went from plastic and silk artificial plants to real.

The planter will get a liberal dose of Miracle Gro spray every couple of weeks, but there is enough in the potting soil for the next couple of weeks. The cart is much darker in the rain and I like that look, too. I am going to take photos of the planters throughout the summer as the contents grow.
Sunday, May 4, 2008

Northern Nature Can Be Fun, Too.

Every year I mourn leaving the larger-than-life Florida animals and flowers. Then, once I am back North, there are always wonderful surprises.

One of my daughters left a ceramic bird seed dish and seed when she visited my house while I was gone. It isn't high-tech, but looked cute on the railing of my back porch/deck. The birds took right to the new feeder in spite of its close proximity to the house and my doorwall. First the common sparrows and doves then the following photo!


Last year my brother and sister-in-law gave me a finch feeder and thistle seed like they use. I finally got a pair of yellow finches along with some purple or red house finches and some sparrows who really TRIED to reach the seed by hanging upside down. They are nowhere near the acrobats that the Goldfinches are.

This year there have been more Goldfinches! I am delighted.



The birds aren't the only early spring visitors.


Of course, I have been scrapbooking the photos!

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Gabby Faye
Michigan, United States
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