A Snowbird in Paradise

The most dramatic change in my garden has been the sunflowers. They are 8 feet tall at least and the heads just get bigger every day. I missed the photo of my granddaughter looking up and watching a butterfly working away for the longest time pollinating one of the heads.
The Cardinal Flower Vine that I thought would never have blooms finally flowered with tiny delicate blossoms that look just right with the soft, lacy leaves. It certainly is attracting butterflies. I haven't seen the hummingbirds around it, but they are close.
Speaking of the hummingbirds, one is visiting the oriole feeder regularily. I don't know if it is the orange color of the feeder, the water in the base, or the grape jelly he is after but he stayed around long enough his second visit today that I could see the irridescent green of his body. Another bird to look up. Even with the tripod set up and the Canon in place with the big lens, I am not hopeful of catching him, but I will certainly try.

I try to take a photo of the garden on the first of each month just because. The Laitris and Hollyhocks are in bloom, the Zinnias show promise of flowers, the Cardinal Flower is climbing the trellis, and the Iris have been dug up. Any Iris that showed evidence of Iris Borer have been destroyed. The good rhizomes have been soaked in a solution of 1 part Murphy's Oil Soap and 9 parts water. Some of the good iris will find a new home in my garden and some will go to friends and relatives who want them. I can't guarantee any colors although I know there are light purple, Purple almost black, striped, spotted, and plain purples. I think it is the light purple that has the striped leaves. The old Iris patch will be treated with the left over oil soap and water and left for something else next year. It is almost impossible not to get borer but I can keep fighting it anyway.

There is a photo contest for container plants but I don't think this one would be good enough since the plants are showing some stress due to lack of water. The summer rain storms seem to split and go right around us. I wonder if there is some pressure effect from Lake Erie that causes that.

I was so tickled this morning to see the baby Baltimore Oriole in the birdbath splashing happily with a little sparrow. The markings are getting brighter and brighter. I think the baby may be a male. Since the disappearance of the big bright male I have been hoping for another one.

I am concerned about one of the of the sparrows. It will let me come close enough to capture it (if I wanted to do that) and at least one of its eyes doesn't look right. It may be all or partially blind but seems to be healthy otherwise and flying. It will be all too easy for a predator to pick off, though.

While reading the Wildlife Federation E-Newsletter a few weeks ago I noticed a link. It was to the pages on the website that give the requirements and a questionnaire about your garden. The more I read the more I realized that my double-lot garden qualified. Actually, even a balcony could qualify if it had all the requirements.

• Food Sources - For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar

Your habitat needs three of the following types of plants or supplemental feeders:
Seeds from a plant • Berries • Nectar • Foliage/Twigs • Nuts • Fruits • Sap • Pollen • Suet • Bird Feeder • Squirrel Feeder • Hummingbird Feeder • Butterfly Feeder

• Water Sources - For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream

Your habitat needs one of the following sources to provide clean water for wildlife to drink and bathe: Birdbath • Lake • Stream • Seasonal Pool • Ocean • Water Garden/Pond • River • Butterfly Puddling Area • Rain Garden • Spring

• Places for Cover - For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse

Wildlife need at least two places to find shelter from the weather and predators: Wooded Area • Bramble Patch • Ground Cover • Rock Pile or Wall • Cave • Roosting Box • Dense Shrubs or Thicket • Evergreens • Brush or Log Pile • Burrow • Meadow or Prairie • Water Garden or Pond

• Places to Raise Young - For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond

You need at least two places for wildlife to engage in courtship behavior, mate, and then bear and raise their young: Mature Trees • Meadow or Prairie • Nesting Box • Wetland • Cave • Host Plants for Caterpillars • Dead Trees or Snags • Dense Shrubs or a Thicket • Water Garden or Pond • Burrow

• Sustainable Gardening - For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

You should be doing two things to help manage your habitat in a sustainable way.
Soil and Water Conservation: Riparian Buffer • Capture Rain Water from Roof • Xeriscape (water-wise landscaping) • Drip or Soaker Hose for Irrigation • Limit Water Use • Reduce Erosion (i.e. ground cover, terraces) • Use Mulch • Rain Garden
Controlling Exotic Species: Practice Integrated Pest Management • Remove Non-Native Plants and Animals • Use Native Plants • Reduce Lawn Areas
Organic Practices: Eliminate Chemical Pesticides • Eliminate Chemical Fertilizers • Compost

My garden more than qualified and this week my plaque and certificate arrived. Meanwhile, I have been acquiring MORE native plants, seed-plants for the birds and nectar plants for the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. I have purged the chemicals and started a more sustainable garden. I am tracking down some rainbarrels like my nephew found in Georgia. All kinds of changes to keep my garden moving forward as a wildlife habitat.

No cats or dogs in my yard, but a neighbor dog has been killing the bunnies. The hawk and owls that has destroyed more than a few birds including the goldfinches and male oriole, I suspect, causes me consternation, but not as much as a dog that kills to kill and not for food. We do not seem to have any outdoor cats in the area, though. I think since the eagles got the 3 outdoor cats 7 years ago, most keep their small pets inside, now.

Anyway, if you follow the links above, for a registration fee of $20 you are directed to a questionnaire that is quite specific as to the water, food, shelter, etc your garden may have. I guess my 4 birdbaths, 1 fountain, 5 birdfeeders specific to 5 different kinds of birds, hedgerow, thick evergreen trees, mulch, etc, gave me not only certification, but a resolve to work even harder to move ahead with a habitat garden.

Now, how do I get rid of the mice before winter drives them inside my house?

What a bright surprise House Finches are when they land on my feeder. They are not unusual, but just such a bright spot among the sparrows.

Some folks say these are just regular crows with red on the wings, but the Red Winged Blackbird is ever so much more polite on the feeder than the "bully birds". There is a softer call from him, too.

Although the Cardinals may eat from the feeders, they most often seem to be cleaning up after the messy sparrows.

This bright fellow has a brother with no feathers on his head. I read that there are some kind of mites cardinals get that strips away feathers on their heads. Also read that it isn't serious and the feathers grow back.

I still have two areas under tarps waiting for me to have what it takes to tackle them. Rather like the farmer who lets a field or two go fallow for a season. It just wasn't worth it to fight the weeds (and chiggers). Don't let anyone tell you there aren't chiggers in the North.

Today I finished weeding and adding soil to the vegetable Square Foot Garden. A little late for this year's spring and summer veggies, but the fast growing root vegetables will be fine into the late fall.
The path needed raking after the weeding of the last week or so. With that done I took the patio broom and actually SWEPT the block path in the back and the self-leveling gravel in the rest of the garden. Whew! I turned it over to the birds for a while and will go out again this evening.Next big chore is taking up the iris. I have started cutting the spent flowers and cutting back the leaves (and weeding). This week I will take the pitchfork and lift all of the iris rhizomes and soak them for a minute or two in a solution of Murphy's Oil Soap to kill any nasties, although I don't see any evidence of slugs, or borer. I also have to get their new bed dug up and prepared. I want to trade some of the blues and purples for some yellows the neighbors have.

Female Oriole checking the orange.

Female Oriole dipping into the grape jelly.

Female Oriole feeding fledgling on the ground.

I bought this Oriole feeder last Tuesday (July 7) and filled it a day or two later in hope of finally getting some good photos of the Orioles I know are nested in a neighbor's tree. Well, I waited and waited...checked the nectar, orange ($.69 cents for ONE orange!!!) and the grape jelly dishes. The lady at Wild Birds Unlimited (see previous post) told me grape jelly, but I thought marmalade would be better. She said that ONLY grape jelly was recommended.

Today I have seen a female Oriole out and about feeding a fledgling, first on the power line, and then on the top of the hook holding the feeder. But every time I got to the camera they would vanish. I could still hear their soft trilling, though. I moved the tripod closer to the door-wall and closed the glass. It would be less than PERFECT photos, but I would'nt spook the birds off, at least.

Soon I was rewarded with the above photos. YAY. Now to catch the gorgeous male at the feeder.

When I moved to this house 8 years ago I brought a large cement birdbath with me. Over the years I have added some feeders and other birdbaths, mostly from the hardware store. This year I filled out a questionnaire to have my yard designated as a wildlife habitat. The plaque is in the mail.

My granddaughters spend hours watching the birds (rabbits, squirrels, etc.) with me and lately their parents have spent a few evenings watching the birds, too. The parents even showed a desire to put some feeders at their house, only 10 blocks away.
So...a few days ago was my daughter's and my shared birthday. Lunch and a shopping trip together is how we usually celebrate. This time I suggested a college town not too far away for lunch. I knew there was a Wild Birds, Unlimited store there.



Of course, we had to get seed (non-sprouting) for each kind of feeder, too. There were a number of Wild Bird Unlimited publications for us and for the children as well, and a special Oriole feeder for me.
We went back to my daughter's house after lunch and her husband went right to work getting the garden by the patio and door-wall all set up. Within the hour a bright finch had found the finch feeder. By this morning they had plenty to watch, Jays, Cardinals, Finches, Sparrows and more. The girls and their parents have a little viewing area set up with chairs and table in the shade of the big 42 year old evergreen. Photographing their birds can't be far behind.

I HAVE to get one of those Advanced Pole Systems for MY yard. I have 3 of the regular hardware store hook and pole systems but, now I want the better one.

The first day of summer just passed and I was sitting on my back porch taking stock of my garden. Why? Well, I just registered the yard with the National Wildlife Federation. I will actually get a plaque for the front yard. The questionnaire made me realize what I really had here, even with almost half of the garden area under tarps.

One whole side of the garden was so choked with waist-high weeds this year, and considering the chiggers of last year, that I just covered it with the old pool cover, weighted it down with rocks, and let it go. I rolled back a part of it this week and it looks about ready to replant. I will just do a little at a time, being a 70+ year-old gardener. Then I can move, as with the iris which need to be split this year, or plant with the seeds I bought for a butterfly garden.

It wasn't until I did the National Wildlife Federation questionnaire that I realized all the items I have that are on the list of wildlife attractants. I counted 3 suet feeders, a triple thistle seed feeder, a sunflower feeder, Hummingbird feeder, and a dish for oranges for the orioles. I also counted 4 birdbaths and a fountain. Add to that the hedgerow across the back for shelter and the two big spruce trees for nesting and you have a yard that qualifies.

The last two days I have noticed this little guy at my black-oil-sunflower-seed feeder. In fact, he comes right in even when I am gardening really near by. I figured one time I was less than 6 feet away. So this morning, I grabbed my camera and sat quietly on the back porch. Sure enough, in a few minutes he was right there and I was able to snap away. This is when having a silent mode on your digital camera helps.