Yard, Gardens, Birds and Critters

I have watched the birds for a long time. I have had suet and birdfeeders out all year. Sometimes, in summer, I only have the seed. Even though I have used the     "No Melt" suet, I don't like it as it crumbles up something awful and is all over the deck! Sometimes other birds, such as the Eastern Bluebird, will come in and eat some of the crumbs. Just not good enough though. I have read so many posts on how the Blue Jay is such a tough hombre'. Not really! Starlings and Grackles are overwhelming because they bring in so many to the feeders. When the European Starling gets in the mood for a bath, he invites all his buddies. I have to fill the birdbath 3-4 times in a couple of hours. They splash and have a great time! Sparrows even gather on the suet. Many of them at a time. Still, they aren't very tough! So, who do you think is the toughest on my feeders?  The male and the female Red-bellied Woodpecker, that's who.  I just watched the male fly in among the spa...

 Sometimes when things start going wrong, like raccoons dumping my flower boxes and squirrels eating seed and my lattice (no that is not a spelling error!) Now ants have been in the jelly for the Baltimore Orioles and this morning they were in the meal worms!  Sometimes I ask myself, Is it Worth it?  Well, then I write a poem! LOL! Feeding Birds, Is it Worth It? By Mary J Williams © During the spring And all through the summer My deck is a mess And that is a bummer I feed the birds They are a messy lot But they love the food Keeping it clean is for naught If it isn’t one critter It soon will be more I even end up Standing at the door Scaring off Grackles and Starlings And Sparrows are on the list So is the squirrel And raccoon, you get the gist! Now there is another That has moved in this year Those tiny little ants Hundreds of them, I fear Taking over the jelly now on the meal worms It’s enough to deal with the others Let alone ants, do they carry germs? I noticed a crit...

I was at the kitchen window, when I looked out because of seeing some movement! Sitting on the lattice that helps to shade the deck, was a squirrel with something in it's paws. I couldn't tell if it was a male or female, but I'm saying a male. I tried to make out what he was holding. I swore it looked like a piece of lattice. Now, why on earth would a squirrel be carrying around a piece of the lattice?   I went in the other room to grab my camera, hoping the squirrel would still be there so I could zoom in and see just what the heck he had. I got back to the kitchen window, and there he was still sitting there with his, "ZOOM IN", piece of lattice! Took a picture, then zoomed in a little closer and, yes, definitely a piece of lattice.  Then he started chewing on it!  Good Grief!  I don't know if he ate it or if he was just sharpening his teeth! Either one is really a question in my mind! If anyone has an idea leave in the comments.  This is the first pictur...

My Critters on the Deck By Mary J Williams © Critter, and I say Raccoon, comes to the deck, only the hot suet in the holders you see, but that raccoon is going to eat by heck. He grabs on to the holder that is hanging by a hook holds on to the board and eats, come and look! Great big chunk taken out of the thing but I don't think he liked the taste It's "hot" suet, it should kind of sting I think he got mad He didn't eat it all Jumped to the deck but he didn't fall Checking things out He thinks he smells more So, grabs on the flower box and it falls to the deck floor Dirt is all over everywhere That I have to put back Guess I have to take that suet in so, maybe he can't snack Hopefully the flower box won't be pulled down again I won't have morning clean up I can have my coffee then! I really think the raccoon did this Look at the imprints in the suet. Pretty sure made by a raccoon. the "Hot Pepper" suet didn't seem to deter it at all 

 Okay, I saw lots of birds but if I don't get a picture, I don't consider it a "good" birding day! However, I should have waited, but then, I was up at 4 a.m. and I was already getting tired by 8 a.m.  When you get old, that's what happens sometimes. I took a tour of my yard trying to see if the Crepe Myrtle was dead or just slow. Well, some may be dead and some is just slow. I am going to wait as new leaves are sprouting out daily. Then trim out the dead branches, if any! The green Japanese Maple in the front yard had a lot of frost damage and I was hoping it would start sprouting out new leaves. It has and that makes me happy!  I found a couple of plants that I am really not sure of. I ran my app on my phone called "Picture This". So far it's been pretty accurate but there is a question in my mind as to what the plant is and what they say it is. I know confusing, but where do these plants come from? The birds are most likely the culprit. The app sa...

  I thought I was going to have the best birding morning ever but the birds were not real co-operative. First, I walked out on my deck with a paper towel full of crushed eggshells. I put them in the 1/2 whiskey barrel and the doves fly in and others also nibble on the shells. As I was putting the shells in the barrel, I looked up and not 2 foot away from me was a Pine Siskin sitting on the bird feeder looking at me. I talked really softly (I can do that on occasion! I'm not always loud!) to s/he for at least a couple of minutes. I then attempted to put my glasses down off the top of my head to try and see the markings better. The little booger flew off then! Oh well, I had a nice conversation. I went back in the house and was washing my hands off at the kitchen sink, looked out and the Pileated Woodpecker was on the suet. Well, a mad dash to the back room to grab the camera, turned it on and aimed and he flew off! Bummer! Then a Baltimore Oriole flew in. I managed to get one p...

I Love This Time of Year By Mary J Williams © There is nothing better than Spring When in winter all the plants die But they come to life again That’s when I heave a sigh! The flowers come Up out of the earth When the sun shines To give them birth The dormant trees some flower first some the leaves just tend to burst Lots of trees Like the maples and oaks Send down their seeds Millions, and this is no joke But there are daffodils and tulips And the May Apples too Columbine and lilacs After April they still aren’t through! More flowers in May Time for planting gardens Who doesn’t love Spring? Oh, here comes the Purple Martin Time for the nesting Of birds everywhere Seeing birds of migration Some have such flare I love the Spring I love the flowers I love the birds I will watch for hours! First Wild Geranium Bloom

A Critter in the Night By Mary J Williams © What was that critter That came in the night? Up on the deck Much to its delight! Looking for a special morsel To stuff in his face Surely there is something To eat in this place Smelling something good It’s up there on that board grab onto this to help me up Then the food up there I will hoard Holy cow, this thing is loose The container is falling down Crash! I feel like a clown Only some dried-up oranges Nothing more do I see That noise might bring people It’s now time to flee Leaving the planter With soil all over the deck I better take caution And not come back, by heck! What I saw this morning Where the planter is supposed to be    The broken up birdbath water feature that was in the planter Soil back in planter, deck washed off bird feature in the trash and it's not even 7 a.m. 

 Many years ago, probably around 20 years + or - a couple, hubby and I redid the whole area on the right side of our yard. Had to have a tree removed and we put in our walk way with a form that you filled with concrete. This is a picture of a portion of the walkway we built. I purchased this really cool plant from Lowe's. That's another lesson. The plant was Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker'. The first year it was fine. The second year I was digging out so many plants that scattered all over this area. Random plants everywhere. The third year, I thought I had better dig that stuff up. I dug it up for the next 4-5 years. Haven't had any since, until today! I was going to put in some Natives, four of them. I knew I had to clean out the are first. When I walked down the walk and looked over, I almost fainted! There, in the middle, just below the pond, was this plant. Rain? Someone else growing it? Birds? Just buried and with all the rain and weird weather, it found a ho...