SIGNS

For a couple of cold days I didn't see any birds feeding. Then that night there was about 1/2 inch of snowfall. The next morning I looked out at the patio and was happy to see little tracks in the snow.
My first thought was to take a few pictures. After that I brushed away the snow from each area they had been searching. I proceeded to spread black oil sunflower seeds. It wasn't more than 5 minutes after I went inside that chickadees, juncos, sparrows and a pair of white-breasted nuthatchers showed up to eat.
I do know that because I feed birds regularly, they are out there watching for me to put out some seed.

A bit of Bird Trivia...Red-Breasted and white-Breasted Nuthatch eat cantaloupe seeds.

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IF YOU'RE READING THIS.....

my husband blew up my bird bath.
In a few of my past blogging episodes, some of you may remember my husband blowing up my bird bath.
That was this past April.
Since then I was using his gold panning dish. It isn't going to work for winter. The last birdbath (my first actually)
had a heating element wound around and secured under the bird bath.
Christmas is only 31 days away. It will be great if he remembers. Think positive. It's in the mail?
You know what. I don't think he reads my blog. If he, did you would assume he wanted to be a follower.
I should tell him to buy from  www.birdsnestinginn.com Ya think?

TRIVIA

American Robins enjoy cottage cheese.

ANYBODY MISS ME?

 Haven't blogged in for a while. It's snowing here in the great northern Wisconsin woods. Did I miss fall?

As busy as I have been with other matters I still feed our back yard birds every day.

Every year we have a new generation of cardinals. They are so enjoyable to watch, Right now we still have a young fledgling coming to feed.

My garden is done for the winter. Just about the time everything is in full bloom we get a frost and it starts.

Bye bye plants...one at a time. 

 So, to brighten this gloomy day I'm posting a few reminders of summer

HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

IS THAT A BEANSTALK?

I recently noticed that I haven't updated some of my backyard images, (to busy picking weeds). This is our third year of working on our yard, aiming for it to become a Certified Habitat. Since summers in Northern Wisconsin are limited too, maybe three months, only so much can be done each year.

Any one who has ever done their own landscaping and gardening knows that time and expenses are a big factor.

I still enjoy the wonder of all four seasons this beautiful state of Wisconsin offers. But with this goal set to establish the bird habitat, summer comes and goes too fast.

My sunflower plants were something else to watch. One day it was a seedling and the next week five feet tall. Not really. What is so great about sunflowers is they are a great way to save some seed expense. Also a factor in becoming a Certified Habitat.

Photo to the left is of my 6' 5" tall son-in-law next to the tallest sunflower. And that was about a ten days ago. There was only one bud on top of plant. In the photo below is how the flower looks today. (8/28/2010). The sunflowers in front are a separate plants. The photo on right measures 11'8'. Above I can see new buds coming. http://www.thenestinginn.com/

 

MOUTH TO MOUTH

Well I have totally enjoyed watching a male adult Cardinal feed his two fledglings. This is the first year after waiting three years to see this. My bird feeders have fed baby yellow finch, chickadees, pinesiskin and house finch and cardinals.

The young cardinals seem to be more at ease when they comes to feed. The adult male flies in with one or both fledglings and picks up seeds to put in " the mouths of babe's". The adult female also come by, but she either feeds herself or perches near by making the Cardinal caution tweet. These are the one species of birds that I know are at my feeders. just by hearing that sound.

Arrive at patio

Because I am inside my house, (how convenient is that?) and usually crawling on the floor around furniture so they don't see me, I get
some fun photos. http://www.birdsnestinginn.com/

Lesson one. Listen

Open wide

Nature is fascinating. But if it took me that long to get food...well,

let's just say I don't want to come back as a bird.

Shove it in.