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.

 

Haven't been blogging for a while. A lot of things going on in our family. I would like to dedicate this entry to my beautiful fun loving sister-in law, Colleen. She fought a tough battle with cancer. She passed away on Tuesday, June 29, 2010.

THIS ONES FOR YOU, COLLEEN

My husband, brother in-law and I had journeyed three hours north to be with her earlier in June. She was still in a wheelchair and able to talk to us and joke around ( which she was very good at). Her favorite place  was sitting on the porch birdwatching. In the tree right in front of her were six hummingbird feeders. Her favorite of all birds.
Every time I see a humming bird I will think of Colleen.

STARE DOWN

 Went to visit a friend this past weekend and she had bird feeders everywhere. We spent time sitting in her screened in porch. She asked me what would be a good birdseed to buy because weren’t many songbirds coming by. I told her to get black oil sunflower seeds. Even if that is the only type of food you buy, there... will be birds hanging around. After she filled the feeders we were still sitting in the porch. It maybe was an hour later and a purple finch showed up. I grabbed my camera and took some pictures. http://www.birdsnestinginn.com/

Check out the picture. What's his problem???