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Babies

June 25th, 2020

This is the season of babies, baby birds in particular. You can hear them in almost every tree. This year we had a nest of woodpeckers in the big ash tree out front. We heard the babies for a few days before finally being able to locate the nest.

We watched and watched to see the babies, after a week or two of them being super loud, we were able to spot them.

A week later, they fledged and it’s been quiet in the ash tree again.

The First Tanager

May 29th, 2019

This past weekend Mr Chiots and I spotted our first scarlet tanager of the season. It wasn’t super close, so I couldn’t get a great photo. It’s always exciting to watch for birds to return in the spring. The first bluebird, indigo bunting, robin, and phoebes always give reason to celebrate.


For bird idenficiation, we have both ‘The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North American’ and ‘Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America‘ and use them both regularly. If you’re into birds they’re worthwhile additions to your library.

Are you a bird watcher? What birds do you most enjoy seeing in spring?

Friday Favorite: Hummingbirds

August 3rd, 2018

I’ve always loved hummingbird (who doesn’t?). The garden is always filled with things that they will love and we hand a few hummingbird feeders by the windows so we can see them. Lately, one of our hummingbirds has taken to sitting on my rain chain. It’s particularly funny because the rain chain is shaped like little umbrellas (or Humbrellas as we say since our little niece started saying that years ago).

It’s particularly funny since the umbrella is perfectly hummingbird sized.

These little birds are endlessly entertaining. I love sitting on the back porch with my coffee in the morning watching them zoom around. I will always make sure I plant lots of things to keep these little guys fed.

Do you hang a hummingbird feeder in your garden?

Cheep, Cheep, Cheep

June 12th, 2018

Ever since we moved here, we have a pair of phoebes that build a nest or two each summer in the alcove above the door to the garage. They keep building up on the previous nest, when that one got too close to the roof, they started a new one. The other day I heard the little birdies in the nest chirping when I walked by.

Phoebes are great birds to have around, I see them swooping around to catch flies and mosquitoes all the time. Yesterday, while I was working in the office, I could see one catching cabbage butterflies in the potager!

I’m happy these lovely birds come back year after year. Any bird that eats mosquitoes and garden pests is always encouraged. We didn’t have phoebes in Ohio, so they were a new bird for us when we moved here. They’re much like the wrens that we loved in Ohio as far as pest control.

What birds are you enjoying watching at the moment?

Hello Tom

April 20th, 2016

Tom has been dancing for all the turkey hens, he’s quite a handsome fellow. Of course the ladies pretty much ignore him all the time. That doesn’t deter him, he still spends all day dancing and puffing his feathers to show them how handsome he is. I’m quite happy with him, he’s a real gentleman. He’s never shown even a hint of aggression towards me. This year I’ll be letting my muscovy hen hatch out ducklings, but I’m not sure if I’ll be letting any of the turkeys set, we shall see. I am selling fertile hatching eggs though, I’m happy to provide these for other locals who want to raise turkeys and don’t have toms or hens.
Bourbon Bronze Turkey (1)
Of course it’s mating season with all the wild birds as well. I enjoy hearing and seeing them all flitting about the garden and starting the process of bringing up the next generation of pest control for my garden. We have a pair of nesting crows and they’ve been madly building their nest in the pine grove below the house. They are a joy to watch!

Have you been noticing bird courting in your garden?

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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