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claireplymouth

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2009

This thread is intended to give people a place to post photos and/or talk about birds, critters, wildlife, fish, whatever - topics you might not want to start a whole thread on, but are still garden-related.

I looked out at the garden this morning, checking to see what was coming up, and I noticed a Mourning Dove happily nestled in the mulch taking in the sun. We don't garden just for ourselves; we may think we do, but a lot of other lives are touched by our work.

Claire

Comments (9)

  • ctlady_gw
    14 years ago

    Beautiful picture! She looks so ... content. Was her partner nearby?? I love the way I can always find the other half of a mourning dove couple if I look hard enough...

    We've had visits from our bluebirds (though apparently still checking out the housing market -- this was taken just a few weeks ago before the meadow began to green up.

    {{gwi:1054144}}

    And these bright little fellows have shed their muted winter feathers and glow like little sparklers in the still grey woods. They are such a joy to see and hear (this is taken out my second-floor office window). Those brilliant yellow feathers are sure signs of spring (I wonder if they find themselves anxious to get out of that dingy, bile-green winter garb and into the cheery bright yellow that just screams SPRING! ("My dear, that yellow is to DIE for ... but isn't it a bit early in the season to be wearing it?!") By summer, they will be singing madly as they swoop en masse low over the meadow...

    {{gwi:1054147}}

    Still grey and (today) dreary up here in northwest Connecticut, but spring IS truly on the way. At LAST :)

    HAPPY EARTH DAY to ALL! May 2009 be a year of peace and harmony for the planet...

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Ah, a meadow to attract the bluebirds! Too many trees here with too little open space (except over water).

    "...glow like little sparklers in the still grey woods." I like that image. The green lichen also pops in the grey woods.

    Unfortunately, I think this is a single dove - early on there were two pairs, then there were a pair and a half. I think the hawk got one dove. This one really looked happy in the leaves in the sun this morning. I postponed going outside for a while just so I wouldn't scare the bird.

    Happy Earth Day to you too ctlady!

    First sun, then bands of showers, some heavy. It's calm now. Maybe this is a preview of what 2009 will be like - some good, some bad, but hopefully ending in calm.

    Claire

  • pondlily
    14 years ago

    Claire,I've never seen a dove nesting like that before!
    CTlady I'd be really excited to see all those ?goldfinches! You must have a feeder. I'm pretty happy seeing robins and redwing blackbirds.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    pondlily: The dove isn't nesting, it's just taking a siesta. I've seen it before, when a dove will eat for a while then hunker down in place, on the lawn or wherever.

    The first time I saw it happen I got really worried, thinking the dove was sick or injured. I watched for a while, wondering if I should go out and do something (but what?) - then suddenly the bird stood up and casually toddled off. I love the way they toddle.

    Not the wariest bird in the forest, but there's a lot of them around so they must be doing something right.

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Glanced out the kitchen window this morning and saw the first butterfly of the season, feeding on a pieris! Does anyone know what kind of butterfly this is? I don't remember ever seeing one like this before.

    I've been seeing bumblebees for a few days.

    Claire

  • terrene
    14 years ago

    Painted Lady, Claire. Nice Bluebird Ctlady!

    I've still got a pair of Blues hanging around the yard and coming to the suet tray pretty regularly. My yard is too wooded for nestboxes, but they might be using a natural cavity some place close by?

    As for butterflies, I've seen Mourning Cloaks, Cabbage whites, a Spring azure, and an orange butterfly I couldn't get close enough to id. Maybe a Comma?

    Nearly stepped on a good-sized toad today, and snapped this photo of the biggest fattest toad in the Vinca minor the other night. He was about four inches nose to rump and apparently is eating quite well. I don't recall seeing toads this early in the yard before. It makes me happy they've taken up residence and hope they're eating lots of slugs.

    {{gwi:381898}}

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks, terrene, I don't know anything about butterflies. There's also a small pale blue butterfly around - I just googled Spring Azure Butterfly and that's probably it.

    Nice toad! I love baby toad season, when the tikes are all over the place. Unfortunately, the birds love them too.

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I thought I heard a bobwhite today - haven't heard one since I was a kid, much less seen one. Then around 5 pm I went out to replenish the feeders as usual. I tossed a scoopful of seed on the ground and immediately a male Northern Bobwhite trotted out and started eating. He didn't seem at all concerned that I was there throwing stuff around.

    Of course I didn't have my camera with me, so I went back to the house, grabbed the camera, and the bobwhite was still there, with a cowbird and other birds, eating away.

    Pretty bird.

    He was scratching around like a sparrow or towhee.

    I hope there will be a whole covey of bobwhites soon.

    Lots of fledgling birds around now, discovering the new world. I think these are house sparrows, still used to being crowded together in the nest.

    Nap time.

    Wake up! New things to look at!

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Bumping to slow the slide to oblivion.

    Claire