Birds

[ribirdnerd]

Friday - First day of spring - although it has felt more like winter most of this week.

Still the days are getting longer and the sun is brighter. We had a pair of Canada Goose come up from the pond to join the other regular visitors today.

Birdfeeding

[ysabetwordsmith]

Today is mostly sunny and quite warm. It's already 78°F outside. 0_o

I fed the birds. I've only seen a few sparrows and house finches, but lots of birds are singing all around the yard. I suspect they're more interested in foraging.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I sowed 3 troughs with 'Sugar Ann' snap peas and 3 with 'Avalanche' snow peas. I put 2 peas in each end of a trough, leaving the middle open to plant other things. That makes 24 pea plants. These are bush types and did well last year.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I sowed one trough with 'Lovely Lettuce Mesclun Blend' and one with 'Thumbelina Baby Ball' carrots. I plan to sow more of those 2 weeks later.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I trimmed a few spray bits of brush in the parking lot, and followed up with weed spray. My partner Doug is trying to find someone to come install a load of gravel.

A large flock of several dozen blackbirds has gathered high in the trees.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I watered the six troughs on the benches of the new picnic table garden.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I used the last partial bag of compost & manure to spread a little over the eight big pots atop the new picnic table garden. So I'm out of that and nearly out of the American Countryside potting mix.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I put topsoil in four of the big pots atop the new picnic table. They're not completely full yet; there's room to add a bit of potting soil.

EDIT 3/20/26 -- I put topsoil in the other four of the big pots. I still have a partial bag left.

I am done for the night.

World Sparrow Day

[ysabetwordsmith]

Today is World Sparrow Day. Here are some ways to celebrate it.


Bird Houses -- Backyard Bird Center

How to Attract Sparrows to your Garden

List of New World sparrow species

Old World Sparrows

Simple Sparrow Birdhouse -- Mother Earth News
Condo-style birdhouse for species that like nesting in groups.

Song Sparrow -- 70birds That Nest in Birdhouses
Plans for a platform that will suit many small platform-nesting species.

Sparrow Bird House -- Bird Watching Academy

Sparrow Identification Primer -- Chicago Bird Alliance

Sparrows: Browse by Shape -- All About Birds