Birdfeeding

[ysabetwordsmith]

Today is hot and muggy with dense clouds.  I'm hearing thunder in the distance.

I haven't fed the birds yet, but I've seen a flock of sparrows, several mourning doves, a female cardinal, a house finch, and a fox squirrel.

I pulled weeds and raked leaves from the rain garden under the downspout.

EDIT 5/13/23 --  I planted Columbine Earlybird Blue-White and Coral Bells Palace Purple in the rain garden.

EDIT 5/13/23 -- I planted assorted coleus and dark purple pansies in the rain garden.  I still need to add the blue lobelia, but it's starting to drizzle, so I gave up and came inside.  We need more rain.

I've seen several house finches.

EDIT 5/13/23 -- It is now raining quite vigorously.  Much of the patio is under an inch of water.

A very soggy male cardinal and male indigo bunting have taken refuge under the roof of the fly-through birdfeeder.  This type of feeder also makes a good bird shelter or nesting platform for shelf-nesting birds.  I've had mourning doves nest there before.  The kind with a large roof and solid sides works best for these off-label uses.

EDIT 5/13/23 -- It stopped raining, so I went outside for a look.  There are large puddles at the end of the driveway and modest-sized ones in the fields, so the water table is topped up.  \o/  I love the smell after a rain.  The Midwinter grove of pine and spruce trees is so fragrant, and the mud smells so alive.