Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

Today is sunny and warm.  It stormed last night, more thunder and lightning than rain, but still enough rain to leave puddles.  The grass is still a bit damp, but I can work around that.

I fed the birds.  The hopper feeder was almost empty.  I've seen several house finches.  I've heard house wrens and a blue jay, but did't see either of those.

More dianthus pinks are blooming from last year in pots, now a pink-and-white in addition to the dark pink.  Pink bergamot is blooming in the strip garden.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted a blanket flower in the wildflower garden.

Some other white flower is blooming in the wildflower garden.  A red poppy is blooming near the driveway.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted a pink Wave petunia in the barrel garden and a yellow 'Lady Charlize' coreopsis in the wildflower garden.

I've seen a green tiger beetle on the woodpile and a pair of goldfinches on the thistle sock.  :D  Such pretty colors!

EDIT 5/5/24: I took some pictures of new flowers.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted 2 bush cucumbers in pots on the picnic table, each surrounded by 4 orange marigolds.  Then I realized that I should've bought way more marigolds, because I still have 2 more bush cucumbers and a sweet pepper to pot up.

Tractors are out plowing the field across the street.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted the remaining bush cucumbers in pots on the patio, and the 'Gypsy' sweet pepper in a pot on the picnic table.  I planted the 'June' hosta at the edge of the forest garden; this one has yellow-green leaves with green edges.  I also discovered a columbine growing down there.  :D  I planted the 'Patriot' hosta in the purple-and-white garden; this one has green leaves with white edges.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted 5 coleus in the big grapevine pot, then divided the other 4 into two smaller pots.

I saw a gray catbird at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/5/24: I planted 4 snapdragons in two small pots.

Bees have been visiting the flowers today.  :D

EDIT 5/5/24: I watered the plants.

Killdeer are squealing in the fields.

Someone southwest of us has a bonfire going, visible near the horizon.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is sunny, breezy, and warm.

I haven't fed the birds yet.

Part of the house yard has just been mowed, and I've seen a robin foraging for exposed insects in the short grass.

EDIT 5/2/24 -- I fed the birds.  I've seen several house finches and a fox squirrel.  Blackbirds are foraging the mowed part.

I put out water for the birds and watered a few plants.

I've done more miscellaneous outdoor work.

EDIT 5/2/24 -- We got a good start on the overhang porch project.

EDIT 5/2/24 -- We did another section of the overhang porch project.

I've seen a female rose-breasted grosbeak at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/2/24 -- We did another section of the overhang porch project.  It's close to done!  One more round should finish this.

I've seen a flock of house finches at the fly-through feeder.

EDIT 5/2/24 -- We finished the overhang porch project. \o/

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.  *goflopnow*
 

This is the April community post for birdfeeding. Which birds did you see this month? What were your wildlife activities during April? What are your plans for May?


April anchor posts include:

National Poetry Month

Eclipse Pictures

Floodles

Hugelkultur in a Pot Part 1: Stick Layers
Hugelkultur in a Pot Part 2: Leaves, Compost, and Potting Soil
Hugelkultur in a Pot Part 3: Seeds

Photos: Spiders and Vulture

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth: Introduction

April Garden Tasks

April wildlife gardening tasks typically involve early to middle phases of spring planting, depending on your locale. Keep birdfeeders out at least until spring migration ends. Birdwatching is excellent throughout the spring migration season.

( Read more... )

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth runs April 25-May 15. During this time, people post content only visible on Dreamwidth (although it can be reposted elsewhere after the event ends). There's usually a flurry of activity as bloggers share anchor posts, new fiction, icons, banners, questionnaires, friending fests, memes, and other goodies. Community hosts often hold special activities in their communities too. Watch your reading page for more festivities.

Are you posting about birds? You can crosspost those entries here. Are you doing anything for Three Weeks in your blog or other community? Post a comment about that to attract more readers. Follow the Threeweeks feed. See my 2024 Questionnaire and a list of other thematic questionnaires.

Last year, I posted about birds in honor of birdfeeding. If you are new to this community, we have an Introduction tag and questionnaire that you can use to tell us about yourself.

I also made a blogging questionnaire last year, which people are welcome to use.

Today is partly cloudy and warm.

I haven't fed the birds yet, but I've seen two male house finches, two mourning doves, a male cardinal, and at least one (or possibly two) male indigo bunting.

We bushwhacked a path to the side door of the garage.

EDIT 5/12/23 -- I fed the birds.

EDIT 5/12/23 -- I planted 4 assorted coleus and 4 purple alyssum in the grape pot.

EDIT 5/12/23 -- I planted 2 violet-and-white torenia, 1 yellow snapdragon, and 3 white alyssum in the mauve pot.

I heard a blue jay screaming, but haven't seen it.

EDIT 5/12/23 -- I potted up a purple-and-yellow pansy, a dark purple pansy, and 2 blue lobelia.

EDIT 5/12/23 -- I potted up one Phantom Petunia (dark purple-and-yellow), one Lemon Slice Superbells (yellow-and-white striped), one yellow snapdragon, and two white alyssum.

I watered the newly potted plants.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is cloudy. It rained some last night.

I haven't gone out to feed the birds yet, but I saw a pair of white-crowned sparrows at the hopper feeder. :D

EDIT 5/7/23 -- I've seen a flock of assorted sparrows, two mourning doves, and a male house finch. There may be more than two white-crowned sparrows; it's hard to tell unless I get a really good look.

EDIT 5/7/23 -- I went out for gardening. I saw a male cardinal and a lot of other birds drinking and bathing in the big puddles at the end of the driveway. The fields are not flooded, so the water table isn't full, but the soil is thoroughly wet on top. There are tiny wrens all over the place. I also saw a new bird, small and yellowish, with a bright yellow face and black frame, with white feathers on the tail. I believe this is a hooded warbler; the picture looks exactly what I saw, and they prefer a mix of clearings and forest with well-developed brushy understory, which is what I have. (Compare with other yellow birds.) I saw at least one, maybe two because I saw the same kind in a different place a few minutes later. Interestingly, they appear in Illinois for summer breeding but not east-central where I am. Possibly this one is just passing through, but it could be scouting for different territory, or it may have been blown off-course by yesterday's winds; and in any case, my yard is just the kind of habitat they like so it's a good stopover if nothing else. :D I suspect that the birds are out foraging today because the rain after a dry spring is bringing out insects.

I dug a trench in the prairie garden to offload a trough planted with yarrow and bergamot. Last summer that trough got powdery mildew, so I want to refill it with fresh potting soil. The plants are still alive, and I figure they might do better in the prairie garden which is much sunnier.

EDIT 5/7/23 -- After lunch we made an unplanned but very successful trip to buy plants.  \o/

Once we unloaded the plants and 4 bags of compost-and-manure, I transplanted the trough into the trench and put the empty trough back on the picnic table.  Then I raked a few patches of ground in the savanna and threw down some bee lawn seed.  We're supposed to get more rain tonight and tomorrow so I'm hopeful.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth runs April 25-May 15. This year, I'll be posting about birds in honor of birdfeeding. Today's topic is Birdfeeders.



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Three Weeks for Dreamwidth runs April 25-May 15. This year, I'll be posting about birds in honor of birdfeeding. Today's topic is Other Wildlife Houses.



( Read more... )

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth runs April 25-May 15. This year, I'll be posting about birds in honor of birdfeeding. Today's topic is Birdhouses.



( Read more... )