Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

Today is cloudy, mild, and wet.

I fed the birds. I didn't get through the whole morning routine before it started to rain. We need the rain, but the timing was annoying.

EDIT 6/4/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

There were mosquito larvae in the red birdbath, so I dumped it and refilled it. I'll need to add a piece of mosquito dunk later.

EDIT 6/4/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a mourning dove.

EDIT 6/4/25 -- I went back out for a walk. We've gotten a significant amount of rain. :D

I saw an indigo bunting.

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

Today is partly cloudy and warm.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a mourning dove.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I finished trimming along the south end of the forest garden.  I still need to do the outside edge along the patio, before working on the interior.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I trimmed along the patio side of the forest garden. 

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I started trimming brush in the forest garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I trimmed more brush in the forest garden.

I've seen a fox squirrel.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden and the septic garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the patio plants and the old picnic table garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden and the savanna seedlings.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the prairie garden patch.

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

Today is partly cloudy and mild.

I haven't fed the birds yet.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two mourning doves, and a blackbird.

I took some pictures in the house yard and south lot. 

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I fed the birds.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.

The 'Pink Berkeley' has a green tomato, second to fruit after the two 'Chocolate Sprinkles' plants.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the patio plants.

I started trimming weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and other plants around the house yard.

I watered the septic garden.

I've seen a fox squirrel.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered seedlings in the savanna.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I planted 3 white peach seeds in pots.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

Pie cherries and mulberries have pink fruit.  Astilbe and snowball bush have buds.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

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

 

Scientists believe penguin poop might be cooling Antarctica — here's how

In a paper published on Thursday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, they describe how ammonia wafting off the droppings of 60,000 birds contributed to the formation of clouds that might be insulating Antarctica, helping cool down an otherwise rapidly warming continent. 

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


May anchor posts include:

Garden for Wildlife Month

Poem: "Birdsong" by Matt Merritt

Photos: House Yard

Photos: Prairie Garden

Baseball birds

Today is cloudy and cool.  It rained yesterday.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I set out the pots of thyme to be planted later today.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I planted two golden lemon thymes, one silver thyme, and one lime thyme in the goddess garden.  :D  The first two are old favorites, the last is new to me.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I went back outside to do more yardwork, but it's drizzling now.  I did take a few pictures of the goddess garden with the new thyme plants.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I set up the last of the wire planters with already potted flowers.  The narrow pots I have are awkward in the wider planters.  I think for future reference, I'll watch for wider, lower pots either in late-season sales or possibly next spring.  Those are good for combination plantings anyhow, which I like making.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I trimmed grass along the east end of the new picnic table.

I've seen a male cardinal and a male indigo bunting.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I filled 2 of the 6 taupe trough pots with half composted manure and half potting soil, then put them at the east end of the new picnic table.

It's drizzling again.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I filled 2 more of the 6 taupe trough pots with half composted manure and half potting soil, then put one at the east end of the new picnic table and one at the west end.

It's drizzling again.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I filled the last 2 of the 6 taupe trough pots with half composted manure and half potting soil, then put them at the west end of the new picnic table.

I've seen a fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/29/25 -- I sowed seeds in the taupe trough pots: Edible Flower Mix in one, Fragrant Mix flowers in one, 'Early Giant' leeks in one, 'Vine Peach' cantaloupe in one, borage and parsley in one, dill and 'Fluid Evolution' cilantro in one.

I watered the newly planted things.

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

Today is cloudy and cool.  It rained last night.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted 10 greenish-yellow 'Alicia' and 10 red 'Doubna' gladioli in the septic garden. 

I saw a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted a red portulaca and a purple torenia iin pots.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I watered the newly planted things.

I've seen a catbird.

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

Today is mostly sunny and mild.

We walked around the south lot, then my partner Doug mowed that. 

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I fed the birds.  I've seen several sparrows and house finches, a male cardinal, and a young fox squirrel.  Robins are foraging the newly cut grass.  We found a toad in the south lot, and I moved him to the shadier garden under the maple tree.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I sowed partial shade wildflower seed mix in a pot on the old picnic table.  I sowed cypress vine seeds in the septic garden and around the support wire of the telephone pole.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I watered the septic garden, patio plants, and a few other things.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden, hollies, and Colorado blue spruce.

My partner Doug plans to mow the savanna next.

I've seen two catbirds, a grackle, and a female cardinal.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I started trimming around things in the house yard.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I finished the first bit of trimming around things in the house yard.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I started trimming in front of the log garden in the house yard.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I finished trimming in front of the log garden in the house yard.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I trimmed brush along the path from the driveway to the savanna.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/26/25 -- I trimmed brush along the east side of the house.

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

Today is partly cloudy and pleasantly cool. :D

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

I set out the flats of pots and watered them. It's down to 2 partial flats now.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I finished pulling the tall grass out of the septic garden. I cut down the tree seedlings.

I've seen a catbird and a fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- We walked the prairie garden to point out where to remow paths. My partner Doug is out mowing that and the ritual meadow.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I weeded the first section of netting in the prairie garden down to the ground, so that one is ready to roll up and add fresh dirt.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I weeded the wedge between sections of netting in the prairie garden down to the ground

EDIT 5/24/25 -- We walked around to look at the mowed areas.

I have a bee tree again! :D 3q3q3q!!! I am so excited. While walking through the savanna, I heard the lawnmower sound, so I checked the most recent bee tree and the girls were back to-ing and fro-ing overhead. *GLEE*

I trimmed around a hydrangea at the east edge of the house yard, in case more mowing becomes feasible.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I weeded the second section of netting in the prairie garden down to the ground. So the interior weeding is done. \o/

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I sowed sunflower 'Hopi Landrace', Pinetree Sunflower Mix, Persian Carpet Zinnia Mixture, zinnia 'Big Flower Mix', four o'clock 'Marbles Mix', celosia 'Wooster Cockscomb', balsam, and ageratum 'Red Bouquet' in the first section of the septic garden.  Hopi Landrace, Big Flower Mix, Marbles Mix, and Wooster Cockscomb packets are all empty now.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I sowed centaurea 'Tall Mix', evening scented stock, and nasturtium 'Alaska Mix' in the first section of the septic garden.  That's the end of the Alaska Mix.

I peeled off the net, spread fresh soil, and tacked down the net in the second section of the septic garden.

My partner Doug is currently outside mowing the house yard.

EDIT 5/24/25 -- I sowed balsam and 'Bouquet' dill in the second section of the septic garden. 

I watered the newly planted things.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

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