Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

Birdfeeding

2026-05-30T01:46:01Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy, humid, and hot.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/29/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/29/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/29/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-28T19:08:18Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly sunny, humid, and hot.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/28/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a male cardinal at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/28/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

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birdfeeding @ 2026-05-28T11:46:00

2026-05-28T15:48:19Z

Posted by: ribirdnerd

Thursday 5/28

Not too many birds lately, I think it's nesting season. Some Robins, Blue Jays, House Sparrows and a Red bellied Woodpecker. I did catch a quick look at a Wood Thrush in the woods.

It's also snapping turtle egg laying season - she's destroying our garden!

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-27T18:04:21Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, warm, and damp. It rained early this morning and the grass is still soaked.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity today.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/27/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a male cardinal, and a fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/27/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-26T16:04:17Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and mild, but supposed to get hotter later on.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

I've seen a green tiger beetle by the barrel garden. :D

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Birds

2026-05-26T14:34:09Z

Posted by: ribirdnerd

Tuesday 5/26/26

We had a wet dreary weekend, so not many birds except a few House Sparrows, Common Grackles and Blue Jays.

I did pick up some small hostas someone was giving away, so I'm working on planting them along the hilly, shady path to the pond.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-25T17:10:49Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly sunny and warm.

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

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

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

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I started trimming around the telephone pole garden. The grass is so tall that it's still wet (presumably from dew) midday on a hot sunny day. >_< I only got one side done.

Then I remembered that I only have a little bit of topsoil left. I was going to restock bagged goods but we haven't had a chance recently. *sigh* So it's either wait on that part for later, run out to get some, or try to haul the giant bag meant for the hollow by the garden shed clear across the yard. Probably wait, because trimming the grass and digging out weeds will take ... most of the day, I suspect.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more trimming around the telephone pole garden. I cleared the south end.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more trimming around the telephone pole garden. I cleared the west side. I still need to do some cleanup of the north end near the telephone pole, but that's mostly Asiatic lilies.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I finished trimming around the telephone pole garden. I cleared the north end. Next I need to dig around the edge and pull out encroaching weeds.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I started digging and pulling weeds around edges of the telephone pole garden. I cleared the east edge.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more digging and pulling weeds around edges of the telephone pole garden. I only got about halfway through the short south end before hitting a huge clump of grass and giving up. I need the shovel for that. :/

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more digging and pulling weeds around edges of the telephone pole garden. Using the shovel, I finished the south end and did part of the west edge.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more digging and pulling weeds around edges of the telephone pole garden. Using the shovel, I finished the west edge. The north doesn't need as much work in that regard, so I'm basically done with the edging. The middle still has a lot of weeds, but I'll do that another day.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- We picked up bagged goods from Rural King. They're out of suitable topsoil, so I just got 3 bags of potting soil; and I had to substitute a more expensive brand of compost.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I watered some plants around the house yard, mostly the barrel garden and the goddess garden.

EDIT 5/25/26 -- I dumped out the big bag of raised bed soil from Costco, sowed Bee Lawn Mix on it, and watered it. Then I dragged my trolley around several places where I've been cutting grass, gathered the cuttings, and strewed that over the top of the bare soil to discourage critters from digging in it.

The whole western sky is a pale sherbet orange, very pretty. :D I am done for the night.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-24T17:35:18Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I started pulling weeds around the apricot tree.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I pulled more weeds around the apricot tree.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I planted a hardy apricot seedling, which is a wild type.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I mulched around the hardy apricot seedling.

Landrace zucchini and landrace muskmelon are sprouting in their big pots by the septic garden. The first of the mulberries are ripening. Once again, planting season is overlapping fruit-harvest season because some shipments arrived late. :/

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I trimmed a space in the savanna.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I planted the sweetgum in the savanna and mulched around it.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I trimmed a space in the savanna.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I planted the sassafras in the savanna and mulched around it. This concludes the big box from Cold Stream Farms and should be the last of the shipped things for this season.

EDIT 5/24/26 -- I watered the sassafras and some other seedlings in the savanna.

I've seen a male cardinal at the hopper feeder. I also spotted at least one bat flying around the yard, likely a big brown bat as it's pretty large for a small insectivorous bat.

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

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-23T17:02:35Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

I've seen a hummingbird flying around the forest garden. :D

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I potted up the fruit tree seedlings from the 12-flat in the house. Out of 24 sprouted seeds, 5 seedlings survived to repotting stage: 3 Pink apple (2 of those in the same cell), 1 Ginger Gold apple, and 1 Yellow Pear. All were near the center of the flat, right under the light. This suggests that the light is not strong enough to support seedlings at the edges. However, these were in the cells for about 2 1/2 months. If I'd been able to transplant them sooner, I would've gotten more. On the other hoof, the survivors are likely hardier in the face of poor conditions. As an r-strategy gardener, this has value to me. We'll see if any of these survive to get planted in the ground.

Fruit seeds are free. Potting supplies are cheap. I don't mind planting dozens of seeds if I eventually get some fruit trees from them. Because cheap fruit trees hardly worth buying are typically $25+ and the more interesting cultivars are $50-$100. Occasionally I find a better deal, but most fruit trees are now ruinously expensive. Fuck that noise. I'll just keep experimenting with different propagation methods.

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I potted up the fruit tree seedlings from the water jug greenhouses. I had 4 jugs, each with 9 sprouted seeds sown in them: yellow pear, Pink apple, Ginger Gold apple, Ambrosia apple. Of these, only 2 survived to be placed in deeper pots: a yellow pear and a Pink apple. However, these are larger and more robust seedlings than the ones from the small cells. So I think this is worth repeating; the overall success rate is quite low, but the resultant seedlings are very promising.

I've seen a male cardinal at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I planted things from jugs into the prairie garden. Little bluestem, northern sea oats, and side-oats gramma each had a few seedlings; switchgrass didn't sprout at all. I thought these would form dense rootballs like they have in smaller pots, but they did not; they were barely sprouts. I'm not sure any of them will survive. It seems that native grasses do not enjoy this method. I did get three milkweed sprouts. They didn't form a dense rootball either, but at least they were a little more vigorous.

EDIT 5/23/26 -- I watered the newly planted things.

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

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Wildlife

2026-05-23T01:40:18Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

How Your Backyard Birds Realize You Are Trying To Help Them

This documentary explores the cutting-edge science behind the "Benefactor Shift." We examine peer-reviewed studies from the University of Vienna, Cambridge University, Oxford, and published research in Animal Behaviour, Science, and Ecology Letters to decode how wild birds read human intentions, test our cooperativeness, and use us as literal shields against the natural world.

( Read more... )

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-22T18:24:30Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I filled in the two big pots. I added 4 assorted coleus and 1 dusty miller to the grape pot. I didn't have time to pick up a white trailing filler like sweet alyssum this time, but the pot still looks pretty good and will look better once the small coleus grow out some. I added 2 blue lobelias and 1 dusty miller to the blue pot.

This would've been a lot easier if I could've bought everything for those pots at the same time, but it was a case of one place having nice accents but no fillers vs. other places having affordable fillers but not nice accents. *sigh* The lack of widely available fillers is a serious pain in the ass. I use those to unify the diverse plantings: dusty miller, white or colored alyssum, white or blue lobelia.

So I've got 6 dusty millers and 6 blue lobelias to mix and match with other things or find somewhere else to put. I've got 4 coleus left, which will make one or two pots depending on size. Progress! Finishing those two big pots was my top priority for today. \o/

Also I'm really loving the fan flower I tried new this year. It looks like half a flower with petals on only one side, and makes a great component in a mixed pot. It came in multiple colors; I got a white one. It's in a pot with a new spreading yellow thing that's also new, and a yellow-and-white nemesia. Nemesia is beautiful and comes in many colors, but it's a bit delicate and has died on me in the past. The ones I got this year are thriving though. These are all things I bought in individual pots. If I could get them in 4-packs, I could do more with them, but the higher price of individual pots limits what I can do.

I've seen a male cardinal at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I potted up the remaining coleus in two medium pots, each with 2 coleus and 1 dusty miller. Those look pretty good.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I planted 2 blue lobelias and 1 white impatien in the rain garden. I potted up the rest of the impatiens in two pots with a dusty miller each.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I filled a trough by the new picnic table with most of the remaining flowers: 8 vinca in the middle (various shades of pink and white), plus each end has 1 dusty miller between 2 blue lobelias. The color combination is a bit odd, but hopefully it will attract more pollinators.

Something has been eating the leaves off some of my marigolds. I have no idea what. Most insects avoid it because of the smell and taste.

Also earlier in spring, I built a large tomato cage from sticks. The tomato and peas in that one are dramatically bigger than the others. I may make more of those, although it does get in the way a lot more than the short metal cages.

It's spitting rain, but not enough to make me come in early.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

It's drizzling more steadily now.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/22/26 -- I planted the last 3 red-and-yellow marigolds in the barrel garden.

I sowed zinnia seeds in the tulip bed, north notch of the prairie garden, and middle north-south strip. I sowed blanketflower seeds along the middle strip.

The rain seems to have let up.

I am done for the night.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-21T17:13:46Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, breezy, and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I started cleaning up the goddess garden. I got about halfway around the outside, trimming grass around it and digging out weeds. Setting up this garden is today's main project. I need to finish the cleaning, reinstall the statue, and put in the new plants.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I finished going around the outside of the goddess garden.

I've seen a male and and a female cardinal separately.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I started working on the inside of the goddess garden.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I finished weeding the inside of the goddess garden. Progress!

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I reinstalled the garden goddess in the center, then backfilled with a little compost. This is a ceramic statue of a woman's head and shoulders that I put out during the warm season, then bring indoors for winter.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I planted two golden lemon thyme and one English thyme toward the front of the goddess garden. There is a little bit of surviving mother-of-thyme on each side. That leaves the back bare of thyme, but I may figure out a solution for that later.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I planted 8 hot pink moss roses and 8 pale yellow moss roses in the goddess garden. I still want to go back and add more compost around things to make sure it's all covered.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I topped off the goddess garden with compost, then watered the whole thing. Today's main project is done! \o/

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I planted 8 dianthus of assorted colors along the edge of the north notch in the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I planted the Riddell's goldenrod in the prairie garden, along the south side of the east-west strip.

EDIT 5/21/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-20T16:53:54Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/20/26 -- We went out to run errands and do some plant shopping. I found some things on my list but not everything. Stuff is just so much less consistent and reliable nowadays. :/

EDIT 5/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/20/26 -- I planted the 'Sunsugar' cherry tomato in a pot at the new picnic table.

EDIT 5/20/26 -- I planted most of the marigolds in pots on the old and new picnic tables and the septic garden.

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

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Visitors

2026-05-19T21:51:56Z

Posted by: ribirdnerd

Tuesday 5/19/26

Another hot day today. Here's some additional visitors to the back driveway, joining the House Sparrows and Blue Jays.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-19T18:43:02Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, humid, and hot. It rained most of yesterday.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a starling at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I trimmed brush around where I want to plant the vernal witch hazel. The name means "spring" but they typically bloom in late winter.

A cool breeze is blowing from the west. It feels like a downdraft. No storm is visible on the horizon but rain is predicted, so I'm keeping an eye on things.

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I planted the vernal witch hazel at the north edge of the forest yard, near a previous one that has survived so far. :D

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I planted 20 gladioli in the north notch of the prairie garden. Surprisingly, at least a couple survived from last year and are putting up leaves.

Already I can see tiny seedlings sprouting from recent sowing of seeds. Clover is among the fastest; I mix that with grass seed for the walking paths. Some others are wildflowers. \o/

Also I uncovered the remaining water jugs that had seedlings in them. I got 3 milkweed seedlings in that jug. 3 out of the 4 native grasses have several seedlings in each -- little bluestem, northern sea oats, and side-oats grama; only the switch grass didn't sprout there. So on the whole, mixed results, but for the ones that did work, worth repeating.

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I tallied what pots I have available and what I need. I forgot to list the tomatoes that I already have though; still need to go back and do that.

I picked and ate the first couple of pea pods. :D I love being able to wander around the yard, pick things, and put them in my mouth.

EDIT 5/19/26 -- I sowed a bunch of 'Sugar Ann' snap peas and 'Avalanche' snow peas in pots that didn't already have any. So far 'Sugar Ann' seems to be growing better and producing earlier than 'Avalanche' but there are flowers and pea pods on both.

I wrote down what tomatoes I have already: chocolate cherry, 'Mr. Stripey' slicer, 'Old German' slicer, yellow pear, 'Santa' grape, and 'Cherokee Purple' slicer. I got a 4-pack of the chocolate cherries but they aren't doing great and one has already died. I could use a red or pink slicer, and I'm still looking for fancy striped cherries.

.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-18T18:50:42Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, mild, and wet. It has varied between light rain, pouring rain, and "the air is water" outside. We need the rain, though.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen any.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder, and a few small birds.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

It's still drizzling on and off.

I am done for the night.

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birdfeeding @ 2026-05-18T14:04:00

2026-05-18T18:06:14Z

Posted by: ribirdnerd

Monday 5/18

We are having some warm weather the past few days.

I heard an Eastern Phoebe and saw a pair of Baltimore Orioles.

We have some Blue Jays, House Sparrows and Wild Turkeys hanging around too.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-17T18:01:17Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly sunny, breezy, and humid. It's warm now and supposed to reach the mid-80sF later.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I dug a hole in the pawpaw patch.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I planted the pawpaw.

I startled a bobwhite quail in the savanna, which scuttled into the deep shade of the Midwinter grove. :D 3q3q3q!!! The bright white markings make me suspect this was a male. It is not normal for them to live alone, so I don't know where the rest of the covey is but it's probably around somewhere. This is the first one I've ever seen in the yard, how exciting! But it turns out we've had them all along. I've heard the clear "bob-white" whistle frequently, I just thought it must be some other bird because quail seemed unlikely. I'm delighted to have them around.

I've also seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, plus a starling, at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I trimmed grass in the savanna around where I want to plant a serviceberry seedling.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I dug a hole in the savanna.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I planted a serviceberry in the savanna.

I've seen a male cardinal, a robin, a mourning dove, and a fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I trimmed grass in the savanna around where I want to plant the second serviceberry seedling.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I dug a hole in the savanna.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I planted the second serviceberry in the savanna.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/17/26 -- I sowed the four big pots around the septic garden with Green Striped Cushaw, Tiny Butternut, Landrace Zucchini, and Lofthouse Landrace Muskmelon.

I did more work around the patio.

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

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-16T14:55:53Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, mild, and damp. It seems to have drizzled earlier.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I sowed sunflower seeds gathered 10-8-25 along the south edge of the east-west strip in the prairie garden. That's the end of that envelope of seeds, and also all the sunflower planting in the prairie garden. \o/

The sun has come out somewhat, but the air is warm and humid. :P

I've seen more sparrows and house finches at the hopper feeder, along with a grackle.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I planted the water jug of partial shade flowers in the forest garden. I planted the water jug of 20th Anniversary wildflowers in the middle north-south strip of the prairie garden. Of the various jug experiments (fruit trees, native grasses, native wildflowers, and mixes) the mixes were by far the most successful as something out of the batch always grew. I do have two surviving tree seedlings and a couple of milkweed seedlings.

EDIT 5/16/26 -- I trimmed grass around the support wire for the telephone pole, added fresh topsoil around it, then sowed cypress vine seeds.

It's been drizzling off and on today, so I haven't gotten a lot done, but I managed some things.

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

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Climate Change

2026-05-15T20:36:24Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Extreme weather events, especially heatwaves, cause enormous harm to bird populations worldwide

Outdoor thermometers tell you the temperature. They don’t capture how the air actually feels – and on muggy summer days, the combination of heat and humidity is what pushes animals past their limits.

Birds face the same physics, but with far fewer escape routes. A new review from Sweden argues that the full picture of how heatwaves kill or weaken birds has been hiding in the humidity data all along.

While individuals cannot influence weather directly, we can do many things to protect birds from heat and drought.

( Read more... )

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-15T18:54:48Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, breezy, and damp. It rained earlier, but I can't tell how much.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed The Sunflower Mini Meadow seeds from John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds along the west edge of the westmost north-south strips in the prairie garden. This is a big bag of annual and perennial sunflower seeds. Method: I dug a small hole with a trowel, dropped in a pinch of seeds, covered that up, then moved down a foot and repeated the process. This should have a better success rate than broadcast sowing like usual, because doing that with sunflower seeds means that most or all would get eaten. At least it's easier to dig with the soil moistened by rain.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed the east edge of the westmost strip with the same sunflower mix. This time I remembered to take my seed-sowing trowel with its long thin blade. Method: I poked a hole with the tip, stuck the trowel in the hole, and dropped a pinch of seeds to slide down the blade into the hole. Then I covered the hole. It's more accurate with a little less bending down. This trowel is no good for prying and needs softer soil because it's so thin, but in this context it's very helpful.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed 'Evening Sun' sunflowers from Buffalo Seed Co. along the west edge of the middle north-south strip. That used the whole packet; it wasn't very big. These should be large mahogany to burgundy sunflowers.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed The Sunflower Mini Meadow seeds from John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds along the east edge of the middle north-south strip.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed sunflower seeds gathered 9-23-25 from last year's sunflowers in the north notch of the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/15/26 -- I sowed sunflower seeds gathered 10-8-25 from last year's sunflowers along the north edge of the east-west strip.

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

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-14T17:19:35Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly sunny and mild.

I fed the birds. In the forest garden, I've seen a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a gray catbird, and a brown thrasher. I also saw a ruby-throated hummingbird, poking into the irises under the maple tree of all places. :D 3q3q3q!!! Fortunately the barrel garden with its fire-colored flowers is already established, so there are plenty of suitable flowers available.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I planted the coleus in the grape pot. This one is dark purple, almost black, with hot pink streaks down the middle of the leaves. I'm hoping to get more coleus in mixed colors to stuff in around it. Home Depot should have those.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I trimmed grass and dug a hole at the north edge of the savanna.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I planted the American plum at the north edge of the savanna.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I cut brush around the pawpaw seedlings.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I sowed Scarlet Runner Bean in a trough pot at the west end of the new picnic table garden.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I got a pretty good look at a bird that doesn't match any description. It had the small red head patch and thick black collar of a northern flicker, but not the distinctive spotted breast. The red-bellied woodpecker has a plain breast, but doesn't match the other markings. And nothing else in Illinois comes close. The bird was drinking from the little trough pond beside the log garden.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I sowed switch grass seed along the westmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden. This is my first time working with switch grass; the seed is fine and light and slippery, very pleasant to work with. I have a lot of it left, too. :D I also sowed OPN Seed 20th Anniversary Prairie Native Seed Mix there.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I sowed big bluestem seed along the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden. I also sowed OPN Seed Fall Pollinator Fuel Native Seed Mix there.

I heard the great horned owl hooting in the trees above the ritual meadow. :D

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I sowed American Meadows Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Patch along the east-west strip and the north notch in the prairie garden. This mix is rated for butterflies, bees, and birds. I also sowed a large mount of foraged zinnia seed from the Coles County Community Garden 10-9-25 in both places.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I sowed sun-shade grass mix and white clover seed along the eastmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden. That will be this year's walking path to cut through the middle, kept mowed short.

EDIT 5/14/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I sowed common milkweed and black-eyed Susan seeds along the westmost north-south strip of the prairie garden. I sowed purple aster and Mexican hat along the middle north-south strip. I also sowed Mexican hat along the east-west strip and in the north notch, because I had a lot of that one. These are all seeds foraged from the Charleston Food Forest or Coles County Community Garden.

A white Dutch Iris is blooming in the tulip bed. :D

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

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-13T16:39:06Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy and mild.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/13/26 -- We went out plant shopping. First stop was Graber's in Tuscola. They had 'Gypsy' peppers! :D 3q3q3q!!! I bought six, plus a few other things. I got a firecracker plant for the barrel garden, and a 'Truffula' pink globe amaranth. Those are the last of the main flowers for the barrel garden, although I'll wedge in some marigolds if possible.

We also went to Backyard Gardens in Chesterville. There I picked up a purple petunia with white spots and a white superbell for the big blue pot, plus a fancy coleus for the grape pot and a few other things. I still need to visit Home Depot for things like 8-packs of marigolds, lobelia, and so on. But today I found all the planned things and some others that I needed, so that's a big improvement. \o/

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I planted the whole Graber's flat of 10 plants. \o/ *accomplished*

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I planted the white-spotted purple petunia, white superbell, and purple torenia in the big blue pot. I planted the 'Vintage Violet' yarrow in the septic garden. I planted the Indian mint in the trough pot on the old picnic table, which finished that. \o/

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/13/26 -- I planted the 3-pack of gazania in a trough pot by the new picnic table garden.

I watered plants in the new picnic table garden.

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

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birdfeeding @ 2026-05-12T16:51:00

2026-05-12T20:55:07Z

Posted by: ribirdnerd

Tuesday

I was away for a week and a half so I haven't posted in awhile.

I found a Robin nest in a tall shrub in our front yard. They fledglings startled me as I was raking up a bit yesterday. I also came across a Mallard mom and 4 ducklings in the pond. A usual group of Blue Jays and House Sparrows have been around the feeders.

The Merlin app said there was a Northern Parula and a Baltimore Oriole around yesterday too. I caught a brief glimpse of the Oriole, but not the Parula.

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Birdfeeding

2026-05-12T18:46:08Z

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly sunny and warm.

I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a gray catbird.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a white dogwood in the forest garden.

I put a jug over it and mulched around it.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I covered and mulched around a previously planted persimmon seedling.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the westernmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will get sown with seeds.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a persimmon tree along the north edge of the forest garden, covered and mulched it.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will also get sown with seeds. The easternmost one is meant to be the middle path and kept mowed, although I will also sow that with grass and clover seed rather than wildflowers or native prairie grasses.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the long east-west strip where the Monarch Butterfly Seed Mix will go. This also contains flowers that bees love, and that strip runs near the bee tree. :D

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I raked the notch at the north edge of the prairie garden where I'll sow flower seed later.

EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the eastmost of the north-south paths, which is meant to stay mowed as the cross-cut path across the prairie garden. And that's all five of them done! \o/ *goflopnow*

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

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