Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

June is National Pollinator Month. The most famous pollinators are butterflies and bees. However, other animals such as bats and rodents also serve. Among birds, the best known are hummingbirds (North and South America), but sunbirds (Africa) and honeyeaters (Australia) are important too. Also bear in mind that caterpillars are nature's hot dogs, so attracting butterflies and moths will also feed birds. It takes about 10,000 caterpillars to fledge a clutch of chickadees! Here are some ways to celebrate National Pollinator Month ...

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These pictures are mostly from the prairie garden.

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Happy Earth Day!




25 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

40 Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Throughout Earth Month

I took some pictures around the yard today. These show the house yard. See the House Yard, South Lot, Savanna and Prairie Garden, and Back Toward the House.

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These pictures are from the left side of the Charleston Food Forest.  See Part 1 Right Side.

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From dinosaurs to birds: the origins of feather formation

Scientists reveal the key role of specific genes in feather development, providing insights into their evolution from dinosaurs.
Feathers, essential for thermoregulation, flight, and communication in birds, originate from simple appendages known as proto-feathers, which were present in certain dinosaurs.By studying embryonic development of the chicken, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have uncovered a key role of a molecular signalling pathway (the Shh pathway) in their formation. This research provides new insights into the morphogenetic mechanisms that led to feather diversification throughout evolution. 

Acts of Restorative Kindkess (ARK) is a project devoted to rewilding the land and making space for wildlife.

Compare with my laissez-faire permaculture approach. I favor native plants, but I include other things too, some ornamental and others edible. I have small gardens and containers, but most of the space is loosely managed. The prairie garden is mostly wild and so is the forest garden.

Wildlife comes and goes as it pleases. I saw a skunk today wandering through the savanna after a storm. He wasn't bothered by my presence at all. We just shared the space, each going about our business. There are birds everywhere -- blackbirds, sparrows, finches, doves, crows, all kinds. Soon they'll be nesting, which is always fun to watch. Already there are a lot of bees out. Not many native flowers bloom this early, but I've got crocuses and other bulbs that the bees swarm eagerly.

So it's pretty nice. It's also very jungle-esque (I have an actual emergent layer) as the ARK is described as "untidy." One of my gardening hats came from the North American Dandelion Appreciation Society, which is about loving the weeds and the wildness. :D It's all fine.

Today I planted most of my new rocks! \o/ I'm waiting to sink the pink mica rock until I get a second one to point the other direction along the road, to catch headlights from both ways.

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These pictures come from the walk back toward the house.

See all of today's photography posts:
Photos: House Yard and South Lot
Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden
Photos: Back Toward the House
Photos: Garden Shed

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