Around the Garden with Jay

BEEN A HOT, WET SUMMER

2015-07-08T13:47:00.000-04:00

I AM NOT COMPLAINING THOUGH. THE WEEDS ARE DOING WELL.

It's been a while since I posted. I've just about given up on weeding. The enormous amount of rain we have gotten the past couple of months (sorry California) has produced gorgeous healthy weeds and muddy grounds. A lot of my plants have suffered but I won't give up entirely.

Below I am posting some pictures, mostly successes, of the gardens through today. I hope you enjoy.

VERY COMFORTABLE SEAT

SUNFLOWER

PROTECTING HER BABIES IN THE HOUSE

YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT A SNAKE IN THE GRASS. WE GOT ONE. YUK

YOUNG PRAYING MANTIS

EARLY SEASON PEONIES

SPRING BLOOMING ALLIUM

LOOKING FOR WORMS

EARLY SEASON REST AREA

SPRING BLOOMING SCOTCH BROOM

DWARF BUCKEYE TREES IN FULL BLOOM

SIT AWHILE

THE BOTTLE TREE WAS GROWING FINE EARLY IN THE SEASON

REST PERIOD

ONE OF MY FAVORITE POTS THIS SEASON

BOTTLE TREE BEING OVERTAKEN

FISH WAITING FOR KAREN TO FEED THEM

SUNFLOWERS GROWING UNDER THE BIRD FEEDERS

REST AREA OVERTAKEN BY WELL GROWING PLANTS

I REALLY THOUGHT THE GATE WOULD KEEP PHIL THE GOUNDHOG
OUT OF THE YARD. GOOD TRY.

LARGE SPREAD OF ECHINACEA PLANTS

AGASTACHE SURROUNDED BY COREOPSIS

FRONT YARD REST STOP

AGASTACHE, HUMMINGBIRD MAGNET

HOT COLORED SUNPATIENT PLANT

ECHINACEA UP CLOSE

CLEMATIS "DR RUPPEL" WITH A FRIEND

LUCKY SEAT

THIS IS WHAT SPRING SHOULD BE

2015-04-28T11:20:00.001-04:00

IF ONLY MORE PEOPLE COULD STOP AND APPRECIATE SPRING!!!

MY SEEDLINGS ARE FINALLY READY FOR PLANTING

Regardless of what you have heard about what is going on in many neighborhoods of Baltimore this morning, I have taken a few moments to share some of the real beauty of what spring is.

I have been anxiously awaiting "real" spring weather and I can safely say it's here. Our last frost date has past in my area and I have gotten busy planting, straightening, shopping and getting my yard in the best shape it can be. Of course that's never really possible since I am always changing things and thinking about projects needed to be done.

SOME OF MY ROSE BUSHES COMING ON STRONG

DWARF RED BUCKEYE AWAITING THE HUMMINGBIRDS

Haven't seen a hummingbird yet but I know they will be here. I have put out a few feeders so they know they are welcome when they finally show up. A friend in South Carolina reported sightings last week so I know they are on the way. With the chilly nights we have had, I don't blame them for taking their time, but they are definitely welcome in my yard.

A MUGO PINE SHOWING NEW NEW GROWTH "CANDLES"

A recent gift from my wife Karen has provided the yard with a well needed Koala Bear.

KOALA BEAR LOOKING AT SPRING

The rose bushes have come to life and almost all survived the harsh month of February. Now the time consuming care starts. I spray my roses with fertilizer and disease fighting chemicals to try and keep them healthy and blooming.

HOSTA GROWTH

HELLEBORES CONTINUE IN FULL BLOOM

These pots include Sunpatients, and Black and Blue Salvia.
Two of the pots are awaiting cherry tomato plants.

SOME OF THE POTS ARE FINALLY PLANTED

MORE HOSTAS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF GROWTH

GUARDIAN OF THE GARDEN

JAPONICA CONTINUES IN FULL BLOOM

OUR FRONT YARD DOGWOOD LOOKING GREAT

I hope everyone can take some time and enjoy the beauty of spring. Forget all the problems of the world and take in some Nature's beauty and gifts. I surely will.

THIS IS SPRING !!!

2015-04-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

Everyday seems more and more like spring is really here

I walk around the yard daily, usually more than once, whether it's raining or sunny out just to see what is happening. There are changes everyday. New shoots pop out of the ground daily. It is amazing to see spring's rebirth of perennials, shrubs and trees after such a brutal February which made winter seem like it would never end.

I think it's done. Yes we still get chilly nights and some of the wintering birds haven't flown north yet, but why should they? They are fed well everyday!! They will leave soon but will be replaced by the hummingbirds and hopefully some migrators on their way north, such as Orioles, Grosbeaks, and Indigo Buntings.

But year after year, it never fails to amaze and delight me to see how almost everything survives the winter, regardless of how rough it was, and come back to life in March and April. That is the beauty of growing so many perennials. They return every year with little to no coaxing and proceed to grow and thrive in the gardens. I have close to 100 various hosta plants that never fail me. They are so reliable.....although some are slow to awaken, they eventually all show up. Most of my rose bushes are covered with their first green foliage shoots and soon will be sporting their first buds of late spring. Looks like most of my roses have survived although I am expecting a few casualties of the cold. The forsythia is blooming, the pieris japonica (pictured below) is in full bloom, the lilac is forming buds and the dwarf red buckeye trees (pictured below) are showing their full buds that are so tempting to the squirrels and deer. Most of the other perennials are showing new life and will all be up and flourishing shortly.

When the buckeyes are in their full red bloom they are attractive to the hummingbirds......but unfortunately ours seem to finish blooming right before the hummers arrive. The blooms that do survive develop into deep brown buckeye nuts resembling and probably related to chestnuts..

Pieris Japonica "Andromeda"

Dwarf Red Buckeye Buds

Close-Up of Buckeye Bud

Mugho Pine looking good surrounded by perennials

Hellebores, some of the first spring bloomers

Achillea (Red Yarrow) making their return

My pots are ready for the planting but that task is still a couple of weeks away. I have them labeled so I know what goes in each one and they will be planted and placed in the right spot to provide color through the summer. My seedlings are coming along in the basement under their almost constant light and watering and will soon be ready for their summer homes.

Pots are ready to go

Karen's Nicaraguan Roosters ready for planting

Zinnia seedlings at 3 weeks of age

Marigold seedlings almost ready

The fish are ready for warm weather!!!

The fish have survived their 4th winter and continue to show remarkable resistance to the harshest of weather. They were barely over an inch long when purchased 4 years ago and now many have reached 5". We have spotted a couple of the frogs that visit every year and know we'll see many more and hear their nocturnal love croak calls shortly.

It seems like it's been such a long wait, and in truth the only rough month was February. We can't complain about the snow and the cold since so many others had it a lot worse. But it's done and we can be grateful and thankful that spring is here and before long we will be complaining about the heat. I'm ready!!!!

Is it Really Spring ??

2015-03-27T14:38:00.001-04:00

The calendar says Spring, but it's not.

It's been spring for a week now but not really here in Baltimore. We have had snow, cold, wind, rain and one day of warmth that lasted barely 8 hours. I know I'll be complaining once it gets hot but this is ridiculous. The weather forecasters say we will barely be at normal temps (around 55) for the next 7 days. This is putting a hurting on my yard work. I'm ready to plant the flowers and cut the grass, but the grass isn't growing and the soil is still cold and muddy.

I've started my flower seeds and they have germinated and are ready to grow. I am nurturing along several varieties of Zinnia, Marigolds, and Portulaca. Soon I will start some Sunflower seeds and hopefully all will be able to go in the gound in mid April. That is if we ever get some warmer temps.

Zinnia seeds up and growing after just 3 days in the potting mix. I keep the lights on for 14 hours a day and will fertilize regularly until planting time.

If all goes well, and the ground warms up, many of my seedlings will go in the front yard rose garden to add lots of color through the summer. My job will be to plant and Karen's will be to deadhead. That is removing the spent blooms to allow more to flower.

Some newly arrived rose bushes look good and will be going in pots around the patio. One (named Republic of Texas) already has a yellow flower in bloom.

Hopefully this is the last I will see of snow till sometime in December. After the brutal February we had, it's good to see that it is all gone now. Only thing left is MUD.

The fish in the pond are active even though it is still cold out. They have survived their 3rd winter now are have grown quite a bit from their original 1" to 2" size and many now are over 4" to 5". We also have babies that were born over a year ago. We have spotted one frog already and are sure there will be several more in the coming weeks. The pond attracts several every year.

So, hopefully we will eventually see some spring and then go immediately into summer and everyone will complain. This year I will do no complaining and enjoy every bit of sun and heat we get.

I will continue to post progress reports..........hang in there!

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I CALL IT WINTER BREAK

2015-03-17T15:51:00.001-04:00

All the college kids call it Spring Break, but since we left for a Caribbean cruise with snow on the ground, I call it Winter Break!

Our Winter Break on the Brilliance of the Seas

Their Spring Break

Karen and I, along with her daughter and son in law, enjoyed a week in the Western Caribbean onboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas.

Day Two at sea's entertainment was provided by the rescue of a boat full of Cuban "refugees" afloat on the sea with no power or water. Our ship came to a complete stop, turned around, and sat with the fishing boat for 2 hours while the Coast Guard directed our captain to retrieve the "survivors" and take them on to Grand Cayman. After discussions and negotiations, a retrieval was made and the new passengers were taken safely on board. We have to assume that Cayman authorities sent them back to Cuba. So much for their freedom.

Cuban Refugees Drifting at Sea

Still trying to Rescue

Rescue Attempt

A Visit to Turtle Breeding Farm, Grand Cayman Island

We visited a turtle breeding center on Cayman and were allowed to hold the young ones and watch over a hundred large breeders swim in the ponds.

The Blogger and his Turtle

Karen Holds a Stingray on Cayman Island

Rare Sighting of an Orange Iguana on Cozumel

Spouse of the Orange Iguana

Cozumel, Mexico Beach

On the Stingray outing on Cayman we sailed to gorgeous shallow blue waters where dozens of stingrays swam with us and allowed us to hold and feed them.

On the island of Cozumel, Mexico we toured Mayan ruins and met a pair of breeding Iguanas (one orange, one green) amidst the piles of rocks.

A Real Baltimore Oriole

At the conclusion of our cruise we spent a night in Sarasota and attended a Baltimore Oriole spring training game (we lost-of course) and visited the Ringling Circus winter grounds and museum.

What a fantastic week we had. I can't say enough good about the Brilliance of the Seas, the great travel partner I have with Karen, and good times with Diane and Stephen.

We arrived back in Baltimore to NO SNOW and warm temperatures. Not quite Caribbean warm but I'll take it for now. Time to get out in the garden and start my chores.

Another Real Baltimore Oriole

Monarch Butterflies Alive and Well in Sarasota, Florida

Pink Spoonbill on Longboat Key, Florida

Egret on Longboat Key

Appropriate T-shirt

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REST IN PEACE, MR. SPOCK

2015-02-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory".

LLAP

Born: March 26, 1931,
Died: February 27, 2015

REST IN PEACE, LEONARD NIMOY

CAN'T STOP WISHING FOR SPRING

2015-02-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

It's less than 4 weeks away but it seems so far!

After our first and so far only "snowstorm" of the season I look out over my yard and keep thinking about spring. The good thing is I have lots of pictures taken by my wife Karen over the past several years here to remind me of all the visitors to our property.

Pair of House Finches

One of "many" rabbits!

Put up the sign and they all show upl

We get so many birds since I grow the flowers and shrubs that they adore but more importantly I spend a small fortune on bird food. Of course several of our "visitors" are neat to look at but not really welcome. We have been fairly lucky with the deer population. They seem to appear now and then but luckily have done little damage to the flower beds. I have been lucky using two products that are harmless but seem to be effective.

Not a welcome visitor

One is called "Deer Tape" which is a ribbon stretched around the yard that repels deer. The other product is "Liquid Fence" It is a safe biological spray that really deters the deer. Stinks at first application but quickly dissipates and remains effective. Lets hope this spring the two work as well as in the past.

The pond naturally attracts frogs or toads that seem to enjoy the rocks and water and manage to keep the insect population to a minimum. We never seem to have a problem with mosquitos.

Our pond attracts a number of frogs

Of course the large number of small birds and even the frogs and fish do attract other not so wanted visitors such as the hawks and the occasional Great Blue Heron. It's nature but sometimes I wish it wasn't so evident in the yard. We have lost fish to the herons but again, it's nature

Hungry Hawk

I guess I am to blame since I did apply for and did receive a Wildlife Habitat certification sign that the creatures must be able to read............ so they come.

The owl was a welcome sight since they are reliable at keeping the mice away.

The common Eastern Garter Snake, NOT SO WELCOME. I do not like snakes and as harmless as this variety is supposed to be, they scare the crap out of me. Seems like every summer the rocks around the pond as well as all the vegetation create perfect breeding grounds for these scary creatures.

Of course since we went to Austrailia and put up this sign, we have yet to see a Koala in the yard. Hopefully we will be able to attract a few this season!!!!

And of course the most anticipated arrival in the late spring, are the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Year after year they return from their winter home in Central America (so lucky!!!!!!) and arrive in our yard when the lilacs are in bloom and stay all summer. I will have a whole post devoted to these marvelous creatures later this spring.
In the meantime, enjoy some of Karen's pictures of them feasting on the nectar inside our Black and Blue Salvias last year.

With the arrival of the hummers come the butterflies, unfortunately nowhere near as many as in past years. The Monarch population is way down worldwide and last summer we were very aware of that here as we saw very few in our yard. Hopefully they will be able to make a comeback.

And finally, the return of spring and all the welcome and even unwelcome visitors allows ME the opportunity to enjoy it all........relaxing in our yard.

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What Is That Yellow Bird?

2015-02-15T09:39:00.004-05:00

Summertime male American Goldfinch photo by Karen

Every time I am out front in the yard, the most popular question I get all through the summer is:

What is that beautiful yellow bird????

It is an American Goldfinch. It looks very similar to a canary but it is not. The goldfinches are so easy to spot in the summer since they are bright yellow. That is the male of course. The females are the same size and shape but lack the beautiful bright yellow and look sadly drab and grayish green. Nature at it's finest!

In spring and early summer the male finches molt their feathers (the only birds that do this twice a year) when they gain their yellow plumage and again in the late winter, when both sexes turning to their drab colors. The bright yellow is a welcoming sign of summer's onset. They are actually in my area year round but are much harder to spot and really do not like the cold temperatures. They will move south in January if temperatures go below 0 degrees.

Wintertime male photo by Karen

These birds are very active and acrobatic clinging to flowers and feeders and dining upside down! They love flower head seeds and feeders filled with nyjer seed, an Asian grown miniature seed resembling a poppy seed, filled with oily protein. They also enjoy sunflower seeds and are strictly vegans and will rarely, if ever, eat an insect.

photo by Karen

The American Goldfinch breeds later than most North American birds waiting for the flower head seeds they love to mature so their young will have adequate food supplies. The nest is an open cup of plant parts woven very tightly. The female uses spider web silk to bind the nest together and makes a fluffy lining for her eggs. It takes about 6 days to construct the nest in which both the male and female choose the site, like us usually, high in a shrub or tree. The female lays around 2 to 7 eggs, 1 or 2 times a year, incubates them for 12 to 14 days and then allows the babies to nest for 11 to 17 days.

photo by Karen

American Goldfinches are very numerous and their populations have been stable for the past 40 years. Recently in was estimated that there were over 42 million with 71% spending part if not most of the year in the U.S. In May of 2007, it was reported that the oldest finch was slightly over 10 years old.

So, next time you see these beautiful yellow birds, you'll know what they are and won't have to ask me......although I love to answer the question!!!!!!!!!!!

Goldfinch on coneflower seed head..............photo by Karen

My thanks to http://whatbird.com/ for some info on this article!!!!!!

Also my thanks to http://www.streambankgardens.com/ for some of the plants that attract my goldfinches

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I Know Spring is Coming

2015-02-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

Past visitor photo by Karen

I know it's only the 2nd week in February and it's still cold most days and lots of the country is getting bombarded with more and more snow, but I know spring is really just around the corner. It officially starts in a little less than 6 weeks (groundhog be damned!!!) but I have seen the signs that it IS almost here.

THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER
FOUR WEEKS TILL DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
BUDS ON THE TREES AND SHRUBS ARE SWELLING
SQUIRRELS ARE STARTING TO EAT THOSE BUDS
GARDEN CATALOGS ARE FILLING MY MAILBOX
THE BIG BOX STORES ARE SETTING UP
I'M GETTING REALLY ANTSY WITH CABIN FEVER

Let me expound on my points above:

Each day we are adding 2 to 4 minutes of sunlight. Doesn't sound like much but when one considers the sun was setting here at 4:44 just 5 weeks ago it is now setting around 5:33. That's a lot more sunlight in the late afternoon. Being dark in the morning isn't that big a deal, but more light late in the day, that is great. I know Daylight Savings time will add a whole other hour to the sunset and kill an hour of light in the morning but that extra hour of evening light light means no more walking after work in the dark and more time for wandering around my yard. And IF we get a snowstorm, the extra hour of light while the temperatures are at their highest means the snow will not hang around. And that is a good thing.

If one looks at the trees and the shrubs in the area, it's easy to see that many of the buds are getting fatter and fatter. The maple trees are getting their red color to their buds and the forsythia is swelling to the point where the yellow flowers will be blooming sooner than later. The rose plants are showing signs of breaking their dormancy and need for pruning. And many of the perennials are just starting to pop out of the previously frozen ground and show signs of renewed life. But alas the hungry squirrels see these swelling buds and have something new to eat this late in the winter. Another unique phenomena of the oncoming spring is the heaving that takes place in the garden. Since the plants go through warm and cold days when the ground alternately freezes and thaws, many of the plants lift out of the ground. This is called heaving. The best thing to do is when the ground is moist and soft, just gently push the plant back into the ground. I can see real signs of the heaving effect by looking at my garden flower labels. They pop out of the ground, they lay down or get tilted in the weirdest angles.

To the dismay of my mail carrier, my mailbox gets filled with garden catalogs at this time of year. They are beautiful works depicting gorgeous flowers (at full maturity) done by masterful marketers. One can't help but go through the catalogs and make selections of plants and flowers needed for the garden. I find it hard to resist but I must. I do order from several online and mail order companies, who seem to inturn, sell my name and address to a dozen more companies and on and on. I keep many of the catalogs for reference as they are filled with tons of great info but have to pitch many in the recycle bin. Too many catalogs equals too many orders. The advent of the internet has both helped and hindered many of these companies. Where once they had only other catalogs as competition, now one can just Google a flower or plant and find tons of info and sources.

Along with the onslaught of catalogs, all one has to do is go into a Big Box store like Home Depot, WalMart, Lowes, etc.....and see the shelves are being converted to spring. Seed starting supplies and packages are the first things on sale, followed by fertilizers, bug controls, weed suppressants, and on and on. It's fun just to walk the aisles and ponder spring's arrival.

And finally, the most obvious way I know spring is close, is the fact that I am really getting antsy and sick of this cabin fever. I know, it hasn't been a bad winter here in Baltimore, and I feel the worst is really over, but any day where the temperature is bearable and the skies are mostly clear, is a day I want to get out there and start my "work". I raked leftover leaves yesterday and I want to do more.

I need to be patient, but I know spring is just around the corner!!!!

Soon!!!!!! photo by Karen

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WHERE THE BIRDS BREED

2015-02-03T15:21:00.002-05:00

WREN HOUSE

Lots of birdfeeding calls for lots of birdhouses for lots of breeding.
We have several birdhouses around the yard that many of the birds have used for breeding during the late spring and summer. Birds don't actually sleep in any of the houses during the year but build up nesting material inside the houses and the female lays her eggs in the nest and incubates them till hatching.

We have been lucky several times in the past years to witness baby wrens, chickadees, and robins hatch and grow until they fly the coop. The robins build twig only nests in the trees while the other birds use the safety and comfort of the houses to breed.

DOUBLE HEART

WREN HOUSE

The male wrens are some of the first to build in the spring. They build as many as 12 nests for the females to inspect

After choosing and rebuilding the nest, the female will lay one egg each day until a clutch of 5 or 6 eggs are laid. The eggs are white with brown marks.

Incubation time last 12-15 days. During this time the female will leave the eggs from time to time to feed. Sometimes it may look like the male is bringing food to the female, more likely though, he is anticipating (practicing) the feeding of the young. Although occassional feedings to the female may occur.

After the eggs hatch, it will take another 16-17 days before the young leave the cavity. We've had the pleasure of seeing many babies take flight.

OLD WREN HOUSE

Chickadees shop around for nest sites. They check out lots of potential locations. They have been known to begin excavating and even start building a nest in three to five different locations in a season. Usually before the nests are complete they make a final decision on their favorite spot, complete the nest, wait a few days and then begin to lay eggs.

When chickadees excavate homes in rotten wood, the building process can take some time. Black-capped Chickadees will take 7-14 days to lay an egg after beginning to build a nest site.

ANOTHER OLD MAN

OLD MAN HOUSE

GOURD HOUSE

AMERICAN ROBINS

They can produce up to three successful broods in one year. On average, two clutches are raised with less than half being successful. Only a quarter of those that do fledge survive to November. From that point on, about half of the birds alive in any year will make it to the next. The female lays 3-7 light blue eggs that are incubated for 12-14 days and the young leave the nest in about 14-16 days.

A good percentage of baby birds are lost due to people thinking they've rescued the little one. The young are often found on the ground without what seems to be, any parental oversight. Adults and children catch these newly fledged birds and take them inside, not knowing they've rescued a bird that didn't need rescuing.

You see, when baby robins first leave the nest, they are unable to fly. Some jump to higher branches in the nest tree and some take a tumble to the ground but landing softly. These baby birds are fine, the adults will continue to care for them. Leave Them Be!

WILLIAMSBURG, VA HOUSE

MAINE BOUY MARKER HOUSE

ROOSTER HOUSE

PORTUGUESE CERAMIC HOUSES

Karen and I try to obtain unusual birdhouses on our trips. Many of the birds have used these houses and brought their babies into our yard..

As usual in this cold and dreary month we are impatiently awaiting the arrival of spring and the increase in bird activities and breeding.

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Do You Know What This Monday Is?

2015-01-31T11:16:00.000-05:00

It is the day after Superbowl XLIX (Why the Roman numerals? A historian says the fancy numbering made the game seem more important.)

But more importantly it is February 2nd.......GROUNDHOG DAY !!

A little history:

Many German settlers ended up in Pennsylvania, where they found groundhogs instead of badgers. Here, the tradition began to use groundhogs to predict the duration of winter. If the day was cloudy, the groundhog would stay above ground, meaning that winter would soon be over. If the day was sunny, the groundhog would grow scared of its shadow and return to its burrow, meaning six more weeks of winter. It gradually evolved into an observance in the late nineteenth century and is closely associated with the Candlemas, a Christian celebration, the second day of which falls on February 1st.

Now a little more history:

In the years following the release of Groundhog Day, a 1993 film starring Bill Murray, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney where the ceremony takes place.

Where exactly is Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney is located in Western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

How did Phil get his name?
The groundhog's full name is actually "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary." It was so proclaimed by the "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" in 1887, the same year they declared Punxsutawney to be the weather capital of the world.

Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, has not seen it 15 times, and nine years are unaccounted for.

The National Climatic Data Center reportedly stated that Phil's prediction's have been correct 39 percent of the time. This number is in conflict with Phil's club, which states he's been right 100 percent of the time.

According to the funny website groundhog.org, there's a legend that during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink.

Though groundhogs typically live only six to eight years, Groundhog Day lore suggests that Phil drinks a magic elixir every summer, which gives him seven more years of life.

OUR CONTRIBUTION

Just in case Punxsutawney Phil doesn't make his annual appearance this Monday, we have asked our local resident visitor Pest, Pikesville Phil, shown below, to do his own prognosticating of which the results will be posted sometime Monday.

I say Pest because our guy loves to eat the plants in the garden. He has pulled down 5' tall sunflowers and filled his belly......he loves hostas, gailardias, and most any plant we find attractive. He makes his appearance in mid to late summer and hangs around till late fall. He is very shy and runs when he sees us but soon returns to continue his destructive ways. He enjoys the birdseed like his relatives the squirrels.

In my eyes he is nothing but a huge hairy rat.
Here's hoping one of them doesn't see his shadow!

BIRDS......Watching and Feeding

2015-01-29T14:35:00.001-05:00

My namesake: a BlueJay

ADDICTIVE
EXPENSIVE
INTERESTING
FASCINATING

ALL OF THE ABOVE!

That's bird feeding and bird watching. I guess I am addicted. I have at least 10 feeders filled with various varieties of seed, and that's year round. Of course, come springtime the hummingbird feeders go up and that adds another 5 or so (that's a whole other blog post to come). My wife Karen and I are fascinated watching the birds and spend lots of time enthralled by their antics. She takes most of the pictures....I keep the feeders filled. She keeps the camera focused.

They are so interesting, some are unpredictable and
some have definite habits. The cardinals are here just
before dawn, stay all day, and are the last ones to leave at dark.

Male Cardinal

The nuthatches and chickadees swoop in, grab one seed and off they go to the safety of the trees to crack open their prize and return just as quickly.

The yellow American goldfinches eat their seeds upside down. Highly unusual. Specific feeders and seeds satisfy this peculiar feeding regimen. The black juncos, who are only here in the winter will only eat off the ground. They do not perch and depend on spilled seeds to fill up on.

Nuthatch

Female Cardinal

House Finches

I feed my visitors a variety of seeds. They love black oiled sunflower seeds the most. Almost everyone will eat them. Safflower seeds are great for the cardinals and many others and although most people say the squirrels will not eat safflower seeds, no one has told my squirrels this fact. These fat hairy rats will eat ANYTHING! I try to discourage them but it's almost a lost cause. I do have several http://bromebirdcare.com feeders that are virtually squirrel proof. These feeders are expensive but last for years. They are available at www.amazon.com

American Goldfinch

Summer visiting CatBird

Other seeds I use are nyjer seeds (thistle) for the goldfinches. These are tiny seeds that fit through the small openings in the upside down feeders especially designed for the finches. I buy blocks of suet that really appeal to the woodpeckers who appreciate the fat for protein. Of course every other bird loves it too.

Water is another requirement for birds. I have a fountain/birdbath by the feeders and they also love to drink from the waterfall at my pond. Of course the squirrels drink too.

Keeping an eye out

The birds require protection from predators and they flock to the evergreens and tree branches as soon as they are spooked. Our visiting hawks love to hunt for their meals at our feeders and unfortuantely they prefer bird to seed. It is nature and we have learned to deal with it. The feral neighborhood cats are always on the lookout for a slow bird and occasionally are successful. Again, sad but nature.

Hawk on watch

We've also had visiting Great Blue Herons (loved the goldfish in our pond), and a huge barred owl stopped by on a Labor Day a few year's back and made itself comfortable in a tree for hours and hours. Of course we made ourselves comfortable on the deck and watched him for hours and hours. Only time we've ever seen one here.

Also had a really rare visitor who came several times a day for months: a pet parakeet. He was beautiful and loved the seeds and seemed to get along with our regulars. He must have escaped his cage and stayed until we went on vacation and when we returned, he was gone. The spring brings a few migrators that stop for a meal but don't stay. Each year we get grosbeaks for a week or so then they are gone. The catbirds and cowbirds arrive early summer and stay till fall as well as lots of robins. We do see some robins periodically in the winter but not in large numbers till spring. This year we attracted more cardinals than ever before. They do live in groups and we seem to attract approximately 15 to 20 males and females. The bright red males look outstanding on the grey days and against the snowy background.

Early arriving robin

Did I mention how expensive this hobby is? It is a real commitment but I think it is really worth it. I could have worse hobbies! I don't even know how I got into this. Not sure what my first feeder was or where I was living. I never fed the birds when I was growing up, except for the occasional stale bread. But I am really happy that I discovered this hobby. My wife Karen has taken some fantastic pictures of our visitors and we could put together books of photos. Many of these pics on this page are her work. She has a great eye for shots and waits patiently for the best picture.

We have approximately 10 birdhouses on the property which have been
used predominately by the wrens and chickadees for breeding. More of that in a future post.

If you have any questions or thoughts about birdfeeding, shoot me a comment. If you have some space and a desire to be a part of nature, I highly recommend this hobby. It doesn't have
to take a lot of time or money and it can be extremely rewarding.

Grosbeak, passing through

Hairy woodpecker

Red bellied Pecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Spring visiting Grosbeak

Thanks for reading. And come on spring!!!!!

WINTER VISITOR

2015-01-27T14:47:00.000-05:00

THE FOX

It Could Have Been a Lot Worse

2015-01-27T14:31:00.002-05:00

WINTER

We dodged a bullet here in the Baltimore area. Actually most of the East Coast dodged the same bullet. I say it every time but I have to say it again, I can't believe how wrong the weather forecasters can be. It seems that the more technology they have, the more they screw it up. I know New England is getting hit really hard but New York? That is amazing....the largest city in the country shuts down hours before the snow starts falling, and very little snow falls. Next time no one will pay attention.

I know most people hate winter. I can't say I love it but it does have it's good points, here in the garden. It gives me time to contemplate all the changes I am going to make this spring. At least I plan to make. The winter gives me lots of time to look the entire property over in a different perspective. It's mostly bare, lots of brown, and very little evidence of what it will look like in just a few months. All my plant markers in place look like a cemetary with lots and lots of tombstones. Once the garden gets growing, they will barely be seen. I have labeled almost every plant in all my gardens so as I get older, I will know what they are as I am sure I will forget.

In these cold and sometimes gloomy days, it's so reassuring to see a few signs of life in the garden. I have Helleborous (Lenten Rose) already putting up some green shoots. These hardy beautiful flowers will actually be in full bloom by the 1st of March and will continue their show through the spring into the early days of summer. They are an expensive investment but do so well in the shade and look so nice in bloom. Pictures will be forthcoming.

Also showing signs of life are the daffodils. Already putting up an inch or two of green foliage on the way to their late March bloom. Many of the plants I have don't even die off in the winter. I actually continue to see green stems and some leaves on many of my rose bushes. Hardy plants for sure. Many other perennials are hanging in there: the lamium are still green, the ivy of course always stays green, the yarrow still sports a lot of healthy foliage and much of the bronze ajuga still looks decent. Of course there are also shrubs that maintain their good looks through the worst of the winter. I have American Beautyberry bushes that continue to hold onto their purple fruits through the worst, and a become a true favorite of the mockingbirds who enjoy the berries this time of year.

During these winter days, I walk around the yard with my paper and pen and make notes (actually lists) of what I need to do as soon as the temperatures are bearable. I systematically walk by each garden (I have several which I will detail in a future post) and jot down suggestions of things that will need to be done. My neighbors must think me weird but when all is bloom and they are enjoying it, they understand. Of course alot of these things don't HAVE to be done, but it's my hobby and it's what I do. I hope to be doing my thing starting late February. There's always things to do.

So as winter drones on, I look forward to the warmer days ahead and the miracle of garden rebirth. It is so amazing to see my "babies" all start their life cycle all over again and make me proud of what I have done and more I will find to do.

Come on spring!!!!

Welcome to my garden blog

2015-01-26T15:46:00.000-05:00

This is something new for me. I've never blogged before so I thought a snowy day here in Baltimore was the perfect time to start a blog......a blog about my garden, my observations, and my thoughts............ about my garden, and of course other people's gardens.

You'll have to bear with me as this is all new for me. But hopefully over time, it will get better and even more interesting. Right now, I'm testing the waters, or more appropriately today, the ice. So after I post this and see what it looks like, I will start.