We are still snow bound. Last week, I thought the snow might be on the verge of melting for the last time of the season. Silly me. On Tuesday, we got another 8″. It is melting again, but slowly. So not very much to be done in the garden right now. Instead, I can fiddle …
This book has impeccable birder credentials, sponsored by both the Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab or Ornithology. If I could have only one book on having a bird-friendly garden in the USA or Canada, this would be the one. It covers the basics – food, nesting, water, cover – in a more comprehensive manner …
A little more than two weeks ago, I wrote about an avian phenomenon in my back yard that had generated major excitement in the Chicago birding world. Specifically, a bird called the Varied Thrush had adopted the area around our yard as his temporary home. Varied Thrushes are a very big deal in Chicago because …
A bright red Cardinal against a snowy backdrop is one of my favorite sights of winter. We had a few inches of snow (preceded by rain) last week, so Judy had an opportunity to take some pictures. The light wasn’t great, so they’re a little dark. Cardinals have been very plentiful in the garden this …
Goldfinches are one of my favorite birds. They are bright and cheery, even in their more somber winter plumage. They have a lilting song that is easy to recognize. And they are entertaining to watch while eating, as they display an acrobatic sense of balance. Goldfinches love seeds. So if you want them in your …
For the first time since last Tuesday, there were no birders in the alley this morning, peering into the back yard. Perhaps our fifteen minutes (well, six days) of fame are over. The whole experience with the Varied Thrush has inspired me to write about the plants I have in my back yard that are …
Remember that post about the unusual bird I was trying to identify? Well, that bird has turned my back yard into the epicenter of an avian sensation. Turns out it was a Varied Thrush. And a Varied Thrush (which I shall refer to henceforward as VT) in the Chicago area is a Very Big Deal. …
So we have a very handsome but unfamiliar avian guest in our backyard. He (or she) was first seen snacking on sunflower seeds on the platform feeder about three days ago. Since then, this mystery bird has been a regular presence. Probably a member of the Thrush Family, shaped like a Robin but bigger. Very …
Or at least, for watching woodpeckers in our back yard. We’ve been getting lots of downies, plus regular visits from some hairy and Red Bellied Woodpeckers. But the species I’m happiest to see is the Northern Flicker. That’s because we had a Northern Flicker show itself occasionally during the summer of 2010, but neither he …
So there is more to holidays than food. We also had hikes to take, birds to watch, shells to collect. As I mentioned before, we had rented a house on Edisto Island, near the town of Edisto Beach. The back of the house faced on to a tidal creek and salt marsh. In the front, …
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