Monday, June 25, 2012
Animals often outsmart us, but we eventually enjoy a bit of harmless revenge.
Recall that my husband-who-happens-to-have-cancer became a backyard bird enthusiast this year. He is passionate about his hobby and can be found throughout the day and evening on the back deck, filling and rearranging multiple feeders. Lewis tends assorted feeders, each containing seeds or mixes to attract certain birds. And after recently receiving a bird identification book as a gift, he carefully makes notes when a new type of bird is spotted at one of the feeders. Backyard birders face a common nemesis from the Family Sciuridae; otherwise known as those cute and pesky tree rodents we call squirrels. We love watching our squirrels scamper throughout the hardwoods in our back yard. But as soon as we began hanging birdfeeders, the …
Monday, June 11, 2012
Birds and people have a lot in common when it comes to their babies leaving the nest.
Remember Wren Wren? She’s the friendly little bird who built a nest in our garage last month. Actually, we have since learned that Mr. Wren builds the nest and Mrs. Wren adds finishing touches. Anyway, Wren Wren laid two eggs that she and her mate tended for about 14 days. My husband and I then awoke one morning, peeked into the nest, and spied two gaping mouths. Those mouths were bigger than the rest of the babies’ bodies. In fact, we could not see their heads or torsos. Just cavernous mouths, begging in unison for food. Wren Wren’s babies stayed snug in their nest for another two weeks, while their parents brought them a variety of insects to eat. We would sneak a peek into the nest now and then, amazed at how fast the little blobs grew …
Monday, May 21, 2012
One friendly little wren has nested in our garage and captured our hearts.
About three weeks ago, a wren started building a nest on a high shelf in our garage. Carefully crafted from twigs and dried grasses, the little nest is tightly wedged between pieces of clutter, and is shaped long and deep like a cornucopia. The wren spent about two weeks flying in and out of the garage, holding tightly in her beak additional stems and debris to add to her nest. My husband putters around in the garage daily, but the little wren quickly grew accustomed to his presence. Indeed, he began talking to her throughout the day and grew most protective of his little “Wren Wren.” I was a bit concerned about the suitability of our garage as a maternity ward. Would the bird and her babies be safe from our indoor/outdoor cat? Would the …
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Escape from your daily parenting pressures without leaving home.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Dee Locklin
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Wednesday, January 4, 2012
My late mother loved her backyard birds. She set out feeders, baths and houses year round and spent hours watching her feathered friends as they weathered each season. She actually built her own birdhouses and knew the proper dimensions and characteristics required for particular species. Until recently, I did not allow myself to slow down long enough to learn about and enjoy creating a bird feeding habitat in my own backyard. But now I am hooked! I still have much to learn about the different species of birds in our community, their dietary requirements and seasonal considerations. Thankfully, Wild Birds Unlimited offers expert advice, unique products, food supplies and everything else I need to pursue my new hobby. From my very first …
Dee Locklin
9:09 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012
Excellent tactic, Jean! Thanks for sharing. Dee more ›