Along with preparing plants to endure winter and flourish in spring, autumn garden chores include setting the table for the wildlife, too. Welcome to Sue's Cafe.
Sue, I really enjoyed this overview of gardening in an environment I'm not familiar with. I admire all your work to assure housing, food and water for creatures.
And no, you are not in advanced old age. That would be 94.
Oh, this is lovely - what a gorgeous look at your winter garden! Wow, soooo many starlings! We have bird imprints in our windows, too - again, it's the pigeons. Poor things think they're waaaay more aerodynamic than simple physics allows them to be! 🤣
The ground feeding birds in your picture - are they partridges?
It's fun to watch the birds visiting my garden. In winter, when I install the feeders, they come in droves. I take the feeders down for summer because I don't want them to become too dependent on me. The ground feeders here are quail, probably California quail, but I don't know the particular breed here. (maybe Nevada quail? 😁) I'm reading the most wonderful book by Amy Tan, The Backyard Bird Chronicles. She did the drawings and expanded on her notes with little daily essays. It's a nice book to nestle into on a wintry day.
Oh of course, quail - I think you’re right! We raised quail for a couple of years when I was a kid - the chicks were about the size of bumblebees - they were the cutest!
I’m going to have a look at the book you’ve recommended - thank you!
I miss the critters that were in my backyard. Birds including grouse competed with the squirrels for the seeds, and even the deer licked them from the ground. Now due to poor health at 75 I live in a 5th floor apartment where i only see birds if I go outside, and the other creatures not at all.
You might like seeing the live cameras on birds. Here is one, for example. At some times of the day there are no birds and other times there are ten different ones at a time. Relaxing!
Sue, I really enjoyed this overview of gardening in an environment I'm not familiar with. I admire all your work to assure housing, food and water for creatures.
And no, you are not in advanced old age. That would be 94.
Like the minimum wage, the bottom of old age keeps rising as we do.
Oh, this is lovely - what a gorgeous look at your winter garden! Wow, soooo many starlings! We have bird imprints in our windows, too - again, it's the pigeons. Poor things think they're waaaay more aerodynamic than simple physics allows them to be! 🤣
The ground feeding birds in your picture - are they partridges?
It's fun to watch the birds visiting my garden. In winter, when I install the feeders, they come in droves. I take the feeders down for summer because I don't want them to become too dependent on me. The ground feeders here are quail, probably California quail, but I don't know the particular breed here. (maybe Nevada quail? 😁) I'm reading the most wonderful book by Amy Tan, The Backyard Bird Chronicles. She did the drawings and expanded on her notes with little daily essays. It's a nice book to nestle into on a wintry day.
Oh of course, quail - I think you’re right! We raised quail for a couple of years when I was a kid - the chicks were about the size of bumblebees - they were the cutest!
I’m going to have a look at the book you’ve recommended - thank you!
I loved this post - especially with the photos to show examples. Thank you for caring for all the little critters!
They all give back in so many ways.
I miss the critters that were in my backyard. Birds including grouse competed with the squirrels for the seeds, and even the deer licked them from the ground. Now due to poor health at 75 I live in a 5th floor apartment where i only see birds if I go outside, and the other creatures not at all.
You might like seeing the live cameras on birds. Here is one, for example. At some times of the day there are no birds and other times there are ten different ones at a time. Relaxing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x10vL6_47Dw&ab_channel=CornellLabBirdCams