June 5, 2009 - 1
Sunrise occurred in the backyard this morning at 5:30, sunset will arrive at 8:28 this evening. Adding just 8 minutes this week, we're up to 14 hours, 58 minutes of excellent sunlight each day! --- Meanwhile, there were no less than sixteen roses in bloom on the rose bush this week. A rich shade of red, the roses were full and hanging low after Wednesday's rain. The honeysuckle bush in the front yard passed its flowering peak earlier in the week as it left its petals lying like candy corn on the ground beneath. A tiny wren yelled at me while I was cutting the grass near his birdhouse last weekend, and two female grosbeaks were seen eating together yesterday on the songbird feeder, along with an immature male who was waiting on the roof for his turn. I like the look of the female grosbeak, though not as colorful as its male counterpart, the female rose-breasted grosbeak has a curved line over her eyebrow that always makes me think of Sophia Loren.Backyard tip of the week:
Another reminder to watch for interesting activity in your yard this time of year. Just the other day, a red-bellied woodpecker was seen stashing peanuts in a hollowed out knot on the willow tree. In fact, this red-belly was using the same knot were the red-headed woodpecker was seen stashing his nuts recently. Good luck to both of them, just moments after the woodpecker flew away, a blue jay landed at the same spot and began his feast. There you go, survival of the fittest, or the most clever, right there in the backyard. Either way, try keeping an eye out for similar interesting action in your backyard. You're sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week:
Including northern cardinals, brown creepers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, chipping sparrows, song sparrows, American robins, Carolina wrens and chickadees. Catbirds, bluebirds, mockingbirds, house finches, goldfinches. Hairy woodpeckers, red-bellied, red-headed, and downy woodpeckers. White-breasted nuthatches, tufted titmice, blue-jays, mourning doves, crows, starlings, grackles, red-winged blackbirds, grey squirrels, red squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, and bunnies. Lots of butterflies, a northern flicker on top of the big house feeder, and there was even a little snake in the grass.
Continued on next page...
June 5, 2009 Part 2 - Cool Sightings
© 2009 BackyardTV.com