August 22, 2008
The petals of the purple coneflower have begun to pale this week. The mimosa trees have passed their glory and are showing the last few blooms of their flowering season. The rhododendron bush has already formed buds in preparation for next spring. The Canadian thistle is nearing peak and the goldfinches can be seen landing on them regularly, perhaps to gather down for their nests, perhaps to eat the seeds, which explains the lack of goldfinches at the bird feeders. The honeysuckle vines are in bloom again in the garden. And the salvia at the pond is in bloom again now after being cut back after its first flowering.Backyard tip of the week: Finding ways to get outside, and to get out from in front of the computer, is easy this time of year. Some of us are more outdoorsy than others, but we can all find something to enjoy to in the backyard world. Try incorporating your favorite pastimes into your backyard. Do you play cards or chess? Why not do it in the backyard? Invite a friend to join you, maybe bring a radio along to listen to music while you just sit and talk. When was the last time you did that? There are so many things you can have fun doing in the backyard once you think about it. Or, if you have to get some work done, maybe bring your paperwork out to the picnic table. You'll find the time will pass more quickly as you work on your project while enjoying the beauty of these perfect late summer days. You're sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week: Including northern cardinals, American robins, northern flickers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, bluebirds and catbirds. Chipping sparrows, white-crowned sparrows, Carolina wrens, house wrens, eastern goldfinches, house finches. Red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, a ruby-throated hummingbird, the tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, blue-jays, American crows, a few grey squirrels, a mostly white skunk, and some bunnies. Also, European starlings, common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, mourning doves, chipmunks, many different kinds of butterflies, maybe as many as three hummingbird moths, just a few fireflies, and some frogs.
Cool sighting of the week: A bird's nest was found while weeding in the garden this week. Suspended in the midst of the overgrown rasberry bushes, the nest was made of grasses and only about five inches in diameter. Although there was no sign of any current residents still occupying this nest, we left it intact and continued to weed so it would not be disturbed. So small and delicately woven, finding a bird's nest in the garden last Saturday was very cool!
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