May 23, 2008
The honeysuckle bush is in full bloom on the mountain. Wood cuttings from the honeysuckle species which is native to Eurasia are sold as cat toys. The wood contains nepetalactone, which is the active ingredient found in catnip. Many breeds of cats react to the scent of the wood and will paw, lick or rub against it. Or, they may try to eat it, as I found out last night.Backyard tip of the week:
If you have a cat at home, try to find some honeysuckle, cut off a small twig, and introduce your cat to it. Do this in a supervised manner, of course. You and your cat are sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week:
Including northern cardinals, American robins, northern flickers, and rose-breasted grosbeaks. White-crowned sparrows, chipping sparrows, Carolina wrens and house wrens, eastern goldfinches and house finches. Red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, white and red-breasted nuthatches. The tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, blue-jays, American crows, a couple of grey squirrels, a mostly white skunk, some bunnies and a bull-frog! European starlings, common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, and mourning doves. Also, an immature chipping sparrow that was tough to identify.
Cool sighting of the week:
Last Saturday, an unfamiliar bird was seen perched in the pear tree. After snapping a few pictures for reference, and checking my favorite bird guide, the friendly little fellow was found to be the white-crowned sparrow.
About seven inches in length with a boldly black and white streaked head, pink-orange bill, grey face and nape, a clear grey breast and whitish throat - the white crowned sparrow feeds on ground, scratching back leaf debris with both feet as it looks for seeds and insects. It will occasionally hawk insects in the air and will visit feeders with seed scattered on the ground. Typically nesting in residential areas, it has been expanding its winter range into the northeast since about 1950.
A first ever sighting for the backyard, catching a glimpse of the not so timid white-crowned sparrow this week was very cool!
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