Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

Today is cloudy, mild, and damp.  It rained off and on yesterday.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a skunk on the patio.

I checked the new picnic table and septic garden.  The first of the 'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomatoes is showing color.  :D  One of the chocolate cherry tomatoes has its first green fruit, and so does the 'Carmen' Italian sweet pepper.  The yellow squash just bloomed.  The zucchini has flower buds.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I started trimming some low-hanging branches from the Home Base mulberry tree.  I filled a trolley with twigs and leaves, then dumped it in the brush pile.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I've seen a catbird and a mourning dove.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I found the first couple of ripe raspberries along the south fence in the ritual meadow.  I'll have to check the prairie garden tomorrow.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I found a second log for the base of the next bonfire and put that in the firepit.  I started building the criss-cross chimney above it but then it got too dark to find the right kind of sticks.  I'll have to finish that tomorrow.

The fireflies are coming out.  :D  There are lots more tonight.  They love this warm damp weather. 

I saw at least 2 and probably 3 bats.  They're quite large for microbats, so likely big brown bats.  See bats of Illinois.  I'm thrilled to have bats, because the mosquitoes are also coming out.  Fly, my pretties, fly! \o/

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is partly sunny and mild.

I fed the birds.  I haven't seen much activity yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/10/25 -- I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a male cardinal, and at least one mourning dove.

EDIT 6/10/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I heard a blue jay screaming but didn't see it.

EDIT 6/10/25 -- I've been outside a couple of times to walk around the yard.  Fireflies are starting to come out, but it's still so light that they're hard to see.  I may try again later.  I've seen a bat over the south lot, and a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 6/10/25 -- We went out a little later to see the fireflies.  This is the most I've seen so far, earlier it was just ones and twos.  There aren't as many as there will be later in the season, but it's the first big flush so we're pleased to see them.

I am done for the night.

Today is cloudy and cool.  It rained last night.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted 10 greenish-yellow 'Alicia' and 10 red 'Doubna' gladioli in the septic garden. 

I saw a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted a red portulaca and a purple torenia iin pots.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I watered the newly planted things.

I've seen a catbird.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Today is partly sunny and mild.  It rained a little yesterday.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a catbird, a blackbird, a blue jay, a young fox squirrel on the hopper feeder, and an adult fox squirrel running through the trees.

I put out water for the birds.

I set out the flats of pots and watered them.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I pulled grass from inside the septic garden.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I pulled more grass from inside the septic garden.  I discovered that a few gladioli are still surviving there.

Also there are mosquito larvae in the trough pond on the old picnic table, so I need to get some mosquito dunks for that. :/

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I pulled more grass from inside the septic garden.  

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I pulled more grass from inside the septic garden.  

I've seen two fox squirrels in the forest garden.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I potted up a purple-and-yellow torenia, a yellow portulaca, two yellow snapdragons, and two white lobelias in a big clay pot on the patio.

I've seen a female cardinal.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I potted up crosne knotroots in one of the big taupe pots that I put on the north side of the new picnic table.  I have 2 of those pots left to fill.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I filled the last two of the big taupe pots with half composted manure and half potting soil.  I sowed one with ground cherry seeds from Pinetree Garden Seeds, which emptied that packet; it didn't come with a lot of seeds in it.  I sowed the other pot with goldenberry seeds from John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds, which still has plenty left.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- I potted up a purple-and-white picotee petunia, a purple-and-white striped 'Wave' petunia, a 'Dusty Miller' artemesia, and two white lobelias in a clay pot on the patio.  I also added a 'Dusty Miller' artemesia to the pot of yellow flowers from earlier.

I've seen a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 5/23/25 -- We picked up 2 bags of potting soil, 2 bags of composted manure, new grass shears, and a package of mosquito dunks.  I put one of the dunks into the trough pond.

I watered the newly planted things.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
 

Today is sunny and mild.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, along with several blackbirds out foraging in the recently mowed grass.

I put out water for the birds.

I set out the flats of pots and watered them.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- Today's main yardening project is the goddess garden.  I have started trimming around the edge and digging grass from the inside, but it is slow going.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did more work on the goddess garden.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- The greenhouse has arrived!  :D  It is in two big heavy boxes.  The delivery guys were kind enough to put them in the garden shed  for us!  Quality blue-collar workers still exist, they're just rare as hen's teeth nowadays.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did more work on the goddess garden.  I'm about halfway around the outside edge.

I've seen several mourning doves, several catbirds, a brown thrasher, and a robin.  Yes, the catbirds really meow, and you can hear it on that page.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did more work on the goddess garden.  I'm about 3/4 around the outside edge.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did more work on the goddess garden.  I finished trimming and cleaning around the outside edge.  Next I need to do the inside of the garden.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I did more work on the goddess garden.  I pretty much got the inside cleaned up.  Next will be reinstalling the goddess statue.

I've seen a young fox squirrel in the forest garden, smaller than usual, with a less bushy tail, and not very confident aloft yet.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I planted 4 pink peppermint and 4 peach moss roses around the goddess statue.  I'll need to do the outer ring later.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I planted 12 assorted color moss roses around the outer ring, just inside the bricks.  And that project is done! \o/

I saw a skunk digging in the south lot.  This one has a lot of white on its head, a white stripe down the left side, but mostly black down the right side.  So I think it's different from the others I'v seen.

EDIT 5/9/25 -- I planted the last 4 moss roses in a pot by the old picnic table.

I watered the goddess garden and pansy pots.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.  *goflopnow*

Today is partly cloudy, chilly, and blustery.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a brown-headed cowbird.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

The first wild strawberry is blooming in the trough pot.  :D

EDIT 4/15/25 -- I planted 2 pots with red plum seeds and 8 pots with sycamore seed balls.

I've seen a flock of grackles and a flock of mourning doves.

EDIT 4/15/25 -- I finished transplanting bergamot from the telephone pole garden to the streetside edge of the savanna hedge.

EDIT 4/15/25 -- I planted 25 gladioli bulbs in the telephone pole garden. This concludes the order from K. van Bourgondien.  Yay.  Yay.

EDIT 4/15/25 -- I built the core for the next bonfire.

I saw the chevron skunk again.  He was ambling along the west edge of the ritual meadow, ignoring me and going about his business.  It's nice be able to recognize him as an individual.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Today is cloudy and cool, with howling wind.  :/

I fed the birds.  I put out a new peanut suet cake.  I've seen a large flock of house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

Forsythia is starting to bloom.

EDIT 3/19/25 -- I put out more birdseed.  I've seen a small flock of grackles and several sparrows.

I took the new rocks out of the car.  I've moved the two wormstones into the foyer for safekeeping, since I want to bless them before installing them near the barrel garden.  I put the big pink mica rock at the edge of the wagonwheel garden.  When I seat those two, I'll point them in opposite directions related to the road, so as to catch car headlights from both directions.  I put the hand-sized pink mica rock in the purple-and-white garden, although it's not seated yet either.  Progress!

More daffodils are blooming in more places, including some of the ice follies.  Squill is blooming in the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 3/19/25 -- We hauled the 2 bags of compost to the old picnic table, so that's all the yardening stuff out of the car. \o/

I did a bit of work around the patio.

It's starting to thunder and spit rain, with stormy weather predicted for this afternoon, so I am done for the night.

EDIT 3/19/25 -- The storm ended and suddenly the sun came out.  That seemed like rainbow weather to me, so I dashed outside to look around.  It's very sparkly outside right now; every twig and blade of grass is jeweled with silver droplets of water.  The trees are still dripping, so alas, I didn't dare take the camera outside. :(  The driveway is a long ephemeral stream where sticks and other debris make tiny dams and even a few waterfalls rippling and glimmering in the sun.  It's fascinating to see, even at this small scale, how they interrupt and influence the flow so that it lasts longer.  Small birds are splashing all along the length.  If I stand still, they don't mind me.  They're really fun to watch.  Larger puddles have formed at the end of the driveway too.

I saw a skunk ambling through the savanna, not at all concerned by my presence.  He had very unusual markings for this area.  His face and shoulders had the usual white chevron but the rest of him was solid black except a white tip on his tail.  Very cute, and if I see this particular skunk again, he will be very easy to recognize.  :D

I walked out along the road, following the edge of the yard.  To the northeast, I spotted a rainbow!  \o/  I hurried back inside to invite my partner Doug out to look for it.  By the time we got back, it had faded, but a faint streak of it was still visible.  Rainbows are so magical.

I love watching how the world changes in response to the weather.

Today is partly sunny and cold. Last night it got down to 6°F with a windchill of -4.

I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of starlings, a flock of mourning doves, several sparrows, a tufted titmouse, and a downy woodpecker.

I put out water for the birds.

I saw a skunk along the south side of the house.

EDIT 2/20/25 -- We saw at least two skunks on the way home, fairly close together. I also saw other eyeshine and skittering so there may have been more. It's rare to see so many on the same day, and the temperature is in the 20sF outside, so I wondered if it might be mating season. I looked it up, and yes it is! :D Illinois skunks mate February-March.

Skunks are stinky, but generally phlegmatic creatures and very valuable in the ecosystem.  As small omnivores, they love fruits and berries, so they will clean up fallen fruit in an orchard, as well as eating pest insects, mice, etc.  If you want to engage their services but discourage them from hiding under your porch, you can provide a hibernaculum because they like to nest in dens but they often take over some other critter's abandoned burrow rather than digging their own.  Just make sure it is sized for skunks.  If you have an old cooler or small plastic doghouse, that's a good size that you could bury under a layer of topsoil and turf.  Consider planting strawberries or raspberries around the opening.  Skunks generally prefer to avoid humans, so if they have suitable food and shelter elsewhere, they are likely to go there instead of higher-traffic areas.  If you want to provide water, it needs to be on the ground because they don't climb well.  To keep them out of a garden, a low fence is sufficient, but stake the bottom securely or better yet bury part of it, because they can dig.