During the fall, as the various berries started to ripen, I spotted quite a few birds feasting on them! This hermit thrush was huge surprise when I noticed it at the Justin Bieber Lookout Point! Hermit thrushes are usually quite shy around humans, but not […]
All posts filed under: Nature
Hummingbird Magic!
Yes, another hummingbird favorite growing in my garden! This red salvia is also loved by bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Whenever the hummers discover an especially tasty blossom … … they stay focused on the flower and stick their beaks all the way in. Until they […]
Oregon’s Nature Nooks … The Justin Bieber Corner! Part 1
For many years I’ve been coming to this suburban park not far from where I live. I love to walk, watch birds, observe the the changing seasons and the creek that abuts the park. During the pandemic I was even more grateful for this local […]
Hummingbird Magic!
If hummingbirds could talk, they’d probably say that they love salvias. This black and blue salvia is another hummingbird favorite. I love how the hummers never miss the flower openings, no matter how tiny or oddly shaped. My garden and the visiting creature always have […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Hummingbirds, just like butterflies, love Alstroemeria flowers! When these flowers start to bloom, this invasive patch of blossoms gets quite busy. My alstroemeria started out in a two inch pot and that has taken over a large flower bed. In moments I wish I hadn’t […]
Up Close & Personal … The Black-throated Gray Warbler
Last summer I spotted a tiny gray bird sitting way up in a tree. I tried to get closer but blackberry brambles along the trail made that impossible. So I extended my telephoto lens instead and zoomed in on this little guy. Turns out that the […]
Up Close & Personal … The Bufflehead
Buffleheads belong to the duck family. They are commonly spotted in woodland lakes, ponds and in sheltered coastal areas. Male buffleheads are easily identified by their dark black heads with large, white patches that reach from their eyes to the back of the crowns. White […]
Up Close & Personal … The Marbled Godwit
Whenever visit Sonoma County, California, I stop by Bodega Head and Doran Beach. Most visits I’ll go there several times. The beaches there are simply spectacular! And rarely crowded. During my last visit, as I was driving along Westshore Road toward the town of Bodega Bay, […]
Happy Friday from my Climate Change Friendly Gardeners!
All of last summer we had this personalized gardening service! First I thought there were just two of them. A big one and a small one. Mostly they stayed in the grassy area where they’d nibble on what isn’t much of a lawn. They happily […]
Baby! It’s Cold Outside!
When the weather people announced snow for Portland last week, I got excited. “Lucky me”, I thought! “I’ll build a snowman!” 😉 Anticipating cold temps, I plugged in my hummer feeder heater to keep the nectar from freezing. Soon, snowflakes were falling, a frigid gorge […]
Hummingbird Magic!
When I looked out the window today I saw red! Brilliant, bright, shiny red! He looked like a red traffic signal! So I stopped what I was doing and ran outside with my camera. This male Anna’s hummingbird (and several others) have taken a liking […]
Happy Friday from my Garden!
All summer long my garden gets visited by these beautiful Western Swallowtails. They very much love the butterfly bushes I planted, but really go crazy over Peruvian lilies. The swallowtails love basking in the hot afternoon sun and feed on the Alstroemeria’s nectar. Once they land […]
Sunday Zen … My Walking Meditation
my nature park … my walking meditation … always done without hesitation … sometimes fast … sometimes slow … since there’s no other place to go … watching squirrels … watching birds … I’ve become a nature nerd … 😉 Sure, I won’t win a […]
Up Close & Personal … White-Throated Sparrow
Last summer I encountered this white-throated sparrow sitting high up in a tree. This was my first time seeing one in person. These large sparrows are easily identified by their white or tan head stripes, white throat and and yellow spots above their eyes. Their […]
Up Close & Personal … The Brown Creeper
“Can you see me now?” The brown creeper’s coloring helps them blend into their surroundings, which is why they can be challenging to spot. They creep upwards around tree trunks searching for insects in moss and bark crevices. Look at the beautiful plumage! Last week […]
The Silence of Covid
The eerie silence of Covid compliance no sliding no riding no hiding and seeking no swinging and singing no climbing no bouncing no racing no boisterous dashing no playful splashing. Just Mousekin afloat without a boat. Just the eerie Covid silence. Every time I walk […]
Up Close & Personal … Cedar Waxwings
During my 15 years in Oregon I had never seen any cedar waxwings here until … … this autumn while I was walking along a patch of trees and shrubs at the park. It was mid day when I heard really loud bird chatter, followed by […]
My First Muddy Boots Adventure of 2021!
Warning! If you are squeamish you might want to precede with caution! Raptors are eating lunch! It’s been nothing but raining here in our neck of the woods lately. This continuous rain has kept me from going to my favorite park for the last several says. However, […]
in cahoots with muddy boots 