Just hanging out and enjoying the view. Oops! Everybody poops! 😉 And then … it’s off to the next flower!
All posts tagged: backyard sanctuary
Hummingbird Magic!
These tiny flying helicopters are so much fun to watch! And photograph! Especially when they sit still for a moment or two. 😉
Hummingbird Magic!
Here’s a moment of Hummingbird Magic! Ever since putting out the flying saucer style feeders I’ve gotten more visitors. Our local bird store recommends mixing the nectar 1 part sugar and 3 parts water. This makes it more concentrated and nourishing during really cold weather. […]
Up Close & Personal … A Leucistic Chickadee
The chestnut-backed chickadee is the type of chickadee we usually get in our area. They always visit in small flocks and are quite “chatty” and animated. Last September I noticed a different looking bird in the garden. This mostly white bird  behaved like a […]
Hummingbird Magic!
 Black Magic Penstemon are hummingbird magnets! This rufous hummingbird is feasting … flitting from blossom to blossom … back and forth … up and down … and around and around … until it’s time to move on! 🙂
Up Close & Personal … Hairy Woodpecker Fledglings
Last summer we had a large number of woodpecker parents bringing their fledglings to our suet feeders. This year not so much! I suspect that it has probably been too hot for the birds too around here. It certainly has been way too hot for […]
Up Close & Personal … The Varied Thrush
I’ll always remember the first time I spotted one of these birds! It was on a very cold winter morning in our garden in Portland, Oregon. I had to get the bird field guide out since I’d never seen this bird before and learned they […]
Up Close & Personal … The Western Swallowtail Butterfly
It’s getting hot here in the Pacific Northwest! Much of the western United States is dealing with excessive heat right now. Yesterday, it was 125° Fahrenheit in Palm Springs!! While most people wilt under these brutal conditions, butterflies and hardy wildflowers come alive! Long ago […]
Hummingbird Magic!
A little cleaning, a little preening, there really are moments when these very active birds sit still. 🙂
Happy Friday from my Garden!
This Western Swallowtail has taken a liking to my Korean lilac bush. It visits every day and always heads straight for these fragrant blossoms. Just take a look at the proboscis covered in pollen! I watched until it disappeared into the woods along with the […]
Happy Mother’s Day from my Garden!
Happy Mother’s Day from my Garden! What better place to be than outside on a lovely day. The garden is starting to show its most beautiful side during this time of spring. The heavenly fragrance of  lilac blossoms attracted the first western swallowtail of the season. […]
Up Close & Personal … The Female Black-Headed Grosbeak
In my last post I highlighted the male black-headed grosbeak. Here are some photographs of a female black-headed grosbeak. Her overall appearance is much more plain than her male counterpart. Her body is buff colored and her wings have white markings. The white stripes on […]
Happy Friday from my Birdwatching Granddogter!
Meet Dingo, our “granddogter”! One of our sons adopted her from a rescue organization nearly two years ago. She’ a bit of a mutt, including German Shepard, possibly some Shar Pei and a whole lot of lovable. Like all happy dogs, Dingo loves to search […]
Up Close & Personal … Yellow Finches for Trish!
For many years we rarely got more than a handful of American Goldfinches in our garden. I’d buy some thistle seed, fill the feeder and wait … … until the thistle seeds finally got moldy. Since just about all birds love black oil sunflower seeds […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Hummers are resourceful when procuring their nectar. They are very agile and can fly in any direction, including upside! They weigh about 3 grams or approximately the weight of a penny. Look at her standing on the Rose of Sharon blossom! It’s just so much […]
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 […]
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 […]
in cahoots with muddy boots 