In January, the days seem to flow into one another and thus gave me lots of time to ponder. My biggest problem that I wished to resolve over the Winter months was determining what to do with my backyard, once my paradise … my pride and joy. Do I fill it with flowers and welcome back the birds and butterflies, or enjoy them in nature locales?
The backyard back story.
Through the years, fellow bloggers have commiserated with me over my backyard woes. Once an avid gardener, I spent countless hours every weekend creating a picture-perfect nirvana for birds and butterflies. But, in 2008 a new neighbor’s dog, left outside 24/7 and fed table scraps, brought rats. The pest control service said all my bird paraphernalia had to go. I couldn’t bear to see the woeful faces as birds lined up on the chain-link fence wondering why I no longer provided seeds and birdbaths for them. That neighbor eventually moved, so mercifully there were no more rats, but I never resumed feeding/watering the birds, as I didn’t want to tempt fate and encourage any critters that didn’t belong in my backyard, though I’d never had so much as a mouse before.
Then the Polar Vortex in the Winter of 2013-2014 killed off my entire butterfly garden and multiple bushes. I tucked away the butterfly houses and trappings in the garage and decided qué será, será (what will be, will be) – if any plants survived and thrived, so be it. By then, walking and blogging consumed a lot of my free time.
After a downed wire fire that occurred in December 2022 after a branch from the dead tree two houses away burned one-quarter of my backyard and my energy provider hacked up two trees (which had nothing to do with the fire), I had those trees removed last Summer – I know the squirrels and birds were not amused.
Thus my backyard languished in a sorry state and I fully realized my lackadaisical attitude toward it when, to my horror, I discovered the large groundhog burrow at the foundation on September 13th. I hired a pest control service pronto, but one month later we had two ‘possum captures, still no groundhog, so the burrow was filled with soil and pea gravel and I now check daily for “infiltrations” – so far, so good. My neighbor Jeff found three burrows at his foundation and layered mothballs and dirt to deter any future diggings, then decided to tear out every bush at the fence line. He even cut down a beautiful Weeping Mulberry Tree vowing “no more critters will make their home in my yard!” He even cautioned me “if you don’t want critters hiding back there, rip out your remaining bushes, put in grass and be done with it!”
Well, that statement gave me cause to pause about my backyard and whether I should try to recapture the magic of my long-gone paradise?
Fast forward a few months ….
Our Fall foliage peaked later than usual due to a three-week drought in June.
I arrived home from walking on a gorgeous November day and saw the sun lighting up Jeff’s Red Maple tree, the only tree spared from his tree/bush-clearing rampage. I wanted a photo of that tree, aglow in its glory and quickly fished the camera out of my pocket. When I focused on the tree, I saw two suet feeders hanging among those brilliant leaves.
And then I saw a bird or two at the feeders … woo hoo!
I lingered, taking some more photos of the Maple from different angles, then noticed some seed feeders in the yard.
Jeff saw me taking pictures and came out of the house. I said “the tree is gorgeous and I’m surprised to see you put out bird food.” He replied “I love feeding the birds and now that Woody is gone, I thought I’d feed them.”
(Woody was Marge’s beloved dog and he was euthanized last Spring. This is a picture of my late friend/neighbor and Woody.)
I couldn’t help myself and said “but you showed me a photo on your phone of a Mama and baby raccoon in your garbage bin, you know the trap got two ‘possums and a groundhog burrowed at both our homes – you may get more unwanted critters feeding the birds.” He said “no I won’t” so I said “okay … well I’ll contribute to the cause; I loved feeding the birds and stopped when the rats arrived.” He said he bought several large bags of seed, so I went into the house and carried out a brand-new platform feeder and a ten-pound bag of sunflower seeds, part of my stash for my Park critters. I was thinking of all the Jays and Cardinals I’d see, but only the regular seeds were put in the platform feeder.
The next time I went grocery shopping I bought two cases of suet cakes and gave them to Jeff. Yes, I would try out this bird-feeding venture once, but this time with a bit of trepidation and an eye toward opening up MY backyard to birds (and butterflies) once again.
So, let the birding begin!
Or maybe not.
First, I saw a fat black squirrel park its furry bottom in the platform feeder, munching away happily. I watched a few minutes, then thought “this will make a great blog header photo” but, by the time I got the camera ready it jumped off the feeder and ran away. I’ve never seen that squirrel there since. Note to self: get the shot first, be amused later.
The next morning I went out to walk and noticed Jeff had hung a filled suet cake holder on my shepherd’s hook. I had to get a photo since my Burning Bush was at peak color like Jeff’s Maple. (I have two Burning Bushes just a few feet from one another – one always turns red, the other always stays green.)
A few days later I took this photo through the screen door. It looked like the suet made a hit – in fact, Jeff told me this was the second suet cake and the bottom had to be secured with a twist-tie from so much action at the feeder that the original cake fell into the bush..
The Downy Woodpecker saw me open the door, then bolted next door to Jeff’s offerings, clearly miffed by my presence. (“Hey, what’s your issue, I live here Bud!”)
I vowed to have my camera at the ready every time I exited the house going forward.
First, I’d glance toward the platform feeder …
… and all the Sparrows would fly up like I was terrorizing them.
Sparrows seemed to be the most-popular birds bellying up to the platform feeder as you see in this slideshow … the sneaky squirrel cleaned up the remaining seeds on the ground.
I guess I should have tempered my expectations a tad from when I DID have colorful songbirds bopping by the feeders and Birdola seed blocks and happily sipping and splashing in the four birdbaths. “Birding in the backyard” is not how I’d describe this 2023-2024 venture as it has been about as exciting as seeing Hope, the one and only hummingbird that shows up at the two feeders I put out.
So, admittedly feeding the birds had/has been a letdown.
During the bitter cold days of our mid-January Polar Vortex, I saw zero birds. Perhaps they, like the squirrels, stayed tucked in their nests next to their kin?
Plus, from my vantage point, the food sources were frozen solid – that snow/rain then flash freeze caused the suet and birdseed to be covered in snow, then ice and it remained frozen solid for a week. Secretly I hoped Jeff would chisel out a few spots so they could eat – maybe that wasn’t doable?
The yard looked a bit barren and brrrrrr with Jack Frost’s etchings on the garage door window, a frosty backyard thermometer (a bit wonky as it was colder than this temp) and frozen food at the feeders.
The peanut suet balls and sunflower seeds I put into two small feeders …
… both ended up having snow glazed with ice on them.
One frosty morning, since it was too icy to try to walk to the Park, I captured the comings and goings in Jeff’s backyard; yes, it was hardly the “birdie nirvana” I anticipated. Finally, the incessant rain and fog must have made the food more pliable and it rapidly disappeared.
All I’ve really seen are the gazillion Sparrows that perch in my tall Golden Vicary bush (all those brown blobs in the next two photos) …
… and, in a whoosh, take flight every time I head toward the backyard.
There are way too many Starlings to mention; here are a few that flew the coop when they saw me.
I am not discriminating against the Sparrows, nor the Starlings, however, I saw no Cardinals, Blue Jays, Finches or Chickadees. At least there was the one visit from the Downie.
Oh … and there was one Junco munching up high – they are usually ground feeders. I see them at the Park all the time.
The weather wasn’t the only “spoiler” this Winter.
“The Lurker” a/k/a a Cooper’s Hawk came calling.
One morning I went outside to run the car and heard Blue Jays screeching – not just one. It was non-stop screeching and, when I glanced up at the trees, I saw a huge Cooper’s Hawk perched on a lower branch glaring at me. I did a double-take when I saw two brown spots on that speckled chest, but quickly realized it must have been preening and its feathers remained parted.
This brute was not my idea of backyard birding.
The Jays, still agitated by this predator’s presence, continued to hop noisily from branch to branch in a nearby tree, sounding the warning alarm to other birds. I wondered if the squirrels were savvy enough to heed those Jays’ warning calls? Perhaps, as I saw no squirrels around. I got these few shots of that hawk before it flew to another tree. Did I spook it? I don’t know, but having dealt with the demise of the contingent of neighborhood squirrels by a Cooper’s Hawk in 2020, I decided that our backyard buddies are once again vulnerable, just like poor Grady and his friends.
I think I won’t participate anymore after Winter is over, preferring instead to dole out peanuts, seeds, suet balls and suet cakes to my feathered friends at the Park instead, just as I do year-round. I get more enjoyment from that interaction and I love seeing them swoop down near me to enjoy their treats.
So yes, February IS Feed the Birds Month and I intended to count the expected “backyard birds” as part of my annual participation in “The Great Backyard Bird Count” on February 16th to 19th. Instead I’ll probably take my abacus and camera down to Council Point Park as I have in the past.
I’m joining Terri Webster Schrandt’s Sunday Stills Challenge for February 4, 2024 “February is Feed the Birds Month”.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Pingback: Sunday Stills: February is Feed the #Birds Month – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Very nice
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Thank you vermavkv, I’m glad you liked it.
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I have found that after I have been away for some time and there has been no food put out for the birds, they are very wary of me for quite a time and might even ignore the food for a while. Even now, it usually takes about twenty minutes from putting out seeds before the first bird ventures down to eat.
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That’s interesting Anne, as if they are suspect of you for disappearing on them and wary to trust you again, even though they are hungry. I guess they feel abandoned. I’m sure that’s how the squirrels and birds at the Park felt when I was gone for two weeks. Then I didn’t make it back for another week. Most unusual but all due to the weather. I fretted over them, but was wary of taking any chances on the ice. It was good to see them again. I wish there was someone else to be there if I cannot be there. Our family had pet birds over the years and one parakeet in particular, Joey, my mom and I would visit my grandmother and be gone almost four days. We left him tube feeders for water, but he would pine and wouldn’t eat anything the entire time – no chaff on the seeds, all the tubes intact. He would not pay attention to us for almost a day, only nibbling at his food a few hours later.
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So beautiful you sharing your Backyard friends and foes. Very interesting your backyard back story tailing you. Wonderful photography. Nice feeder pic. Beautiful frosty morning, since it was too icy and you walk to the Park, beautiful you captured it’s.
Geogrous you & baby pic.
Thank,Linda!🙋
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I’m glad you liked the post Raj, however, this is not me in the photo. It is my late neighbor and her dog – she passed away in 2017. I often mention her so I thought I’d include her in the post.
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Okay! So sorry ,Linda that’ my mistake.
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No problem Raj.
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I’m not sure where to begin, other than to say, what an odyssey you’ve been through just to enjoy birds in your own backyard, Linda! I’m thankful we have a rural property and we can control most of the wildlife (except deer). Various species of birds show up as predicted at certain times of year and I try to accommodate their feeding styles appropriately. Your photos tell a wonderful if perplexing story of wildlife having its own way despite sour neighbors. Let’s pray our crazy winter is on the wane and spring will be closer than we think. With that said , we may have to prepare for a super hot summer 😦
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Terri, it has been a disappointing odyssey since those glory days. I go back and look at the yard every day (when I do my groundhog check) while hoping to come to a decision. I know the delight of birds at the feeder. I enjoyed the nesting Cardinal last Spring. I tried to encourage the pair and their brood to stay by offering safflower seeds as the squirrels don’t like those, but they left. My neighbor out front cut a large Maple tree down – the poor birds lost four trees within a month’s time I hope we don’t pay the price for the milder Winter (except for that hiccup) – we are going to 50 Friday!
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It’s hard to see our neighborhoods change. I spent 31 years in the same house and neighborhood that gradually changed. Homeowners moved then rented the homes. A lot of trees came down during that time. We could always control our backyard and we planted 7 redwoods in the side and backyards. A lot of birds took up residence in them. We’re just getting rain here all week. Maybe a bit of snow but I doubt it will stick.
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Yes it is Terri. I do miss how it was, but even wonder if the butterflies would be so prolific now. They gathered non-stop on the butterfly bushes, as did Swallowtails and a few other species. But their numbers are so reduced now. We have good weather until Friday p.m., warm and sunny so I will make the most of it as I’m sadly lacking in my walking miles.
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What a see sawing tale Linda. You just do what you have to do 🙂
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Yes I guess that’s what it comes down to Brian. Four trees down in a month’s time (my neighbor cut a large Maple down last Summer) may be keeping many birds away as well. The Sparrows and Starlings monopolize the feeders too, so those gangs keep the other birds away. I hated seeing the hawk watching intently – he had his eyes on a meal..
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The ups and downs of having a yard didn’t end just with the plants. You’re wise to ponder what you really want to do with the space. Maybe you could just make a bunch of bird baths out of stones. The birds would come and get clean, make a big splash to capture in photos, and then leave and not attract any other critters in the process? 🤔 I love this line, Linda, it’s great advice “Note to self: get the shot first, be amused later.” 😂 You’ve done well to capture the photos to remind you of what you enjoyed and what you love to do as you figure out what your yard will be this year!
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Yes Shelley, I think I’ve pretty much made up my mind on the butterfly garden and sanctuary I had in mind, similar to before. Had I not seen that groundhog in the Fall, I was all in. I see the two butterfly houses and think “well I could just put them up without the garden too” but do I really want to do that?”
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I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
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So sorry you were let down about your renewed attempts at feeding the birds. Sigh. I know what you mean about house sparrows and starlings, both invasive species crowding out the native ones we love. That hawk is a beautiful bird, even if he is spoiling things. I’m reluctant to start feeding birds here because we seem to get a few pretty ones in the bushes outside our windows without doing anything, and I don’t want to upset the balance. When Tim put out some suet the feeder the crows got all of it. So that was the end of that. It would probably be better for you to plant native bushes and perennials that the birds love and let nature take care of feeding them.
That’s a beautiful picture of Marge and Woody! 💕
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I can see your point about feeding the birds too Barbara. There are always going to be some bully birds that monopolize the feeders and the other songbirds just leave and go elsewhere. You have a good set-up with natural gatherings, so why try to enhance it? The arborvitae bushes you suggested awhile back might be the best alternative to having a big garden again … and finally, do I really want all that work? Especially with climate change causing such drastic weather conditions. I am glad you liked that photo of Marge and Woody. I decided I should put it in since I mentioned her in my blog so often.
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I remember seeing lots of birds using our arborvitaes for shelter during storms so I did a quick search and found this great article about how beneficial they are to birds. If you do go with the arborvitae you will also have a natural barrier to the view of your neighbor’s back yard. And they don’t require any maintenance.
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Thank you for this informative article Barbara. We have Davey Tree Company in our area too – they do some trimming for our energy provider. I like the idea that the arborvitae are fast growing plus provide shelter for birds. I can’t imagine why the sparrows are clustering in the Golden Vicary Bush. Yes, it is tall and still has a lot of leaves, but there are big empty spaces too. Also, years ago, when my garden was at its prime, there were no fences, just the chain-link fence. My one neighbor has put up a white vinyl privacy fence on one side, behind me there is a white lattice fence for one neighbor and the other neighbor has is a stockade fence. Just chain-link fence on Jeff’s side. So it looks disjointed – these bushes would make it cozier looking I’d think. I was surprised how the grass improved after the two trees were cut down. I wish he could have removed the stumps. I may have to call in a company with a smaller contraption to remove/grind up the two stumps. We had our two Oak trees taken out due to Carpenter Ants way back in the 90s. There are huge holes that remain. I filled them, filled them with pea gravel and put big pots there and filled them with flowers and then finally planted the butterfly bushes in the holes, then the butterfly bushes died. No matter what, it remains sunken in. I see that local places are already advertising for landscaping services. I guess I should contact someone to at least give me an estimate and have a look-see. Thank you again or this info. I didn’t know about the other trees and didn’t know Crabapples continued to produce berries in the Winter.
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Wow! What a saga!
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That alone gives me cause to pause as to going forward!
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I had a lot of wildlife at my last house with the pond including possum and raccoons who came for a drink at night. I’m trying to encourage birds here but it’s been a struggle. I had to cut down 3 trees which were great roosting spots. I have planted new ones along with shrubs so they have places to hide from predators but it takes a few years to get the colony going. Hummingbirds visit when I have the deck planters going but I’d love to see all the others. I’ve had a heated bird bath on my deck with a suet hanger all winter. I get some action. I really don’t care if the squirrels help themselves. They are fun to watch too.
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Back when I had my garden looking good, I also catered to the squirrels and they were only bad because they dug holes in my pots and buried peanuts. I would like what you have now but the neighbor next door to me cut down a Maple tree in her front yard. So, like you, another roosting perch is gone – four all together. Marge had a heated bath on her deck rail and did get birds – it is no longer there. I think the suet hanger is a good opportunity for them too and less messy.
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I was surprised at how many birds we had at our feeder during the cold spell but are feeders are right next to the arborvitae bushes. It seems that little by little more types of birds are showing up at the feeders.
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The arborvitae bushes are giving them a good place to seek refuge from the elements so you’re really encouraging them to visit your feeder Ruth. I had hoped to see a lot of birds and I really warmed to the idea of feeding them again, but it has seemed to fizzle on all counts. At least I know I can please the Park birds.
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Good for you for participating in the Backyard Bird Count. That is always so appealing! Our backyard backs up to a little woodlot, so I see lots of woodpeckers, nuthatches, finches, sparrows, and chickadees. Sometimes even a titmouse or two. I have even started seeing robins in the yards. They are here all winter in the woods but don’t usually find their way to backyards until spring. This year they are in the yards in early February!
I used to feed the birds too, but, like you, I just enjoy them in nature now.
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Yes, I like participating Laurie and I’ll go to the Park for the Backyard Bird Count and even if I don’t see a lot of birds that day, there are always ducks and geese there. I’m envious of the birds you do see in your backyard. Those Titmice are so cute – there are none of those at the Park however. I just read yesterday that the Red-winged Blackbirds return to marshes in February – I always thought it was closer to the first day of Spring. You are warmer in PA than we are here but I see Robins at the Park in the Winter munching on berries.
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We feed our birds here but we are always on the lookout for wildlife that might ruin this activity ! That Hawk is something, we always know when there is a hawk in our neighbourhood because there are no birds around at all. I do love the woodpeckers when they come to feed, not fond of the Starlings as they eat everything in a few minutes and then there is nothing left for all the others ! Sorry about your friend and the little dog, he is really cute.
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The Hawk is worrisome to me Susan, especially since it got all my squirrels … I didn’t know until my neighbor Jeff told me. It was the beginning of Covid and he was home every day and looking out his window. I asked if he’d seen my critters – I stopped feeding them then. I hate seeing the Starlings taking all the food too. They are bullies. In the past I have written a lot about Marge – it is because of her I started this blog. So, I remembered I had this photo and it worked into the post well.
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We used to have so many more birds around here. I’m not sure where they went, but it makes me sad. I do look forward to the arrival every year (sometime in March) of the bright yellow orioles from Mexico. They love grape jelly so I always make sure to have some on hand for them.
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It is sad how many birds are disappearing, a lot due to climate change. Your yellow orioles sound nice Janis. We only have the orange (Baltimore) type. Years ago we lost a lot of jays and cardinals to West Nile Virus. After a few days away I found a dozen dead in the yard. The DNR asked people to leave them so they could do necropsies on them and confirmed that was the culprit.
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It can cause trouble to feed birds, not just the mess they make, but the other (unwelcome) critters the food attracts (including eating the birds themselves). We found that bird seed attracted too many rodents and when I found 3 (!) rattlesnakes in the yard, I stopped feeding except in winter. We do well with the hummers in summer. Good luck with figuring out what you want to do with the yard.
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Oh seeing the snakes in the yard would be a game changer for me too Eilene! I was lucky not to have mice (that I saw anyway), but the day I saw the rat strolling along after putting some cherries out for the birds, that was the end of it. And I’m happy to stay critterless back there!
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“The Lurker” looks like he hasn’t missed many meals. Your outdoor thermometer is impressive – if not accurate – if only for the markings significantly below zero (which go hand-in-hand with your comment, “One morning I went out to run the car…” 🙂 ) As for your garden quandary, I say give it another go, Linda. As much as your recurring critters and destruction would suggest retiring your gloves for good, maybe the real message is it’s time for a fresh start. As they say, persistence pays!
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Yes, Dave – “The Lurker” was big and at first glance I thought someone shot it and it grazed him/her. 🙂 I’ve seen Cooper’s Hawks at the Park and worry about them going after the squirrels and rabbits – in fact, we had a lot more rabbits there and I rarely see any, so hopefully that is not the Hawk’s doing. I did not drive my car for weeks due to the treacherous ice in the driveway – “Driveway Heat” ice pellets didn’t work. But I went out for the car daily to run it for 15-20 minutes in the garage and I have had a trickle charger on it since 2016. Actually the thermometer in the header photo was more accurate – I think this one’s needle froze in place.
You know I hated to throw in the towel (or garden gloves) because I did enjoy the flowers, birds and butterflies. I have butterfly houses, puddling dishes for sipping, flat rocks for sunning and a book on butterflies. I was all in that hobby and I would run out in the middle of the afternoon to take photos as it was hot and there were more butterflies and birds at the birdbaths. I am also hoping that the Cardinal nests in my barberry bush again – with so many trees gone, including a large one out front next door, they might try another neighborhood. (I think I may have worn out my welcome with her taking photos too.)
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Hmmm. “Do I fill it with flowers [major work and heavy expense, then maintenance work keeping you from leisure time] and welcome back the birds and butterflies, or enjoy them in nature locales?”
I think you answered your question in your last paragraph. “…preferring instead to dole out peanuts, seeds, suet balls and suet cakes to my feathered friends at the Park instead, just as I do year-round. I get more enjoyment from that interaction and I love seeing them swoop down near me to enjoy their treats.” 🫠
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Yes, this is true TD … I watch a woman photographer on Facebook. Jocelyn Anderson goes to one of the Metroparks (not near me) every morning with bird treats to feed the birds. She feeds them from the palm of her hand and they land on her hand and sit and eat. It is a nature center and everyone can feed the birds – they have been feeding them like that for years. But the photographer uses her phone to take videos of the birds in her hand. I had hoped to have the birds at the Park feel comfortable enough to do that someday, but I have to be able to get there every day and that was not doable this Winter. I did get some Jay and Cardinal pics on Sunday morning. As for the garden, I do remember the back-breaking effort and never-ending expense of taking care of flowers. That I do.
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Miss Linda…………………………………..that was a very interesting blog………………………I don’t always get to see birds in action……………………..your camera is super……………………..I felt the freezing cold of this past January while remembering all of the icy cold that we all had to put up with……………………………………I’m glad January is over with………………………I thought it would never end………………………….You’re a good writer!
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I am glad you enjoyed it Ann Marie and thank you. I never used many pictures the first two years of my blog, just pictures I got online. I first saw that Red Maple Tree and then the feeders and thought it would make a fun post to document the birds. I really had hoped to get more birds though – I was hopeful with the Downy Woodpecker. So cute. Savor this next week of weather because Valentine’s Day may come with a little snow. Like me you will want to make up those walking miles you missed in icy January.
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I can’t imagine my backyard without the birds that frequent the feeders. The cardinals come down to the lower branches of my bushes and chirp to remind me to replace the food each morning. My dogs are great about keeping unwanted critters out of the yard. But, then, I don’t have the beautiful parks to visit like you do. I know those animals would be lost without your contributions. 🙂
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Rebecca, I weigh my options every day and intended to use this Winter as an opportunity to try it out again, initially with no feeders, then adding the three to my yard. Perhaps I was unfair and I would love to see the Cardinals and Jays again – remember when I fed two mated pairs along with the squirrels every morning? And I had Goldfinch with the Sunflowers. I felt horrible not getting to the Park to feed those critters. It was two weeks, then another week as we had more freezing rain so essentially two visits in three weeks. I know when I returned, I counted a lot of snouts and beaks and I think (and hope) everyone is accounted for.
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Having birds close by is always a plus!
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Yes, it is a wonderful and joyous thing, especially when they sing and splash in the birdbath, but knowing that a Cooper’s Hawk is around, tempers my enthusiasm. I know those Hawks will eat not only squirrels, mice/voles, but also medium-sized birds
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The Japanese maples are gorgeous! We planted two young ones in our front yard this fall. I can’t wait to see how they do! I have one bird feeder and two bird baths. I used to have suet feeders, but once we moved to our current house, the raccoons would go through a block a night, so I had to put a stop to that.
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Such a vibrant red – you are in for a treat for sure Linda. I thought this Winter would be a good way to try and revive that enjoyment of bird watching, But I saw that Cooper’s Hawk and know what they are capable of as to squirrels as well as birds. That would annoy me too with the raccoons chomping on the suet block and I’d stop feeding them too.
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I haven’t feed the birds in years. The squirrels steal the seed and the final straw was a raccoon dragging the bird feeder down the deck steps toward the forest.
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I am really ambivalent about it Ally. I want to capture that joy from years ago, but after I saw the Cooper’s Hawk in the backyard, I figured I’d be encouraging it to stop here for a regular meal (their prey includes medium-sized birds). I sure don’t blame you for stopping as you are so close to the forest.
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Hi Linda and friends,
Great Post and beautiful red colour. Is it an unusual colour for this time of the year, Linda?
Thank God you are back to feeding his creatures.
Susie
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Hi Susie – nice to see you here on WP again. (In fact, I had to rescue your comment out of SPAM.)
I am glad you liked the post. Well, we had a warm Summer, three-week drought in June, so the leaves were later turning colors. This tree was at peak on November 12th when I took the pictures at the beginning of the post. It was gorgeous. Now unfortunately it is bare, but right now we have unusually warm weathr this week, which I am thinking some trees could bud. I liked feeding the birds back in the day but I’m wary now as I had a groundhog burrow and had a pest service set a trap and they caught two opossums which is worrisome exactly what is in my backyard. Plus the hawk in this post … well, when I returned from walking this morning, there it was again. Same tree in the backyard and the Jays making a ruckus over it. I still try to get down to Council Point Park and feed those critters there, though I only got there twice in three weeks because we had a lot of ice and very cold weather.
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Oh how I feel your pain Linda. The animals seem to love your yard for sure! It is so discouraging to do all that work only to have it destroyed. Pick the plants and feed the birds that bring you the most joy and do the rest at the Metropark like you said.
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After this Winter, I’m pretty sure I’ll just keep feeding my birds at the Park Diane. I get a nice warm welcome from them down there, especially in Winter. Today with some small shelled peanuts, I had several Chickadees coming over close to me. I had another sighting of the hawk in the yard since that last time – it sits in the tree behind looking down into the yard. The squirrels are pretty active in next-door’s yard as to the dropped birdseed, so the Hawk is not wasting his time peering down. I do hate nature sometimes.
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