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- Jun 30, 2021
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- Climate
- Temperate (all seasons)
Rainy garden show-off
- Thread starter Mandy Onderwater
- Start date
We do indeed have willy wagtails here! When I head into town they tend to frequent the parks. I'm not sure if I've seen fairy wrens, but they might be a little too far south from us.
The little birdies we have make dome nests (after some googling I found that it's called that). They have multiple nests around the property, one hanging off of the clothesline, one hanging off of a vine of our dying passionfruit, and one hung in a tree, but fell out during a storm (I checked for eggs, thankfully none). Granddad says that these birds make a lot of nests in advance and they pick one of those still hanging/safe. Wish I knew their name though (or recall what they looked like so I could google).
The little birdies we have make dome nests (after some googling I found that it's called that). They have multiple nests around the property, one hanging off of the clothesline, one hanging off of a vine of our dying passionfruit, and one hung in a tree, but fell out during a storm (I checked for eggs, thankfully none). Granddad says that these birds make a lot of nests in advance and they pick one of those still hanging/safe. Wish I knew their name though (or recall what they looked like so I could google).
My spring onions have bloomed and the native bees are loving it 😊
I can see why! They are so cute! I love that the males will find "presents" to give to his mate.
In my old garden, we had quite a variety of native birds: Bluejays, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, the ubiquitous House Sparrow, Downy woodpecker, Flickers, Robins, House finch, American Goldfinch, and of course the Northern Cardinal.
It's a toss-up for me which was my favorite. The robins used to be my herald of spring arriving. There was a flock of them that would arrive every year right around Valentine's Day a.k.a. Feb. 14th and perch in my favorite tree, a sugar maple. Their bright red breasts would remind me of the brilliant leaves of that tree in the fall. This is a photo of that tree from a few years ago, taken somewhere around late October I'd guess. Literally, the entire yard would turn an orange tint when the sun would hit it. Definitely the thing I miss the most about fall down here in Florida. Northeast fall leaves are a spectacle that I dearly loved.
My next favorite bird is either the Carolina Wren or the finches. The wrens would take up residence in a little birdhouse I'd hung off the front porch awning. They'd come back every year, clean it out and start over.
They'd even let me take a peek at the eggs and the babies without too much protesting! It was always a thrill.
The finches, whether the House or the Gold, would give us quite a close-up through the kitchen window as they'd sit on the feeder.
They were a bright spot of color in the crab winter season.
Here in Florida I've only seen the Cardinals and Bluejays consistently. When I had a bird feeder active, I also saw my first Painted Bunting, Brown Thrasher, and another that I've yet to identify, but, it appears to be in the Mocking Bird family.
ETA: I know I need to get more variety of food/feeders to attract more here and I plan on it as soon as I can afford it. Soon! Very Soon!
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That's awesome!!
Granddad thinks the little birds that frequent us are "little yellow honeyeaters" but I'm not sure as after some Google-ing their nests look different from what we have here;
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2021
- Messages
- 433
- Climate
- Temperate (all seasons)
Nectarinia jugularis, yellow bellied sunbird I think. They build nests just like that, and they're a NQld regular.
I'm not sure. I don't recall them having a curved beak; but then again I don't remember what they look like... I hope to see them again soon!
I think I may have found the native bees' nest! It's in a.. uh... unconventional location.
