Paula's Patch: A Minnesota Garden

Welcome to my garden and birding adventures. Come wander in; the gate is always open.

Society 6 February 21, 2012

Filed under: Birding,Gardening — Paula B @ 2:08 pm
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paulas pictures at society6 | paulasgardenpatch.com | paula bonelli

My daughter is an artist and a photographer and is selling some of her photography on Society6.com. While I am not a “photographer”, I do have numerous nature photos taken in my yard, on hikes, camping, etc. So I’ve opened an account to share and sell (maybe!) some of my photos.

I know many of you are much better photographers than I – why not check Society6 out for yourself? You can sell any kind of artwork, not just photos. It’s an easy way to get some exposure.

All you have to do is post your artwork and it’s immediately available for sale as a variety of products. When you sell a product, they produce it, package it and ship it for you. You can connect your account to your Facebook or Twitter and tell all your friends. You maintain the rights to all your work.

I just have a few photos uploaded, but look for more to come! Here’s where you can see them: Paulas Pictures

P.S. Just finished the Great Backyard Bird Count. I didn’t get to see a snowy owl, but had a rare sighting (for me) of a Pileated Woodpecker and my hubby saw 3 bald eagles. We had really mild weather so that made getting out and about to bird-watch much easier. Check out some 2012 participant photos here!

 

My Plant Journal February 17, 2012

Filed under: Birding,Gardening,Midwest,Winter — Paula B @ 1:53 pm
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Today I added a Plant Journal page to my site (see Gardening tab in upper right corner).

Since I’m not doing a very good job of referring to my offline, print version I thought maybe I’d try keeping it here. I was going to make it private, but thought maybe other gardeners would like to see it. Get inspiration, ideas and let me know what you’re doing in your garden — I love new ideas! Go to My Plant Journal.

Don’t forget that today is the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count. You need just 15 minutes any or all days (Feb 17-20, 2012) to count birds wherever you are (doesn’t have to be your backyard). Watch video instructions and get your Regional Bird list count/tally sheet. I’m counting :-) …here;s what I’ve counted so far today — northern cardinal, junco and crow. With the sunshine I’m sure there will be many more to see.

bluejay | paulasgardenpatch.com | paula bonelli

bluejay eating peanuts in shell

P.S. SOON! I need to move this site from a free platform to something that gives me more flexibility with the appearance, as well as tools for the admin of keeping it up. If you have experience with moving a site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, I’d love to hear your experiences – pros and cons. Thanks!

 

Nestcams February 14, 2012

Filed under: Bird-Watching,Birding,Winter — Paula B @ 2:55 pm
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red-bellied woodpecker | paulasgardenpatch.com | copyright paula bonelli

red-bellied woodpecker, copyright paula bonelli

I love watching birds up close and personal. My fav spot to do this is in my own backyard. It’s one of the unexpected joys that came from developing my once plain yard into a natural backyard retreat that now attracts all kinds of birds, butterflies and small wildlife.

When I can’t get out with my binocs, either into the yard or for a walk in the woods, I like to watch nests on a Web cam. I’d love one for my own yard, but the ones I’m watching can be found online.

Last year I was hooked on watching the Decorah eagles provide food for their eaglets (March).

This year, since joining Project FeederWatch, I found more Web nestcams at Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology site. The Lab of Ornithology is such a wealth of information, tools and resources for birders. Discover and learn more about birds and become a citizen scientist. It’s fun!

I figured if I enjoyed the Web nestcams so much, maybe other birders would too. So here are links to some I’ve enjoyed watching.

Cornell Nestcams

Hummingbird Nestcam

Decorah, Iowa Eagles’ Nestcam

Other Eagle Nestcams (US and Canada)

Owl Nestcams

These links have a permanent home on the Nestcams page, which you can find in the upper right corner.

Related links: Male Hummingbird video, Downy Woodpecker video, Tree Swallow fledgling video, Bird videos

 

Where Are The Birds? February 12, 2012

Filed under: Bird-Watching,Birding,Winter — Paula B @ 4:41 pm
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This winter has been nothing but strange; mild weather, little or no snow and very low bird activity. I blamed the weather for the reduction in bird visits, but last week I saw our friendly neighborhood Cooper’s Hawk a block away soaring over the road. We noticed that our cardinal pair had been hunkering down in the pine tree out front staying close to the house. Then we spotted the hawk chasing a Bluejay around the pine tree and ultimately taking a rest in our Maple tree, where I was able to capture this pic. Suppose he was exhausted after trying to catch up to that Bluejay! But, alas, the Jay was safe. In pursuit of prey they can be seen dashing through vegetation at top speeds to catch birds.

coopers hawk | paulasgardenpatch.com | paula bonelli(Too bad you can’t see his head very well.)

When we experience fewer bird visits in the summer, I know it’s because the hawk has been hanging around. He’s stealthy. Unless we happen to spot the large shadow flying overhead, we rarely hear him. But the telltale signs are there — the frantic songs of the birds in the yard followed by a couple of days of low bird activity. It’s the cycle of nature I suppose, but when he enters the yard and is after MY backyard birds, I have something to say about it! The diet of this hawk is mainly songbirds. I can’t remember seeing the Cooper’s Hawk during the winter, but maybe with this year’s milder weather they’ve pushed farther north than usual. I wouldn’t miss a few squirrels or rabbits, but my songbirds are special.

Do you have hawks in your backyard? Both the Sharp-shinned and the Cooper’s Hawk are becoming more common around feeder areas looking for an easy meal (Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology). And except for the difference in size, it’s very hard to tell one from the other. The average size of the Sharp-shinned size is 10-14″ or similar in size to a dove or jay, while the Cooper’s measures 14-20″.

 

 

Winter Bird Feeding February 8, 2012

Filed under: Attracting Birds,Backyard,Birding,Winter — Paula B @ 12:28 pm
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nuthatch | paulasgardenpatch.com | paula bonelli

Nuthatch | © Paula Bonelli

Feeding the birds is one way of making sure your garden is a lively place even during the gray days of winter. It’s best to establish feeding areas in late-Fall, but any time will do.

Birds will always opt for natural food when they can get it. After a storm or blanket of snow, they will depend on your feeders as an additional food source. I’ve found that a variety of seeds, fruit and nuts attract the most wanted birds.

I have feeders in my yard year-round, but move them closer to my windows for winter viewing. That way I don’t miss a thing! I have a small yard so this does not disturb the birds too much since the feeders aren’t very far away from their summer locations. If you have a large yard and move a feeder some distance, it may take the birds days or weeks to find the new spot.

In the northern Midwest, these birds are in my yard year-round: Woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied), Northern Cardinal, Bluejay, House Sparrow*, House Finch*, Black-Capped Chickadee.

Here’s what works for me come Winter:

  • Black-oiled sunflower (tube feeder): Juncos, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers Cardinals, and sometimes Finches and Sparrows
  • Unsalted peanut pieces (tube feeder): Chickadees, Nuthatches
  • Safflower (large tray/platform feeder , hopper feeder): Nuthatches, Cardinals, Sparrows, Finches, Chickadees
  • Whole Peanuts in the shell (small tray/platform feeder): Bluejays
  • Suet (bottom-access-only feeder–see nuthatch image above): Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Chickadees
  • Orange halves (on nails): House Finches

*House Sparrows and House Finches can be a nuisance if they are abundant because they can clean out your feeders in a hurry and intimidate the songbirds. Squirrels can also be a trouble. Avoiding wild bird food mix or cracked corn can reduce the number of these bullies. The seeds above do a pretty good job of keeping these visitors to a minimum.

dark-eyed junco | paulasgardenpatch.com | paula bonelli

Dark-eyed Junco | © Paula Bonelli

Set up your dining stations near trees and shrubs for protection from wind and predators. To keep the birds visiting your yard, keep your feeders full. There are many places you can find bird food — online (pros=delivery to your door; cons=shipping can be expensive), big box stores and garden centers. In our area (MN), Mills Fleet Farm has the best deal; large bags, economical prices, good variety.

Create a sanctuary in your yard and you’ll get endless entertainment from the antics of your backyard birds!

What types of food attracts your winter birds?

The links to feeders in this post are for a partner of mine. If you click through and buy one, I will earn a small referral fee.