eBirdseed.com Wild Bird Feeding Blog

Since we lost the big maple last fall, we've been trying to figure out what the lack of shelter is going to do to the yard and the wildlife. So far, we've noticed that the birds are a bit more cautious around the feeders, and that it's sunny all day long. (The inside temp is already starting to climb...)

Hence, the flowering crab. We chose the Sargent Crabapple, which will provide shelter for the birds, but won't grow big enough to crash down on the house in a storm... We also like the fact that it will flower in the Spring and will bear fruit that the birds (and other creatures) enjoy later in the year.

I'm also extrordinarly pleased with our other tree, the dwarf weeping cherry. It's started to blossom already, and looks lovely. We planted it in a area between the house and the deck, where I'll perhaps add another bird bath and some low-growing plants for ground cover. It's already settling in well.

In other news, we've been standing by the hummingbird cam, ready to take a screengrab of our first visitor. However, despite the evidence of the migration map, they just ain't here yet. And that actually correlates weill with previous years: the rubies generally don't show up until mid-to-late April, so at this point, I'm expecting them any day now. Just keep wathcing the live cam--they'll be here, they'll be here!

And what post would be complete without a great photo of some of our tom turkeys displaying their masculine attributes? This was taken back in February, but aren't they just magnificent? I expect we'll be seeing Mama turkeys and poults running around pretty soon.

All in all, it has been an auspicious start to a lovely Spring season. Here's hoping Summer is even better!

See you by those tree-shaded feeders,
Mrs. CapeCodAlan

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thought we might take a 'bird-less-traveled' track this time... Take a look at the pics below...

There's a common theme here -- that of doing it yourself. The top shot is of homemade brew, and the one below is of a glimpse into our dining area. Aside from cost savings and getting just what you want, there's something comforting in DIY -- "Yeah, I made it or put it together myself..." There's no buck passing here. Obviously, this isn't the first time we've discussed taking on a project without hands-on professional help... There was the shed, the trellis, a farm table, a birdhouse, and even a Shaker clock... (I really should finish that clock...) Years ago I bought 'Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding', and was struck by the preface... Part of it follows...

Somewhere our culture seems to have lost that spark of imaginative energy that created it. I was thinking recently that I can't remember the last tree house I've seen. Why don't high school kids build 'rods anymore? And why do so many people stand around with their mouths open, afraid to try anything unless they first take a socially-approved class to tell them how?

How, in just a few generations, did this country's soul go from folks who walked, rode horses, and dragged wagons clear across our continent, to a majority who spend most of their time staring at teevees; whose feeling of self worth is based more on income than on personal accomplishment?

When I asked Mr. Buehler if I could quote that, he emailed back permission in a colorful sort of way. But he has a point...

What is stopping you from measuring out your own yard and house and making a scale model complete with trees, a pool, a shed, and whatnot? Maybe your architect already has all that info. (We got a copy when we bought this house.) Then there's Google earth. But once you have the dimensions...

To make things easy, you might consider modeling in one of the more common scales such as N, HO, S, or O (1:160; 1:87; 1:64; 1:48 respectively) and in doing so have access to existing accessories. Or, you can design/build to your own scale (I build all my boat models to 1:27 because they fit easily on the mantle or the bookshelf that way.) With model done, you can experiment with feeder/birdbath/birdhouse locations to your heart's desire. And you don't even have to be limited by medium -- use paper, plywood, clay, or software like Sketchup... The variety of choices go on and on...

Just thinking for myself, and hoping you're doing the same...

By the feeders...

CapeCodAlan

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you look carefully, there are seven bluebirds/finches circled... Very cool...

Next up is a nice bluebird shot... A second glance will reveal that the bird is not only flicking the seed into his mouth, but also that you can see his reflection in the plexiglass...

Have some color...

What a fantastic expression... (Can you say, "Someone get me some mealworms!"?)

And finally, there is the shed... In the pic below, we're fitting the bottom... Looks like we're going to need a couple of sheets of plywood...

The shed flooring above is only roughed in place... We'll have to remove it, square and level it, and then put sheathing over the 2 X... Oh goody...

And so it goes here... Happy birds, relatively mild weather... Work in the yard... There are worse things...

By the feeders...

CapeCodAlan

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Is that a title or what? Onward!

First the birds... All are 'systems go" here... feeders are clean and full... water is fresh and warm... birds are fat and happy... Just take care of your feeders, and the rest is sanctuary.

What else? Well, New Years has passed and we (Mrs CCA and I) hope you're taking advantage of sales, football etc... But there's something else haunting us -- for want of a better phrase, 'a need for back to the basics'... To that end, we got off to an early start and picked up a used Rubbermaid 'Big Max' shed. Below is the 'foundation' almost complete...

Perhaps, just once and for all, we can get that garage cleaned out!

Next stop... Beer Land! As I've mentioned before, I used to be a pretty fair home brewer... Time to go back to the fundamentals... Commercial beer has become so expensive and so 'bleck' that a reasonable soul has little choice but to brew his (or her) own. Below is my second batch -- a stout. My first was a lager, and the next will be an English bitter... The hobby takes time, practice, a thick skin... But it's like making chowder or bread... Just hang in there...

Here's a particularly cool shot of the very active froth of a primary fermentation... (The smell is wonderful!!!)

And finally there is this -- a simple N guage model train. I've wanted one of these since I was a kid. (I used to build in HO -- 1: 87, whereas N is smaller at 1:160 scale.)

Regardless, the mind boggles at the possibilities... I was thinking of setting up/securing a complete local diorama on a 36" by 72" sheet of plywood, and encasing it in a closeable box suitcase-style. It could be stored on edge and come each December unfolded and plopped upon the dining room table for all to swoon... Just a thought...

I'll be regressing by the feeders...

CapeCodAlan

Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We've had a bit of a snag when it comes to comments. (We're jumping ugly on that issue! Not to worry... Keep sending your thoughts - I do receive them and will respond!) And here are two comments that have gone unanswered:

Hi Alan, I was thinking of you as Earl gets closer to your neck of the woods. Please be safe .....

kathryn

And...

Good morning CCA.
Mr. Earl is passing me today but leaving huge 10ft. high ocean swells.
I'm wishing you and the Mrs. safe harbor. Be careful. Forecasts
predict winds approaching you Sat. AM to be much less than they are today, so I hope it
won't be too bad. As soon as you can, let us know how it's going after it passes.
Good luck.
Cheers
Harry "Gipper" Morris

Thank you both so much for your concern... It truly means a lot to me and the Mrs... As you probably guessed, we came through unscathed...

Now... about recycling!

There's an old poem that celebrates Yankee thrift...

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do, or do without.

These days, we might add another verse...

Once worn out, don't turn it loose,
Put it to another use. (Burma Shave)

Ever wonder what to do with that old grill? Here's an example of putting something "to another use". Late last summer, our ancient grill was pretty much on its last legs; we had replaced the innards several times, and it was clearly time for a new one. Once the new fire box was up and running however, what to do with the old one?

We started by putting it by the side of the road with a "FREE" sign on it. Understandably, there were no takers. So it languished beside the garage for nearly a year, with both of us always planning on taking it to the dump... eventually.

"Eventually" never quite rolled around, so we decided to figure out how to turn the thing to some other use... But what for? Well, since we are fair gardeners, how about trying to make a planter out of it? After all, it's a good big basin, it already has drainage holes, and it's on a semi-sturdy base.

So on a sunny afternoon, we pulled the beast from beside the garage down into the yard, disassembled it, and scraped off several years' worth of accumulated grease, grime, and rust (nasty!). What we ended up with was a jumbo, wheeled, clean pot ready for foliage.

We then cast around for some large rocks to add as a layer at the very bottom. On top of those, we added a layer of smaller stone (a leftover bag of marble chips). The larger rocks mostly block the holes in the bottom where the grill workings went in, and the smaller ones give a base for dirt; and they also provide drainage. We then smoothed the rocks and stones to end up with this:

Next, we added a layer of dirt (a combination of old potting soil and topsoil) and ended up with a large, well-drained space for potted flowers.

Once a few plants were put in place (we recycled some sad geraniums, and picked up a few pansies and a gorgeous impatiens at the Labor Day sale at a local nursery), the result was a one-of-a-kind movable container garden. Like this:

The great thing is that as the season wanes, we can simply wheel the whole cart to a new location for more sun.

Hmmm, now, what should we do with the big old cover to this grill? Maybe a water garden!

See you by those blooming feeders,

CapeCodalan and Mrs. CapeCodAlan

P.S. This entry has been cross posted with thriftyyankee.net.

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 8:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, by Friday afternoon, we should know what we're in for... The following two homestead temperature readings (from yesterday and today respectively) aren't exactly going to help...

There's no doubt that this is going to be a close one. If that upper air cold front from the northeast wimps out, hurricane Earl could easily tear up Cape Cod "like a Kleenex at a snot party!" (Sorry, but I always wanted to quote 'The Simpsons', and besides, that's probably about as accurate a description as one can get if this storm hits us dead on. To say that we're nervous is a subtle understatement.)

I've decided that as long as Earl stays a category 2 or below, I'm going to ride it out here. (Mrs. CCA and Toby the cat on the other hand will rest safely in a storm shelter should push come to shove.) My reasoning is that I've been through two hurricanes and a twister - I believe I have a feel for these things.

Right now, we've got all the survival stuff. Shelter, water, food, flashlights (galore), batteries (even more galore)... you name it and we have it. I'll have to secure the boat and perhaps board the windows, but those aren't huge deals... How's that Tom Petty tune go? "The waiting is the hardest part."

Onward...

Progress on the yard is slow. I've reached the point where the ground cover (ivy, poison ivy, etc.) is 3" to 6" deep, so a good evenings work is only 5' or 10' into the rough. Still, I measure my success not just by the property reclaimed, but also by the innocuous fact that I haven't been bitten/stung/attacked by anything (yet). That old Shaker hymn comes to mind...

As for the birds and the way that they behave given all this landscaping... I've been pleasantly surprised - they seem more active. Perhaps the new simplicity and lack of clutter in the back forty has reduced the number of hiding places for predators. Then again, maybe our feathered friends are just stocking up before Cape Cod gets wiped off the map. ;)

Antsy, yet still busy by the feeders,

CapeCodAlan

Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding

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Posted by CapeCodAlan at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)