Blooming Friday Last Of July

A bit of a walk about ... the lower and middle garden sans the vibrant day lilies. It is the last Blooming Friday of July... be sure to check out other gardens blooming the world over at our gracious hostess Katarina's site Roses and Stuff

Berries and Birds Part Two

I cannot figure out what these two little birds are... I think a female and fledgling common yellow-throat. I often see them together while in the garden and photographing so they become part of the log for each day. They have no wing bars... maybe a vireo... they have a yellow throat and a bit on the breast... would love to know what you think. I am pretty sure the younger one of these is the one in the last post hanging onto the net... though it was not under it... the mature female in one of the photos here is picking off aphids from some plant. The birds are constantly cleaning the shrubs and fruit trees too.

I just wanted to add to the previous post ... a few more words regarding the blueberries and birds. In all we have around fifty fruiting high bush blueberries. There are also more than twenty carpets of low bush blueberries. I have chosen about five high bushes to cover with nets, though the birds may sneak in and get trapped for a few minutes, they are not hurt and do find their way out again. I had for years just left all of the bushes uncovered and made an attempt to get down often to pick, but the birds were many and took aplenty leaving me very little to harvest. When I approach the covered bushes usually early am, I discover sometimes a bird or two frightened by my presence under the netting. They panic for a moment or two and then find their way out or I pull up the nets. They fly up into a nearby tree usually and watch as I uncover and pick the berries. I often see them then fly into other non covered bushes to find some fruit. All of my bird photos are taken in my gardens. Over the years I have worked the land and planted in a way to attract wildlife. I value and treasure the beauty and true joy they add to my life. I see my gardens and land as a farm and a habitat for all the variety of wildlife here. There are tons of raspberries growing where they will so the birds enjoy those as well... I do not cover any other fruit except the above mentioned. The Viburnums (third photo above) are also ripening into juicy fruit that attract especially the cedar waxwings and catbirds. I still cannot quite accept the quiet since all the birds have fledged... even the Indigo bunting sings less these days.

Birds and Blueberries Fruitful Picking

Since the blueberries have been forming, the birds have been eyeing and picking berries. Finally we humans have a chance and the netting we have put over but a few bushes allow us to have quarts a plenty. The birds however, are so tempted by the berries on our chosen few that they are forever getting momentarily caught in the net ... they do find their way out and back in again often enough to sneak some of the berries designated for people. The temporary harmless snare does seem to keep them mostly out of the protected bushes. They do have full range of over forty other native high bush blueberries... the greedy little buggers. I am sorry for any stress my nets cause them ... one little guy ... a bird I cannot name is not even inside the net but somehow thinks it is trapped... until I came along and I think it came to its senses and flew off. Eva and I have had fun picking the tiny native blueberries, and I am sure the birds looking on are so envious of how easily we can gather such quantities with such rapidity. With all the rain we have a bountiful crop! The quiet around the garden is strange after the many songbirds singing in chorus all spring and summer, but now the butterflies have more space and will perhaps have more of a chance to live out their lives. The butterflies and the bees live and work gathering nectar and pollen in harmony. The birds along with Eva and I too gather our desired rewards in peace and tranquility. Well there is some exception occasionally in the early hours or towards dusk, when a hat with netting is helpful to deter the few gnats and mosquitos, who want in on the harvest.