2018 Gardening, Landscaping, and Plants

[22-rimfire]

Bigger cage.

 

[taldesta]

Yeah ... 24" x 20" x 18" must be a little tight for a bird the size of my pinkie because he likes to hover! Am pondering ...

 

[Rose and Thistle Custom]

Love birds. We have a pair of parakeets. Would be even cooler to be raising a hummingbird.

 

[22-rimfire]

Unfortunately, there is probably some damn law against raising a hummingbird. I think the hummingbird thing is really interesting and I'm following along with the progress, problems, observations and so forth.

 

[LEGION 12]

Ready for next year .

 

[taldesta]

Ready for next year .

Painting my planters as you've done is a spring priority for me - they are made with pine and need all the weather protection they can get. I've neglected the preservation aspect. You have had one heck of a productive summer with yours.

I have truly enjoyed your advances in gardening over the past few years now. Peppers are on my list for next year.

Always love the owl! Lots of mileage - no feeding.

 

[taldesta]

Love birds. We have a pair of parakeets. Would be even cooler to be raising a hummingbird.

I know it is unlawful to keep wildlife as pets here. Rehabbers are licenced and have exception.

Birds - I enjoy them to no end too ... but am definitely not seeking to have this little guy to maintain as part of my life for sure. As fascinating as he is he comes with a lot of needs, special food requirements and expense. He came by happenstance and I knew so little about hummingbird maintenance, so the learning curve continues. I absolutely revel in his growing strength and will be as happy as heck to release the little guy when the blooms come in spring! Freedom for us both. What a special experience to be part of. Of course, I hope for only the best ... it will be a long winter with no guarantees.

Still stacking wood here and am almost finished - 14+ cord. My son did a lot for me. I'll burn 8 this winter and enjoy a head start for next. Then the snowblower needs a check. Snow tires are on - yup, almost ready

 

[taldesta]

Love the hummer rescue. Seriously hope he makes it.

I just got a new seed feeder, this one with a glass hopper that's curved out like an old railroad lantern. That makes the perch too shallow for the jays, and they are not happy. Still have hummingbirds. This one was willing to get within 6" of my face to tell me to back off from the feeder.

The fall plants are getting their color, the rest are losing leaves or (in the case of the evergreens) trying to see how much they can grow.

We have had beautiful weather this past week, although it's getting into the 30's at night. I've been working a lot of OT, and now have to leave town for a few days to attend a wedding, so I'll probably head home to rain for another 4 months.

Thanks, I think he deserves this chance too.

Lovely shot of the hummingbird at your feeder.

By way of explanation for the apparent chaos on my front 'lawn' - I have stacked my planters and set them up as bird feeding platforms at Busby eye level for winter ... with lots of stark, dead branch perches - all in order to keep him entertained and interested and physically charged over the months ahead. Hover, hover, hover ... build that wing strength for next spring release time. He should be warm in Mexico ... but warmed by the woodburner here will have to do for now.



Could you post a pic of that jay-discouraging feeder if possible?

 

[taldesta]

I haven't seen a black squirrel in a long time. They just don't live this far south as far as I know. I had a feeling that "grey squirrel" in a picture a while back was in fact a black squirrel.

I have one of the feeders that the "trip the perch" type. Snow could be a problem operationally, especially ice. But that is the time when you could relax your feeding "restrictions" also.

Nice Jap Maple Eisman.

This spring I had one nursing mother black squirrel coming for food. A while after, one ... then a second ... skinny tailed black ones arrived for food. A third small one arrived. That is when I finally understood the phrase, bright eyed and bushy tailed, because the skinny tailed squirrels were simply not hardy looking. Much later, I found the remains of one not far from the feeder. No strength to begin with. Sad to see.

Now there are three fat and sassy ... and yes, bright eyed and bushy tailed, black squirrels fattened for the winter ahead. There is one huge grey - love to watch him at the feeder, hanging upside down like a bat ... snacking on sunflower seeds.

Judging by the crowd of wild turkeys in my yard I might have to mortgage one of my cocker spaniels in order to relax my feeding restrictions

 

[taldesta]

Don't want to bore with details, but for the observers ...

On the 16th of October I saw an amazing turn around in Busby's strength. [The protein balanced nectar arrived on the 10th of October - sourced from Germany - refreshed daily] On the 16th October he ventured into his bath just to walk around and I dropped a little water onto him from above [all water is boiled and at room temp] - he fanned his tail feathers and wings to receive the droplets... and I knew this was a great sign of his own sense of his health - seeking to bathe. On October 21st he was in his bath flapping and wetting himself at leisure on the lettuce leaf - another great sign of health.

Flowery digs



The bath



The entertainment




I think that the ground up freeze dried bugs for protein that I mixed in with his sugar water at first did keep him going, but research shows their choice of spiders etc ... soft-sided not exoskeleton types like crickets ... are best. Thankfully, he survived until the good food arrived yet he still likes to pick what he wants from the bug dust I plant on flowers. He now tanking up on almost 6 tsp of freshly-mixed protein enriched nectar from the medicine droppers per day. He no longer has bouts where he is stranded on the bottom of the enclosure due to weakness. At first I had to keep a third dropper filled at floor level just in case.

He watches like a hawk, sharp vision not smell is their strength - anything new, fresh, moving ... all are key to his interest. Patterns on my clothing, new flowers suspended ... apparently they visit hundreds of a variety of flowers per day ... and have a huge memory for revisiting those that refresh nectar fastest. He is constantly sampling microscopic (to me) things with his tongue.

Space and entertainment to keep him airborne and ready on strong wings for spring blooms are now the challenge. He definitely wants airborne now that he feels good. He loves the birds perching and flying and squirrels feeding at his eye level right outside his window. Never a dull moment outside for certain. I've hung owl décor to prevent bird strikes on the windows. There's rarely a break from the buzzing inside.

Only because of the red feathering on his throat would I think he is an adult male ... but honestly his size and poor feathering when found calling for help like a baby bird makes me think he was a juvenile and perhaps part of a second batch of nestlings ... no time to grow before the migration. The red throat remains a ?

 

[Rose and Thistle Custom]

Wow, 8 cords is what you expect to use this winter! I like my tiny cabin more now, we seem to need 2-2 1/2 cords even though this is Alaska.

 

[taldesta]

Wow, 8 cords is what you expect to use this winter! I like my tiny cabin more now, we seem to need 2-2 1/2 cords even though this is Alaska.

Small storey and a half here but remodelled from a depression era outbuilding (100% wood heating) ... I couldn't even guess as to its insulation... certainly not much. The woodburner would be used starting in late September through April. For average size/insulation home heating 100% with wood here in Ontario 12 or so cord would be general from my understanding. Yup, cabin in the woods is my lifetime goal.

 

[22-rimfire]

The insulation issue might be a worthy expense. Enjoyed your discussion about everything including the feeding, the squirrels and of course the hummer status. Yesterday, I spent the day enjoying the outdoors and took some photos.

As you can see, it's still pretty green here. The deer shot is cool. This is Cades Cove in the Smoky Mt NP.

 

[taldesta]

The deer shot - great detail and beautiful gold tones right down to the meadow grasses - what distance, what lens? Proud animal and he doesn't seem aware of your presence. I see why you head for Cades Cove, very appealing scenery as well.

 

[22-rimfire]

Oh that deer knew I was there. They are used to people as long as you don't push your luck. It was probably about 50 yds away. It was feeding along the edge of an overgrown field. I cropped it just a little by the way (300mm lens), so it didn't fill the frame quite as much. I really enjoy that place. This was my 9th trip this year. I normally visit in the spring and then fall and winter time. The spring is all about black bears and the fall is mostly about deer and fall color for me. My last visit was in July. I will be making several more visits before the leaves are completely off this fall. The deer rut happens in November and December mostly although they are starting to show their rutting behavior now, sparring and so forth.

Added: One of the things I like about taking pictures of general scenery in Cades Cove are the layers involved as you can see in the bottom landscape shot. Cades Cove is one of my favorite places. There were lots of people there for a Tuesday. I go on weekdays to avoid the crowds. Fall foliage or the potential for such really brings out the people. The weather was very nice too. Crystal clear day and 41 degrees F at daylight when I arrived. Have to get up real early to go there. Not worth the drive if I don't get there near daylight. The early morning hours are the best for seeing deer. Didn't see any bears on this visit.

The middle shot was taken because of the whiteness of the one big tree. I don't think it was frost but it really stood out in the morning light. I just found it interesting and wanted to share.

 

[LEGION 12]

Carrots are still growing.

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[taldesta]

In a much earlier life we sold a hobby farm including the kid's rather nasty pony whose name was CRACKER. Before we left we planted carrots in the garden that spelled out the letters C R A C K E R that were visible from the upper story of the farmhouse.

You know ... we were naïve as to why a pony we had bought for our kids was named "Cracker" to begin with. Good question indeed! Not the sweetest of beasts as it turned out. Summary, you can plant carrots to spell things. Yet, better that they taste good rather than tell a lie

 

[taldesta]

I am trying to embed a video but it looks like ads come up. What are you seeing, please and thanks. There must be a better way ...

 

[cbr1000]

I am trying to embed a video but it looks like ads come up. What are you seeing, please and thanks. There must be a better way ...

Works, I see 6 seconds of an excited hummingbird.