Wednesday Vignette is hosted each week by the creative and fabulous Anna at Flutter and Hum. Click here to see what's on her mind and in her lens this week.
A few years ago, I decided to take down my bird feeders due to many unwanted evening visitors. There are things I miss like seeing the flocks of American Goldfinches flutter through my garden. The chickadees still visit but they aren't as numerous as they were when there was a constant supply of black oil sunflower seed. I don't miss the Starlings crowding out other birds and making a mess everywhere. The humming bird feeders remain and get lots of visitors Surprisingly, there are still lots of other birds hanging out in my jungle. Earlier there was a hummingbird gathering lint from the dryer vent outlet and flying off with it so there must have been some nest building going on. Last Wednesday, you saw one of the Cedar Waxwings that visited. The Western Tanager still eludes the camera but I get a glimpse of that red and yellow beauty from time to time. There must be a robin's nest in one of my bushes as a mother robin has been bringing her fledgling to the Japanese Maple by the back door and feeding him/her berries from Mahonia × media ‘Charity.' What a great plant that blooms in the winter providing nectar for the Annas Hummingbirdsand then produces berries for birds feeding their young in the spring.
On a recent morning while checking out the begonias on the back porch, a plaintive bird cry made me search out the source. This baby hummer seemed like it may had dropped onto our wicker chair from a nest somewhere but none was visible. As I grabbed the camera and went back, an adult flew by. Maybe mom was catching bugs for baby.
![]()
After snapping a picture or two, I went inside and watched through a window for a time and it eventually flew away but returned a few minutes later. First flying lesson?
![]()
Later in the week I glanced out the kitchen window at 5:00 a.m. and noticed a Great Blue Heron on the path by the pond. These birds love to eat koi and I rushed outside only to see a flutter of wings as it took off. I've been told but don't know if it's true that these huge birds don't land directly on water but rather land on the ground and wade out. Thus the unsightly electric fence around the pond deters them from wading in because it messes with their legs. These are fascinating birds to observe but not when they want to eat one's pet koi!
A couple of weeks ago at Tsugawa Nursery, there was a mom who thought that a gallon pot of geraniums would be a great place to build her nest.
![]()
![]()
Brings to mind the lyrics of that sweet old song, "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me."
" How lovely is thy dwelling place...Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young." from Psalm 84
There's always time for a little Brahms, right?
A few years ago, I decided to take down my bird feeders due to many unwanted evening visitors. There are things I miss like seeing the flocks of American Goldfinches flutter through my garden. The chickadees still visit but they aren't as numerous as they were when there was a constant supply of black oil sunflower seed. I don't miss the Starlings crowding out other birds and making a mess everywhere. The humming bird feeders remain and get lots of visitors Surprisingly, there are still lots of other birds hanging out in my jungle. Earlier there was a hummingbird gathering lint from the dryer vent outlet and flying off with it so there must have been some nest building going on. Last Wednesday, you saw one of the Cedar Waxwings that visited. The Western Tanager still eludes the camera but I get a glimpse of that red and yellow beauty from time to time. There must be a robin's nest in one of my bushes as a mother robin has been bringing her fledgling to the Japanese Maple by the back door and feeding him/her berries from Mahonia × media ‘Charity.' What a great plant that blooms in the winter providing nectar for the Annas Hummingbirdsand then produces berries for birds feeding their young in the spring.
On a recent morning while checking out the begonias on the back porch, a plaintive bird cry made me search out the source. This baby hummer seemed like it may had dropped onto our wicker chair from a nest somewhere but none was visible. As I grabbed the camera and went back, an adult flew by. Maybe mom was catching bugs for baby.
After snapping a picture or two, I went inside and watched through a window for a time and it eventually flew away but returned a few minutes later. First flying lesson?
Later in the week I glanced out the kitchen window at 5:00 a.m. and noticed a Great Blue Heron on the path by the pond. These birds love to eat koi and I rushed outside only to see a flutter of wings as it took off. I've been told but don't know if it's true that these huge birds don't land directly on water but rather land on the ground and wade out. Thus the unsightly electric fence around the pond deters them from wading in because it messes with their legs. These are fascinating birds to observe but not when they want to eat one's pet koi!
A couple of weeks ago at Tsugawa Nursery, there was a mom who thought that a gallon pot of geraniums would be a great place to build her nest.
Mom stayed nearby and as soon as I moved away, she scrambled right back into her nest.
Such a busy time for both flora and fauna in our gardens!
Brings to mind the lyrics of that sweet old song, "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free. His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me."
" How lovely is thy dwelling place...Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young." from Psalm 84
There's always time for a little Brahms, right?