Birds nest discoveries!

What a beautiful Seattle weekend for some outdoor discoveries and what greater place than your own backyard! For weeks now my little bird lover and I have been watching a chickadee family build a nest in one of our lopsided Cypresses, busily scurrying around with twigs, moss anything they can find to create a safe place for their soon to be chicks. Really, what screams springtime more than sweet singing birds happily nesting! Sorry no pic's unless you want a blur...lol!

It's amazing how these sweet little birds have become part of our every day routine. For weeks now we wake to their joyful little tweets and watch them flit around while we eat breakfast.

During our Sunday morning garden wander, we discovered with great sadness that their nest had been attacked. The nest had been pawed at and was found laying on the ground next to the Cypress. What happened? And are our two little feathered friends OK? With uncertainty of their safety and if they had yet even laid eggs (oh boy had we been waiting in anticipation for that day to come). My little bird lover, through tears, was able to salvage the nest and we placed it back in the tree just in case they were to return...fingers were crossed!

Today when we woke we noticed even more birds in our yard, giving us hope that this is still a safe place for our feathered friends. While on another quick garden wander before school, with great joy, we found an egg in the nest, happy days!! We could not believe it!! had it been there all along and we just never saw it? Did they really come back or is it another birds egg? Oh we are so so beyond happy, our neighbors must of thought we we were high from the giddy laughter that was coming from our yard! And on top of that we found a new nest hidden in the branches of another Cypress, we are crossing our fingers and hope to post photos soon of a happy little tweeter.

I am so happy they returned, check out my past post on  Tips for attracting birds to your backyard

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Its the little moments....Stop & Enjoy!

"Mommy Mommy you will never guess what is in our backyard!" screams of delight came pouring in from my very excited little garden helper as he raced to the backdoor.
We had been out in the yard pottering most of the day, commenting on how our sweet bird friends were not coming by as often. (He is a bird Lover just like his mom and was missing the twittering's too!) Honestly I had been to busy to notice. But suggested that maybe it was due to lack of seed? Which was very quickly replenished by my little bird lover.

Look Mommy LOOK!! One of your sweet birds have come by for a visit.......

What a sweet little gesture that brought a huge smile to my face and a giggle to my soul. His comment "I really wanted you to see a bird today mommy I know you love them." awww, I could just eat him up!! I love my little garden helper and sharing my love of the outdoors with him has been so rewarding for all!

This year our yard is finally being used for enjoyment, whether playing with the kids or simple solitary moment of picking lavender or gazing at the perfectly blue sky. Many the night has been shared with hubby and bottle of wine or during the day with friends and freshly brewed iced-tea....ahhhh my little moments in the yard I love you all.

Thanks little garden helper for showing this crazy busy mom to stop and slowdown and appreciate all that is around, this sweet moment with my little guy and his bird is one I will treasure always! Summer is a beautiful time that in Seattle we only enjoy a few weeks a year, I need to stop and enjoy! This year I have made a choice to be present and soak in all the simple things.

What's something you love to stop & enjoy, soak-up for a small beautiful moment?

Lessons learned...Persistent birds!

Oops! I have to be one of the more distracted gardeners, I start one thing and finish doing something completely different. 

Yesterday was no exception. I was finally out in my sun filled yard to re-fill the empty bird feeders. For days now my sweet little chickadees would come visit only to find empty feeders (well feeders they couldn't feed from, its funny how there is always 2in at the bottom they can never get down to...sorry friends) Anyway, with seed in hand, heading to my bird feeder tree, I notice how my hydrangea had a huge fallen branch in it from my plumb tree. Better fix that!
My hydrangeas are all now looking gorgeous, fed and watered. I also trimmed the shoots from my cherry tree and spread some mulch. I pulled some huge dandelions out of the lawn and...hmmm, I'm sure there was something I was forgetting to do?...Oh well!
The next morning I woke to what sounded like a thousand birds fluttering about right out side my window. Loving the happy tweets, I lazed in bed soaking it all in.

There was good reason for all the birdie joy.....

I guess they hit the jackpot of bird seed! Serves me right for being scattered I guess. But my birds were happy with full bellies, hope you feel the love little birdies. Now just come back and clean it up...hehe!

Lesson learned for today...Even though it is a brand-new bag of seed that had not even been opened, don't leave it outside to come back to the next day, birds are persistent and will stop at nothing to get to that seed!

Oh and to finish one thing before moving on to the next...oops. Although not sure if I'll ever learn that one!

Here is a list of blogs I have read this week about birds and distractions...enjoy!!
http://bumblelush.blogspot.com/ - The elusive Mr Cardinal
http://gardenseyeview.com/ - Distraction
http://craftygardener.blogspot.com/ - Rainy day visitors

PS friends, I will be away for a few days and blog free! Yikes, hope I survive! Will see you when I get back from a fun-filled girls week away.

Tips on attracting birds to your garden

Lately I have witnessed some beautiful flutterings and some uncommon twitterings...oh how I love my bird sightings. Which led me on a quick little bird learning venture.What was that small yellow chirper that visited my maple tree today? It turns out it was a Golden Finch...First sightings are always so exciting!

 Image thanks to www.fineartamerica.com

I sure do love my cheery little visitors and the joy they bring. My garden is their home just as much as mine and I feel grateful to have their sweet company. It made me start to think, what is it that keeps these gorgeous little creatures returning to my yard rain or shine? Where do they go when it is absolutely freezing? What attracts the different species and do they all have different needs? What are their likes and dislikes? Am I providing what they need? Agh, so many questions! So rather than get overwhelmed with all the "should do's" I decided to pick my top tips for attracting birds....

Food Food Food! Really, it couldnt be any more obvious. If there is food, they will come! Even if it is just to visit at first, if they know it is always there, they will come back time and time again. And that is the start of a beautiful friendship! Most birds love, sunflower seeds or any seed for that matter. Place in feeders around the yard or scatter on the ground as that is also entertaining for them. They will find it and totally love you for it!

Next to food the most visited stop is the bird bath. Whether just to bathe or to drink, there is always a bird splashing about. They will also be attracted to the sound of running water, so if you have a fountain (even if not meant for birds) that sound is a huge draw card, not to mention hummers love drinking from these. Bird baths will need to be cleaned regularly and if you are prone to frost, a heated bird bath is always appreciated, quickly making you the favorite bird lover on the block!

Shelter! So if you are anything like my neighbors, who don't mind birds nesting in their laundry air-vents every year. You can skip this tip. (Although Ive got to say, I'm not a huge fan of the bird poop splatter down the side of the house that goes with that, thanks for that view neighbor!) Birdhouses are a must have in the yard if trying to attract birds. If you have a particular specie you are trying to attract, mount a house that has the right size opening. If you are not choosy and wish to attract a variety, then place birdhouses with various size openings around your property. They want a safe spot to raise their family, so keep away from predators. Pole mounting is best for this reason.

Due to the way we keep our gardens these days, so manicured and yard waste free, birds will go else where to find the twigs, sticks, leaves..etc that is needed to make a soft cozy nest. Nesting material are a must, so make sure you have loose yard litter around your garden so they stay. In my yard, pfff, no problem! We could probably supply nests for all the neighborhood birds. You can even make a nesting feeder to encourage the nesting bird in to your yard all the more. Some things they love, yarn, string, shredded newspaper, cotton, twine etc. I've even heard of lint from the dryer (organic wash-soap)

Plan a space where the birds can enjoy. I have a kids play structure in my yard, its most definitely the elephant in the yard. I have tried to provide the birds with their needs away from the movement and the noise of two rowdy boys. Also a space where I can view them from inside, so on those wet rainy Seattle days I can still enjoy them from the comfort of my family room. Safe from predators ie, not the fence I see my neighbors cat on every day.


The last tip and in no way the least, would have to be the plants! Provide native plants that the local birds love. Plants alone provide so much, from the bugs they attract and which the birds then feast on, to the branch system that is perfect for a little nest. They offer protection from the weather, a safe place to rest and even an escape from those pesky neighbor cats.

But I have done so much typing and its now past my bed time, I think I will leave "Plants for attracting birds" for a later post....stay tuned!

Some great websites I have come across on this venture...
http://www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com/
http://www.birdsforever.com/habitat.html
http://www.ornithology.com/backyard.html

Fluttering feathers & sing-a-longs...

There is something so comforting about the tweet of a little chickadee while out weeding the flower garden. It really is one of my favorite, simple joys of gardening!

My star singer!

This time of year not only brings the life back to my sleeping garden beds, but also brings the birds and other wildlife out to visit once again!
I have to say, the plants in my garden are only half the joy, the other love has to be the birds that flutter around, I really can't get enough of them. They help distract me from what I'm doing, to remind me to look up and to soak in all that is around, to put the tools down and admire through all of the senses...a welcome break of appreciation!

The birdbath is now cleaned, the feeders filled with fresh seed and the birdhouses are occupied! Once again my feathered friends are singing a happy song.

As a lover of the outdoors, I feel it my responsibility to take care of these special guests to the best of my ability, they grace me with their company and song. Their love of bugs, help with the creepy crawlies that eat my plants. I like to return the favor by trying to keep as pesticide and predator free of an environment for them that I can...Thank you birds for all that you bring to my yard, they really are my little helpers!

Here are some of my favorite backyard friends...

Black capped Chickadee

Stellar's Jay

Northern Flicker

Rufous Hummingbird

Here are some great tips for capturing your garden guests...
http://www.all-birds.com/photographing-birds.htm

Excellent site for real indepth look at Northwest birds...
http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx