2016 Garden Photos - Page 4

jhp · April 21, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Really wonderful pictures; the foxes are adorable.

Jen, I feel horrible that they destroyed your chickens. You would think animals instinct would be to take only what they needed. I would be devastated.

Thanks Barb.

That was barefootgardener a.k.a. Ginny who told the story about chickens. I don't have chickens. Although I wish I did have some, having 6 foxes living next door has squashed that dream.

Jen

jhp · May 27, 2016

We've had quite the population explosion in our garden this spring. So many birds and nests. Seems like way more than year's past.

Not to mention the chipmunks! We are overrun with them!

We had a Bluebird couple build a beautiful nest in the nesting box. Unfortunately, the Wrens harassed them to the point that they gave up and never laid eggs.

We had an Indigo Bunting stop by a few times. He seemed to flock together with the gold finches. I have never seen one before. I felt lucky to be able to get a picture.

The Chickadees nested in our other nest box. They always start a little bit earlier than the bluebirds, and so a few years ago, we put up a second box so we could have both birds nest. They make such a lovely soft spot for their babies to start life.

We've always had Cardinals in our yard, but never had a nest visible. A pair decided to build a nest right at eye level in the hemlocks along my driveway, a high foot traffic area as it is near the entrance to my veggie garden, our trash cans, garage, and right next to my parking spot. I kept hearing her wings flapping every time I would go near. I finally thought to look for a nest one day and there it was! Plain as day!

May 11, 2016

I got a picture of the eggs while she was off the nest. Just an iPhone shot, so not the best color. I wish I would have gotten more pictures, of the eggs, but I didn't want to bother her.

May 14

The reason I wish I had gotten better pictures, is that after awhile, the eggs hatched and I noticed that one egg was kicked out of the nest. Only the one on the edge of the nest was white with brown speckles instead of greenish with brown speckles. I think there were a couple of brown headed cowbird eggs added to the clutch. These silly birds lay their eggs in other birds nests. Sometimes the host birds, take notice and evict the parasites and sometimes they don't and just raise those babies too. This Cardinal couple did not want to raise the cowbirds.

Two baby cardinals hatched. I'm not sure exactly when, but I took this picture on May 20.
So cute and awkward. Feed me!

Today, I was just puttering around the garden and back patio, and I must have happened to walk near the nest just after one of the babies fledged. He was awkwardly flapping on the driveway. I ran and grabbed my camera. By the time I got back he was safely in the tree. He's already got the distinctive Cardinal crest.

May 27

So happy we have two more Cardinals in the world. I hope they stick around. There's still two unhatched eggs in the nest and one unhatched egg hanging on the rim. I guess they don't all make it to hatching. From what I've read, mama and papa will start on another brood right away.

Jen

Bulldog · May 30, 2016

They are so lovely. Your photos are great of them.

MissS · May 30, 2016

What wonderful photos!!!

Thank you for sharing them.

jhp · June 5, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulldog

They are so lovely. Your photos are great of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissS

What wonderful photos!!!

Thank you for sharing them.

Thanks so much, MissS and Bulldog. I love watching the critters in my garden/yard too.

Jen

jhp · June 8, 2016

Trimmed garlic scapes and Jasper was very interested.

"What are these things"

"Are these eatable?"

Discovered this hummingbird nest yesterday. I noticed twice the hummingbird tussling with other birds near a particular tree branch. First a titmouse and then a cardinal, which aren't aggressive birds. I figured there must be a nest up there. Looked for it and it took me a while to spot it. I knew it would be very, very small, about the size of a walnut shell or so, and years ago I looked it up when we started having hummers in our yard. Never saw a nest before although I suspect that they have nested in our dogwood tree as I would see them in there all of the time. Anyway, I was very excited to finally see one in person. She used lichen all on the outside of the nest. No telling what is on the inside since it is so high up. I could see it from a second floor window of my house, if not for the leaves.

Jen

MissS · June 8, 2016

What a great find! I have gardened for the hummingbirds for many years and have never found a nest. They are so small you really need to be watching the mother to see where she goes to find a nest. I think that the eggs in my area have hatched this week because I am seeing the females feeding far more often than if they were just sitting and incubating some eggs.

jhp · June 9, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissS

What a great find! I have gardened for the hummingbirds for many years and have never found a nest. They are so small you really need to be watching the mother to see where she goes to find a nest. I think that the eggs in my area have hatched this week because I am seeing the females feeding far more often than if they were just sitting and incubating some eggs.

Tell me about it! I had about given up on ever finding a hummer nest. This was just chance luck I think. Now that I know where it is, I can see it from most of my windows. It's very windy today and she's in there keeping those eggs safe as the branch dances around in the wind. Wish we could see into the nest.

Jen

berryman · June 9, 2016

Mostly I only see the nests in the winter when the leaves and the hummers are gone because they are way up in my 80 ft cottonwood trees. At one time I had a collection of 5 or 6 nests that had fallen after the fall. Pretty interesting to see what materials they use.
Jen, keep your eye on that nest and you may get to see teeeeny little heads poking out from the opening waiting for mom or dad to bring snacks.

jhp · June 11, 2016

Oh yes, I plan on keeping an eye out for sure. This one is about 20 feet up. If I get any pics of babies I'll post.

Jen

Quote:

Originally Posted by berryman

Mostly I only see the nests in the winter when the leaves and the hummers are gone because they are way up in my 80 ft cottonwood trees. At one time I had a collection of 5 or 6 nests that had fallen after the fall. Pretty interesting to see what materials they use.
Jen, keep your eye on that nest and you may get to see teeeeny little heads poking out from the opening waiting for mom or dad to bring snacks.

jhp · June 13, 2016

So far I've been harvesting lettuce almost daily, sugar snap peas and snow peas, and today I robbed a few fingerling potatoes. I thought they would go well with my braised short ribs for dinner. And they did.

These are Austrian Crescent and Red Thumb fingerlings. The inside of the Red Thumb is pink, even after cooking. The Austrian Crescent are a little bit sweeter and creamier. I roasted these in the oven for dinner.

Also snipped some thyme for the short ribs. This variety is so pretty.

Jen

berryman · June 14, 2016

Here's my beautiful Barbara Harrington clematis next to the greenhouse door.

jhp · June 14, 2016

Nice Clematis.

pixlpush · June 21, 2016

your pictures of the fox family are amazing, made my morning. Thanks for sharing!

jhp · June 23, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixlpush

your pictures of the fox family are amazing, made my morning. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much for your comment Pixel! And you made my morning!

Jen

May 27, 2016	#2
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Cardinals and other Bird Friends We've had quite the population explosion in our garden this spring. So many birds and nests. Seems like way more than year's past. Not to mention the chipmunks! We are overrun with them! We had a Bluebird couple build a beautiful nest in the nesting box. Unfortunately, the Wrens harassed them to the point that they gave up and never laid eggs. We had an Indigo Bunting stop by a few times. He seemed to flock together with the gold finches. I have never seen one before. I felt lucky to be able to get a picture. The Chickadees nested in our other nest box. They always start a little bit earlier than the bluebirds, and so a few years ago, we put up a second box so we could have both birds nest. They make such a lovely soft spot for their babies to start life. We've always had Cardinals in our yard, but never had a nest visible. A pair decided to build a nest right at eye level in the hemlocks along my driveway, a high foot traffic area as it is near the entrance to my veggie garden, our trash cans, garage, and right next to my parking spot. I kept hearing her wings flapping every time I would go near. I finally thought to look for a nest one day and there it was! Plain as day! May 11, 2016 I got a picture of the eggs while she was off the nest. Just an iPhone shot, so not the best color. I wish I would have gotten more pictures, of the eggs, but I didn't want to bother her. May 14 The reason I wish I had gotten better pictures, is that after awhile, the eggs hatched and I noticed that one egg was kicked out of the nest. Only the one on the edge of the nest was white with brown speckles instead of greenish with brown speckles. I think there were a couple of brown headed cowbird eggs added to the clutch. These silly birds lay their eggs in other birds nests. Sometimes the host birds, take notice and evict the parasites and sometimes they don't and just raise those babies too. This Cardinal couple did not want to raise the cowbirds. Two baby cardinals hatched. I'm not sure exactly when, but I took this picture on May 20. So cute and awkward. Feed me! Today, I was just puttering around the garden and back patio, and I must have happened to walk near the nest just after one of the babies fledged. He was awkwardly flapping on the driveway. I ran and grabbed my camera. By the time I got back he was safely in the tree. He's already got the distinctive Cardinal crest. May 27 So happy we have two more Cardinals in the world. I hope they stick around. There's still two unhatched eggs in the nest and one unhatched egg hanging on the rim. I guess they don't all make it to hatching. From what I've read, mama and papa will start on another brood right away. Jen

May 30, 2016	#4
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	What wonderful photos!!! Thank you for sharing them. __________________ ~ Patti ~

June 8, 2016	#6
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Garlic Scapes, Jasper, Hummingbird Nest Trimmed garlic scapes and Jasper was very interested. "What are these things" "Are these eatable?" Discovered this hummingbird nest yesterday. I noticed twice the hummingbird tussling with other birds near a particular tree branch. First a titmouse and then a cardinal, which aren't aggressive birds. I figured there must be a nest up there. Looked for it and it took me a while to spot it. I knew it would be very, very small, about the size of a walnut shell or so, and years ago I looked it up when we started having hummers in our yard. Never saw a nest before although I suspect that they have nested in our dogwood tree as I would see them in there all of the time. Anyway, I was very excited to finally see one in person. She used lichen all on the outside of the nest. No telling what is on the inside since it is so high up. I could see it from a second floor window of my house, if not for the leaves. Jen

June 8, 2016	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	What a great find! I have gardened for the hummingbirds for many years and have never found a nest. They are so small you really need to be watching the mother to see where she goes to find a nest. I think that the eggs in my area have hatched this week because I am seeing the females feeding far more often than if they were just sitting and incubating some eggs. __________________ ~ Patti ~

June 13, 2016	#11
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Harvesting finally... So far I've been harvesting lettuce almost daily, sugar snap peas and snow peas, and today I robbed a few fingerling potatoes. I thought they would go well with my braised short ribs for dinner. And they did. These are Austrian Crescent and Red Thumb fingerlings. The inside of the Red Thumb is pink, even after cooking. The Austrian Crescent are a little bit sweeter and creamier. I roasted these in the oven for dinner. Also snipped some thyme for the short ribs. This variety is so pretty. Jen Last edited by jhp; June 13, 2016 at 09:10 PM.

May 30, 2016	#3
Bulldog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Georgia Posts: 126	They are so lovely. Your photos are great of them.

June 9, 2016	#9
berryman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: central utah Posts: 233	Mostly I only see the nests in the winter when the leaves and the hummers are gone because they are way up in my 80 ft cottonwood trees. At one time I had a collection of 5 or 6 nests that had fallen after the fall. Pretty interesting to see what materials they use. Jen, keep your eye on that nest and you may get to see teeeeny little heads poking out from the opening waiting for mom or dad to bring snacks.

June 14, 2016	#13
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Nice Clematis.

June 21, 2016	#14
pixlpush Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Manhattan Beach, CA Posts: 99	your pictures of the fox family are amazing, made my morning. Thanks for sharing!