The Red Squirrel, a New Visitor to My Garden

I have recently seen a Red Squirrel in my garden, and on the other side of my house. I must say that I have never seen one in all of my years in this area. Has the Red managed to take over the territory of the ubiquitous Grey Squirrel?I began to see a Red Squirrel several weeks ago, after the first snow (that stayed on the ground). Yesterday we had a substantial snowfall. Today, I saw a Red Squirrel running up my tree. I was amazed at how much smaller it was to the Grey squirrel--half the size. My Red has a gorgeous red tail. Like the Grey, the Red squirrel is a Tree Squirrel. I was also surprised to read in some places that they are an endangered species. Other places say no. Apparently the Greys carry a disease for which the Reds have no immunity, so I hope my little squirrel survives.I read that the Red Squirrel is a solitary creature, unlike the Greys who run up and down the the trees chasing one another. The only chasing done by the Reds, is when the female is in estrous, and is ready to mate. She gives off a scent the males recognize, and they chase her until one of them mates with her. She might have multiple males in her short period of reproduction. She would produce one litter a year and have up to three or four offspring. I understand there might be only one Red squirrel in a large territory. Among other things, they eat spruce buds, needles and cones. Perhaps that is what attracts them to my area now, since I have a number of pine, spruce, and even fir trees not far away.How exciting to have a small Red Squirrel running around my house and garden! I hope the squirrel can establish a territory. I am weary of looking at only Grey squirrels. Let's have a little Red. Have they found a territory among the Greys? Or is it a passing moment or two?Do you have Red Squirrels in Your Area? This photo was taken by D.Gordon E. Robertson, 2008-03-30 and the source is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Red_squirrel.jpg The file is licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Surprise Happenings at Christmastime

Today is Christmas Day. I meant to post this yesterday, but things got pretty busy. A day before Christmas Eve day we had a surprise Snow Storm--only about 2-3 inches, but perfect for Christmas. That day, when the storm subsided, I went out to clean my car. I forgot, however, about the freezing rain of the day before. It was a struggle to scrape and clean.In the midst of the work, I heard familiar sounds. It was Honking Geese. Geese? The end of December? I looked up, and sure enough, a long string of Canada Geese appeared high above me. They were finally on their way south along The River. The leader had a follower to his right to spell him off. No doubt they would reform into a V at some point, but to leave it so late? I hope they meet no storms. I began to wonder why they were late--waiting for chums to come? Warmer weather gave them false hope of a "little longer." What our animal friends do always adds mystery that makes our lives more interesting. The sight brightened my difficult work.The birds appear to be resting with little activity. I suspect with the snow so late, they had lots of time to gather food and store it in their nests. I'll soon have to clean and refill the large bird Feeder. Some of the food might have got wet. The food looks clumped. I need a chum to assist me, but Christmas is not the time to ask. A friend came and brought his new "smart" book to show me. We had some fun with it. He offered to refill the feeder, another surprise.I hope you all have had a Wonderful Christmas Day, and that you will enjoy the whole Holiday Season, and will have many lovely surprises, not only in gifts, but in the warm relationships that mean so much to all of us at this special time of year.

Memories From the Corners of My Mind

Late this summer I had memories of a gorgeous bird I saw in my garden, but other activities crowded in, and I put off writing about it. I never forgot. If you have seen a PINE GROSBEAK you will understand.At first I saw a movement to my right as I worked on my computer. A bird sat outside my window, staring at me. I had never seen such a bird before and was intrigued. It was obviously a female--mid-sized, rough feathers, with a rusty head, grey back and lighter grey tummy. She was curious about me as I was about her. I wanted to see her mate. She hopped to the chokecherry as I searched.There he was on the ground in all his glory--pecking at seeds. He looked familiar. There was something about him, but he was stunning. I went for my field glasses. Wow! And my book. The beaks did it. They were GROSBEAKS, with the familiar, fat, yellow beak. These were PINE GROSBEAKS. Some years ago the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK came to my garden, and the more familiar EVENING GROSBEAK. These both have moved away.I watched ever so long, charmed. Of course the PINE GROSBEAKS were only passing through, but they stayed for a few days, perhaps drawn to a number of pines on my property, transplanted years ago by my husband as young trees. The trees are now mature.I called a friend. She looked the bird up, knew it, and had seen one a few years ago. If you do not know the bird, find a picture of one, or go online. I'll upload one here if I can find one. Do enjoy its beauty. You will have a warm memory if you see one.

Now Goes the Golden Autumn Far Away, Now Nearer Comes the Winter to My Door

The Title, I have quoted before. It is from a poem I love by that wonderful poet, Anonymous. The concept suits the mood of the time. I'd love to quote the whole poem to you, but, no, that would never do. Sigh! I am writing about my garden and surrounds. I must get on to my little world of activity. Autumn truly has gone. This young Goose has yet to mature for his flight south.Actually, there has been little activity in my garden of late, since we seem to be on the edge of events. The snow did not come last night, but is said to come today. The weather gradually grows colder. The nights dip below zero. Mostly rain patters down onto our roads. We have been spoiled.The Birds come and go--the little ones. Summer birds have long gone, but the Winter birds must be collecting and filling their storehouses for the coming days. They play 'least in sight.' The Spiders and Insects have long since hibernated--if that is the correct term.Soon all will be covered by layers of that white stuff, so the Birds will have some difficulty finding food. I must get a friend to refill my large feeder. The thought of dragging out my ladder tires me. It will be good to see my feathered friends come seeking once more. The BLUE JAYS have 'chewed me out' for not putting out more peanuts. I only managed to fill the ledges once. They kept up a natter I tried to ignore, I got so busy. I will go out and give them their treats eventually.Yes, Autumn has surely gone, and Winter hovers here in this area. Those of you in warm climates in the south must be pleased to miss our changing seasons. There is charm, and drama, dare I say it, in these changes? The Seasons become a Part of One.What are your Seasons like?

MY ROBINS FOR ANOTHER YEAR

My ROBIN sat on her same nest above my bedroom window. In two weeks the nest appeared to have eggs. Two weeks later, three baby ROBINS appeared. (Her first lot were four.) With two weeks of worms, or insects from Mom and Dad ROBIN, the birds became fat. I kept the Wild Grape vines away from the nest, and soon the nest was too small for them. Mom and Dad kept bringing food, but the largest baby wanted to fly. He kept trying his wings. I could see he was "itching" to go. The birds were sitting on top of one another, there was so little space.

Yesterday, they "flew the coup," so to speak. I had visitors. I had shown them the nest and the little ones, then we went on with our work. They had come to cut the overripe chokecherry fruit, which my friend was going to use to make jelly, and I went on with paint stripping my window. By the time I had said goodbye to my friends, there was a ruckus in the back.

I went in, and sure enough, I saw from my back door, the little ones had fledged. Mom ROBIN was squawking like mad on the back fence. I could hear the little ones chirping loudly on the ground somewhere at the back. I went to the garden side and walked around. The Male ROBIN, squawking on the roof, flew off when he saw me. I stayed back, but the mother was unafraid of me. She continued squawking, and pointed with her beak to the yard behind mine.

Sooo, I said, "Okay, Mom," I'll go after the cat. I grabbed a stick, then trudged down the road, across the cross road, and up the next road to the area behind my house. Sure enough, a cat was stalking the birds. Mom ROBIN was still squawking up a tree. I yelled and banged my stick and the cat ran under the shed of my neighbor, who was away. Sooo, I trudged back home, and got small boards to fill in the area used by the feral cats (I wrote of them earlier), now used by that street`s cats to stalk birds. My neighbor had tried to fill it in, but not well.

With things quietened down, I went in and relaxed, but soon the squawking began again. I went and looked out. There, was my neighbor`s cat from across the street, stretched out leisurely on a tree stump, watching the activity in the yard. I could hear the little ones chirping. Mom and Pop ROBIN were squawking away again. I rushed out and yelled at the cat, whom I have chased many times, until he toddled off down the drive and back to his house. He has been successful at times with birds, and I often chase him from my yard because of the feeders.

It was a busy, but sad day. The birdlings are gone, as are the parents, and all is quiet again. I can watch the small birds at my feeder, but it is not the same with the ROBINS gone. I will have to wait until next year for more such excitement.

NEWBORNS, or NEWLY HATCHED

I have been watching a ROBIN for some days now. She built a nest on the top of my bedroom window. It was a wise choice. The roof overhung the area, protecting the nest from rain--and cats. I noticed the nest at first from the inside of my window, by the trailing fronds of twigs and straw hanging down.

The ROBIN came back regularly and finally stayed, sitting presumably on eggs. I understand the male assists, but I saw that later. She, or he, sat.

Then, one day when she was gone, beaks stuck up from the nest as I looked from the back window. I watched daily as the little ROBINS grew, their beaks open expectantly for their parents to come with food. Usually they settled down inside the nest after they ate. I tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. A few swung their heads my way and watched me.

There were four, one always bigger than the others, and fat like his father ROBIN, I saw him in my garden on the other side of the house, and one day after mother had fed her brood, along flew father ROBIN with food as well. Mom was slimmer. Soon the fat little guy was always standing in the nest. There couldn't be much room for four. I knew they would fledge soon. The other birds grew, but usually hunkered down in the nest. He sat high, or stood.

Surprisingly, there was little noise. It only occurred when Mom and Pop came to the nest, then they all competed for the worms. Guess who got the most. I wanted to watch carefully because of that fat little guy--but I missed it. Circumstances called me elsewhere, and within an hour or so, all of the birds had gone.

I heard a lot of chirping, or cheeping from the next yard, but I could not see them. How deflating. I saw little sign of any young ROBIN, with its spotted breast, as one usually did, pecking away for worms, Mom not far away. No, it was not the case this time. They had all flown up into the trees. When will Mom and Pop teach them to catch worms?

Now, I must look up into the trees in my garden and listen to a baby ROBIN cheep away. That leaves the three neighborhood cats frustrated, myself also for different reasons. I cannot see any sign of my newly hatched fledgling ROBINS.

SPRING IS SPRUNG

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Song of Solomon 2:12

Well...not the TURTLE--at least not around here. I saw one at the pond when I used to walk up regularly some years ago--although the point is, SPRING has finally arrived. The past week was cold and rainy, but the last few days have been sunny, not exactly warm. We are promised good days and more heat this coming week.

The BIRDS are off building nests. Above my bedroom window a nest hangs down. The ROBIN parent comes and goes. She saw me today as I shut the window, so I hope I didn't disturb her. That area has been the ROBIN'S territory for some years, but it is the first time a nest has sprung up on top of the window.

An AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and her mate have been active outside my den window on my Chokecherry tree. How drab her coat is. CHIPPING SPARROWS with their red caps find the tree interesting as well, perhaps with the buds coming out. I Saw my first young CEDAR WAXWING, and the CARDINALS are around. My feeders are empty because of the presence of the BLACKBIRDS, so it is pleasant to see different BIRDS flitting about the garden.

The sun shines, a good sign of SPRING, and for the BIRDS, who are more active on sunny days.

Has SPRING sprung in your area?