Where have I been?!?

I was tossed off Blogspot two years ago for an unnamed reason (perhaps my photos of birds and bees were the problem). At any rate I haven't been able to even sign in for two years. Suddenly tonight my blog showed up on my MSN toolbar--apparently Blogspot has decided that my posts were pretty benign. So this is a test to see if I can get it working again!

Garden Misc.

This is my pink house finch. Definitely a male, but much paler in color than the vivid reds of the normal male house finch. Can't decide if this is just because he's a juvenile or if he's just this pink color! (Need to try for a clearer picture.)

Jays Enjoy a Challenge

I've been putting peanuts in the dead vine on my big tree so the jays have to look for them, not just get them from the birdfeeder.
Coneflowers aren't looking great thanks to earwigs and/or slugs (many holes in the leaves). I put out a couple of bowls of beer but only managed to trap two earwigs and one slug before the dog found the bowls and slurped up the beer.

Jeni and Jason

Jeni the Scrub Jay has found a friend/boyfriend/sibling?? She's bringing someone with her to the garden now. This photo is of Jeni--she has a slightly scrawnier neck and is brave enough to get the peanut off the table close to me. Jason doesn't dare do that yet, but I'm sure he will in time. I put out some suet for the black-capped chickadees but so far the scrub jays are the only things eating it!
I admit I'm not sure which one this is.

Tiger Flower

Mid-August

Garden's looking a little scraggly as the heat and high winds of the past week or so have made everything struggle. Can't decide whether or not I like the tiger flowers. The blooms themselves are very pretty and interesting, but the leaves are really a mess--they fall over in the wind and just don't look very nice.


I planted this annual in with a geranium last year and when I brought the geranium inside for the winter, the whatever-this-is managed to hang on through the winter too. It's now really doing well, with interesting tiny white blossoms.

Jeni the Scrub Jay

Named this one after my funny niece, Jeni. (I would have named her Jason after my equally funny nephew, but somehow I feel this one's a girl.)


She joins Bruno as the only other named critters in the garden at the moment. I love his dangly feet!

Getting her trained

I've been thinking that a jay this young might be easier to train to eat out of my hand than the crafty older ones I've tried with before. I set a peanut out on the little green table quite close to the patio...so far she's flown down onto the grass twice but hasn't had the nerve to land on the table and pick it up. She's also snacking on sunflower seeds out of the regular feeder in between peanut runs, so she's getting some good meals out of my yard!

Score!

Looking for a Handout

A young scrub jay hoping for goodies in the garden this morning. Scrub jays haven't been around as much this year and I've run out of peanuts--off to get some for him/her. She's being so patient! (Her new feathers must itch as they come in. She's spending a lot of time picking and scratching.)

Tiger Flowers

Planted these bulbs in the early spring not really knowing what to expect as I'd never seen the flowers pictured on the label. They've got very tall fan-like leaves which need to be someplace where no wind gets at them or they fall over (mine look pretty shabby). The first blossom withered immediately on coming out of the bud stalk and I figured all 35 flowers would do the same. But I looked out this morning and saw this beauty! Many more bud stalks to go--they're a variety of colors (the first one was golden yellow) and I'm excited to see them blossom.

The Terror of the Terrace

This is Bruno...a broad-tailed hummingbird (I think). Yesterday I decided to move the hummingbird feeder into a shadier spot, so I hung it from the big elm tree, about ten feet closer to the other bird feeders. Within a couple of hours Bruno was not only eating at the new location, but guarding it as well from every finch or sparrow (and even one dove) in the area. Fortunately, he does it occasionally but not non-stop, so the other birds have time to eat and drink. He flies at birds at the feeders, chasing them into the trees and then zooming back and forth, back and forth, like a guard in a jail, letting them know they're trapped. Quite the feisty little guy!

Goldfinches a la Bunch

The pretty little lesser goldfinches flock to the thistle feeders, then an incoming house finch (which comes in like a big thug compared to the goldfinches) scatters them for a minute or two before they can fight their way back in.

Siberian iris (which, sadly, havent bloomed this year) reflected in evening light.

Sunday afternoon in the garden

Toby enjoying his catmint plant

I have no idea what this little flowering plant is...it's a volunteer that came up last year but never bloomed. This year it's got small white daisy-like flowers on it. It's about a foot tall, the flowers very small--about an inch across. The foliage has a minty smell. (Although the flowers look similar to the English daisy, this is a completely different plant--much taller and the blossoms are definitely different.)

And a female lesser goldfinch gets a drink.

Connie's Demise

Got a good look at Connie this morning and she was obviously much worse--shaking her head a lot and head feathers wet with goop. She was at the finch feeder and I just walked up to her and grabbed her (gently of course). Took her to Wasatch Exotic Pets where they'll put her down humanely. Poor little thing, but at least now a cat or something won't get her.

Connie Conjunctivitis

Just a little update on the house finch with conjunctivitis: She was back at the finch feeder last night and actually seemed just a little better. She wouldn't let me get as close and her left eye didn't seem quite as red and inflamed. She's still with her dad, who is actually still feeding her, and she can get to the birdbath for water and up into the trees (photo is of Connie with her dad at the birdbath). She doesn't fly normally, appearing to maybe see shadows or shapes, making her flying clumsy and erratic. At any rate, I don't think I could catch her now so I guess she'll get a run for her money.

Little blind house finch

I've got the saddest little bird at my finch feeder. Little female house finch who's very obviously blind either from injury or illness. She's been sitting at the feeder for a very long time, feeling a little secure of food because she can feel around with her beak to find the hole for the thistle seeds. I can't believe she's as big as she is, but this may be a new thing and not something she was born with. Don't know quite what to do about her...she can't see me so I can walk very quietly right up to her. If she can find the birdbath (just below her) she may be okay for a bit anyway. If she's startled, she doesn't fly, but stretches up as tall as she can, on guard for whatever it might be.
Later... Contacted a lady who works with Tracy Aviary and she said it's got house finch conjunctivitis--extremely contagious. I've got to catch it (just my luck, after two hours on the feeder, it just flew off--awkwardly trying to find a branch) and take it in to be put down. Then I've got to disinfect both my feeders as that's where it spreads.

Lesser Goldfinch at evening

These little birds are so tiny and beautiful! The females seem to be much braver--allowing me to get within a few feet of them. The bright yellow males are more skittish.

New birdbath...

...to replace the "old" new one that I broke (idiot). I actually like this one better--it's real cement (not "faux"), already sealed, and the water comes clear to the top so it reflects the Siberian iris behind it. Got it on clearance at the little garden statuary shop right across the street from me because one of the curlicue things under the basin is broken off (easy fix: face that part to the back).

"Becky" daisies--white flowers probably not the best choice against a white fence, but I couldn't resist them because of the name. They're doing really well this year!

Headless Dove??

Actually I was trying out the continuous shooting on my camera and got this mid-head-shake of a dove at the birdbath. And finally the lesser goldfinches came to the feeder when I was on the patio!