The Garden Awakens
Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
Looks like a junco to me. They're a winter bird here in Nebraska.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you asked this, and that Benjamin took the time to answer. We have small flocks of these little ones visit our home here in SC, and I'd never seen them before and was clueless as to their id. Now I can follow up with junco as my starting point. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a pretty little Junco. We called them snow birds when we were small here in Ohio. Seemed they just showed up in the winter just as the snows came. I love photographing birds nut I have the worst time trying to get the eyes to show up on the dark headed birds. The Juncos give me fits to try to photograph when they are in the snow trying to get the light right to show their eyes. Wonderful photos! Have fun with your counting.
ReplyDeleteA Dark-eyed Junco it is .. Great fun counting all the birds!
ReplyDeleteI agree it's a dark-eyed junco, but feel compelled to add that they look a bit different in Michigan--the gray is more solid, less stripey. Um, because I knew you wanted to know this.
ReplyDeleteI also thought "junco." Saw a few for the first time in our yard this winter, and had a tough time id'ing them because they weren't on our regional common bird lists.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for doing the count!
I love birders. So helpful, so honest, so sweet.
ReplyDeleteA Junco. They arrive late fall and stay through the winter here. They don't use the bird feeders - they like to forage around the garden.
ReplyDeleteCameron
Thanks everybody! I'm a bit surprised because I didn't know we had those here. Cameron, I always see them on the driveway, never at the feeders.
ReplyDeleteI've taken to tossing seeds in the lawn where I don't mind them germinating if they last through the winter. The juncos swarm those areas a few times a day. I'd never really noticed them before this year.
ReplyDeleteSaw our first junco yesterday! :D I had to look it up in our bird book lol. Neat little things :D
ReplyDeleteThis is the first year I've seen so many dark-eyed juncos in my yard, Phillip. And as far as bluejays go, I've seen 2 the entire season. Most unusual. My most numerous is the bluebird and I get about 17 of those. I think they live right around here because they know they have lots of good eats;-)
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