We are nearly a year into our lives in this place and many things have come to our yard to live and play. We have always tried to maintain a wildlife friendly environment.
It took a while, filling feeders and making suet, and nearly all of the birds and animals we have had before have found us here. They aren’t in the same numbers or proportions, though. Some are more common here and some were more common there.
We have had a lot of juvenile birds this summer. White-crowned sparrows, song sparrows, a downy woodpecker, and now this little brown bird.
We suspect that it might be a grosbeak. That relatively large beak might be a clue, but other evidence includes the fact that black-headed grosbeaks have stayed here longer through the nesting season rather than passing through as they did at our previous place.
This bird behaves oddly. It seems unconcerned about the dogs or having people around. It flies away, but only when we get very close.
Shelly and I were looking at it the other day through binoculars trying to identify it. Just as we put down the field glasses, there was a pretty startling sound of flapping as a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk swooped in to try and grab a snack.
We were concerned that it might be our little friend since the disturbance happened in about the same location where we last saw it. Whoever it was, it flew to the nearby hedge and escaped immediate death. We didn’t actually see that juvenile bird again for a few hours. It was a relief to see it at the feeder again.
Little white butterflies are all over the garden now. My grandfather called them cabbage butterflies. They are abundant here and they make me happy.
And of course we have lots and lots of honeybees. Shelly has let all of our herbs go to flower and they have become very popular. Basil flowers, cilantro and more. They smell great and they help the bees at the same time.
Where there is good soil, veggies and flowers, there are lots of tasty bugs. Where we have those, we are going to have some predators as well.
Another hunter.
