I’m trying to remember when I birded last. A month ago, I think. My two-week migration vacation this year was spent mostly in the back garden, which is developing nicely.
Birds
There’ve been youngsters in the yard for several weeks—Common Grackles, American Robins, one Northern Cardinal, European Starlings, House Sparrows, House Finches, Mourning Doves…
I witnessed an instance of the plight of the first born. An American Robin was gathering mud in the wet area by the pond (I’ve put in a pond! One of the vacation projects), a sign that she was preparing to start on her second brood. She flew, and one of the young landed in the mud. When mom returned and began gathering more mud, it opened its bill, begging for a morsel. Mom ignored it and flew off with another billfull to her new nest. It was sad … and funny—You’re on your own now, kid.
Chuck was at a rehearsal on Wednesday evening, and I spent an hour in the yard wandering around weeding and then just standing and enjoying being outside. A Common Nighthawk was calling overhead, and I heard a call slightly farther away, so there were at least two. The one above the yard was persistently vocal and loud. Always a nice yard bird.
Butterflies and other insects
There have been few butterflies in the yard—some Cabbage Whites and Summer Azures, and something that looked like a lady tearing across the yard without stopping. It’s been a wet spring and early summer, though, so I’m optimistic. I saw my first Common Buckeye of the year in Forest Park on Thursday, June 11.
The yard
We finally had the concrete walk that was so out of place taken out in March or April—the area it ran through is now planted with native perennials: penstemon, liatris, delphinium, aster.
What’s blooming
Mostly the native plants, but some non-natives I’m fond of, as well.
Flowers, wild and not
- Alcea sp.
- Aquilegia sp.
- Asclepias syriaca
- Asclepias purpurascens
- Asclepias tuberosa
- Blephilia ciliata
- Echinacea paradoxa
- Echinacea purpurea
- Echinacea simulata
- Erysimum capitatum
- Glandularia canadensis
- Monarda fistulosa
- Monarda sp. (red ornamental variety)
- Oenothera speciosa (pink)
- Penstemon digitalis
- Pontederia cordata
- Talinum calycinum
- Tradescantia sp.
- Zizia aurea (one last hold out)
- feral petunia
Shrubs
Grasses
After the Spigelia marilandica and all three Baptizia bracteata came up this year I realized that just because a plant is eaten down to the ground by squirrels and rabbits doesn’t mean that it has perished. So when one of the new ones was broken off at the base shortly after I put it in, I put rocks around that delphinium and am pleased to see it beginning to recover. I expect it to be back next year.
