Honey bee on Echinacea Humming bird drinking nectar from the Bee balm Humming bird drinking nectar from the Bee balm (messy hoop house in the background)
Category Archives: chickens
One Element at a Time
Two elements in this image, actually. One of which we set in motion a couple of months ago, and one that I just strung. We had a clothesline until two winters ago, but the trees it was under leafed out so much it stopped being a very good spot: too much shade, too much stuff …
The First Robins
The plan for today was to plant out the first lettuces into the hotbox, but it is snowing! But! The first Robins have arrived. I wonder if they’ll take up residence in our carport again. In honor of the first Robins and the first full day of Spring, and in the spirit of healing and …
Of Bees and Birds
The hive in the distance. Gotta go dig it out. Some wading and digging and it’s done. The new dead bees at the entrance means the bees in there are still alive, trying to clear out the die-off. They’re well insulated now in that blanket of snow, as long as the hive gets some ventilation. …
Of the Birds and the Bees
I’ve been watching the hive and there is not too much going that I can see: small scouting parties, hive entrance defense (photo), and the removal of dead bees. All the action is within (or so I hope). Because my hive is new and the frames have only foundation on them, the bees should be …
This Year’s Robins Nest
Every Spring, since we’ve been here, we’ve had a Robin’s nest near the house. That’s why we call the place Robin Hill – plus it has a little bit of Robin Hood in it. Year One (2008) they chose the rafters of the carport and Year Two they chose the nook next to Year One’s …
Wild Is Old (Owls)
The other night my birdwatching neighbor came over to tell me there are is Barred Owl (Strix Varia) nesting in the trees behind our property and that I should listen for its calls. That evening, there it was, that typical “Who Cooks For You” call. By the time we got the mike out there, the …
Some Quick Notes Before I Dissapear for a Few Days
Friends are coming to visit for a couple of days, and I doubt I will have the time, or the inclination, to interrupt the fun we always have to post here. But before I go, a few notes: ~ Turns out that the bobcat I heard a couple of weeks ago was most likely a …
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Robins Arrived Before the Snow
The first of that big snowstorm assailing the East Coast has flurried in, and so did the flocks of birds. I’ve noticed that the regulars – the flocks of snowbirds, sparrows, finches and mourning doves, and the lone cardinals and blue jays – come out to the feeder when it starts snowing. Maybe it is …
A Bobcat?
So this happened half an hour ago, at 10 pm. I’m sitting in my living room, working on the laptop. Suddenly there is a racket in the street. A small dog barking very, very loudly? Surely that’s not a dog? I go outside with my flashlight. It’s 10F and I’m wearing a skirt and a …