In Our Garden

THE MALLARD DRAKE FOUND SOMETHING TO EAT - HOPE IT'S NOT THE ROOTS OF OUR WATER HAWTHORN PLANTS. LAST YEAR THE FEMALE ATE UP ONE OF OUR TWO DEBRIS-EATING SNAILS . . .

HOPE THE MALLARD DRAKE STAYS AND BRINGS IN HIS FEMALE COUNTERPART AGAIN THIS YEAR . . .

MANY BIRDS STOP, LIKE THIS JUNCO, TO PERCH ON THIS OLD SCHOOL BELL ON OUR FRONT PORCH TO VIEW THE FRONT GARDEN

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF BEES IN OUR GARDEN; THEY ARE ABUNDANT ON THE RHODODENDRONS, THE HEATHER, THE CHERRY TREE AND ON THE RASPBERRY BLOSSOMS AND THE SOUND OF THEIR BUZZING FILLS THE AIR WHEN WE SIT ON THE DECK.

BEEEEE AND MY SHAAADOWWW . . .

UMMM, BEEEEE AND MY SHAAADOWW . . . OK, I'LL QUIT NOW . . . .

ONE OF THE CHEERY 'FRECKLED' LILIES BY OUR POND

AN EXPLOSION OF SUN-BRIGHT LILIES LIGHTING UP THE SIDE DECK

RED-LEGGED FROG ENJOYING A PEACEFUL SOAK AT HIS SPA . . .

WE'VE HAD MORE PURPLE FINCHES THIS YEAR THAN USUAL . . .

PURPLE FINCH AT ONE OF THE BUBBLERS ON OUR POND

MALE ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD FLASHING HIS IRIDESCENT HEAD FEATHERS

WELCOME BACK, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD - SPRING CAN'T BE FAR BEHIND !

FRUSTRATED CROW TRYING TO GRAB A BITE OF SUET ON THE FLY!

JUMPING JACK CROW! THE DEVICE WE MADE TO STOP SQUIRRELS FROM DEVOURING ALL THE SUET ALSO WORKS TO STOP THE CROWS. THEY CAN'T GRASP THE SUET HOLDER ON THE FLY SO ARE REDUCED TO JUMPING UP AND GRABBING A BITE ON THE FLY . . .

This Red-legged Frog is almost a golden color - unusual here.

One of the many Rufous Hummingbirds taking nectar from a hanging fuchsia

Classroom for froglets? Maybe . . . Many of the pollywogs we noticed early this summer in the pond have emerged as froglets. Some have even grown enough to make their way beyond the pond and back to the woodlots nearby.

One of our Red-legged Frogs surrounded by (and wearing a cap of) Common Duckweed. While Duckweed is quite pretty and photogenic it can also become a problem. Excess coverage on the pond diminishes the oxygen supply to the water which may stunt the growth of plants in the pond water. It should never cover more than 60% of the pond surface.

Surfing our pond on a Water Hawthorn leaf paddle board - fun time for one of the Red-legged Frogs that hatched here last Spring.

Look fast - my name is Townsend's "Constant Motion' Chipmunk! Or maybe that should be "Yellow Pine 'Constant Motion' . Can anyone pin down the chipmunk species pictured here??

We've had a world of squirrels here but this is the very first chipmunk to visit our gardens in over a dozen years - a welcome little delight!

This little Townsend's Chipmunk must have run a three-minute mile all within a nine foot square area of the side garden in world record time!

ONE OF THE LARGEST RED-LEGGED FROGS IN OUR POND THIS YEAR

AN EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT APPEARED BY OUT POND FOR JUST AN INSTANT AS IT RAN THROUGH OUR GARDEN AND DISAPPEARED - THE FIRST RABBIT WE'VE EVER SEEN IN OUR GARDEN HERE IN THE VILLAGE

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW AND TWO FLEDGLING BATHING BEAUTIES

FEMALE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH GATHERING NESTING MATERIAL FROM THE CONTAINER THAT WE HANG IN THE SERVICEBERRY TREE

CLOSER LOOK AT THE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH GATHERING NESTING MATERIAL

JUST FLEDGED WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW BEGS FOR FOOD FROM ITS PARENT

FLEDGLING SPOTTED TOWHEE AT THE POND, ONE OF MANY NEW LITTLE ADDITIONS TO OUR RESIDENT BIRD POPULATION HERE

FLEDGLING WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW ON THE POND

PURPLE FINCHES SEEM TO HAVE REPLACED ALL THE HOUSE FINCHES WE USUALLY HAVE HERE. THE MANY PETALS SCATTERED AROUND ARE FROM THE JAPANESE SNOWBALL TREE NEARBY.

PURPLE FINCH FLEDGLING 'POLE DANCING' AS IT BEGS FOR FOOD

DANCING, DANCING! FLEDGLING PURPLE FINCH BEGGING FOR FOOD

FLEDGLING PURPLE FINCH DOING FLUTTER DANCE AS IT BEGS FOR FEEDING

ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ME??? WHITE CROWNED SPARROW ALL PUFFED UP AND PERCHED ON OUR SCHOOL BELL ON THE FRONT PORCH

PUFFED UP WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW ON OUR OLD SCHOOL BELL ON THE FRONT PORCH

FEMALE RUFOUS SEEKING NECTAR FROM A FUSCHIA BLOSSOM

HYDRANGEA BLOSSOM ON OUR FRONT DECK = WE HAVE TWO IN HALF BARRELS, BOTH GIFTS FROM A GOOD NEIGHBOR - AREN'T THEY LOVELY!

A BEE'S EYE VIEW OF THE HYDRANGEA BLOSSOM

A nice perch on which to preen after a cooling dip . . . the old school bell on our front porch rail.

Nothing like a cool drink on a hot day . . .

A young Black-headed Grosbeak enjoys a "walk on water" on our pond

Cedar Waxwing pauses for a quiet moment by the pond

The most popular spot in our garden on a hot day - the pond! There's even the leaf of a Marsh Marigold for a little 'beach' umbrella!

Black-headed Grosbeak sampling the Red Currant berries on one of the two bushes in our back garden

Yum! The bright red berries of the Currant bushes are very popular with many birds who visit our garden

Young Downy Woodpeck still ruffled after a cooling dip in the water bubbler at the pond.