Song Sparrows often build their nests close to the ground on top of plants. I had a nest on top of a clump of Little Bluestem last year. Unfortunately, the bird abandoned the unhatched eggs after the Independence Day fireworks, another disruptive behavior humans have towards wildlife.
Yaaa, it's a bummer. Fireworks could have caused it. Or some predatory beast cat like ours. Or a vehicle. I've had dead birds on my bumper before, which is very sad. They also fly into our windows from time to time.
We have a mess of skunks here, and I know they'll eat bird eggs that are low to the ground. That might be what wiped out the other nest I saw in our grape vines this spring.
There are a LOT of amazing birds here because we've got rivers and bodies of water nearby. Since I didn't know species for sure, I didn't mention it in my substack post. But my guess from her looks and the egg color is sparrow, and probably house sparrow. Could be wrong, though.
It is SO true, and as a fellow grower, I struggle with all of it. The weeds take over, and I fight back in the few spaces that I attempt to claim for myself. And then I get busy, and they win again for a while... and it's a constant back and forth.
Pretty many vegans might not be connected with the food growing process enough to know the effect that it has on the balance of things, and on the animals. Education should include rural time.
One of the troubles with government managing agriculture is that most of those people are too distant from the land and the work, so they make harmful decisions.
I really appreciate this post. It IS unsettling sometimes to see what you disrupt and disturb when planting a garden, weeding in the perennial beds or staking out new territory for fruits. Or, sometimes, pruning the climbing hydrangea that threatens each year to eat our house.
Birds' nests are the biggest issue (Vermont doesn't have a lot of snakes and we've learned where they like to hang out). We now have two nexts under the deck that are re-used each year, sometimes by the same species, sometimes not. In the hydrangea, we discovered a robin's nest but did so a bit too late as taking out one branch exposed the next and the mother never came back to tend to the eggs.
I've found a wood thrush nest in the crook of a branch in our magnolia tree (that was last year; nest gone and, sadly, magnolia deep in disease so had to cut down.
We do no-till in the vegetable garden, so we know there is a network of tunnels underneath.
I so appreciate this piece and your writing. Thank you.
Loved this story!!!
ThankYOU! Hope to mingle a little more slice of weedom life with the weed stories from time to time.
My cat look just like yours....
If your kitty behaves like Renob, you have your hands full. :-D
Song Sparrows often build their nests close to the ground on top of plants. I had a nest on top of a clump of Little Bluestem last year. Unfortunately, the bird abandoned the unhatched eggs after the Independence Day fireworks, another disruptive behavior humans have towards wildlife.
Yaaa, it's a bummer. Fireworks could have caused it. Or some predatory beast cat like ours. Or a vehicle. I've had dead birds on my bumper before, which is very sad. They also fly into our windows from time to time.
We have a mess of skunks here, and I know they'll eat bird eggs that are low to the ground. That might be what wiped out the other nest I saw in our grape vines this spring.
There are a LOT of amazing birds here because we've got rivers and bodies of water nearby. Since I didn't know species for sure, I didn't mention it in my substack post. But my guess from her looks and the egg color is sparrow, and probably house sparrow. Could be wrong, though.
Oh thank goodness you did not put your hand in the watering can.
He would have gummed me. Not much for teeth on that snake.
What a great glimpse into worlds hidden from the casual observer! You have my deepest respect for your care for God's creation. ♥️
Your kind comment is appreciated. ThankYOU for reading.
It is SO true, and as a fellow grower, I struggle with all of it. The weeds take over, and I fight back in the few spaces that I attempt to claim for myself. And then I get busy, and they win again for a while... and it's a constant back and forth.
Yaaaaa!!! Too much order is detrimental to the mind. Or maybe the weeds are in perfect order, but we just can’t see it!!
You are very right, it's such a delicate balance. And I'm sure if you asked the weeds, they'd tell you they're in the exact right spot!
Agreed! Totally hated pulling that bale of ground ivy in full bloom. Left some in place for the fall. I feel guilty. At least it recovers fast.
Good point about the almost always virtue signaling vegans.
I too hate the disruption I cause to the wildlife with getting the garden in.
Yaaaa, it's the bitter with the sweet.
Pretty many vegans might not be connected with the food growing process enough to know the effect that it has on the balance of things, and on the animals. Education should include rural time.
One of the troubles with government managing agriculture is that most of those people are too distant from the land and the work, so they make harmful decisions.
I really appreciate this post. It IS unsettling sometimes to see what you disrupt and disturb when planting a garden, weeding in the perennial beds or staking out new territory for fruits. Or, sometimes, pruning the climbing hydrangea that threatens each year to eat our house.
Birds' nests are the biggest issue (Vermont doesn't have a lot of snakes and we've learned where they like to hang out). We now have two nexts under the deck that are re-used each year, sometimes by the same species, sometimes not. In the hydrangea, we discovered a robin's nest but did so a bit too late as taking out one branch exposed the next and the mother never came back to tend to the eggs.
I've found a wood thrush nest in the crook of a branch in our magnolia tree (that was last year; nest gone and, sadly, magnolia deep in disease so had to cut down.
We do no-till in the vegetable garden, so we know there is a network of tunnels underneath.
I so appreciate this piece and your writing. Thank you.
gg