Category: Wildlife
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A rare variation of a common bird
I’m studying the red-breasted Nuthatch. However, all I see is the dark-eyed junco. The junco is a common bird at the feeder. No two are alike. Some are about as big as a robin, some small and delicate. they love the feeder and the seeds that fall on the ground. They spend equal time between…
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The raucous Steller’s Jay comes out of the woods
The Steller’s Jay is a bird I associate with Yosemite National Park. They are a constant sight in the valley campgrounds. I’ve seen them get into nasty fights over food. Despite having a bad disposition, I’ve always thought they were beautiful with their black heads contrasted with a blue body. They style quite a hairdo.…
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Pollinator in my garden.
How to identify a pollinator. That’s the goal isn’t it? Create a garden that attracts pollinators and when they come, identify them. Who are they? What are they? This morning, basking in the summer sun here in Western Washington is this gorgeous butterfly. I didn’t scare it off and it waited while I ran back…
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Re-repairing the leaking plastic bird bath.
As previously posted, I attempted to repair my plastic bird bath. It didn’t work after caulking and cementing, waiting and testing. Preventing a leak is a matter of persistence. I know I can do it; I just haven’t thrown enough at it to plug that leak which is a several inch crack in the bottom…
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Bird bath repair. Sealing a leak and raising the water level. Dry pouring concrete.
I’m taking a discarded bird bath and putting it back into service. I bought it for someone as a gift. It returned to me but is useless. Birds never went to it. I surmise that it is too deep and wobbles due to its light weight. One more thing; it’s made of plastic. I’ve observed…
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It’s been worth the wait. Two new bird species in the front yard.
I’m happy for the Dark eyed juncos, nuthatches, and chickadees. They’re friends and constant visitors to this front yard. They make up 90+ percent of the bird sightings here. Then there are the crows, Steller’s jay, and occassional Downy woodpecker. We also find the Spotted Towhee and owl on occasion. Today, two new species arrived.…
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Exploring the Skagit River; river of abundance
Below is a link to a Youtube video I put together on the Skagit River. A second link is to a Youtube video about migratory birds, most of which was videoed where the river divides north and south draining into the Salish Sea. The Skagit, I find out, is head watered up in the Canadian…
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Downy woodpecker sighting.
You wait months for a sighting of this bird, common but not to my humble homestead. Then the cat alerts me something in the trees. Two female Downy woodpeckers in the Japonica fatsia hunting bugs. The Downy is the smallest of the woodpeckers. They like the fatsia by the front door?
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Alexander Falls in Callaghan Country, near Whistler, Canada
The view of this spectacular waterfall requires no hike and there’s no trail to trek. The viewing platform is right off the circular dirt parking lot located 5 miles off Sea to Sky Highway aka Highway 99 on Callaghan Valley Road. This is just a few miles south of Whistler. The waterfall plunges 140 feet…
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Pallet tables
Take two pallets; make no modifications. Attach discarded wood planks for legs. Measure twice, cut once, and you have a hippy dippy potting table. Now, take the same concept, only cut the pallet in half. Use wood slats from a bed frame for the legs. And voila, a chic designer outdoor table. Watch out for…
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Harpaphe haydeniana, the cyanide millipede
One small insect is a large coniferous forest. What is it? I thought it was a caterpillar and considered picking it up. It’s a millipede that exudes cyanide as a defensive measure. When I moved a log, there it was curled up and motionless yet looking healthy and alive. They are not harmful to humans.…