This morning while I was sipping my morning coffee in the backyard, a Western Tanager dropped from the sky into a corner of our little pond. No matter how many tanagers I see in my life, I will never cease to be startled by their glowing presence. Western Tanagers are bright yellow with black wings, [...]
Entries Tagged as 'birds'
Quid Pro Crow: Gardening Alongside Wildlife
April 23rd, 2009 · 8 Comments
When I planted our peas in March, I chased the crows out of the cherry tree before I started. I was thinking of all the crows I’d seen watching gray squirrels bury their peanuts. The squirrels are so busy-busy, patting down the soil over their treasure with those bad little paws. Then as soon as [...]
Tags: birds, crows, garden, urban nature
When Good Woodpeckers Go Bad
March 17th, 2009 · 7 Comments
This week I received two e-mails from friends who want to know what they can do about their “nemesis”–the woodpecker that is maniacally drumming their house at all hours. This is a frequent spring complaint about Northern Flickers, the most common urban-suburban woodpecker. They are beautiful fawn-colored birds with black spots, long-ish bills, and pretty, [...]
Tags: birds, urban nature
