I'm so bummed. Today I'm having the beautiful giant cottonwoods (balsam poplars) along the corners of my property cut. They are in dire need of it, having not been trimmed in a good 5 years or so. There are many large dead branches which need to come down before they fall down and kill someone. The thing is, when they are cut back, it is so severe that it just hurts to look at them. They are much like aspen trees, with dancing leaves at the slightest breeze, providing welcome shade in the heat of summer days. The last of their golden leaves were still falling on the lawn when I left this morning for work. I told the tree trimmer to please watch out for the many squirrels that live in the "critter condos". Last year a whole family of raccoons had a high rise view from near the top of one tree. The acorn woodpeckers have a several holes in another, as do the Titmice (birds) which are annual nesting visitors. Nesting season is over, so I know that there won't be any loss of life, but the animals and birds will have to scramble to make new homes as winter sets in. They will have been terrified by the loud chainsaws. My yard is a cornucopia for the wildlife, and I have feeders all over the place filled with peanuts, suet, sunflower seeds, dried corn ears... the squirrels are really chubby. I am dreading going home after work today.
11 comments:
You wrote that like a Disney cartoon, Terry, just wonderful, made me feel quite emotional. Made me sit here and worry about a particular group of birds and animals on your yard, California...
Our bird-regulars have been giving me accusing looks through the window since the temperature dropped two days ago. I guess it's time to break out the sunflower/ hemp/peanut mix that's on the menu here.
Autumn, LOL! Didn't you know that I walk around my acreage singing like Snow White, with little baby animals at my feet and birds perched upon my hands? Seriously though, when I throw the peanuts out early every morning the jays are already waiting for me, perched like little vultures in the trees, and I FEEL like Snow White :-)
Jeanne, what kind of birds do you have around your home in Sweden? I'd love to know. When I went to Iceland, I was disappointed because due to the time of year there were very little birds at all. Even the seabirds were scarce. I'm determined to see puffins when I go back in June. If I ever moved to Iceland I think I would have to import some birds for my yard... and plant some trees!
:-D Tracey - I have so many Iceland pictures that you will be groaning and rolling your eyes long before I'm done trotting them out.
There's definitely a Disney theme going on everywhere at the moment, you are snow white (lol, wrote shite accidently), Agnes is peter pan, last week we were dwarfs - gosh the excitement of what's to come is just too much...!!! ;-)
Shows how much love and respect you have for nature...emotional post Terry.
Keshi.
Happy Friday Tracey!
Auuughhh - my trees are bare - stark naked standing straight into the air with not a stitch of foliage. Last night as the dusk was deepening, I poked around in the chopped wood logs, and heard a lone squirrel bark once from the critter condo. Shell shocked I'm sure. Well, it didn't affect the jays - they were out in force, examining every exposed hole, crevice or crack and shrieking their excitement to the world. The worst is over, and I hope it won't be too long before things settle down again with peace. I haven't laid eyes on a single squirrel yet :-/
Our list of regulars:
We have the equivilant of chickadees, we have nuthatches, several sorts of finches, thrushes, red poles on occasion, ditto bohemian waxwings and pine grossbeaks, woodpeckers, one sort of sparrow, a jay-bird that is redish instead of blue, magpies, and a good number of birds that bear no resemblance to american birds. A sad fact: We used to live in another house that we still own. We moved five years ago, and STILL when we visit there thebirds come and gather where I used to feed them. I don't know if they are the same birds or their children and we've become a legend. It makes me feel extremely guilty.
Tracey, we shall see about where the squirrels end up. Poor fat things, with their semi hibernation so disturbed :-( Thanks for your positive thoughts.
Jeanne - How nice to know there are so many of the same birds found in Sweden as in US. Most of those birds are also found here in my own yard, with the exception of the red pole (never seen one of those before)and the jay... I'd LOVE to see that one. I have Stellars and Scrub Jays in great abundance, but the magpies live over in the central valley and never come over toward the coast. Waxwings and Robins are migratory -here in winter for the red berries. I get so much enjoyment out of luring them to the yard with food. I love birds, can you tell?
Post a Comment