I went out to get the paper a few days ago and saw a wonderful sight. There was a worm in the driveway after an evening’s rain. That’s a good sign. That means spring is not far away when lawns and gardens will teem with worms. I have always had an affinity for worms, dating back to the days when my dad and I went down to the creek bottom behind our house to dig them for bait. When I had a paper … [Read more...]
Playing Possum
I had an interesting visitor to my backyard early this morning – a possum. I’m sure he is a frequent visitor, but only after dark. It’s rare to see a possum in the daytime, unless it’s in the form of a flattened carcass on the side of the road. Possums are not very good road-crossers. This was a big possum, nice and fat, and would probably have made a nice roast, if you’re into possum meat. … [Read more...]
Buzzards, Buzzards, Everywhere.
It’s been a good year for buzzards. When deer get careless and don’t look both ways before they cross the road, it means the buzzards dine in style. And buzzards do us a great service. They keep carrion to a minimum. But I worry a little about the surge in black buzzards, or black vultures as they re also called. In Virginia, we have two types of vultures/buzzards, the more common turkey … [Read more...]
The Loyal Titmouse
My backyard bird friends come and go. Robins, for example, will be packed in my yard like sardines one week and disappear the next. Even my resident bluebirds take a leave of absence, usually after the last brood has hatched. But the titmice rarely leave. They hang around from winter to spring, from summer to fall. They are lovely and loyal little birds. I noticed a pair at my feeder … [Read more...]
All Crows Welcome
When I was in college, I drank Old Crow bourbon. First, it was dirt cheap, right there with Mattingly & Moore, but it was actually a decent bourbon. I have an old crow in my back yard, too. Actually, I have four old crows, as in birds. They visit each day because I strew cracked corn for them. In return, they help keep hawks away, so it’s a good trade-off. Some people – … [Read more...]
Bird Bath De-Icer
A reader of CvilleBuzz recently asked my recommendation of bird bath de-icers. I have used several varieties over the years and have found that the Model C-50 Bird-Bath De-Icer by Farm Innovators is by far the best. The others, though advertised as highly efficient, don’t do the job when the going gets really cold. And several take up unnecessary space. The Premium Cast 150-Watt … [Read more...]
The Snowbirds Have Returned
I saw them last week. Snowbirds. And then I realized I had not seen them since, well, last winter. They had vamoosed. But there they were, 4 or 5 black and gray snowbirds, scratching on the ground for spilled seeds from the feeder. The official name for snowbirds is Dark-Eyed Junco – Junco hyemalis, to be exact. Snowbirds often spend their springs, summers and falls to the north, then … [Read more...]
Sunflower Chips
Some folks shop for birdseed by the pound. They pick out the largest bag for the least amount of money. They see a 10-pound bag and it only costs $4.99 so they buy it. But! The cheaper assortments of birdseed all have fillers, most specifically milo, which most birds don’t eat. So you are really paying much more per pound if you are trying to entice bluebirds, cardinals, … [Read more...]
Suet, A Winter Must for Birds
I often feed my backyard feathered friends suet during the winter. One day I was at Kroger’s and saw a big, fat wad of “suet” in the meat department and I bought it and hung it in the backyard. “The birds will love this!” Or so I thought. I noticed a few buzzards circling overhead but no actual birds landed on, much less ate any of my genuine suet. Suet by definition is the raw, hard fat of … [Read more...]
Bluebirds Are Shopping
We saw our resident pair of bluebirds this morning. They were checking out nesting sites. Already! I feel confident it’s the same pair that nested three times in our various bluebird boxes last summer. Funny, after the third clutch had fledged, the blues disappeared. Didn’t see them for a couple months, then they returned for a bath and a sip of water during the drought. As I always say, if you … [Read more...]
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