I saw a praying mantis on our front porch recently. It was the first one I’ve seen in quite a while. Back when there were meadows and open spaces, we saw lots of mantids. As kids, we would catch them, put them in glass jars with holes in the lid, observe the interesting creatures and let them go, but woe be to any kid who let a praying mantis take hold with her pincers. They would bite you! I … [Read more...]
Birds of Prey
Everyone knows the long enemies list of nesting birds: Cats, snakes, raccoons, foxes, dogs, skunks, ants, and other varmints. But one of the biggest threats to little birds is a bigger bird. My uncle in Charlotte had a hummingbird feeder on the window of his kitchen nook. One summer, he noticed occasional dead birds on the ground near the feeder. He couldn’t figure out the cause of the avian … [Read more...]
Tick Tock: It’s Tick Time
I got nailed about three weeks ago. Still itches like the dickens. My wife, Nancy, has had two tick attachments so far this spring. The last one caused redness around the bite and resulted in antibiotics, just in case the little parasite was a Lyme disease carrier. Yes, it’s tick time, so be on the lookout. Not every tick bite results in disease, but many do. There is an average of 40,000 cases … [Read more...]
Grassy Places
I don’t get along very well with grass. It grows when I don’t want it to – on weekends and potential fishing and golfing days, and it doesn’t grow when I want it to, like in March, when I’m sick of winter. It also grows where I don’t want it to grow, like in the middle of my asphalt driveway. How does grass do that? Then, of course, it won’t grow where I want it to, like I bald places in my yard. … [Read more...]
Keeping the Pests Away
Fellow gardeners unite! We have nothing to lose but our green beans and day lilies! Backyard gardening is growing in popularity as more and more people discover the relaxing therapy of working the soil and enjoying the delightful taste of fresh vegetables and fruits, and the beauty of flowering plants. Plus, the vegetables are healthier and fresher than anything available at a super market. … [Read more...]
Squashing Squash Borers
More and more families are establishing vegetable gardens in their backyards, and some are even digging up space in the front yards where there may be more sunlight. The reasons for the implosion in the number of small gardens are numerous. For starters, home raised vegetables are far less expensive than those bought at the store. In addition, the trend towards organic foods is on the upswing. … [Read more...]
Backyard Battles
My backyard has transformed from a serene and peaceful setting to a battleground of world war proportions. The armies, though, have feathers. A red-tailed hawk recently decided to enter my air space and was intercepted by a half-dozen scud missiles, otherwise known as crows. While the hawk could easily handle any of the crows in a one-on-one contest, he was out of his league when six … [Read more...]
To Watch a Mockingbird
One of my favorite movies of all time is “To Kill A Mockingbird” based on the novel by Harper Lee. In the movie, Atticus Finch (played by Gregory Peck) tells his son, Jim, that no one should ever kill a mockingbird because they do no harm to any one. Well, there is a certain robin outside the window of my office that might disagree. There is a pair of mockingbirds nesting in an evergreen … [Read more...]
In Search of Backyard Miracles
If you have a backyard, or some woods and meadows near your home, genuine miracles are happening every day. Birds are nesting, all wildlife is busy raising little ones and the plant world is bursting at the seams. It appears all birds may have nested early this year. Don’t know exactly why, but many turkey hens were on nests sooner than usual. So were grouse. Maybe it was the quick green-up in … [Read more...]
Meet Wrenfield, the Troubador
We call him Wrenfield, our tiny troubadour. Wrenfield is a Carolina wren. We think he’s been around our house for several years. He wakes us each morning with a cheerful song and is one of the last birds to stop singing in the evening. He has quite a repertoire of songs and chirps. For a little fellow, he sure makes a lot of noise. Wrenfield is always cheerful. He seems happy to just be alive … [Read more...]