Flora and Fauna Updatia

[ellyssian]

As those who may remember from either reading about past cookouts or actually being present, the wildlife I speak of as being in abundance on my property makes itself scarce when guests arrive. Took my parents many, many visits before they glimpsed a rodentdeer, even as vast herds make their way to-and-fro (a phrase which is used here to indicate that they trample back and forth, nibbling on whatever I plant.) It is of no surprise, then, that the day before a cookout is marked by several excellent sightings.

A chipmunk - who later scolded from the safety of the forest floor undergrowth - ran from the pitch pine near Stone Stream into the Middle Woods.

A red tailed hawk looped overhead, approaching us, crying out over and over, until it finally dived into the Middle Woods (possibly silencing the aforementioned chipmunk, or one of its relations.)

A pileated woodpecker went from tree to tree, giving us great profile views, as well as one flight right towards us, that veered off into the canopy about fifty feet away and fifty feet up. It sounded its very recognizable call several times, providing additional entertainment value.

The robin couple which is often seen walking around the yard (and, hopefully, munching on things munching on the lawn...) hung out for a while in the kiwi. An earlier near-sighting (which was, technically, a far-sighting and a near-miss) was *probably* of one of the couple or another friend of theirs, but looked to be pure black... too quick for me to be sure, though.

A hummingbird zipped along, just at the edge of my vision, beyond the meadow.

A couple of colorful butterflies fluttered by, circling the iris like sharks, but neither one nor the other actually sampled any nectar.

A grasshopper hopped along the front of the porch, his journey ending when he foolishly jumped headlong into the wall below the garage window and dropped like a stone.

The crow family was out and about, arguing about the usual things, and scattering in and around the trees.

Justin caught sight of something - possibly the hawk or woodpecker - through the trees of Middle Woods.

A chipping sparrow pecked around the island in Stone Stream. This is curious in that it was the second time a lone chip was seen doing his thing - usually these guys come in vast hordes and descend upon the lawn. Or the sides of trees. Or circle in three dimensions like whirling dervishes with anti-grav belts.

Even if none of those characters makes themselves known when folks are over tomorrow, they will be able to see the mountain laurels which are very nearly blooming, and the iris, which are in full bloom. The azaleas, sadly, have called it quits until next spring.

Comments

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Crows are the only critters we get that eat Japanese beetle larvae from the lawn (or vaguely lawn-oid thing, such as ours is). This is one of the reasons i like them. (The other reason is being privy to the soap opera of their lives; we've tracked both a parentally-approved crow marriage, and a Romeo-and-Juliet sort of situation.)

Our favorite etching artist has a piece entitled something like "instead of a lawn, I have white-throated sparrows," with lots of weeds and a beautifully-renderdd sparrow. That's our philosophy, too.

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Mine too - nature takes a precedence. When it does, not only do I benefit (so far the direct benefits have been blueberries, sassafras, stress relief, and poetry muse) but everyone downstream will as well.

Currently, for lawn areas, we have what my mom calls an English lawn - that is, green things. Grass welcome, but not required. (I'll still be seeding a while, trying to establish a new lawn where four years ago there was forest; the wife insists on lawn for the kids to play in.)