Something I’ve worked for a real long time finally happened, and it came as happenstance, I think= or my neighbours work.

Squirrel

Suuirrel, I’m sure, knows Hilts schedule and inclinations. Just one does. When I get up and breakfast, one eye is on the NYT headlines and the latest Sam Smith or Blair Kamin output- the other is on the jungle outside. This year it has been outstanding: what a riot of nature its become. But one squirrel knows that @ a certain time of the A.M. a ripped up piece of bread (ripped into pieces so he can’t take the whole piece off by himself) will be tossed from the window. He’s sitting on the fence near the window, clambers down, and munches on his haunches. Fun site.

I’ve also jury rigged a water area- I’ve read about the need for water in attracting wildlife, and its really working this year. Now, going back to the Ireland idea of earlier this morning, I could have bought a nice decorative birdbath, but in true Dadform, I found some odds and ends in the garage (please pronounce it Anglo style--wait, uh, Irish style that‘s what I meant, Irish style!!!), pasted them to-gether and slapped it on the fence. It holds water, and the bird and squirrels are darling to watch drinking: especially my squirrel, who has to bend/lean down and extend his body fully to get into position to sip.


The American Robin Apollo Program

There was a one day campaign -v- the American Robins a fortnite ago or so, but now all resources- an Apollo program, one mite say*- are being geared to supporting an American Robin pair who have chosen to nest in bushes out front. They are really trees that we prune severely each year to keep them from growing outrageously. Since I’m dripping w/ parental love this morn, the bushes were brought over from a single tree out in front of the old house on Mozart Street by Dad, and is but one of the happy happy reminders of He who is no longer with us.

Both Gf (Argessive!!) and Jackson (Not Aggressive!!) have had experiences with American Robins nesting on their property, so I’m psyched. I have nicely told the neighbours 3 wee ones that its super duper important that we have to be nice to the little wittle wobin** babies that are gonna be there, and have been leaving out bits of string for the nest and --after a ‘still trying to learn’ American Robin song I do when I see them so they know my voice and assoc. it w/ friend-- tossing them bits of bread. I hope they do fully nest here, and worry about them -v- cats and kids and possums and wind- but it looks good. The Robin is now a constant site on the peak of the roof and the fence in the yard.
Cheers!

Hummingbirds to the Back Yard


For four years now, ive tried to attract hummingbirds to my yard. Got a feeder, diligently kept it brite red= nada. Planted gardens full of hummingbird flowers, but it seems my specilities are sunflowers and tulips and vegtables and silver maple trees. I’ve even had stupid luck: I’ve grown a trumpet vine in several places, but the last to years my sister and my uncle have cut them down (Try #3- the roots have never given up on me, and I can see now its resurgence).

Hummingbirds and cardnals were the holy hosanna for me when I started w/ the bird feeding- cardnials are here all the time (mission accomplished), but I’ve only seen a hummingbird ONCE in Chicago*** : Jamie had telephoned me out of the blue- I hadn’t spoken to him in a year @ that point- @ the exact moment a hummingbird visited the bushed that the American robins are nesting in now. It buzzed about their flowers (nope!), buzzed to another possible nectar plant (nope!), and buzzed away. I had immed. dropped the phone and watched th buzzing for a bit, then remembered “Shit!! Phone!! Jamie Tree!!”. He had hung up, and since I didn’t have his #, it was another year before I talked to him.

But over said break-fast a few days ago, something small was buzzing about the fence betwixt the Neighbours to the South and ours: yes to say yes it’s a hummingbird. I instantly realized what should have been apparent before- this plants flowers had that distinctive trumpet shape that attract these birds, and they are red (important).

The Neighbours to the South are really into flowers, and they have helped my cause greatly. I plant sunflowers to attract the American Goldfinch (and cardnials, when they want some fresh), but they also have planted stuff for the American Goldfinches to enjoy. These tiny birds, albeit bigger than hummingbirds, plant themselves on smallish nyger plants (I think ) than totally bend w/ their slite weight down, and sit and munch. And now, who knew, the hummingbird plants. I wonder if she knew or intended. Plus, I’ve yet to see the hummers since- what, Tuesday?- so I hope I’m rite and it wasn’t just a one time tease. We’ll see.

Last aviary note

the return, for the first time in months, of the parrots. Sring and summer are good to them in this area, I take it- I’ll expect them to be daily severaltimes a day visitors in the winter coming. They ae free to come and go, and are much welcomed frenz.

Dude: I lied

Last note now- One of those monstrous crows -god are they fucking huge- visited the wires above the yard yesterday and allowed Gf to get a look- but never dropped into the yard. I noticed that his appearance instantly vacated the yard of the sparrows and such- are they killers, or do the crows just resemble killers? Dunno.

*=now forever stolen from N.M. guv and Dem. presidential candidate Bill Richardson.
**=I know, Ive tacked this way before. Deal.
***=I see the beauties all the time in Big franks crib in Oakland- each time I’d hear their chitter heralding thei coming I’d race out to his deck to watch.