Lots of Begetting Around Here...

Yep, it's all about the birds and the bees(even bumbly ones!)

Twas a very busy spring around our home and crazy gardens. The number of fledglings at our feeders is amazing. The amount of seed we've gone through is also amazing...yoiks! Not to mention jelly for the Baltimore Orioles, nectar for the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and overly ripe bananas set out for the butterflies. A lot of the critters make it just fine without our help as well...you know, that circle of life thing. Insects eat nectar and each other. Frogs and toads eat the insects. Snakes eat the frogs and toads. Chipmunks eat seeds, nuts, insects...not too picky. Minks eat anything that can't run fast enough like pokey chipmunks. I eat TV dinners. Doodles eats whatever happens to be growing in the gardens, like garlic mustard! Ummm...greenie...

 This is one VERY tired American Robin.

 The first nest had three little piggies fledge.

One day we saw them, the next day gone!

These nests were right next to our side door. We put up with daily strafing attacks by the adults.

That was a big surprise for our mailman!

 They were so proud of the first nest they built a second!

Right next door.

We may run out of room here...

 It's hard work eating all them worms!

 It's even harder work catching all those worms to pack down these bottomless pits!

 I think it may be a little crowded in there...

 

 The brave one.

He decided it was too crowded and went wandering around the honeysuckle vine.

(Actually, I think he was kicked out for walking on everyone's heads.)

 It's amazing how fast they disappear and reappear all over the garden!

 We keep hoping the Monarchs will lay eggs on the milkweeds we have planted around the gardens.

 We haven't seen a Black Swallowtail, but it's obvious by the six(!) lil caterpillars chowing down on the fennel that they were here.

 

 The Baltimore Orioles have been at the feeders and gathering nest materail again.

It's close by, but I haven't spotted it yet.

 His job is to empty the feeders daily.

 This Black-capped Chickadee built his nest in that little house on our garage.

 The Doodles followed the fledgling until it slowed down enough to get a photo.

It was fun to watch him hopping down the drive, zig zagging, until he disappeared.

 

 I know this Eastern Cottontail by the notch on his ear.

He lives in the wildflower garden out front.

I'm sure there's more than a couple "juniors" out there!

 Common Grackle mocking our duck decoy.

They have been very prolific this year!

Yoiks!

 The Garter Snake has been spotted swimming in our little pond chasing tadpoles and frogs.

We are now short a few frogs.

 This Green Frog thought this hollowed out rock would be a good hiding place.

 I lost count on how many made it from tadpoles to this stage.

 The Gray Catbirds nest next door(at the nice neighbors.)

I'm still waiting to see little ones.

 This was a big surprise!

The Doodles came running down the drive as I was working in the garden screaming!

"Baby Minks!"

Holy cow! There's four baby minks wrestling behind our garage.

And there went one of the parents with a dead frog for snack time.

We got it all here in our little CrazyLand!

 Another high quality nest building job by the resident Mourning Doves.

By the way, that's not a ping pong ball.

 This is The Doodles fledgling friend.

It kept her company on the patio while Doodles watered the flowers.

 I know the Northern Cardinals are nesting close by.

 The Red-bellied Woodpeckers are living a couple of doors down and visit the nut feeder all day.

Must be some hungry babies out there.

 The Red-winged Blackbirds are nesting near a large pond on the other side of the railroad tracks behind our house.

 King of the feeders!

The female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been going at the feeders non stop.

Now there's a nest I would love to find!

I don't even want to think of what's going on down under our gardens...

Argh...more Bobbs running around!