Feeding the Little Birds - Spring 2016

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Bonanza Booth or my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

I've had this Bird Feeder for years - the one pictured above.  That picture was one taken at the place I lived at 2001-2012 in the Antelope Valley of Southern California, but I still have it where I live now in another place - also with Trees and Birds.

Something funny happened yesterday and today, so I thought I would share it.

I periodically fill the Bird Feeder with Wild Bird Seed - it takes a varying amount of time for the birds to find it - and eat it.  In the picture about there are 5 birds around it - if you notice, it is a Smaller Bird Feeder and they are all Small Birds - which is part of my point today!

Yesterday I filled the Bird Feeder up to the top - sometime mid-morning.  A few hours later I checked and low-and-behold, I could see some of the birds had gotten to it because a noticeable amount of the bird seed was gone!

Then this afternoon, I took another look - boy - the Bird Feeder looked totally empty!!  So, this evening, I filled it again!!

*************************************

You see, where I live now - there are a lot of Trees and Bushes over about 65 acres and around low, mostly ranch-style buildings.

And - there are Lots and Lots of Birds -- All Sizes and Lots of different Kinds it seems to me.  But one thing that is very noticeable - is that there are Lots and Lots of Ravens - since moving here, I have said some times that "the Ravens Rule the Skies here"!!

Someone I know who runs an environmental group and who I have mentioned on my blog before, John Buckley of Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center wrote an interesting article on their website:

http://www.cserc.org/news/like-humans-ravens-can-cause-major-impacts-ecosystem/

I was surprised to see his article - but I understand his points in it - I find the Ravens here where I live to be very bold - they sometimes whoosh by me very close to my head as I walk through the trees - and they are exceedingly vocal at times!!  I actually like the Ravens, but John Buckley's article drew my attention to the problem between them and the Smaller Birds, which I also like very much - so-o-o-o ---

---- I realized that my relatively Smaller Bird Feeder was a way I could contribute to the survival of the Smaller Birds - my Bird Feeder is way too small for Ravens - and they do not come to feed on it, but Yesterday and Today - I saw and heard a whole bunch of  the Smaller Birds around here - around my little Bird Feeder!!

I have never seen the Ravens around here attacking a Smaller Bird's nest like John Buckley describes in his article - nor eating other smaller animals either -- I just usually see them flying around - or sitting around in trees or on the ground - or even walking around in the grass (what there is of it these days LOL) - very often pecking at something on the ground.  

Most of the Ravens around here seem very fat and satisfied.  I do not feed the Ravens at all - I don't know where they grab their food -, except for the seeds and whatever they find on the ground -- they don't particularly hang around the closed garbage cans on our 65 acres - but I am sure they are getting food somewhere .... but I am now on a Mission to make it easier for the Smaller Birds where I live to get food - my Bird Feeder!!

I have always loved watching birds - ever since I was a little girl, though I am not a real "Bird Watcher" with binoculars and all - I just like to watch them when I am around ... just the other day I noticed a lot of cheeping coming from this Big Bush at the corner of the building I live in -- this bush  is really big and thick - and I strongly suspect that there is a bird's nest in there - it is a rather thick bush, but not the kind Ravens sit on - and thick enough, I think, that the Ravens may not be able to get at that nest - at least I hope they won't!

Every so often I Crochet something with a Bird in it - in fact, one of my current "works-in-progress" is a rather large Filet Crochet picture of "Birds Nesting" (little ones by the way)!!  Here are some photos of completed Handmade projects of mine with Birds:

Bird of Peace

Proud Rooster by Ruth Sandra Sperling - RSS Designs In Fiber

Red Cardinal On A Branch

Lovebird In A Heart

Filet Crochet of an Eagle - Sold mid-2000's

On Earth Day 2016 I Planted A California Friendly Garden Juniper Shrub - and Yes Every Day is Earth Day!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade in my Bonanza Booth or my Etsy Shop -- or Privately

Every Day is always, always Earth Day for me - but this year April 22nd I thought would be a good time in the spring to start working on my little container garden outside my apartment.

So I decided to add a new plant this year - and with the problems with the California Drought and the water restrictions - I wanted to get something that qualifies for a "California Friendly Garden" - and specifically has Low Water needs -- and I found it in a local Garden Nursery!! 

It is an "Old Gold Juniper" - it was right for me because I wanted something for a container garden - it is a shrub, so it can go in a large container in my apartment flower bed (versus a tree which might grow too tall) - and it is an Evergreen, which I love!!  On the plant tag, it says you can "Water once per week (in lieu of rain)" - which is perfect for our current water restrictions - and also for water conservation even when we do get out of the drought and water restrictions (if ever??)  I read about it several places online - apparently these shrubs have been known to live for 30 years - and they need little maintenance or pruning - my kind of long-term container garden plant!!

Here is my new, "Baby Old Gold Juniper" all planted!!

I'm Happy!!

And - my little apartment flower bed is doing quite well this Spring with the "El Nino" rains we got this Winter and Spring (more than I had ever seen since moving to the western side of the Antelope Valley) - we have Rose Bushes that must have been here for quite some years - last year they hardly bloomed at all - but this year with all the rain, they are blooming up a storm - ended up with some Rose Blooms leaning over into my 4 Year Old Rosemary plant (which winters very well here) - here are 2 photos:

1. Taken Early April 2016 - a Rose Bloom with 2 Buds leaning into the Rosemary Plant:

2. Taken today - with all 3 Roses in Full Bloom leaning into the Rosemary Plant

My Rosemary Plant is not just decorative - it is one of my herb plants that I harvest from on a regular basis for my salads - or other dishes I cook - as Rosemary is one of my absolute favorite spice herbs!!!  I have had one for years and years and years!!

And Rosemary is listed by Bewaterwise.com (Metropolitan Water District of Southern California)  at:

http://bewaterwise.com/pdf/50_Faves.pdf

in:

"Below is a list of the tried and true Favorite 50. They are every-bit-as-beautiful, not-nearly-as-thirsty options for a California Friendly® landscape."

And, Oh!  The Juniper I got is also listed on their website for a California Friendly Garden!!

http://www.bewaterwise.com/Gardensoft/plant_description.aspx?PlantID=6135

- which is not surprising as at that link for the Juniper, it says:  "Water: Low"

So, in my little environment around my apartment in the Antelope Valley - High Desert of Southern California, I think I did something rather good for this Earth Day - adding a beautiful plant that will live a long time - with low water needs for our California climate!!