Relying on one’s eyes only in the woods could lead to the failure to observe some of nature’s neatest surprises.
While walking beside the neighbor’s pond, this blogger kept hearing the buzz of hummingbird wings. Upon closer inspection, a tiny green nest was discovered on a branch hanging not more than 10 feet above the path.
Sometimes mama hummingbird is spotted on the nest. Sometimes she decides that certain woodland walkers are passing too close for comfort.
The website, www.allaboutbirds.org, said that the nest is the size of a large thimble.
This blogger finds that this nest is more the size of those takeout containers that salad dressing or dips come in.
The website said the nests are “made of thistle or dandelion down held together with strands of spider silk and sometimes pine resin.”
The site also mentioned that the nest is decorated with lichen and moss.
This local humming bird seems to have done a fine job with the finishing work on her nest. There’s not one spot that isn’t covered with lichen.
According to All About Birds, the nest may contain one to three eggs.
The female will nest 18 to 22 days with an incubation period for the eggs of 12 to 14 days, according to the site.
Meanwhile, a spooked eastern cottontail rabbit managed to scare this blogger by running straight at her. The incident was met with a chuckle at the thought that the rabbit was probably just as frightened as the walker.
Rabbit at the garden fence
However, the rabbits in the yard remain undeterred by a garden fence as evidenced by the disappearance of some up-and-coming sunflowers.
Petunias
In the yard and garden, purple petunias raised their blossoms skyward and the yucca plant boasted three stalks filled with blooms.
Yucca blossoms
A purple finch visited the bird feeder where earlier he had been kicked off by a pushy female house sparrow.
Purple finch
Female house sparrow and purple finch
Juvenile and male Baltimore orioles.
A red-spotted newt in its red eft form
A Walk in the Woods contains photos from newsroom staffer Anna Applegate’s daily jaunts around her neck of the woods. Tagging along on the treks are dogs, Buford, Sherman and Sadie, and goats, Kyle and Kennedy. Applegate manages the Good Times and can be emailed at bigdogs.thederrick@gmail.com.
