Portrait of a Northern Cardinal

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Tina

I could have called this post Portrait of a Northern Cardinal as it Hunts-n-Pecks, but that seemed a tad wordy.

I observed this handsome male and his equally lovely–though less brilliantly colored–mate, as they hunted for fallen sunflower and safflower seeds from overhanging feeders. Ms. Cardinal was flitty and stayed mostly in some nearby greenery, difficult to observe and impossible to photograph.

However, Mr. Gorgeous, no matter which way he turned, was out for all to admire.

Are you looking at me? Here’s my good side! I’m a pretty, pretty bird!

The hunt provided many-a-morsel of safflower!

There are two pairs of Northern Cardinals in this part of my neighborhood. This pair are regulars who dine at Chez Mygardenersays. I don’t see the other two Cardinals often and not at all during this spring breeding season. The male of that pair shows a slightly more ‘cardinal’ color and that’s how I tell the males apart. I’m not sure where the other couple settled for breeding season, but it’s likely somewhere in the neighborhood. I hope both couples are successful in their chick rearing; the world is a better place with more Northern Cardinals.

Hunt-n-peck all you want, beautiful birds–and thanks for adding your grace to my garden.

Bees-n-Pollen

Posted on May 10, 2026 by Tina

The cool and sometimes wet spring has encourage the dreamsicle-orange flowers of Desert Globemallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua, to perform spectacularly. This pollen-rich, simple-petaled bloom attracts a number of different pollinators, but my honeybees are big fans of the flowers, certainly all-in with the bounty of the beautiful blooms.

Bees land in the blooms, dig in, and roll around the golden glory, exiting the flower with a good sprinkling of pollen as they make their way to other flowers and eventually back to the hive.

The Globemallow is a cool season bloomer, producing its showy flowers until summer’s heat sets in. If a significant June or July rain event occurs, the shrub is happy to deliver another dose of orange crush, much to the pollinators’ appreciation and the gardener’s delight.

Among the Flowers

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Tina

I caught a Grey Squirrel enjoying a mid-afternoon snack in my Rough-leaf Dogwood tree, Cornus drummondii.

He (and I know he’s a he–I saw!) stayed a while, noshed on the bark and maybe some foliage. The dogwood sits by the pond and has lots of visitors. This–and other squirrels–routinely race along the limbs, either chasing one another or searching for nibbles. Birds of all sorts make a bee-line to the tree after bathing in the waterfall or bog areas of the pond. And a few times during the overnight hours, the wildlife camera has recorded raccoons climbing up the tree, to what rascally purpose only the raccoons understand.

It’s a good tree, this dogwood. It’s partner dogwood is twice as tall, but also receives more sun. I’m happy with the height of this tree and apparently, so are the wild things in my garden.