Tag Archives: Wildlife Gardening

What’s Black and White and Cute All Over?

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Migration season is mostly done and in my garden, it was a meh event this spring. I observed very few of the usual suspects either around my pond or in the garden proper. Those who showed up, Summer Tanagers, Lincoln Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, and Clay-colored Sparrows, were brief in their visits. Absent were the Painted Buntings, Nashville Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows, and Orioles. I didn’t see any of those and I miss them. I enjoyed a quick look at a Canada Warbler, which I haven’t seen in a few years.

My pond has always been the draw for weary migratory birds, but the front garden is in full bloom and seed production with quite a bit of bird activity, and that’s the place to be if you’re a bird or a birder. The front garden is also a much more challenging area in which to watch birds; there’s no window for me to hide behind and no good place to plant myself where I won’t disturb my feathery friends. I also suspect that the wet spring in Texas has allowed for plenty of water and food sources for the migrants, so fewer dipped into urban gardens.

During an outing at Travis County Audubon’s Baker Sanctuary, I was privileged for the first time to observe some endangered Golden-cheeked Warblers. Males, females, and fledglings put on a nice show for excited birders, the birds swooping around native trees, cameras and binoculars pointed upward to catch the winged things. I knew I wouldn’t be quick enough with my camera, so chose to observe and appreciate this rare sight. Central Texas is the only place where Golden-cheek warblers breed and their breeding areas are in very specific habitats. These are not common birds in backyard settings.

In recent weeks, my backyard birding has been focused on watching hungry, often noisy, fledglings who are out of the nest, but still learning from their parents. Most are in trees, squeaking, squawking, and flapping their wings, foliage obscuring baby birdie meal time. Occasionally, parent and chick visit the feeders together, like this mama and fledgling Downie Woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, pair.

Baby is at the left of the photo, hanging on to the pole that holds the feeder. It looks like she’s already had some food, as she forgot to wipe her beak. As an aside, I’ve seen her land at the pole, then slide down, fluttering up to hold on to the pole, unable to maintain her grip. Learning where the food is and practicing methods for proficiently obtaining that food is all part of her learning process.

The young one flit to the feeder, where mama was ready with a peanut.

I watched these two for several days, then noticed the fledgling visiting the feeder on her own. She was reticent initially to land on the feeder, but eventually gained confidence–and peanuts–as she became successful in feeding herself. I’ve seen young Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, Black-crested Titmice, and Carolina Chickadees in similar situations. It’s much harder to observe the fledglings while they’re in trees, but as they learn to feed at the feeders, it’s enjoyable to watch and cheer their learning progress.

I’ve heard and seen our fledgling Eastern Screech Owls, but only rarely. I think they’re still around, but their territory will widen as their hunting skills improve. Summer backyard birding will be watching the neighborhood birds, seeing the fledglings molt to their adult plumage, and anticipating the fall migratory birds.

Hanging by a Thread

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As I wrapped up some necessary gardening chores early this morning, I saw a newly emerged Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor, resting near its former home, the shell of its chrysalis.

I should have dropped the pruning shears, wiped the brow, and grabbed my camera, but I didn’t. By the time I remembered that there was a photo worth getting, the butterfly was off to its adult business: its wings dry, its proboscis unfurled for nectaring, and the search of a mate a keen objective.

Every day, I pass by this seedling where the caterpillar made its home for a few weeks; I never noticed it. The chrysalises are such small, unobtrusive things, it’s easy to miss them in the lush of the garden. I’m not a scorched earth pruner, but when it’s hot and humid and I’ve had just about enough for one morning, it’s sometimes easy to forget the garden’s purpose. I guess the chrysalis isn’t the only thing hanging by a thread.

I’ve seen a Pipevine flitting in the garden today; I’m glad it was up and out in the early morning, shedding its temporary home for the wider world.

Butterflies and Blue Curls

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Like peanut butter-n-jelly or mac-n-cheese, butterflies-n-wildflowers form a classic pair. My personal aphorism defining wildlife gardening is, if you plant them (wildflowers), they (pollinators) will come. This proves especially resonant in a spring season with ample rain followed by generous sunshine.

Blue Curls or Caterpillars, Phacelia congesta, bloom beautifully from March through May, attracting a huge variety of pollinators to the blue/purple flowers, which unfurl along a cluster as the diminutive flowers open. Pollinators, especially butterflies, are ga-ga for Blue Curls’ bounty. Sunny days bring fluttery life to the space above and around blooming Blue Curls, all manner of winged things in constant movement. Other pollinators, like beetles and true bugs, reach the pretty little flowers through multi-legged walk-a-bouts.

Here, two Grey Hairstreaks nectar on the flowers while another waits in the background. Maybe that one is full of rich nectar, and sits, resting and digesting.

This hairstreak feeds, but is it alone?

Looking directly down from the small butterfly, another pollinator (a walking stick type insect or a nymph of some sort?) seemingly sips from a flower. I didn’t see this insect when I snapped the shot, only noticing once I downloaded the photo to my laptop. I scrolled through pages of iNaturalist Austin, but there are a gazillion insects listed and I don’t have the time to suss out this guy’s identity. Any suggestions as to what this well-camouflaged critter might be?

Monarchs migrated through Austin, though few visited my gardens. A Blue Curls cluster beckons, a Monarch cousin–the Queen butterfly–alights, nectars and pollinates.

Smaller butterflies like hairstreaks, skippers, metalmarks, and sulphurs frequent Blue Curls, often alongside other pollinators, all sharing dining on a given cluster of flowers. In particular, Fiery Skippers, like Grey Hairstreaks, are abundant.

I think this Fiery Skipper’s coloring complements its Blue Curls meal.

Native bees, especially the tiny Lasioglossum, or sweat bees, also favor Blue Curls. Flies of various sorts cavort amongst the Curls.

This Horace’s Duskywing, a rare find in my garden, provides a dramatic contrast with its Blue Curl plant of choice.

Blue Curls are annuals, living their full life cycle in one year: seeds; germinated seedlings; mature plants with flowers; seeds, once again, after flowers are finished. My Curls are past their peak of blooming, beginning their seed production. I’ll leave the individual plants until the seed heads are brown, then I’ll prune the stalks to the ground and shake all available seeds into the garden for next year’s crop. The Blue Curl seeds (as well as other perennial and annual seeds) are currently providing meals for migratory birds. I’ve observed Lincoln Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, Clay-colored Sparrows, Yellow Warblers, and Painted Buntings eating from these plants in the last few weeks. Seeds and insects on plants make up most of migratory birds’ meals.

Once the Blue Curls of 2024 are history (aside from their dormant seeds snoozing on the soil), the heat-loving summer perennials and annuals will step up to provide cover and sustenance for bees, birds, butterflies, and other garden critters.

The cycle continues, unbroken, in a native plants, wildlife-friendly garden.