Nature by the yard

Nature by the yard

  The sweet smell held echoes of rain.

  Red-winged blackbirds sang, happy to be somewhere.

  The yard Argus, a blue jay, called in protest.

  Birds give a voice to nature.

  Alexander Pope wrote, "Hear how the birds, on every blooming spray, with joyous music wake the dawning day."

Q-and-A

  Harlan Lutteke of Alden asked how he might identify a coyote. Coyotes are often mistaken for medium-sized domestic dogs. The fur varies in color from light brown to gray, and a coyote has long ears, a long, pointed face, and a bushy black-tipped tail that it holds low and pointed to the ground. Coyotes usually only hold their tails horizontally when displaying signs of aggression. Due to their thick coat, coyotes tend to look larger than they actually are. Some coyotes could be confused with foxes. Foxes run with their tails held straight out, while coyotes run with their tails pointed towards the ground.

  Harlan Lutteke also asked how many babies a raccoon has. The mating season is February and March, and the male raccoon travels long distances to mate with as many females as possible. The females find shelter in hollow trees or dens (groundhog burrows, culverts, chimneys, or under buildings). After a 63-day gestation period, the female gives birth to two to six young. Once they reach four to six months of age, young raccoons live on their own.

  "What preys upon bald eagles?" There are several threats to eagles and their young. Eagles fly into utility wires and are hit by automobiles. Predators such as raccoons or great-horned owls could get into the nest and kill the young. Lead in their food could kill eagles

  "What do robins eat when there are no earthworms?" They feed on crabapples, mountain ash berries, acorns, apples, cherries, dogwood fruit, poison ivy berries, honeysuckle, juniper, mulberry, pyracantha, serviceberry, sumac, woodbine berries, grapes, fruit from the Virginia creeper, hawthorn (thornapples), hackberries, and viburnum (highbush cranberry). You could try feeding a robin by putting out tray of chopped apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, raisins, grapes, or cherries on the ground. There is a good chance that the starlings will beat the robins to the grub. Robins might also eat suet, mealworms, and peanuts. This spring, cedar waxwings and American robins have found our hawthorn tree to be a fine eatery.

  "Should I paint a birdhouse?" While cedar houses are durable and don’t require painting, pine or plywood birdhouses can be made more weatherproof and durable with paint. Birds aren't picky about color, but choose natural, camouflaged colors such as gray, dull green, brown, or tan to blend into its environment. Stay away from black or dark colors that absorb heat. Use nontoxic stains or varnishes. Use water-based latex paint and avoid lead-based or creosote paints that may be toxic. Consider alternative, eco-friendly paints or opt for natural stains rather than paints. Perches aren’t needed or advised.

Nature lessons

  Argos was a giant in Greek mythology who had 100 eyes, no more than two of which were closed at the same time. That made him an excellent sentry. When he was killed by Hermes, the goddess Hera gave his eyes to her favorite bird, the peacock.

Thanks for stopping by

  "Let the water teem with living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."-Genesis 1:20

  "Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing."--Thomas Jefferson

DO GOOD.

© Al Batt 2014