Treats

We have garlic scapes! The garlic that we planted was two varieties- one given to us at a food swap and the other purchased at the farmers market. Turns out, it was mostly soft neck and fast growing!

We already have soft neck garlic drying on the laundry line, and 5 hard neck garlic still growing. Today I picked these beautiful scapes.

I have no idea what to do with them! We want to make something other than pesto- something that lets us enjoy our small treat.

This morning, while taking my stroll around the yard with the dog, I noticed a lot of activity in an avocado tree. Turns out the bushtits have built a nest! Perhaps it’s from the same family as last year?

Last year, the little babies didn’t make it.  The branch that they built the nest on has since been removed.  I was excited to spot the nest up much higher!  Mom and Dad were flitting in and out of the nest.  Hopefully there will be more news to come!

 

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Hummingbird nest

It’s spring! Our tomato seedlings are hardening off, we’re waiting on our peppers to grow second leaves and our squash seeds were planted this weekend. Dave and I just spread fresh mulch on the garden. I’m drawing up plans and trying to figure out how to fit everything in.

Meanwhile, at school, I’ve begun a hummingbird study where I’m setting up motion sensitive cameras. The cameras have been a bit difficult (and the one I really need right now is back ordered) but luckily there are dedicated students to help.

Here’s a picture that one of my after school gardening students took of a hummingbird nest yesterday! The babies are being closely watched by our students. I’m working on my camera today and hope to get one up soon.

Aren’t they just the cutest?

(Thanks Natalie for the photo!)

Nest building time!

This morning I planned to rake avocado leaves for the last lasagna bed.  I brought my camera to snap a few pictures of our impressive and prolific avocado trees.  There are two trees that sometimes shed avocados for us to gather, while other times we have the challenge of picking them from a ladder.

Notice the tree shades our compost bins.  We often scoop a handful of leaves to toss on top of the fresh kitchen waste.  The leaves have been great for us, and our dirt-making.

I quickly noticed that it would be hard to sweep the driveway, as our cars were in the way.

How good are your avocado spotting skills?  I feel like mine are pretty good, and I only saw one when I took this picture (by the forked branches slightly left of center) but now I see another one!  These are within reach with the ladder.  These trees have a lot more avocados hiding about 45 feet up.

As I took this picture, I heard a bird chirping at me and turned at saw this:

A NEST!!

It’s about 8 feet off the ground and it’s hanging next to our precious avocados!  I quickly called David over and we grabbed a ladder for closer inspection. (Later I wondered if we’d be able to continue harvesting avocados, as we’re finishing up the ones we grabbed two weeks ago.  This question is still to be determined.)

A closeup of the nest made of fiber from palm trees, red bits from a Bottlebrush tree, straw from our garden and bits of fiber from our laundry on the line??

This past Thursday I noticed that there was a tiny grey bird on the power lines, and it was making alarm calls.  It sat on the line like Black Phoebe does, and chipped angrily like a mockingbird.  Rosie and I listened to it’s chatter, and quickly moved away from the tree and the power lines, as we finished up watering the backyard garden.

Today, upon spotting this nest, we thought we saw a flitter of birds around it.  I decided to stick around and try to find out what was going on.  I quietly waited next to the cars, and saw two birds fly into the next, noticed the nest pulsating from activity, and then saw them fly off again.  Mom and Dad are building their home!  I snapped a few pictures of the happy couple as they hopped around outside of their nest, and then went inside to confirm the species.

Hopping around on the branch with a piece of nesting material in it’s mouth.  Anyone know if this is the male or female?

A closer shot of the same individual getting ready to go into the nest.

Bringing a bigger piece to the nest.

During all of these photos, Rosie patiently waited for me to throw the ball.

Here’s a view of where I can safely stand to watch the nest.  Notice that our little area is quite small.  Shadow doesn’t seem to realize that he’s disturbing the nest, which is located in the cluster of leaves above him.  Also check out the leaves I was going to rake.  We just raked up the avocado leaves a month ago, and there looks like there’s enough for our last lasagna garden… if only I could rake them up.

After spending some time inside, and then running back out to listen to the bird’s calls, I am 98% sure that we have a nesting pair of bushtits!  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a great bird site, with lots of calls.  I also was excited to see that I went to summer camp, and then later worked with, the photographer who took the identification photo.  It’s a great feeling to have a connection to both my past and to the natural world.

More nesting updates will follow as we watch them, and try to stay out of their way.  We’re excited for them to eat our grubs and caterpillars!!