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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

wildlife habitat

{{{HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FRIENDS!!!}}}  Quick- go hug somebody you love!
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Our yard backs up to some acreage that is part pasture and part woods.  I love looking out over the yard first thing in the morning, it's like being at summer camp.  Every day.  Being so close to woods has offered us the benefit of lots of wildlife spotting.  This morning Moonpie and I counted 31 robins in the backyard at one time!
photo source:  Bird Watching Journal

We have also spotted three hawks

photo source:  wiki
some Cedar Waxwings


photo source:  Cornell ornithology dept.
Aren't they beautiful?  I have never seen one before!  I had to go running to my bird identification book to find it!  (in retrospect, I probably should have entitled this post {{{nerd alert}}} )

We have also spotted an owl, many male cardinals, wrens, mockingbirds and house sparrows.  With all of these birds around, we have decided that we want to have a Certified Wildlife Habitat.  It looks like a fun family goal that we can all work towards to accomplish.  We are pretty good on most of the criteria, but we need to up our native plants and water sources.  I also really want a great pair of binoculars so we can get an up close view.  We have a wall of windows in our dining room that is the best spot in the house for bird watching.  Oh!  Maybe I'll win a pair in the Cornell Great Backyard Bird Count (or the GBBC, if you're cool- like me- ahem) that I may be entering.  

Yep- nerd alert indeed...

2 comments:

Becky said...

Ahhh...Mandy, we could call you "Bird Nerd" like we so affectionately call Shelby!

Ann Winston said...

Mandi-I love that you post such matter like this. Cheryl told me about this and I read your post almost immediately. I am proud to say that last night our property "The Refugium" was certified to be a wildlife habitat site. Thank you so much for the info and link. I don't know how you are so knowledgeable about this stuff but it's awesome!!
Thanks-Ann