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linrose_gw

A bounty of wildlife - and Cardinals in my KO!

16 years ago

I don't know what happened but there seems to have been a population explosion in the animal kingdom this year. I have more squirrels than ever before and rabbits that used to just live in the field are now into the yard and eating everything in sight. Not only do I have bluebirds nesting in the bluebird box as usual, but a Carolina wren made a nest in the garage and I have a titmouse in a box on the telephone pole meant for bluebirds, and now a cardinal has nested in Knockout.

So now I can't SP Knockout like I wanted to. Is somebody trying to tell me something? My DH is happy at least. He loves that rose.

Is anyone else seeing this population explosion?

Comments (10)

  • 16 years ago

    I have lots of birds nest. As my yard matures I see more and more. We already had a robins nest in our magnolia, now I see a nest in my arbor (on top) with Reve d'Or on it. Unfortunately I sprayed it 2 weeks ago...oh well. And we've been going through seed like crazy. No hummers yet, that's surprising. Probably because it's been so cool.

  • 16 years ago

    For some weeks now we've been parents to an orphaned baby ground squirrel. Sammie was a 2 ounce baby when my husband found her and is now a strapping 9 ounces. We plan to release her when she's old enough to fend for herself, which will involve digging a burrow for her and feeding her until she can fend for herself. We're trying not to get too attached but it's not easy.

  • 16 years ago

    Funny you should mention the Cardinal.
    I had never seen one before because we don't have them out here.
    We were vacationing in the South two weeks ago and saw one in Mobile, Alabama and another two days later in West Monroe, La.
    Everything was blooming everywhere we went and the Cardinal sightings were icing on the cake.
    Went to Chamblee's on the way to the airport for the flight home.

  • 16 years ago

    The local cardinals favor the Knock Outs here too. Maybe because they come through winter with 6' of thorny growth to provide protection from all the local feral cats.

  • 16 years ago

    A robin tried to build a nest in one of my tree roses. Lost quite a few basal breaks before they gave up and went someplace else.

  • 16 years ago

    Cardinals are one thing we really miss since moving out here. We didn't have goldfinches when we had cardinals, tho, and the males are really starting to color up and chase each other around. I love seeing a bright yellow bird sitting on top of a "christmas tree" singing his heart out--it's a hoot.

  • 16 years ago

    We have what I believe is the same pair of cardinals return to our gardens every year. Their song is so distinctive. These were a couple of pictures I got of the male enjoying our fountain.
    {{gwi:277560}}
    {{gwi:277562}}

  • 16 years ago

    We have seen many more species of birds this year than any other. Today I saw a Blue Grosbeak, a first for me and yesterday a Great Crested Flycatcher couple.

    The eggs have hatched in the cardinal nest, here is momma sitting on her baby. I think one already fledged.
    {{gwi:269625}}
    And here is baby!
    {{gwi:269626}}

  • 16 years ago

    My Knockputs never get big enough for any type of birds to nest in. You must be doing something right.

  • 16 years ago

    I have French Lace growing under a tree... This year has been the first time the leaves are the same color as the blooms... yuck!