Special visit this morning - Wildlife Gardeners

disuhan · 04-28-2012, 10:03 PM

I've heard the stories, and believed them, but now I can say I've seen it with my own eyes... I had warblers in my yard and using my pond this morning!!!

While letting my dog out I heard an unknown warbler singing, so I got my iphone app ready and tried to figure it out. I was unsuccessfully picking species I thought it might be and listening to their songs, when I heard a song I knew by heart - black-throated green warbler! I saw my first male in breeding plumage ever IN MY YARD after trying for 20+ minutes to track him down. While doing that, I saw some yellow-rumped warblers, and realized they were the source of the original warbler song I heard. I also thought I heard a vireo but couldn't confirm it.

At this point I realized I better get my dog some food since he's been patiently waiting.... and myself too since I need to leave for work shortly. Well, I'm sitting in my office eating my oatmeal, and WOAH! Yellow-rumped at the pond!!! Forget the oatmeal, my eyes are glued to the window. Three birds came and went, and then a robin hopped over to gather some mud from my pickerelweed pot for her nest. The warblers weren't really doing anything exciting, just hopping in and out of view, so I finished my oatmeal, got up to go to work with one last glance, and BAM! PALM WARBLER! A New York first for me AT MY POND (5 feet away!!!) And then the yellow-rumpeds came back - one waded in for a bath (brought tears to my eyes - I know I'm nuts) and another was perched on the waterfall drinking the running water.

After that brief show, I HAD to leave for work, but I was overjoyed. These birds, after having migrated who-knows-how-far, were helped by my decision to build a small pond, in a densely populated area, where I wasn't getting my hopes up that it would actually do any good.

I've been a believer that gardening for wildlife (even in small ways) makes a tremendous difference, but seeing it with my own eyes, so quickly after beginning my projects... it's breathtaking.

Once again, I'm grateful for all that I've learned here, and what you've all contributed to my projects and how we all help wildlife in our own diverse ways.

Equilibrium · 04-28-2012, 10:06 PM

Happy dance for dishuan!!! Bet you're jumping for joy you sited that pond where you did right about now!!!

NEWisc · 04-29-2012, 12:18 AM

Great story, and wonderful to read another affirmation that what we do in our own yards does make a difference!
.

Rebek56 · 04-29-2012, 06:13 AM

Congratulations, disuhan!

bridget1964 · 04-29-2012, 07:49 PM

Woohoo! What a wonderful day for you!

BeeWonderful · 04-29-2012, 09:07 PM

That's fabulous! I can imagine your excitement!

Bulucanagria · 04-29-2012, 09:10 PM

This is what it's all about. Congratulations.

dapjwy · 05-02-2012, 09:44 PM

Thank you for sharing. Your excitement shines through your post.

I envy you your ability to recognize birds by there songs...there are only a couple I feel confident about. Now I have to look up the species of warblers you mentioned.

Congratulations!

04-28-2012, 10:03 PM	#1
disuhan Grub Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Burlington, VT	Special visit this morning I've heard the stories, and believed them, but now I can say I've seen it with my own eyes... I had warblers in my yard and using my pond this morning!!! While letting my dog out I heard an unknown warbler singing, so I got my iphone app ready and tried to figure it out. I was unsuccessfully picking species I thought it might be and listening to their songs, when I heard a song I knew by heart - black-throated green warbler! I saw my first male in breeding plumage ever IN MY YARD after trying for 20+ minutes to track him down. While doing that, I saw some yellow-rumped warblers, and realized they were the source of the original warbler song I heard. I also thought I heard a vireo but couldn't confirm it. At this point I realized I better get my dog some food since he's been patiently waiting.... and myself too since I need to leave for work shortly. Well, I'm sitting in my office eating my oatmeal, and WOAH! Yellow-rumped at the pond!!! Forget the oatmeal, my eyes are glued to the window. Three birds came and went, and then a robin hopped over to gather some mud from my pickerelweed pot for her nest. The warblers weren't really doing anything exciting, just hopping in and out of view, so I finished my oatmeal, got up to go to work with one last glance, and BAM! PALM WARBLER! A New York first for me AT MY POND (5 feet away!!!) And then the yellow-rumpeds came back - one waded in for a bath (brought tears to my eyes - I know I'm nuts) and another was perched on the waterfall drinking the running water. After that brief show, I HAD to leave for work, but I was overjoyed. These birds, after having migrated who-knows-how-far, were helped by my decision to build a small pond, in a densely populated area, where I wasn't getting my hopes up that it would actually do any good. I've been a believer that gardening for wildlife (even in small ways) makes a tremendous difference, but seeing it with my own eyes, so quickly after beginning my projects... it's breathtaking. Once again, I'm grateful for all that I've learned here, and what you've all contributed to my projects and how we all help wildlife in our own diverse ways.

04-28-2012, 10:06 PM	#2
Equilibrium Official Plant Nerd Join Date: Dec 2008	Happy dance for dishuan!!! Bet you're jumping for joy you sited that pond where you did right about now!!! __________________ "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

04-29-2012, 12:18 AM	#3
NEWisc Fox Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin	Great story, and wonderful to read another affirmation that what we do in our own yards does make a difference! . __________________ . Age is a biological fact. Old is a state of mind. I will age, but I refuse to get old.

04-29-2012, 06:13 AM	#4
Rebek56 Offical Silphium Abuser Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Southeast Ohio	Congratulations, disuhan! __________________ "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." --Cicero ~http://rebeccas-window.blogspot.com/~

04-29-2012, 07:49 PM	#5
bridget1964 Butterfly Educator Extraordinaire Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ventnor City, New Jersey, USA	Woohoo! What a wonderful day for you! __________________ "Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." ~Hans Christian Anderson http://mslenahan.edublogs.org/

04-29-2012, 09:07 PM	#6
BeeWonderful Heron Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Minnesota	That's fabulous! I can imagine your excitement!

04-29-2012, 09:10 PM	#7
Bulucanagria Fox Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: S. Grafton, Massachusetts	This is what it's all about. Congratulations. __________________ BULUCANAGRIA'S FLICKR

05-02-2012, 09:44 PM	#8
dapjwy WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pennsylvania	Thank you for sharing. Your excitement shines through your post. I envy you your ability to recognize birds by there songs...there are only a couple I feel confident about. Now I have to look up the species of warblers you mentioned. Congratulations! __________________ "If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode