Stacia and I have recently completed construction on our house. With a new house comes a new yard and with a new yard, new yard birds!
But first I must backtrack a little. Calling it a yard is quite misleading at this point. A year ago, the landscape was a field of corn. No grass, no shrubs, no trees.
Last weekend we planted twenty trees, most being Norway and Colorado Blue Spruce and one each of Honey Locust, American Linden, and Magnolia (‘Saucer’).
American Linden
It would be interesting to read the thoughts of the area birds. One day there are just weeds and bare ground and the next day rather large trees have appeared like magic.
A Vesper Sparrow investigated each Blue Spruce and welcomed the setting sun with his wonderful song.
The spruces are going to be part of a wind break, as we get an unnatural amount of wind. We plan on adding more trees next year, although they will be much smaller.
Our most prevalent bird (besides Killdeer) so far is the Horned Lark. Every day I hear their tinkling song and especially in the early evening. They like to forage in the corn and weed stubble.
The “yard” favorite has been the nesting Western Meadowlarks. Technically, they are a bit down the road but frequent the ditch in the front and the farm fields adjacent to us.
Our first morning at the house I was awakened by their beautiful song, making it the official “1st yard bird”.
However, I have had trouble getting good photos as I most often hear one singing and then he flutters over the soybeans and becomes hidden away again. I did manage this power pole shot.
We have big plans of turning our landscape into a bird sanctuary. It will take many years but we are off to a great start.
It is going to be a wild summer and blogging will continue to be on the light side.
I’ll be tending to the trees, planting the lawn, staining the porches, planning next year’s garden . . .
But I hope to post updates on the progress and get photos of any birds that show up.
Bella keeping watch over the land
