Rewilding and an Early September Walk

I have been thoroughly entertained by a flock of hummingbirds as they zoom with intricate combat maneuvers, fighting for supremacy over the the hummingbird feeder.One particular hummer, a young male, has been a steadfast defender of the feeder for several days, staying at his post with unwavering determination.I wonder if I will have to take down the feeder to encourage him on his way, though I have read that hummingbirds will respond to an internal call for migration once the weather turns cooler and the days shorten.

I enjoy watching  and listening to wildlife in my garden as much as I enjoy growing beautiful plants. I am very fortunate, and I am reminded of a TED video a friend recently shared with me. It takes about eight minutes to watch, but I think you will be glad you took the time. It is about fascinating experiments in rewilding and reminds us of the remarkable interconnections of the earth's ecosystems:

http://blog.ted.com/a-walk-on-the-wild-side-7-fascinating-experiments-in-rewilding/ 

Meanwhile, leaving the hummers whizzing about the feeder, I walked around the early September garden. Some of these images are similar to ones I posted in August, but the garden has a softer quality. Late afternoon light transforms the garden into a glitter fest, as if fairies have come through, spreading magic with their sparkling wands. The temperature is mellowing, and the humidity is supposed to break this week, which will make me VERY happy. A few leaves are already beginning to turn. 

I will start with the woodland garden, where molten light flows through the trees and over the moss paths:

Pots on the stone steps leading to the woodland garden.

Clockwise from top left: Variegated hosta, impatiens and variegated ivy make a common but effective combination in an urn near the patio; A wood fern in the woodland garden; Sedum in an old concrete planter on the patio; Hardy begonia growing by a woodland path.

Deodar cedar 'Feelin'Blue' grows on the sunny edge of the woodland garden. It is one of my favorites.

Finally, here are a few images taken around the front garden:

Colocasia escolenta 'Blue Hawaii'

Have a wonderful week!    Deb

Humming Along

I spent an indolent morning watching ruby-throated hummingbirds this morning. Male Ruby-throated HummingbirdI ate breakfast, then went out onto the patio with my camera. I sat down and propped my feet up. The humid air was warm, but there was a bit of a breeze and it wasn't uncomfortable. Many ruby-throated hummingbirds show up in our garden from July through October as they fly through on their way to the Yucatan coast for the winter. 

I breathed in the moist air and listened to the bugs and the many bird calls. Once upon a time, as I was recovering from an operation, I sat and recorded the bird species I could see by watching through the front windows. I counted eighteen different species in one day. The total number of bird species recorded at nearby Aldridge Gardens is 97, the last I heard. The official field check list of Alabama birds lists 433 species, including those who migrate through the state. Amongst all those birds, hummingbirds may be the most entertaining and also the most challenging to photograph!The prominent dots on the throat identifies this ruby-throated hummingbird as a juvenile male.The Ruby-throated Hummingbird beats its wings an average of 52 times per second and can move much faster than my pitiful reflexes. There are 320 different species of hummingbirds, and they each make a different humming sound, determined by how fast their wings beat.

The images in this post are my best efforts over almost two hours today. I did not stress over getting photos, however. I was outside to enjoy the morning until rising summer vapors drove me back into the air-conditioned house. It may appear there are two ruby-throated hummingbirds, an adult male and a juvenile male, approaching each other from the two sides of a pole. In reality, I cheated! These are two different photos juxtaposed to make it seem that way.

The white throat and white tips on tail feathers identifies this as a female. Note: Juvenile males also have white tips on tail feathers, so sex identification of young hummers can be difficult.

Hummingbirds will often return to the same bird feeder year after year. Ruby-throated hummingbirds may live as long as a dozen years, though the average is probably less than half that. I have had this old plastic feeder for probably that many years. I have tried other feeders, but the hummers seem to prefer this gaudy plastic one. For more information about hummingbirds, see my previous post A Hummingbird In My Garden.