#I also have a hummingbird feeder and a regular bird feeder

[lesbianstarlightglimmer]

New (tiny) friend 🐸 🌱🌿

[dinogoofymutated]

SFW!Colossus/Fem!Reader

I've been infected with another fictional man the way in which I pumped this out was ridiculous. I happened to re watch the scene in the movies where the government breaks into the mansion and seeing Piotr act like a big brother/dad to all the kids really got to me. That and the Deadpool movies (even though I thinks he's a little stuffy in those.) I even rewatched the episode he had in the animated series so that I knew I would get his character right and DAMN ugh god I juts have a thing for big men with soft hearts. especially the ones who are family oriented.

ALSO HOLY SHIT TY FOR 600 FOLLOWERS???? when did yall get here???? I swear I was at like 48 two weeks ago lmao time flies when you're thirsty for the X men I guess!! TWs: None? No pronouns mentioned but I went ahead and labeled it as fem because it's basically about kids forcefully adopting you as their mom. Kids having night terrors mentioned.

Can you imagine sort of just being adopted by the students at the mansion as mutant mom?? At that point you don't really get a choice. Like you start out being very patient with these kids and making sure to keep bandaids, burn cream, pain meds and all of that because one way or another something is gonna happen- and you want to be prepared.

And then you start making breakfast. I feel like normally they probably have a schedule for who has breakfast duty but if you wake up and can't go back to sleep and you take over no one really cares. More sleep for them!!

And then a few times turns into every morning. And you're setting out ketchup for one kids eggs and syrup for another ones hashbrowns- and making sure not to cook with nuts and make sure there's at least three different things on the table that are Kosher or gluten free. Keeping an eye on everyone as they come to get food and noting who did and did not make it to breakfast this morning so that you can make sure they eat later-

And one day you're waking up at 5am and getting ready for the day so you can go make breakfast like always, and you look in the mirror at some point and just realise, holy fuck, when did you become a parent?

It's such a regular thing for kids to call you mom at that point, a knowing how so many of them have come from rough backgrounds, it makes you really happy to know they find comfort in you and will come find you if they need comforting.

And then there's Piotr. Big, strong, Piotr. Piotr who wakes up before dawn and does chores around the mansion in the early morning air. You can take the man out of the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the man. He does the lawn care, chops wood, takes care of whatever animals that might need feeding, replaces the feed in the bird feeder.

Piotr who makes sure to stop by the kitchen to share a small cup of coffee with you before he does chores. Piotr who hangs Hummingbird feeders right outside the kitchen windows because you mentioned you missed the ones your grandmother used to hang. Just Piotr, being strong and masculine and an absolute sweetheart.

He reminds me of that one quote that heard somewhere about masculinity being about protecting femininity, not rejecting it??? That one!!!

Kids call him dad all the time, and even though yall aren't even together, you become the parents of the school. Scott and Jean?? Love them, but they don't have that same kind of parent energy.

It's such a regular thing for kids to find the two of you interacting one way or another. Someone woke up way too early and enters the kitchen to find yall during your coffee, and there's a sweet moment with yall telling them to go back to bed, or offering to make them a quick breakfast. Maybe if they're really young Piotr will offer to tuck them in. He might be really blunt when telling them there are no monsters, but will be a little more gentle when you set a hand on his arm and give him a bit of a look.

The kiddo asks for both of you to tuck them in and you obviously aren't going to refuse them. Which leads to everyone wanting both of you to tuck them in and soon enough you two are doing curfew checks instead of the professor.

It's becomes so regular for the students to treat you two as their parents, and no one actually believes it when they find out that no, you're not a couple. So, they do what kids do and try to get you two together.

First it starts with making sure you two are sat together during everything they can get away with. Then it moves on to things like mistletoe (out of season, Piotr mistook it as an accidental bloom made by one of the agrokinesis kids and took it down) and then more mischievous plans like telling one of you that the other needed help with one thing or another, knowing that either one of you would help out at the drop of a hat. Sureee, they were lying, but you two didn't know that. (most of the time)

The kids just want to see their parents happy and in love. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? It's not like You and Piotr hadn't been helplessly pining for the other the entire time anyway.

You sigh deeply once you finally sneak out of the dorm room, Piotr right behind you. The tall man takes extra care to shut the door very gently, making sure it clicks in place just as silently.

"I thought we were never going to get her to sleep." You whisper to him. One of the youngest girls attending the school had a rather difficult time with night terrors, and would struggle to fall asleep without being tucked in. When you and Piotr were doing curfew checks tonight, she was the only kiddo still awake, and she had practically begged both of you to stay with her untill she finally did fall asleep. It couldn't be just one of you, It had to be both. No matter how many rooms you both had to check tonight, you would never have left her shaken up in such a state. You just hadn't expected it to take an hour.

"Illyana had similar dreams as a little one. It takes time for children to overcome it." Piotr whispers back as you begin to walk down the hallway to check the rest of the rooms. Even when he whispers, his voice is strong and hard to keep quiet. You know there's truth to what he says, and yet you can't help but wish you could do something more to help her with her nightmares. You rub some warmth into your arms anxiously as you think about it, surprised when you feel the warm weight of Piotr's hand settle in between your shoulder blades.

"You're worrying again." He states, frowning slightly when you look up at him. You send him a resigned smile, before it quickly falls as you look away.

"I can't help it. I worry about all of them, her especially. They just... deserve so much more than their lot in life." You say. Piotr hums in response, his thumb brushing idly against your back.

"Their life like us, you mean? Mutants?" His question makes you wince.

"No. Yes? I don't know. I just... I just wish that we could give them more than... this." You say, waving your hands to motion about the mansion. "The school might very well be the only safe space they have their entire life. The world hasn't been kind to them, and I'm not sure it ever will be." Your words begin to quiet down as you finish the sentence, lowing to a whisper that only he can hear. You'd never, ever want any of these kids hear a word of what you're saying. Knowing that hope is really all they have at their age, and you of all people refuse to be the one to destroy that beautiful childlike optimism.

"That is what we are working for as the X-men, yes? To change that?" Piotr asks you point blank, his hand moving up towards the back of your neck in a soothing manner that still gives you goosebumps, feeling the comforting heat of his hand even stronger than before.

"Yeah, but..."

"Then we are doing all we can." He finishes, a smile on his face that's so determined and confident that it very nearly changes your mind completely. Nonetheless, it's a reassuring smile that makes your chest feel warm and fuzzy. You smile back at him finally, and you swear you see fondness in his eyes.

It doesn't take long before the two of you are finally at your door. You give Piotr a short and sweet goodnight as you begin to step inside, but he stops you before you go, gently catching hold of your arm. For the first time, you think you've seen him debate on his words. His mouth opens, but he doesn't speak at first, and you swear you see a blush rising to his cheeks as he does so.

"You'd make a good mother." He says eventually, and it makes you smile widely.

"You'd make a good dad." You tell him. There's silence between you as he brushes a stray lock of hair away from your face in a fond and caring manner, and you swear you could trick yourself into believing that you and Piotr were already in domestic bliss if this moment goes on for any longer. The tall man leans in, and you find your mind short circuiting as he presses a kiss to your forehead. The simple action somehow leaving you beyond flustered.

"Sleep well, Любовь моя. I will see you in the morning." Piotr tells you, before walking off at his regular stiff pace. You stand in your doorway for a minute, watching him leave with a bit of a confused smile on your face. Out of all the Russian nicknames he's called you in the past, you had never heard him say that one before. You wonder if you should pick up a book on the language as you close your door and finally crawl into bed, although part of you is content to leave it be. Colossus had always been blunt, and you're sure he'd tell you eventually. You fall asleep just as you always do, excited to see him when you wake up in the morning.

[justabirdy]

From the Feeder 5-17 to 5-23

I won't lie, I've had a rough week. Amidst multiple breaks of bad new in my life and getting sick, I've found myself in a funk. There's a chance I may not even have a job in the coming weeks or months, so the bird feeders and the livestream have been a comfort of mine and may even become more important as time progresses. 

But enough about hardship, lets look at some pretty birds and talk shop about the birdfeeder livestream. 

Our first new visitor of the week is in fact our turkey who finally decided it was worth coming all the way to the feeder.

Wild Turkey

I was also finally able to get photos of our House finches who made themselves right at home the past few days. 

House finch

Another exciting visitor that proved difficult to photograph was a Ruby-throated hummingbird that stopped by a few times just before dusk when my camera would have the most challenging time catching it.

Ruby-throated hummingbird

And finally, our surprise star visitor, at least in my book was in fact our Pileated woodpecker who decided to swoop in and make his presence known at both our suet blocks. I just happened to be lucky enough to be around and catch him both on a video clip and in photos below! I'm still stunned at how big they are. That also makes 4 species of woodpecker to visit now!

Pileated woodpecker

And of course we had some of our regulars! I'll add those to the bottom of this post. 

----------------------------

Stream Updates

Okay, we only made a few minor updates this week. Here's a rough breakdown of the improvements: 

Added a running timestamp to the stream to better help people look back through the stream to find things people may talk about in the chat. 

Moved the feeders slightly closer to the camera. This should help improve video quality while cameras are zoomed in. 

Investigated ways to lower the latency so there's not a 25 second lag between inputting a command in chat and seeing anything happen. (this frustrates me too since a bird may be gone by the time I zoom in or pull up the audio) 

The first two changes are simple quality of life, the last one is something where I want your feedback and input. The conclusion I've come to is that youtube will only allow ultra-low latency on videos that 1080p or less. If we dropped to 1080p we could have a lag of only 3-5 seconds at the expense of 4k. So which do you prefer? Less lag or 4k video. Please let me know and I'll take it into consideration.

Final Thing

One of these days when I'm not feeling sick, I'm thinking about doing a birdwatching livestream where we can all watch the bird feeders together and talk about the birds and behaviors they are showcasing. I'm by no means an expert, but I would enjoy sending a morning truly birdwatching with y'all. Let me know in a reply as well if this is of interest too

- Birdy

-----------------------------------

Check out the Interactive Livestream Here

Support me on Ko-Fi

-----------------------------------

White-breasted Nuthatch

Common Grackle

Indigo Bunting

Hairy Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Mourning Dove

Red-winged Blackbird

Baltimore Oriole

American Goldfinch

Rose-breasted grosbeak

Northern Cardinal

Blue Jay

Brown Thrasher

Black-capped Chickadee

[insipid-drivel]

Personality Ratings Of The Birds That Visit My Bird Feeders

I have the beginnings of a little bird/pollinator garden outside of my bedroom window. It's nothing to show off yet, but I have a pretty big variety of regulars. And, like any bartender, I've come to silently judge them all from afar. Here are my ratings of my local Seed Bastards:

Dark-Eyed Junco:

Bastard Rating: 4/10 They take no shit and don't mind continuing to eat within about 10' of me when I'm actively working outside. Mostly bogart the feeders through numbers rather than actual bastardy. They go berserk for sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts. Don't scare easy but also aren't terribly interested in getting into it with the other birds.

House Finch:

Bastard Rating: 7/10 Refuses to share feeders. Chases other birds except their wives from the feeders, and will fully "nest" on tray feeders so their fat asses block the other birds from getting any from the feeder. I vaguely suspect they're racist toward the other birds because they'll only allow other house finches to eat from the feeders they're squatting in. At the same time, I've seen males feeding other males. Possible problematic queer icons. More review needed.

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee:

Bastard Rating: 5/10 Too tiny to really pose much of a territorial issue, but kinda remind me of flying chihuahuas. They mind their own business when they can, but will not hesitate to throw hands with other birds over either the sunflower feeder or suet cake. Generally don't hold grudges and stay in their lanes, until it comes to suet cakes.

Golden-Crowned Sparrow:

Bastard Rating: 2/10 Hang out in pretty big numbers, but otherwise mind their own business and eat when the other birds aren't taking up the feeders. They prefer the ground feeders. They're generally pretty chill. Their only true crimes are their systematic massacres of my supplies of black oil sunflower seeds.

Varied Thrush:

Bastard Rating: 0/10 Competes with Spotted Towhees in terms of raw cunt-serving power, both my cat and I get all kinds of tingly when this thot shows up. Yeah, he knows you're staring. He knows how good he looks. He's the flashiest bitch on the block. Robins? Dowdy Catholic school kids. Goldfinches? All color, no drama. This magnificent slut is here to slay.

Spotted Towhee:

Bastard Rating: 4/10 The hot goth vampire kid in high school you're 99% has their own OF account. Professionally Round. Uses his phat ass to own the runway (and my feeders) next to his frumpy competition. Is secretly a complete nerd. Basically if Laszlo Cravensworth was a bird.

Pine Siskin:

Bastard Rating: 9/10 This barely-there wannabe-goldfinch would apply lube to the bottom of your heels on Drag Night. The Heelies of the bird world; never truly cool but grasping at any legitimacy he can get. Nobody appreciates plagiarism. And ugh, he couldn't even be bothered to finish blending. What a rank slag. Get off my stage and learn how to work, bitch.

Black-Capped Chickadee:

Bastard Rating: 11/10 DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY THEIR ROUND CUTENESS. These little fuckers are the gangbangers of the forest. Subsist on raw suet cake and spite. They're consistently possessed with the rage of a lust-addled Klingon woman. What the fuck are you doing at their suet cake? God help you, if you're at their suet cake, they will c u t y o u.

Song Sparrow:

Bastard Rating: -1/10 Babygirl. Precious. Just wants to sit on the edge of the gutters or the top of the feeders and make it as independent folk singers. Probably resort to posting hole from time to time to make end's meet. Always eat last because it's all love, my brothers in Christ.

Anna's Hummingbird:

Bastard Rating: 9/10 While they may have cool optical illusions when it comes to their holographic feathers, they verbally abuse me every time I refill the feeder and it hurts my feelings :(

Rufous Hummingbird:

Bastard Rating: 1/10 Shy bois. They stay out of the way until they're sure I've gone back inside before they'll visit the feeders. Generally loners.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird:

Bastard Rating: 3/10 Generally the It Girls of the bird world. You know your garden is officially making it when these start showing up. They know they're the most popular but generally try to stay grounded about it. Will sometimes hang out and chat while the hummingbird feeder is being refilled. Used to scare me as a kid because my sister convinced me they'd try to stab their beaks into acne spots. While untrue, they don't have much of a sense of personal space.

Mourning Dove:

Bastard Rating: 1/10 Generally only bother the other birds because they're fat and eat in groups big enough to make it hard for the other birds to get at the seed on the ground. Sing beautifully. Makes Hatoful Boyfriend kind of make sense. Ngl kinda wanna befriend one. Confuse me a little bit whenever I see them because I live in a swamp and didn't expect to find any doves out here.

Stellar's goddamned Jay:

Bastard Rating: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?!/FUCK I KNOW THE SUNFLOWER DISPENSER JIGGLES WHEN YOU TRY TO FLY YOUR FAT ASS INTO IT. NO, I CANNOT MAKE THE FEEDER POLE STOP WIGGLING WHEN YOU PARK YOUR WIDE LOAD ON TOP OF IT. GDI I BOUGHT PEANUTS FOR YOU. STOP IMITATING A SHRIEKING HAWK TO SCARE AWAY THE OTHER BIRDS AND LEARN TO SHARE YOU ABSOLUTE TWAT.

[chaletnz]

Monteverde Cloud Forest

I was woken this morning by an alarm in the room next door going off constantly for over 30 minutes. How refreshing! Our adventure today was visiting a Cloud Forest in Monteverde that spans over 4000 hectares but only 2% of that is open for the public to walk through. Our guide Jean Bonilla took us through the endangered cloud forest and found us some animals and birds to look at. First we saw a lizard and a stick insect that looked like moss, then Jean took us to a spot he already clearly knew about - a partial nest hanging between some branches where a hummingbird was finishing up the work bringing twigs and moss to build it further. The cloud forest is basically a forest covered in cloud but due to climate change they are slowly disappearing and it affects the wildlife that live in them. The cloud forest is an 'evergreen forest' that depends on cloud cover for moisture and humidity year-round to maintain it's flora. There are certain wild avocados with a sweet orange flesh that grow only in the cloud forests that the native bird of Costa Rica, the quetzal feeds off and so they must stay nearby to survive on this diet. The cloud forest is also home to many "strangling trees" that grow from the top down and encase a regular tree. The tree eventually no longer has access to sunlight and will die and decompose inside the strangling tree. Jean found a tarantula hiding away in a hole, we all took turns shining his flashlight on it and looking at the red and black markings on it. The main predator for a tarantula is a wasp that stings and paralyses the spider, the wasp will then lay eggs in the spider and use its body as nutrients to incubate the eggs. Isn't nature fascinatingly gross!

We saw another hummingbird nest, this time the mother bird was feeding the little chicks regurgitated mosquitos. Jean set up his telescope and filmed it on Deme's iPhone since it was undisputed she had the best phone/camera of everyone so she'd get the photos and videos and then send them all to us. We reached a small waterfall where Jean showed the instagrammers of the group how to take the best photo of the flowing water for the ultimate effect. On our walk back to the main lodge and gift shop we passed a prehistoric tree that absorbs extra water like a camel so it can survive for years even without any rainfall to sustain it. We also briefly stopped to look at a different member of the coffee cherry family - the hot lips flower which looks like some red lips! I enjoyed that one so much I found a postcard with the flower to send to Alanna.

After the tour we stopped by Cafe Colibri which is the 'hummingbird cafe'. Basically they have bird feeders hung all around the cafe seating area outside so you can sit and sip your coffee, in my case a mocha, and watch the hummingbirds fluttering around and feeding.

[backyardwaspfriends]

2.13.23 - First Day of Planning

In preparation for foundress wasps waking from hibernation in early April, I am planning out where I want to set up my wasp oasis. I have a fairly large backyard (for a suburban neighborhood), so we are planning to use the area around the shed.

There is already a regular bird feeder on the left side that I will be filling with some generic seed. On the right side, there is a shepherds hook that I will be hanging a hummingbird feeder from. I am hoping that the sweet nectar in the hummingbird feeder will encourage a healthy population of worker wasps in the Spring. The feeder also came with a bunch of brightly colored flowers that are supposed to attract hummingbirds. Lucky for me, wasps tend to be attracted to the same types of flowers. I will also be looking into additional plants that are beneficial for wasps and hopefully some that will bring plenty of caterpillars and insects for the workers to feed to their brood. Lastly, I will be placing a small, stone bird bath near the corner of the shed. That way any friends we get along the way will have an easy place to hydrate :)

While inspecting the area around the shed, I noticed an old nest in the top corner. I took this as a great sign, since it shows that wasps have at least tried to make a home here before. Unfortunately, on closer inspection, it was clear that the nest had been killed early with some form of pesticides.

You can see from these pictures that the nest was small, and there were still some capped pupa cells at the time that the nest died. That most likely means the colony did not reach the stage of producing reproductive males and females. You can also see the abdomen of a deceased wasp sticking out from the middle cell. It looks too small to be the old foundress, so it is likely a worker wasp who was sticking around in an attempt to protect the capped pupa. What a dedicated little worker ;(

After finding this nest, I carefully removed it and sprayed the corner of the shed down with water. My hope is that the water washed away any remaining pesticides that might still be lingering on the shed. It was most likely sprayed last year, but I’m not sure how that may affect future nesting.

Any tips or information y’all have on how to encourage a healthy wasp population in a suburban backyard would be greatly appreciated! This is the first year I’ll be trying this, so I’m anticipating a lot of learning moments :)

[madame-mongoose]

I have a hummingbird feeder in front of my kitchen window so when I'm eating not only do I get to see the mini jets sipping nectar, I also get to see bugs such as bees and wasps also getting a sip as well :] (the little birdies don't like the bugs though hhaha)

ITS SO COOL!! Honestly better than a regular bird feeder imo bc of all the diverse wildlife you get to see!!

[grubloved]

let's talk bird feeders!!!

there's actually so many options when it comes to giving a snack to ur feathery neighbors. some are harder, and some are easier, so picking one right for you & your neighborhood is totally possible and will make ur experience better!

it's always a good idea to sit down and do some research before deciding to put up a bird feeder. see who's in your area and what they like to eat! the National Audobon Society is a really good place to start.

i'll note here that all of my info is applicable to the USA -- if you live elsewhere and have good resources, please send them my way!

let's get into it!

1-3: low effort bird feeders

pinecone (1) & treat bell (2) feeders are the lowest effort option because they're single-use! with a pinecone you roll it in peanut butter and seeds yourself, and the birds clean it off. emptied pinecones can be stacked in a corner of the yard for a little tiny bug habitat! with a treat bell, the birds will just eat it till it's gone. pretty cool! these are a great option if you don't have the time or spoons for regular cleaning and refilling. they are also pretty popular with nearly any kind of bird -- mine have been favorites of the nuthatch and woodpeckers, but the finches and other seed-eaters in my area will also give them a go.

suet feeders (3) are the simplest refillable feeder, usually consisting of just a wire cage to place a suet cake in! suet is available in blocks and lasts a good while, and is high in fat so it's a really good wintertime snack! woodpeckers and other creeping birds really like these, but other birds will check them out, too. maintenance-wise, you will want to take it down and give it a good scrub once a month! it's just a wire cage though so it's not too hard.

4-6: standard bird feeders

platform feeders (4) are a fun one. they are just a platform, with raised sides to keep seed in and a mesh bottom to let water drain. these can attract birds of all sizes, and if low to the ground can even get some rarer friends, like quail! however, the exposed seed means these guys need EXCELLENT drainage. if water collects in the feeder, things will get nasty. check on it every couple days and make sure to remove seed shells and waste when you refill it! and give it the standard once a month deep clean.

hopper feeders (5) are a nice all-around option. with a little hopper to store seed and a small platform for it to roll out onto, they offer the protected seed of a tube feeder, but a larger perching area, so you can attract bigger birds and smaller ones! however, make sure the lid is secure-- if the seed inside the hopper gets wet, things can get Very weird very fast, especially in warm wet climates. keep an eye on it! clean out old seed when refilling, and give it the standard once a month scrub.

tube feeders (6) are probably the most common kind of bird feeder where i am! just a little tube with perches on the outside. they are the easiest of these three to keep clean when it comes to seed, since it's all safely away in a sealed container. they're also the easiest feeder to squirrel-proof! however, their smaller perches mean they're best suited for small to medium birds, not big ones. keep an eye on it and make sure the lid is secure -- like the hopper feeder, water inside the tube itself is bad news. empty out old seeds when refilling and give it a good scrub once a month!

(7-11) specialist bird feeders

nectar feeders (7) are usually designed just for hummingbirds, but if they're big enough, other nectar-loving birds like orioles will pay them a visit! they consist of a nectar reservoir and little openings at which to access it, usually flower-shaped. these probably require the most maintenance of any bird feeder, because sugar water is a really good medium for lots of nasty things to grow, ESPECIALLY in warm climates. take it down, empty it out, and clean it thoroughly at least every two days. if this is too hard, consider planting some flowers for your hummers to visit instead! a nasty hummingbird feeder will do more harm than good. these feeders will also attract non-avian nectar lovers, like ants, bees, and butterflies, so keep that in mind too!

mealworm feeders (8) are an unusual one, designed to attract birds who almost never show up at feeders like thrushes, bluebirds, and kinglets! these are often just a cup with some way to hang it. you can use dried or live mealworms. you'll need to refill these more often, as they're usually lower capacity (mealworms can get gross if left in there for too long). otherwise, treat this like a standard feeder and give it a good monthly scrub.

njyer seed feeders (9) are designed for small-beaked finches, mainly goldfinches, but also pine siskins and lesser goldfinches! these are usually a sort of mesh sock filled with tiny seeds. you CAN refill these once they're empty, but it's kind of hard, so many people just treat them as a single-use thing. if you're refilling it, make sure to take it down and wash it, then dry it completely before adding new seed!

fruit feeders (10) are another high-maintenance feeder, designed for fruit-loving birds like orioles, cardinals, and waxwings. you can offer berries, or cut up fruit like apples, or lay out halves of oranges! because you're putting out fresh fruit, you will want to swap it out at least every other day, and really watch out for mold. keep it clean and free from nasty buildup, and give it a good scrubbing every couple weeks.

peanut feeders (11) are the last one on our list! fill it with whole, unshelled peanuts, and you'll get BIG birds like jays, crows & woodpeckers! a feeder for in-shell peanuts is honestly optional and you can have roughly the same effect by just laying out a couple whole peanuts somewhere where your friends can see them! but the feeders look cool and can also be used to offer nesting material in the spring or suet balls in the winter. treat these like standard -- look for anything nasty, and give them a good monthly cleaning.

that's it for my list! i hope this has been helpful. good luck with your birds!!!!! <3 <3

[olivinesea]

Retired Hotchreid gardening. What do they grow? Do they have a slew of bird feeders? Who do they give their veggie gifts to? I need to know how good it is. ❤

Good god, the way that I am obsessed with this. You know me too well. Ok, bullet points/headcanon for this:

Reid is a very technical gardener, lots of research, actual experiments with like a control group and everything. Hotch is more of a feel it out kind of method. What he knows he’s picked up over the years, going from straight up plant killer to a very successful gardener. By this point he has people asking him for advice on how to help their struggling house plants or counter herb gardens.

They are very into natural methods—adding eggshells to soil to improve pH, attracting the right kinds of birds and bats to keep the insect population down, spraying lemon and vinegar to discourage ants. They try to use one of those high pitched noise machines to deter a mole but Jack complains about it every time he comes over and eventually they get rid of it. It doesn’t work very well anyway.

At first they have regular bird feeders with birdseed but those end up attracting squirrels. So they switch to hummingbirds, which the cats are extremely fond of watching. Spencer researches the best ratio of sugar to water and makes homemade syrup, adding in the red dye. They hang them in the winter when there aren’t enough flowers for the birds to drink from.

They also have a bird bath in one corner of the yard. Hotch likes to watch the birds splashing around there in the early morning while he drinks his coffee and waits for Spencer to wake up.

Emily and Spencer decide to make bat boxes one day. There’s a lot of swearing and several band aids and ice packs required but they manage to make two and Hotch hangs them on the farthest trees in the yard. Some nice bats move in after a few months and never again do they have mosquito problems.

(Forgive me if some of these don’t grow on the east coast, I refuse to do research at this time). They grow things like lemon cucumbers, carrots, alpine strawberries (which are ridiculously fancy and a special Hotch project, he spends a lot of time encouraging them to produce, but they are tasty as hell), cherry tomatoes, kale, beets

They also have an extensive native flower garden and Spencer gets into bulbs one year so they have lots of cut dahlias and gladiolus in the house during the summer. So much lavender for the bees and milkweed for the butterflies.

Who gets the goods? Strawberries and blueberries for Penelope to bake with. Heirloom tomatoes for Rossi and his sauce addiction. Kale for Emily who says she hates it but secretly loves to make those dehydrated kale chips with the nutritional yeast. They just taste cheesy and who doesn’t like cheese? Plus they’re all older and need to watch what their sodium intake or whatever.

Hotch’s favorite part of the garden though is his fruit trees. He’s got an apricot and an orange. They were on the property when they bought it and one of the big draws. The orange tree produces way too many and he encourages all the neighborhood kids to pick as many as they can in the winter. They rarely get colds in their house bc they’re eating so many oranges.

But the few weeks in the summer when the apricots are ripe are the best. Jack brings his family to visit and they all help pick them. Hotch is too rickety to climb a ladder anymore but he makes sure it’s steady while the grandkids climb up it. When everyone is tired and napping in the afternoon, full of too much fruit and sun, Spencer brings Hotch one perfect, warm apricot. They lay in the hammock together and split it, eating it slowly, listening to the bees. They kiss and it’s soft and familiar and a little bit sticky from fruit juice.

I’m sorry that was all so random. And extensive. Not kidding when I say I love to think about garden Hotch lol.

Send me requests!

[anxietygardening]

A lot of Stellar Jays around lately. I also have Chickadees, Starlings, and Crows, with the occasional Robin of some kind, and a small assortment of other guests. My housemates claim they've seen hummingbirds but I think they are lying liars that lie.

Fortunately most of the birds like the suet feeder, 'cause the damn squirrel neighbor spilled the other bird feeder all over the place. Now no one gets the loose seed. RUINED IT FOR EVERYONE.

Strawberries coming along. Getting bushy and gettin' it on with the bumblebutts.

If all goes well, I shall have plenty of cherry tomatoes. Tomato-Cucumber-Avocado salad is in my future.

I hadn't intended this to be a place to put recipes, but seriously this is a great salad, so here you go, the rough instruction on how I do it.

Tomato-Cucumber-Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS

- 1 diced cucumber (English is good because fewer seeds but I don't know that anyone has ever cared. You can always core a regular cucumber or two)

- 4 firm Roma tomatoes, diced, or equivalent grape tomatoes, halved, which I think is aesthetically pleasing

- 3 ripe avocados, skinned, cored, diced

- some people put diced/sliced onion, I don't, but just saying for transparency

- chopped up fresh cilantro, about 1/2 cups worth, or you can try parsley or Dill if you are the unfortunate bearer of the genetic intolerance to cilantro

- Juice of 1 lemon

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, roughly 2-3 Tbsp

- (optional) crumbled feta is really nice if you happen to have it

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss that tasty shit together in a big bowl

2. Eat that tasty shit

3. Regret nothing

[reverseblackholeofwords]

There’s about seven or eight hummingbirds outside my house right now. We have two feeders set in front of our window so we can watch them, and they’re so funny. Tiny little fighter jets, I’m telling you. They will just absolutely dive bomb one another. Plenty of room and juice in the feeders, enough for all of them! But they. will. not. share! It’s so funny.

I want twenty of them to just constantly follow me around and assault anyone who is mean to me or my friends, talk about the ultimate super power. Disney princesses out here enlisting regular song birds? Screw that, I want an army of these feisty little sky ninjas! They will cut you, and they’ll be super cute doing it.

Also, there’s tons of bees now, too. They’re so much calmer than hummingbirds just. Blop! Flower! Cuddle the flower! Okay, let’s move on. Blop! New flower! Yay! I’m gunna go home and tell all my friends!

I love bees.

[bouwzfeed]

5 effective strategies you can use to attract orioles!

I think it’s a combination of a few things. First, regardless of the species (Baltimore, Orchard, Bullocks), orioles are absolutely gorgeous! I think their exotic orange plumage makes them look like they belong in a rain forest instead of the United States and Cananda.

 The other reason is that even though orioles are not rare, they are uncommon to see. I know many people who have NEVER observed an oriole. These shy birds tend to stay high up in the trees AWAY from people. I love being able to show someone orioles at my feeders for the first time and witness how they can’t believe these birds exist near us!

Assuming you live in the USA or southern Canada, then you can potentially watch orioles in your backyard during the summer months. It’s going to take a bit of effort on your part to initially attract these beautiful birds, but once they start coming, they can quickly become regular feeder visitors.

  Strategy #1: Select Foods That Orioles ACTUALLY Eat!

 To attract orioles, you can’t use standard bird seed mixes that include foods like sunflower, safflower, peanuts, and corn.

That’s because orioles have a different diet that DOES NOT include seeds. In the wild they prefer eating ripe fruits and insects, so we need to mimic what they naturally eat as best as possible.

 In general, there are 3 foods used for attracting orioles:

  1. Fruit

You finally have a great way to get rid of old fruit in your house that you’re not going to eat!

 That’s because orioles enjoy eating a wide variety of fruit, including oranges, grapes, bananas, berries, and cherries.

The fruit that I prefer using is an orange sliced in half. That’s because orioles love eating oranges! And as a bonus, orioles are naturally attracted to the color orange. I also like that oranges are generally inexpensive, don’t spoil quickly if appropriately stored, and can be used in a wide variety of bird feeders.

  2. Jelly

When it comes to feeding orioles jelly, it seems that grape works best.

 Jelly that is made for humans is fine for feeding orioles. Just head to your local grocery store and buy an inexpensive brand.

 My preference is buying jelly that comes in a squeeze bottle to avoid the mess of scooping it out with a spoon! And make sure you purchase jelly and not jam.

  3. Nectar

Similar to hummingbirds, orioles enjoy drinking sugar water for an instant energy burst!

Strategy #2: Be Seasonally Savvy With The Foods You Offer.

 It’s essential to understand the natural history of orioles. You want to make sure you are putting out the correct food at the right times of the year to have the best chance at attracting them.

In case you didn’t know, orioles are not year-round visitors to most of the USA and Canada. Orioles typically spend their winters in Central America and migrate back north in late April or early May to breed and raise their young. Then in September, nature calls and they make the long migration back south.

  For most of us, we have 4 months each year to attract orioles!

 And to complicate things a bit more, an orioles diet changes from the time they arrive back from migration to the time they leave again at the end of summer.

 But don’t worry, here is a simple guide of what and when you should be feeding orioles. Please know that the diet of your local birds may VARY GREATLY, depending on the exact species, weather, location, and food availability.

 Feed foods high in sugar, such as jelly, ripe fruits, and nectar. The sugar is converted into energy needed for migration. The fruits that seem to work best at oriole feeders are orange halves and grapes.

  Summer:

During the summer months, Most of an orioles diet consists of insects. The additional protein is needed while they are breeding and raising their young. Try offering dried mealworms in a tray or cup to keep orioles coming to your feeders all summer. Lastly, don’t stop feeding fruits, nectar, and jelly until the orioles stop eating these foods each day.

  I have the most luck attracting orioles in Spring as they arrive from their migration.

 Unfortunately, just as I am getting used to the daily show of orioles each Spring, it seems like their diet switches without warning, and they quit coming to the oranges and jelly they reliably ate just days before. At this time, it’s necessary to switch to mealworms to try and get the birds coming back all summer.

  Strategy #3: Use Oriole Friendly Feeders.

So far we have discussed the right foods you need to use to attract orioles, and then the best times of year to offer these foods.

 The next strategy for attracting orioles is selecting specialized bird feeders that can feed these birds their unique diet!

Strategy #4: Provide Water.

 This strategy isn’t just for attracting orioles. Offering a water source can also be used for drawing lots of additional species to your backyard, including birds that generally don’t visit feeders, such as warblers, hawks, robins, etc.

 The reason is simple. ALL birds and animals need to drink. If you provide a clean and consistent source of water, you may be surprised at what will show up.

 To provide water in your backyard, you are going to need to purchase a bird bath (unless you are lucky enough to have a lake or river nearby!).

  Don’t believe me that bird baths attract unique birds? Strategy #5: Plant Native Trees That Appeal To Orioles!

 Planting native trees and shrubs are the best way to attract orioles without having the constant maintenance that feeders require. Just think about it, once a tree is established, you don’t have to do anything except maybe water it every so often!

[birdsandbirds]

Hummingbird PSA

Hummingbird season is upon us!

(or if you live in places like California, it’s still hummingbird season!)

Here’s what you need to know about hummingbird feeders:

Do not use red dyes! 

Whether you buy premixed nectar or make it yourself, red dye is unnecessary and bad for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have an extremely high metabolism. They use the energy from their food almost as fast as they can get it, so anything extra (dyes, preservatives, etc) can be detrimental. 

All you need is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar (regular, white, granulated sugar. Don’t use any other type of sugar). 

I usually make a batch of 4 cups water to 1 cup sugar. Boil the water to dissolve the sugar and you’re done! Wait for it to cool before you put it out to prevent the birds from burning their little tongues. 

Hummingbirds don’t need the nectar to be colored red to find it, they already know the drill. If you really feel the need, you can buy feeders out there that have a red plastic reservoir that will make the nectar appear red. 

Keep the feeder clean!

Mold and other nasty stuff can form on the feeder and needs to be cleaned regularly as this can also be harmful to hummingbirds. When cleaning, just warm water, mild soap and a good rinsing will do the trick. Don’t use bleachhhhhhh. 

If you have issues with ants getting to the nectar, some feeders come with a little reservoir on top that you fill with water to prevent the ants from crawling down the sides. This works most of the time. 

Enjoy the hummingbirds! 

[thetaoofbetty]

I assume you were voted class clown in school. I assume your voice is the loudest at family dinner but that’s ok, because you’re the one everyone wants to listen to. I assume your jewelry box is disorganized but organized the way YOU like it. I assume like watching birds, that their tiny wings fascinate you. I assume that you’re no taller than 5’6” but you tower over everyone because of your larger than life personality. I assume your favorite pastime is watching fireworks and eating pie.

Hello Beautiful! 

Holy cannoli, that’s a lot of assumptions! 

Hmm, let’s see here, so class clown? Honestly? Not at all, hah. I was in an honors program that put me and everyone else in it a year above the rest of our class so I was usually pretty focused. I did, however, have an English teacher who hated me to the point where I just sort of gave up and let my sarcasm fly free until he just started making me sit outside before class even started. Which, tbh, was a good thing in the end, it’s how I ended up finding one of my favorite books of all time- Manchild in the Promised Land, it was sitting on a shelf outside of the class and I was stuck there for an hour anyway so why not? 

Yes, I stole that book from him. I’m not even sorry. But mostly teachers adored me and you know that means? I got away with so much shit, oh my god, I really did. 

The loudest voice you say? Maybe now, mostly because I’m yelling at two foreign teenagers on the regular and then at the mister for encouraging them. But when I was younger, I was always the quietest. In a room full of people I tend to still go quiet. I grew out of being painfully shy but I revert back to it really easy in crowded situations tbh. 

I will agree with the jewelry box thing, mostly because I don’t have one but I am very aware where all of my jewelry is even if it’s all in odd places. Which includes the bathroom, the closet, the dresser, and my nightstand. And doesn’t include my unicorn ring holder named Richard Horn. Who is fondly called Dick Horn because, ahem, yeah, his little horn looks so much like a dick, it’s tragic but hilarious. 

I love birds! Maybe not watching them in the creepy stalker way. Like, “Hey baby, flap them wings for me, yeah, that’s the good stuff.” Not like that. But I do have bird feeders and I’m on a first name basis with the hummingbirds. And by that I mean, they threaten me for food and I provide it out of fear. Also I like most other birds tbh, it would probably freak some people out but I’ll hold any bird that’s willing, especially when I can get my hands on a Blue Hyacinth Macaw. 

I am not taller than 5′6″! I am, in fact, 5′5″ on a good day. Though I wear wedge booties more often than not that are usually around 3″ or so, so I’m totally living the tall life on the regular. I don’t know about the other half of that, I don’t think of my personality as larger than life. Mostly sarcastic with a dirty mind, hah. 

Fireworks and pie, you say? I like the way they look but after so many years of them freaking my dog out, I’m honestly pretty much over them. Who doesn’t like pie? While neither are my favorite past time, I can’t say I don’t enjoy them when given the chance, let’s be real. People who don’t like pie can’t be trusted. Well, trusted more than the people who don’t like cake but still, major side eye from me. 

Whew, good luck to all who got to the end of this! And thanks for the ask, doll! 

[wigmund]

From American Bird Conservancy Bird of the Week; February 9, 2018:

Royal Sunangel

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Heliangelus regalis POPULATION: 3,500-15,000 individuals IUCN STATUS: Endangered TREND: Decreasing HABITAT: Ridgetops adjacent to stunted forests on poor, sandy soils

In the right lighting, a male Royal Sunangel is a striking sight, with plumage of deep, shimmering violet-blue and a long, forked tail. Like the Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and Glittering Starfrontlet, it needs direct light to really shine; low light makes these avian gems seem dark and dull-colored.

This regal species is known only from a handful of sites in northern Peru and southern Ecuador. Habitat loss from agriculture, mining operations, and road building are the biggest threats within its small, already-fragmented range.

Ridgetop Royalty

The Royal Sunangel is most often sighted on sandy ridgetops near "elfin" forest. These high-altitude forests are characterized by moss-covered, stunted trees, bordered by mossy savannas with lichen-covered bushes, succulents, and ferns. The species has also been found living on the sides of steep, wooded ravines.

Like other hummingbird species, including Swallow-tailed Hummingbird and Ruby Topaz, the Royal Sunangel is sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female differ in appearance. The female sunangel is dark green with speckled cinnamon and a buffy collar, only retaining the shimmering blue-black color of the male on their tails.

Territorial Tribe

The Royal Sunangel feeds on nectar and insects, often following a regular circuit of feeding sites. Royal Sunangels may also visit hummingbird feeders, where they join other species such as Long-tailed Sylph for sips of sugar water.

In at least one location, researchers have observed that males favor higher-altitude feeding areas than females; they prefer different flowering plants as well. This species feeds while perched as well as in hovering flight — an adaptation to the thinner air of its high-altitude habitats.

Female Royal Sunangel by Kenny Rodriguez

Like others of its family, including Rufous Hummingbird and Rainbow Starfrontlet, the Royal Sunangel is fiercely territorial in its feeding areas. Males chase and attempt to intimidate intruders, whether they are other male birds or large insects.

Visiting females receive a warmer reception: The male courts them by flying in circles and u-shapes while opening and closing his long, colorful tail.

More Habitat for Royal Sunangel

In 2005, ABC supported Peruvian partner Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN) in creating the Abra Patricia Reserve in northern Peru, which protects more than 25,000 acres of montane forest and over 300 bird species, including the Royal Sunangel. Abra Patricia has been identified by the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) as a priority site for several other endangered bird species, such as Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher, Ochre-fronted Antpitta, and Long-whiskered Owlet.

ABC is currently working to expand the Abra Patricia Reserve by 173 acres to increase protection for birds such as Royal Sunangel. Please consider donating to help us save even more habitat at this special reserve!

[josephparkerokay]

tik tok by ke$ha (a story for jordan hoxsie)

       jordan has won the lottery!!! wow that is so cool congrats jordan !! but it wasn’t like the regular lottery hehe this lottery was to become the supreme ruler of the dark underworld       aka hell       lol yea jordan is now the lord of hell haha good job jordan.       oh and the lottery win also came with a lifetime supply of kiwifruit, which obviously is much less important but still worth mentioning imo.       jordan!!!!!!!!!!! what do u wanna do as ur first act as lord of hell? wait u wanna what?? oh ok haha that’s a great idea wow ur so smart!!! ok everybody u heard jordan, pls come up one by one and receive your complimentary 40 oz water bottle. it’s very very hot down here and your new leader says it’s important for everyone to stay hydrated.       while everyone was getting their water bottles jordan took a walk around hell to see what it was all about. it didn’t take long for jordan to notice that there wasn’t a single hummingbird in hell and it made them very sad :(       jordan’s next decision was to ask everyone to pitch in making hummingbird feeders. and it worked!!!! it was actually a very big success!!! it only took about 10 minutes after the first feeder was built for hummingbirds to start showing up in hell. and it brought so much joy to everyone who lived there!!!! some people would sit for hours watching the tiny birds zip around hell from feeder to feeder. they’re all so majestic in their own tiny way.       wow jordan!!! you’ve had an amazing first day as lord of hell!! i guess that’s all for now, you’ll probably be wanting to get some sleep. what?? there’s still one more thing you’d like to do? yes of course that’s ok, pls go on, tell us what it is !       as jordan’s final act on their first day of being lord of the underworld they had vending machines installed throughout hell where anyone at anytime could go and push a button and receive a free kiwifruit!!! wow that’s amazing!!! not only do kiwis have more vitamin c than oranges (273% of the daily recommended amount in a single serving!) but they also have more potassium than bananas!! it’s also high in vitamin a, which is great for ur skin, bones, teeth, and vision!!!!       wow and here’s another cool fact about kiwi that i didn’t know   until jordan just told me right now: kiwifruit are named after the native new zealand bird, but when they were first introduced to the u.s. in the 1960s they were called “chinese gooseberries”.       jordan!!! this been a truly amazing and successful day!!! thank u for bringing all your great ideas to our small community, i’m positive lots of good things will happen here under your management. i can’t wait to see what u do next <3       the end  .