BACKYARD SANCTUARY

Our private green space.

I have always loved our backyard. It is where we spend the majority of our spring and summer weekends, and as long as the fall weather holds, you will still find us out there. This year though, a different word comes to mind when I think of our backyard, grateful. 

When we went into lock-down back in March, spring was on it's way. For bird nerds like us, that means the arrival of the migrants, some who will visit our backyard on their way further north, and others that will remain with us for the spring/summer season. It also means a variety of other visitors, some furry and some of the other winged variety.

Our backyard not only provides shelter, food, and water for our wild friends, but it provides us with a place to unwind and de-stress. The antics of our wild friends also provides us with endless entertainment and a sense of joy. It's easy for us to spend hours back there, and we are grateful that we have this space to do so. I know having this private oasis of ours has helped us deal mentally with the pandemic. Our backyard truly is our sanctuary.

Please enjoy some photos of some of our spring and summer visitors.

The Baltimore Orioles are always pretty hungry when they arrive in the Spring. 

This Red Squirrel enjoyed our bird feeders for a month or so this past Spring. I named him "Timbit"!

Cedar Waxwings courting in the yard. 

We had a chipmunk around regularly for the first time in four years. 

I saw this guy nightly for months, he's my friend, and still around.

My favorite summertime visitor. 

I've taken over sugar water and feeder cleaning duty since I'm working from home.

I don't see the opossums much anymore, as I'm usually asleep when they come through. 

August means skunks in our yard!

The birds are not the only wildlife who enjoy the bird baths.

The skunks seem pretty happy in our backyard. 

Rob's pollinator garden is attracting some nice butterflies, like this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. 

Black Swallowtail on Bee Balm.

Baby raccoon.

Our Northern Cardinals are here year round, and "Papa" has a mate and raises a family yearly. 

In a few weeks we won't be seeing many of these species, we are enjoying them while we can.