Smell Like Dirt

In Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” Margaret Atwood

Archive for goldfinch

How much is that birdie in the window?

Great, now you’ll be humming that song all day, right?

Smell Like Dirt announces a new feature for the New Year! Down & Dirty Quick Tips! We will be doing a series of short videos (hopefully a minute or less) highlighting something you can do in your garden, home, workplace, etc to help wildlife, the environment, or just make life a little easier. We are launching this new feature with this short video on how to get a closer look at the birds in your backyard. During the filming we were able to capture a Ruby Crowned Kinglet showing off for its reflection in the window and couldn’t wait to share it. If you’ve ever seen RCK’s in the field, you know how difficult it is to watch these birds because they flit around so much. Its hard to get a good look at them and even harder to see the crown which is rarely seen. This video shows why…..it is not even visible unless the bird “flexes” its feathers. I hope you enjoy the video and keep checking back for more Smell Like Dirt “Down and Dirty” tips.

We have guests!

At the end of April each year, just in time for my birthday (355 shopping days left!) we have two of my favorite migrants stop over for a bite to eat and to take a load off.  Now, I think I would love Indigo Buntings and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks even if they were here year round, but the fact that they will only be here for a short time makes spotting them even more special.  I hope you will enjoy this footage of them visiting our feeders.  The RBG dined primarily on Black Oil Sunflower Seeds and the Indigo’s feasted on white millet, both on the ground and in the feeder.  Enjoy and please let me know what you have in your backyard!

Preparing the Garden for Winter

Here’s our latest video on putting the gardens to bed for the winter.  We shot this video a few weeks ago, right after our first killing frost.  Then summer made an unexpected, but much appreciated, return last week with temps in the 80’s.  But alas, it could not last forever and we were back into the 20’s last night, so I’m glad we prepared the gardens when we did.   If you haven’t given your garden a good cleaning and a layer of compost for the winter, I hope this video will inspire you to action!