The berries of the cedar (juniper), wahoo, and winterberries are quite popular with a variety of birds. We didn’t plan for the visibility of the berries when we planted the shrubs, however it’s great fun watching the birds feed while we stay warm indoors.
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Hawks in the backyard
We were privileged to have two different hawks in the backyard last week. Harry noticed a large bird eating a squirrel in our white pine tree (Pinus strobus). It was snowing and my view was limited. However, this photo shows the brownish belly band that helped us identify it as a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). This is the first time we’ve seen one in the backyard.
Another reason to be thankful
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and this year I have an additional reason to be thankful. In April of this year, Kentucky had 35 certified Monarch Waystations. We now have 95. That’s nearly triple – an impressive increase! This change is largely due to the work of the Lexington Chapter of Wild Ones and The Garden Club of Kentucky.
The count includes private gardens as well as Waystations that have been created at schools, churches and other public places. This is the Waystation at Shaker Village.
Sassafras in autumn
Our young sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) has been a brilliant splash of yellow, and I’ve loved seeing it from the kitchen window. Knowing it would not last much longer, I went out with my camera.
Cardinal in the wahoo tree
Yes, you read that right. Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) is a small tree that is native to most of the Midwest, including Kentucky. Ours is now at peak color, and this cardinal apparently thought it was time to sample the seeds.
