SINGING OUT THE MONTH OF MAY

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps  

a singing bird will come."

Chinese Proverb

These 26 birds sang at the Gatehouse woodland garden on 31 May 2022.

American Robin, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cedar Waxwing, 

Wilson's Warbler, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Pine Siskin, 

Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Swainson's Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Cassin's Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Kestrel, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Brown-headed Cowbird, Stellar's Jay, Western Tanager, Rufous Hummingbird, 

and the Common Yellowthroat. 

Native Crabapple 
(Malus fusca) 
A sweet specimen for pollinators
and people in early spring; 
Photographed on Shaw Island,
San Juan Archipelago, WA.
Two thousand and twenty-two.

 

NATIVE CRABAPPLE
(Malus fusca)
One tree in an unmolested row of 
native Crabapples 
going dormant, but laden 
 with ripened fruit for the bird's
 winter pantry.
Click the photo to enlarge.
Shaw Island fall of 2021.

MAHONIA X 'CHARITY' 
blooming in the winter in the
Gatehouse woodland garden
with nectar for pollinators and 
hungry Anna's hummingbirds
who now stay on Shaw Island, WA,
through the winter. 
 

Magnolia grandiflora "Kay Pariss"
Non-native growing on Shaw Island, WA.
Please think about planting for the pollinators.

🌿 FOR THE OVER-WINTERING HUMMINGBIRDS 🌿

MAHONIA x 'Charity'
Planted for the
hummingbirds who are drawn to the
nectar of this winter-blooming shrub.
Planted from one-gallon pot.
(I.e. no seeds for sale.)
Photo captured January 2019.
Gatehouse Garden, Reefnet Bay Road, 
Shaw Island, Washington..

20 January 2019
New year––new shelf.
Fresh seeds nearby in screw-top jars.
The old oak Hoosier cabinet, ca. 100 years old
is from the Jack/Lillian Gordon home.
The door with windows acting as one wall
is from Leon Fonnesbeck's "Taj Mahal,"
from the same island property.
Cooming through again for a low carbon footprint.
Stop by.

Garden Visitors for 12-13-14 ♥ ♥ ♥

Anna's Hummingbird, female.
Winter resident on Shaw Island,
12-13-14
Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Anna's Hummingbird, male.
Winter resident on Shaw Island,
12-13-14.
Courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

For two successive years the "winged winter jewel" known as the Anna's Hummingbird has been observed in at least two Shaw Island winter gardens. Both genders calmly enjoying Mahonia and Viburnum bodnantense flowers with backup of a feeder with sugar solution.

      For many years this hummingbird has been staying through the winter on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands. Perhaps they are finally attracted to Shaw Island shores by tropical scent in the air from fragrant garden plants displaying luscious winter blooms.        

      Ciscoe Morris writes that this tiny bird needs to eat half its weight every day to survive, and encourages us to help them out with plant specimens they enjoy. Listed below are some of Ciscoe's recommendations that we can easily grow and plants that are commonly found at local nurseries.

   

Tall, winter blooming Mahonia x "Charity"
Shaw Island Community Building garden.
Planted along south fence line in the 1990s
by the volunteer garden crew.
Photo December 2014.

For expert advice on growing this Mahonia bred in N. Ireland, see this link

Hardy Fuchsia (F. magellanica); late fall bloomer in Mary Lou's garden.
witch hazel
Lonicera fragrantissima (winter honeysuckle)
Viburnum bodnantense
Sarcococca (sweet box)

      
If our gardens can provide a diversity of nectar plants, shelter, appropriate water sources, and if we can eliminate or greatly reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides, we will be able to experience hosting the jewel box hummingbirds all the year through. May they stay on Shaw for the Christmas Bird Count.