slightly OT... difficulty w/ indoor plants & flowers ; )

18 years ago

Snipped these from my mother's vine a few days ago. Within a minute of placing the frappuccino bottle ("vase") on the counter, the resident flower-eating bird started sampling the budding blooms... which she found to be quite palatable. (Yesterday I planted some small transplants of this vine... not the best time of year, I know!)

{{gwi:408478}}

I am down to one houseplant, a pothos. Apparently, the inside of the stems is delicious!

{{gwi:408479}}

"Who, ME? I'm NOT *doing* anything!" lol

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Here we have a different take on flower arranging...

{{gwi:408481}}

"Must hide some for later!"

{{gwi:408482}}

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Comments (19)

judy_b
18 years ago
Cute pics! Birdie really enjoys the trumpet vine, Campsis radicans, maybe 'Madame Galen'?.
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Garden_trolip
18 years ago
Thanks for the laugh! I LOVED it! What kind of Birdie?
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My garden and house caters first and mostly for my dog - he's the most pampered pet you can imagine :-) This includes his own doghouse in the garage (that he hardly ever uses, but is used by the roaming cats in the neighborhood, much to Timmy's distress), an enclosed front porch with doggie door, basket, rug and private sofa, free roaming of the garden, two more beds inside the house, etc. You get the picture - he's the king of it all :-) As for wildlife, since we live on the foothills of a small mountain range and part of a natural park, we do get quite a lot of critters. We have a birdbath that is used not only by the birds but also by the bees and wasps, of which there are gazillions (we are in a honey producing area). Birds in the garden include sparrows, robins in Fall and Winter, loads of blackbirds, gold finches and a multitude of others I can't name. Last Saturday I saw my first swallow of the year. Above us on the hill we can frequently spot hawks, of which there are some colonies in the park. At night owls are a frequent visitor and we can hear their calls many times. Cuckoos are also a familiar sound as soon as Spring is here. I have a lot of evergreens in the garden and this provides excellent nesting sites for the birds. Preferred are the bay trees, laurustinus and the conifers. I'm constantly finding nests whenever I prune anything. I had a resident bat for about a year, sleeping in a closed garden umbrella we had on the patio. Unfortunately I had to remove the umbrella because the wasps decided it was a good place to nest, so it had to go. I was already stung twice, didn't want to be stung whenever I opened the umbrella! Still, bats visit frequently and it's common to see one or two flying around the garden at dusk. Some years we have glow worms in the Spring, which I absolutely love. It's magical to see them hovering around the garden at night. Other assorted critters include geckos, small lizzards, snakes, mice (yuk!), crickets, locusts and the occasional hedgehog. In terms of specifically catering for critters, I keep the birdbath going all year (we don't have hard freezes) and try to plant things I know will be used by the wildlife. This includes berry shrubs like pyracantha which are a major hit with birds in the cold Winter months. I also have a weeping mulberry tree and let its production go to the birds, who have a feast with the fruits. The compost pile is also a good feeding ground and there's a little bird that spends hours there hunting for the small fruit flies that proliferate inside the pile. Butterflies are catered for with things like lantana, mock orange and buddleia. I need to add more larval food to cater for butterflies, but haven't come quite up to it yet. I don't use any sort of chemicals in the garden, don't even spray the roses, and this of course translates into a welcome sign for critters, even if it means that slugs and snails are huge, sigh... I don't use a slingshot to get rid of them, like Edna does ;-), but I do throw them onto a neighbooring field that is kept wild. All in all, I consider a privilege to have wildlife in the garden and have been slowly educating myself to encourage it as much as possible. Eduarda
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Pagancat
18 years ago
Blue Jay, one of my faves.

Great shots! If it makes her happy, you should keep plenty of fresh Campsis around. I think you should buy the vine so you don't have to steal all of your Mom's....

>grinThanks!
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dirt_dew
18 years ago
Never a dull moment?
Very enjoyable! Now I have thoughts of Rucker Canyon, Turkey Creek, Hannigan Meadows, Luna Lake...........
No acorns on the menu?
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winter_plumage_AZ
Original Author
18 years ago
Never a dull moment! Oh sure there are acorns--somewhere in the house. Shelled pecans are her fave... the soft life :) Yes, this *is* a nuthouse... LOL

I don't know the variety of trumpet vine, but my mother has so much of it growing that she practically begs me to take it. This bird is not particular--any and all flowers, leaves & stems are treated equally.

Glad I could provide a few laughs!
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grant_in_arizona
18 years ago
Very fun! These pics are great! Is this bird living with you indoors?

Thanks for sharing the pics...I've really enjoyed them!

Take care,
Grant
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winter_plumage_AZ
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh yaaaaah she's living indoors, flying freely, caching *lots* of stuff and generally making a mess of things :p E.g., the latest trick is pulling the stuffing out of *all* of my chenille pillows. Puts a damper on decorating... another reason I like to be outside. LOL

Cats work on the couch, bird takes care of pillows. It's a conspiracy! She's doing "damage assessment" here...

This gives new meaning to "put a cork in it"!

I leave a window open to my outdoor aviary but she's only interested in "sunning" out there--or bringing food in to stash it away.

From time to time, I think about forcing her to stay in the aviary but I can't, in good conscience, do that. Besides being at extremely high risk for West Nile, this bird is "imprinted" to humans. Obviously we don't have blue jays here (though there are several species of jays that are *blue* in AZ); this one was raised (from a very young age) by someone in another state. (I have wildlife rehab & education permits which is how I came to acquire this one, and many other imprints over the years.)

Birds that are "imprinted to people" interact with people as they would with others of their species, and *cannot* relate normally--if at all--to members of their own species. (Nor can they survive in the wild.) Generally speaking, birds in the wild naturally interact with others of their kind every hour of every day. Therefore, it is necessary for the bird's well-being to have freedom of movement, *things* to do (destroy!) and people (other blue jays as she sees 'em) with whom to interact. (I consider it inhumane to cage a bird that can fly.) Now, *my* psychological well-being is another matter. I don't have any of that left!
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milos2
18 years ago
Beautiful Bird! Thanks for the pics. I really enjoyed them.
milos
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tomatofreak
18 years ago
Loreen, you're one person who *might* understand my household! No birds, but dogs and cats who think they're people, too. Either that or they think we're dogs and cats. Your sofa looks just like mine! And I have a dog who *loves* stuffing! I just gave 'em one couch and made a bargain that they leave the other furniture alone. So far, so good. All I can say is that you're lucky that jay is not a woodpecker! She is beautiful and I'm guessing she makes up for her bad habits with her amusing antics. Thanks for the education.
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winter_plumage_AZ
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh *gosh*, tomatofreak~ I know several people with either a (once lovely) chair or couch that is now designated for their cat(s)... by default :o
Why are 'cat trees' made with carpet instead of upholstery fabric?!!

Oh yes, the bird is entertaining--but I can't keep up with the modifications to the decor :) She does have an uncanny ability to peck wood (!) and I can't seem to root any cuttings either... lol
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ninaco
18 years ago
Wonderful pictures. The cork picture was really clever. I kept wondering as I was reading, How on earth did a blue jay get into AZ? I loved this. You really ought to submit the pictures to Birds and Blooms magazine.
We're bird people, too. Our parrot is just as fascinated as we are by all the birds outside the window.
How long has your blue jay been with you? Thanks for sharing.
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Pagancat
18 years ago
I wonder if she'd like any of my pecans this fall - *with* shells, the spoiled brat! So many of them just go to waste - or waist; one of my Dalmatians eats any she can find.

I love the pics, Lor - post as many as you have!
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winter_plumage_AZ
Original Author
18 years ago
ninaCO, the jay has been here for two-and-a-half years; previously with [family who raised her] for one year. You're in Colorado-? I had an imprinted *magpie* for 9 years--a much larger, much more destructive version of a blue jay... lol

oooooh pc, you have a *pecan* tree? Oh you don't want me to post all the pics I have... LOL You shouldn't encourage me like this ;-) Oh ALL RIGHT... *twist* my arm!

January 2005-- "our" first nest... and eggs.
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As it turns out, the male blue jay feeds the incubating female... and apparently this bird is up on the literature because she rarely left the nest--which kept the male blue jay (that would be me) *very* busy.
{{gwi:408486}}

There's very little left of the rubber buttons on the remotes and phones; I gave up and got her a dozen remotes--and "shelled" them, of course. When given a choice between the great outdoors and the rubber buttons, she's clearly got her priorities in order :)
{{gwi:408487}}

It really helps to get a foothold on things...
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So many choices... "I'll take this one!"
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Looking for a place to bury the prized *rubber button*...
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"Maybe I can put it in *this* mess!"
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All puffed out, catching some rays last winter...
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"Why did I not see *this* leaf before?"
{{gwi:408493}}

"Now if you will excuse me, maybe I can find another snail to hide between the keys on the computer keyboard!"
{{gwi:408494}}

Okay!... I'm feeling a little guilty for getting *so* off topic!!! I hope this provides a bit of comic relief (:>
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ninaco
18 years ago
These are delightful. Both my husband and I are birders as well as gardeners- he has to see these when he gets back home.
As for the "CO" part...maybe I ought to change my user name- I moved to Tucson a month ago. No more freezing COld for me :)
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Garden_trolip
18 years ago
Loreen this is NOT off topic! It is about birds and plants..ALL found in the garden! Well...the remote control buttons...um...I'll figure out how they are part of the garden as well :)
I laugh at every picture, thanks!
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Pagancat
18 years ago
Yup, they're absolutely darling - and the editorial is great, as well!

Thanks!!!
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Kathleen W
18 years ago
WOW! What a cool thread. Thanks for sharing your blue jay with us. I can imagine life is very interesting at your house :) Have you specialized mostly in birds for the rehabbing you do?

I'm amazed at some of this work being done, such as the Wild at Heart group which is focused on birds of prey. Talk about a big committment, having to feed raw things to these big birds that are armed with major claws and beaks. Thank goodness there are folks who can take on rehabbing.

I rescued 8 baby quail this spring from my horse trailer where their mom abandoned them after being scared by my terrorist dog. I took them to Jeannie, the quail lady in ne Phx who had probably 500 babies she was tending. I can't imagine when she sleeps... just amazing the committment required.

Kudos and much respect for you for the work you do for the wildlife.
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winter_plumage_AZ
Original Author
18 years ago
kathleen, yep--primarily birds... all species except eagles & vultures, though one can't help but learn a few things about other wildlife along the way when in the rehab field as deeply and as insanely as I was. I think that I shall have to write something of my former life in "My Page" because people are probably sick of me repeating myself... I know *I* am...lol I began caring for wild birds in 1983, established a non-profit org. in 1989, the org. folded in 2002 when I couldn't keep up with it all as my health continued to decline. I am--for most practical purposes--retired but still have an aviary with [mostly] wild birds (and state & federal permits). On a very good day, I may take in a bird needing rehab if the situation is such that the bird won't need intensive care--or at least not for more than a few hours--or, of course, if it is a *corvid* (crow, magpie, jay, raven)!

Oh those wimpy exclusively raptor people have it easy as the young only need fed 3-5 times daily compared to the majority of birds brought in for rehab that never shut their mouths and must be fed every 15 to 60 minutes... depending on condition, age & species of the baby. I can say this because "Sam" & Bob of Wild At Heart are friends. Actually, I first met Sam when she was at a training class for songbirds that I and another rehabilitator were teaching on behalf of Liberty Wildlife in 1987; I've known Jeani since she began as well. Btw, Wild At Heart *is* the best place in the Phx metropolitan area for hawks & owls to receive good care... and I'm not just saying that because I personally like 'em ( :> Ya' know, there are a lot of things that we've fed birds that you don't even want to know about --not to mention what's in our freezers... LOL (Well, my freezer collection ain't what it used to be!)

*Thanks* for your --->kind
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grant_in_arizona
18 years ago
Thanks again for all of the great follow up information to our questions, and for the wonderful additional pictures. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed them, and have pointed many people to the website to take a look as well. Just great.

Thanks!
Grant
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slightly OT... difficulty w/ indoor plants & flowers ; )

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slightly OT... difficulty w/ indoor plants & flowers ; )

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