The Usual Suspects

Welcome back for another post as part of Wildlife Wednesday, when garden bloggers stop to appreciate the fauna that goes along with the flora in our outdoor spaces.

Here at austin agrodolce, we don't simply welcome birds, we work hard to lure them in.

Chief Bird Watchers: Bijou and Sketch

We keep our cats indoors.

Lesser Goldfinch couple

We put out feeders,

Blue Jay

we provide lots of water,

Beauty Berry Bush

we plant native perennials known to provide berries and habitat.  And, we use very few chemicals in our outdoor spaces.  If that means things get a bit buggy here?  The birds don't seem to mind one bit.

Black chinned hummingbird

To reward our efforts we have a fairly consistent cast of feathered characters who serenade and otherwise keep us good company whenever we venture outside.  Above and to follow are the stalwart regulars that make up our Avian Ensemble.

Ruby throated hummingbird

House Sparrows

Black crested titmouse

Poppa Cardinal - We are pleased to share our gardens with a nesting pair.

Carolina Chickadee

Mockingbird

Yellow Warbler

Carolina House Wren - A mating pair leads us a merry chase each year as we try to prevent them from nest building in a car bumper or empty shoes or the tip bag stored in the garage.

Eastern Screech Owl adult

Eastern Screech Owl fledgling

White tailed Dove

There are a few other feathery visitors coming our way.  We get the occasional flock of Robins and Cedar Waxwings stopping by to feed on seasonal berries.

There are smaller Mourning and Inca doves that tend to show up later in the summer and a crew of woodpeckers that work the trees out back.  I recently got a photo of a woodpecker though it wasn't great.  They're pretty shy.  The other doves always seem to catch me without my camera.  But I'll get them all, sooner or later.

Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall, birds in the garden here are as constant a presence as the weeds, but they are a lot more welcome and a lot better company.  We love them all.