MY BLACK EYED SUSAN VINE & MS. WOODPECKER IS ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN AGAIN

MY BLACK EYED SUSAN VINE & MS. WOODPECKER ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN AGAIN

Oh, my black eyed susan vine!  

The seeds that dropped last fall came up everywhere.  All spring and summer I always keep breaking it back so it doesn't completely cover all of the other plants in my garden.  Then, around July I let it start weaving it's way anywhere it wants to go.  Because in October when all of the other plants are looking tired and worn this little vine with it's beautiful bright yellow flowers will be all over my yard and blooming up a storm.  It will bloom now until it freezes back, drop more seeds and come up everywhere in the spring, again.

Finally, a really chilly cold front came through a couple of days ago.  At this time of year, I notice the birds looking for their winter roosting place.  

The top portal of this green birdhouse was chewed wider by a squirrel a few years ago.  About four years ago, I planned to repair it.  Then, about dusk one evening I noticed a woodpecker checking, checking, checking inside of it and then climbed in, turned around and went in backwards.  I kept watching and it never came out.  Many winter evenings, I would watch for it and it did come around dusk and check it out, then climb in, turn around and go in backwards because the house is very narrow.

So, as I was watching for it one evening, it came and started checking the inside before it went in.  Then, it started pecking and pecking at something.  I thought it might be a snake curled up in there.  After several peckings, another woodpecker climbed out and flew away.  I was amazed!!

You never know when it's the last winter for each bird.  So, the last few days I've been watching and about four days ago, here she came.  She inspected several of the other birdhouses and then she climbed in the green one.  

See her climbing in at the top of the birdhouse.

She turned around and hung her head out, checking out the surroundings.  I haven't seen her at dusk yet, but I'm sure this is her winter roost again.  See her leaning out of the portal at the top of the birdhouse?

This is the nesting house I built for the woodpeckers a few years ago.  I've only seen them in it once and they raised two babies.  I always watch for them in the spring.  Maybe next spring they'll use it again.  I COULD NOT keep the squirrels out of it, so I put 6" metal flashing around the bottom.  That made it hard for them to reach from the post and climb up.  The flashing is slippery and 6" wide.

Anyway, I was glad to see Ms. Woodpecker choosing my yard as her roosting place again.

These are the things that make me happy.