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Friday, January 9, 2015

Song Sparrow and Hoya australis, January 9, 2015

Today I am linking with-

Wild Bird Wednesday hosted by Stewart M.

Today's Flowers hosted by Denise

Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen

Macro Monday 2 hosted by Gemma and Mystical Magical Teacher

Another bird that comes to eat black sunflower seeds is the Song Sparrow, which sings sweetly in the summer and may eat more berries than I would like.  It can be found over most of the USA at some time of the year.   "Do you like my whiskers?"

It has a dark spot on its chest, as though it had been shot.
"Argh, you got me!"

Going, going....



Gone

Next in my houseplant blooming series is Hoya australis, smaller in leaf and flower than my other featured wax plant, Hoya carnosa, and an equally tough plant.  Hoya australis didn't bloom in the summer like carnosa but waited until November.  I like the waxy flowers, and gentle exotic scent. 






 I'm indulging my growing obsession by sowing seeds to get to watch them grow.  Now I am in the transplanting phase of my early perennial seedlings under lights, the back rows so far, lots more to do.

They include Gaillardia, Salvia, Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' (annual) which I hope will be exciting, Creeping Thyme, Monarda, and Sweet William.   I hope by starting them early I can get blooms earlier.  I will be starting some vegetables and annuals soon as well.   I hope you are having a restful winter season- or a happy summer for those of you in the southern hemisphere.  In addition to my shelves where I grow seedlings indoors, I also have an aquaponics system that can handle some plants when they get taller than 11" that will fit on the shelves.

The passing of the seasons and years reminds me that time moves on but God has opened to me the door of eternity and tells me Who I am-

 -Hannah

                                                   or cameras are macro

©Weeding on the Wild Side, all rights reserved.   I enjoy visiting your blog and commenting but can't do so if google+ is the only option, so will comment here.





51 comments:

  1. adorable little sparrow all puffed up. :)

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    1. Thanks, Theresa, it was a cold day. They looked like puff balls. I really enjoyed the Whistling ducks eating at your feeder with their big feet.

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  2. Lovely to have flowers in the winter!
    Beautiful bird with his feathers all fluffed to help him stay warm
    Have a great week-end!
    Lea

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    1. Thanks, Lea, we were having low 20's F weather at night, so quite chilly. I could see why the birds were all fluffed up.

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  3. Scorching hot here today, love that Hoya, and starting the seedlings, do you have a glasshouse? is it heated? or are the trays in a shed with long lights above, that give light and heat at the same time? Little birdie, he is a real treasure.

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  4. Thanks, Jean, I use metal shelves that are almost 4' (1.2m) long. I put them anywhere in the house there is some extra wall space. This one is in my bedroom next to glass doors, those are the drapes behind the plants. This unit has curtains to keep in the light and heat, though I turn them off at night. There are 3 levels, so I tie 4' fluorescent fixtures to the underside of the top and middle shelves, so I get 4 flats of seedlings into each setup and a flat holds 4 x 9 square little 2.25" (5.7cm) rose pots, so I get 36 x 4 seedlings on one shelf unit = 144 plants. Right now I have 3 shelf units but have made more in a pinch when I started too many plants to fit on them all. The distance between the shelves is about 11" / 28cm so when they reach the lights I have to plant them out or put them sometimes in my aquaponics system if there isn't much growing in there. It would be great to have a greenhouse but as you point out, expensive to heat in the winter. I really enjoy starting seeds in the winter, it's fun except for all the work transplanting, I do just a little every night.

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  5. I love the pretty Song Sparrows. They are so sweet to hear! Have a happy weekend!

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    1. Thanks, Eileen, since I haven't yet gotten out to the local wildlife area like you did, I have to post the birds that come to my deck. The Song Sparrows like my Goumi berries, and probably also my blueberries. Thanks for hosting!

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  6. Hannah, the little sparrow is so sweet, and the flower is awesome.

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    1. Thanks, Linda, they are rather shy little birds. I'm pleased to finally get blooms from the Hoya, it took a long time compared with Hoya carnosa, and are so tiny and delicate in comparison.

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    1. Thanks, Ela, I've always been intrigued by the dark spot on their chests.

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  8. Hello Hannah, Thank you for linking up your pretty sparrows.. Have a happy weekend!

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  9. Hi Hannah, beautiful bird images you have made.

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    1. Thanks, Bob, your Redwing Thrush looks a lot like my Song Sparrow.

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  10. cute little sparrow! great photos!

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    1. Thanks, Kevin and Janet, they are fun to watch. I envy your RV freedom and excitment.

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  11. I love the pure white flowers of this hoya!!!

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  12. I love the fluffed up sparrow and the hoya is gorgeous. Have a lovely Sunday!

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    1. Thanks, Gunilla, this month is speeding on by too. We are having better weather, I guess soon the Hellebores will start to bloom!

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  13. The sparrow is beautiful and it's a lovely name too. I must say I wouldn't object to it taking berries though as eventually it helps a plant good for birds spread elsewhere.

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    1. Thanks, Phil, they are cute, and I don't mind them eating the Goumis, which turned out to have rather large seeds. The birds don't get many of the blueberries somehow. But I haven't noticed any coming up from seeds, except the horendous blackberries.

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  14. ohhh that song sparrow is such a cutie, with such a beautiful feather pattern. he looks like he is eating well. I would like to do some indoor gardening like this, but have yet to dedicate myself to it!! great snaps today!!!!

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    1. Thanks, Debbie, I hear them singing in the summer, and catch glimpses of them. I really enjoy the indoor gardening, though the transplanting stage is a little tedious, I bake the peat moss, potting soil, and perlite in my microwave to kill fungi. I still have a bunch to go!

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  15. I haven't seen any song sparrows at my feeders for a while so I guess they must have all flown further south, I do love their song! I won't be planting any seeds for a few more weeks. If I do it now the plants will become too long and leggy. BUT I love seeing yours as it makes me think of warmer weather to come. ;)

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    1. Thanks, EG, we have fairly mild winters, though we can get sudden cold snaps down from Canada, when they leave the door open. I tried starting some perennials in late November last year and they made it under my lights, and I can start tomatoes soon. I am trying some old eggplant seeds now since I ususally don't start them until after tomatoes as an afterthought and they really need more time.

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  16. this is a HOYA I have not seen before. As all others it is a beauty :)

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    1. Thanks, I got it from Logee's and it took a few years to bloom, but is growing longer all the time. The smaller flower heads are cute.

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  17. awww... so cute, all round and fluffed out ....

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    1. Thanks, BumbleVee, I guess Song Sparrows are particularly susceptible to cold.

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  18. What a cute little guy (or gal)! Your blooms are really unusual and pretty.

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    1. Thanks, Betty, I appreciate them finally blooming, and the scent especially.

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  19. This little bird is so cute! And the flower so beautiful! Wonderful photos!

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  20. Thanks, Mary, I haven't even seen any little fluffballs for a while.

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  21. Wonderful photos and what a cute little bird :)

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    1. Thanks, Birgitta, he would really be shivering in your beautiful but snowy landscape.

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  22. The little feathered one is such a chubby little character. Adorable. And pretty flowers.

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    1. Thanks, Gemma, he was such a round little ball.

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  23. Hello Hannah, it's lovely to meet you ... thanks so much for visiting my blog.
    I just adore your cute, plumby wumpy little sparrow,,, so pretty and full of personality.
    Those hoyas are quite beautiful and have such a sheen :D)

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    1. Thanks, Susan, he is an amusing little character. I enjoy the Hoyas, I wish I could have some of the tropical ones with the red flowers. I have a third one that hasn't seemed to bloom yet.

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  24. Wonderful photos of the sparrow and the blossom.
    Best regards, Synnöve

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    1. Thanks, Synnove, I have some new blossoms coming on some other kinds of plants. It really looks cold and snowy where you are.

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  25. They are very close in appearance, no big deal. I'm a biologist and a very visual person, so I notice things.

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  26. That bird is quite a cutie! I love the fragrance of hoya and should probably grow one again as it's been years.

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    1. Thanks, Peter, I'm looking forward especially to the carnosa blooming in my bathroom window for months, the fragrance is wonderful.

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  27. Spectacular, nice shots of this beautiful bird, beautiful photos!

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    1. Thanks, Leovi, feeding the birds is such fun.

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  28. Lovely photos of the sparrow and love the close ups of the flowers. Glad they smell good.

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  29. A wonderful post, such beautiful flowers. Thank you for sharing these with Today's Flowers, and I wish you a very happy weekend :)

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