Besides flowers, we also saw Cactus Wren babies the other day.
Wrens build their nests out of grasses and typically in Teddy Bear Cholla.
I only see two eyes but there looked to be possibly 3 babies
Click Here to learn about them and also hear their easily recognizable song.
Verdins are so precious….with their little gold heads and red spot on each shoulder.
I had no idea how many we had nesting here until I planted the Little Leaf Cordia!
They’ve been entertaining the cats every morning while feeding on microscopic insects.
Their nests are reminiscent of Cactus Wren’s nests in that they use a small hole to enter.
The first time I saw a Leafcutter Bee working, I was so mesmerized, I watched it for almost an hour. I’ve tried to get a photo of one carrying its prize piece of leaf but haven’t been successful yet.
I had learned about the importance of our native bees (called Solitary Bees) during a class at Desert Landscaping School so I was very happy to see them in the yard and have come to love them. So last month when I uncovered a nest while reworking a block wall, I felt so guilty! Below are photos of the cigar-like nest. I tried my best to relocate it.
Yesterday morning, I uncovered two more nests! According to the article in the above link, it could be that the larva have already matured and left. I really hope they have but just in case, I relocated them too.
I want the bees to come back so I thought about making a wood nesting block but then I had an epiphany! Since the bees have been using the block wall, why not make the whole thing a nesting site. So I got my trusty drill, a masonry bit and drilled between the blocks to make sure the opening would accommodate a little bee body 🙂
I know what you’re thinking….is she NUTS?! Encouraging bees so close to the house!
Yes…I’m nuts but that’s beside the point 🙂
Solitary bees have a much different behavior than honey bees. Read this: Solitary Bees
I noticed this quail nest in my little gardening enclosure more than a month ago and had hoped to photograph the eggs hatching but missed it. There were 11 eggs but only 10 hatched. So far we haven’t seen the chicks but Quail moms are very protective so we usually don’t see them for awhile.
As you can see, Gambel’s Quail don’t make elaborate nests. There is usually just a depression in the ground making them very vulnerable to snakes and Roadrunners who both love to eat the eggs and baby chicks. Click here for more information on Gambel’s Quail.