Category: Wildlife

Hidden in Basil

On By CarynIn chickens, Wildlife

I regularly pick a stem or two of basil for my chickens. I was surprised when I snapped one off and came away with two little tree frogs. Oops! So I still have garden guardians, they are just tucked under basil leaves. I shook them back into the garden to keep guarding before taking the basil to the chickens.

Photo description: hand holding a stem of basil with two small green tree frogs nestled in the leaves.

I’ve found my best way to give the chickens the basil is to wedge it in a hole in their swing. I have drilled holes in the ends of the wooden board, and I push the fresh basil up through the bottom, and an old dried stem down through the top to lock the stems in place so the hens can pull off the leaves easily.

Photo description: Fresh green basil hanging from a wood 2×4 swing, with a brown twig sticking out of a hole on top. Seven molting Faverolle hens surround the basil.

Frogs around

On By CarynIn Wildlife

It has been drier than a popcorn fart around here, but I have still seen some frogs. Not nearly as many as when it actually rains, but a few.

Little leopard frog clinging to the wire fence
Treefrog on the rim of the cat’s water dish
Treefrog on a garden hose

Cicada nymph

On By CarynIn Wildlife

I went behind the coop at dusk and saw something new: a cicada nymph crawling up the corner. I have seen adult cicadas, and the nymph shells left behind, but never one on the move. It was a cool thing to watch. (Yes, I did a short video.) The next morning I saw the adult out of its nymph form.

Adult cicada next to the nymph shell

Scrat

On By CarynIn Wildlife

My eldest’s friend thought that the half-tailed squirrel that begs food at the window should have a name, so he is now “Scrat”.

Scrat the squirrel begging food at the window

It is a sure sign that the squirrel feeder is empty if he is looking in the house. We can usually tell he is there before we see him because all the cats and dogs inside go on alert. Brave squirrel.

Guardians of the Garden

On By CarynIn Garden, Wildlife

I hadn’t seen my little tree frogs in my garden this season. I was afraid that since I chose not to grow melons, they left for other places that were more friendly for perching. Turned out they just blend into the basil better.

Two tree frogs tucked into the basil leaves