March 4th, 2009 Wednesday 7:00pm
Parkway Garden Club
Landscaping for Birds
Speaker: Erik James Olsen, Landscape Designer, MLA
Out Back Nursery & Landscaping
Heritage Place of Roseville
563 county Road BW
Roseville, MN 55113
Free. For more information call 651-353-4284.
March 5th, 2009 Thursday 7:00pm-8:30pm
Buckthorn in Your Yard and What To Do With It
Speaker: Erik James Olsen, Landscape Designer, MLA
Out Back Nursery & Landscaping
Lyngblomsten Center Community Room
Saint Paul, MN(accessible from either Pascal St.or the main entrance off 1415 Almond Avenue. Follow the signs inside to the Community Room)
Contact: Mike MacDonald mrmacpc@yahoo.com 952-201-2845
March 16th, 2009 7:00pm
Speaker: Douglas Tallamy
Author of Bringing Nature Home: How to Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens
John B. Davis Lecture Hall
Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center
Macalester College, Saint Paul MN
(corner of Grand Ave. & Snelling Avenue)
Free & Open to the public
18 February 2009
28 January 2009
February 13–16, 2009.
The Great Backyard Bird Count
The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society,
with sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event.
It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. They will be adding updated 2009 GBBC materials as they become available.
Use this link to find more information at:
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
The Great Backyard Bird Count
The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society,
with sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event.
It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. They will be adding updated 2009 GBBC materials as they become available.
Use this link to find more information at:
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
21 January 2009
Movies: Gardening Passively During Winter
This is a list of movies that I have enjoyed over the years that reference gardening is some way or another. I thought it would be fun to share these movies with you.
Balian (Orlando Bloom) Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut
He develops irrigation for crops in the desert. It is a beautiful part of the movie where he collaborates with the local peoples.
Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator
references are made to his farming at his estate; raises grains
Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Sam is shown gardening in the shire; movie is full of inspiring landscapes and otherworldly beings.
Roger the Shrubber (Michael Palin) The Holy Grail
"I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies".
Tinle (Thilen Lhondup) Himalaya
He and his community raise grains for trade
Jack Meadows (Timothy Hutton) Sunshine State
a landscape architect/does residential golf course developments. There is even a reference to Frederick Law Olstead "the father of
landscape architecture".
Wong Kei-ying (Lung Ti) The Legend of the Drunken Master
raises herbs and Bonsai; he and his two sons deliver a very special ginseng root for a client.
Professor Pomona Sprout (Miriam Margolyes) Harry Potter
raises various plants with healing properties
Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) The Constant Gardener
Bronte Parrish (Andi McDowell) Green Card
a horticulturalist who finds the perfect apartment with a greenhouse but it is for married couples only.
Chance (Peter Sellers) Being There
A simple-minded gardener with no knowledge of the world except what he has learned from television. He becomes an unlikely political insider.
Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland) Pride & Prejudice
He grows orchids; his daughter Elizabeth enjoys walking through beautiful, picturesque landscapes.
Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) Sense & Sensibility
She is shown gardening towards the end of the movie.
My Neighbor Totoro directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Totoro, his friends and two children nurture tree seeds to grow into a massive tree.
This is an animation masterpiece.
Balian (Orlando Bloom) Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut
He develops irrigation for crops in the desert. It is a beautiful part of the movie where he collaborates with the local peoples.
Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator
references are made to his farming at his estate; raises grains
Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Sam is shown gardening in the shire; movie is full of inspiring landscapes and otherworldly beings.
Roger the Shrubber (Michael Palin) The Holy Grail
"I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies".
Tinle (Thilen Lhondup) Himalaya
He and his community raise grains for trade
Jack Meadows (Timothy Hutton) Sunshine State
a landscape architect/does residential golf course developments. There is even a reference to Frederick Law Olstead "the father of
landscape architecture".
Wong Kei-ying (Lung Ti) The Legend of the Drunken Master
raises herbs and Bonsai; he and his two sons deliver a very special ginseng root for a client.
Professor Pomona Sprout (Miriam Margolyes) Harry Potter
raises various plants with healing properties
Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) The Constant Gardener
Bronte Parrish (Andi McDowell) Green Card
a horticulturalist who finds the perfect apartment with a greenhouse but it is for married couples only.
Chance (Peter Sellers) Being There
A simple-minded gardener with no knowledge of the world except what he has learned from television. He becomes an unlikely political insider.
Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland) Pride & Prejudice
He grows orchids; his daughter Elizabeth enjoys walking through beautiful, picturesque landscapes.
Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) Sense & Sensibility
She is shown gardening towards the end of the movie.
My Neighbor Totoro directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Totoro, his friends and two children nurture tree seeds to grow into a massive tree.
This is an animation masterpiece.
19 January 2009
American Robins: Overwintering in MN
American Robins are known to overwinter in Minnesota in modest numbers. I have occasionally seen a Robin or two over the years. However, this year I have seen quite a few. Last week, during the sub-zero temperatures, I saw three separate flocks (on the same day!) feeding on the berries of Hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis). Each flock numbered about 24 to 36 birds.
My dad reported several American Robins eating the small, red fruits on his Eastern Wahoo tree (Euonymus atropurpurea) last week. He adds, "This is the third winter that the female Cardinal has eaten berries from this tree." This is exciting to know because I have not heard many reports regarding what birds feed on the fruit of Eastern Wahoo.
I am glad these birds are finding food at this time of year. If American Robins are shifting their winter ranges farther north, it is not clear. I have heard reports that birds are more sensitive to climate change. Birds are more sensitive to climate change whether the shifting is due to short term weather patterns or long terms changes. Northern Cardinals shifted north years ago and we enjoy seeing them during our winter seasons.
All sightings were in Saint Paul, MN
My dad reported several American Robins eating the small, red fruits on his Eastern Wahoo tree (Euonymus atropurpurea) last week. He adds, "This is the third winter that the female Cardinal has eaten berries from this tree." This is exciting to know because I have not heard many reports regarding what birds feed on the fruit of Eastern Wahoo.
I am glad these birds are finding food at this time of year. If American Robins are shifting their winter ranges farther north, it is not clear. I have heard reports that birds are more sensitive to climate change. Birds are more sensitive to climate change whether the shifting is due to short term weather patterns or long terms changes. Northern Cardinals shifted north years ago and we enjoy seeing them during our winter seasons.
All sightings were in Saint Paul, MN
07 January 2009
Northern Shrike Sighting
This Sunday, my family was visiting my parents house in Saint Paul, MN. We were enjoying some hot tea and cookies when my dad excitedly announced, "Everyone, come to the window and look at who is sitting on the bird feeder!" We all stopped visiting and looked out the window together. My dad asked if we knew what it was? We guessed wrong several times but finally named the bird....A Northern Shrike.Photo by: Tom Munson
This is exciting for us becuase their back yard is located in the city. This is a bird that is more commonly seen in rural areas. This was my second sighting of a Shrike in my life. Happy New Year to you and yours!!!!
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