Category / Nature

by Cheryl Batavia

Pecking Order & Backyard Politics

Photo of a gray squirrel by Brad from Unsplash

Pecking Order & Backyard Politics

Photo of a squirrel by Praswin Prokash from Unsplash

Who is top diner at the feeder?

Nobody dares to challenge or quarrel

with this unelected leader;

the king of birdseed is…the squirrel!

Red-bellied woodpecker. Photo by Jack Bulmer from Unsplash

Photo of Eastern blue jay by Matthew Schwartz from Unsplash

Woodpecker with rapier beak

is top bird at the table.

Even aggressive blue jays seldom seek

to resist him… They’re not able!

Mourning Doves. Photo by Stephan Gogov from Unsplash

Doves in pairs feed side-by-side…

Woodpeckers and jays are intimidated!

For doves in teams, they stand aside…

teamwork to be emulated!

Photo of cardinal by Stephen Walker from Unsplash

Cardinals, bright, spritely little creatures,

take everything in stride.

They’re much more than their flashy features…

They model confidence and pride.

Tufted Titmouse. Photo by Jack Bulmer from Unsplash

Tiny titmice hang out on the ground

as diners scatter seeds on the lawn,

eating leftovers they have found,

visiting feeders when bullies are gone.

Photo of grey catbird by Jack Bulmer from Unsplash

Photo of brown thrasher by Joshua J. Cotten from Unsplash

Catbirds and brown thrashers

visit feeders sporadically.

All birds flee these party crashers

who disrupt community hierarchy!

Photo by J. A. Uppendahl from Unsplash

Photo of rabbit by Andrew Coop from Unsplash

Raw peanuts scattered on the ground

attract everyone, even rats and rabbits.

Squirrel visits to feeders slow down…

a pause in squirrels’ pushy habits!

Squirrel eating a peanut. Photo by Ms. Uppy from Unsplash

Hope you enjoyed this overview

of backyard politics and pecking rights.

Feeders bring animals close to you…

Proximity provides fresh insights!

Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia

Note to Prospective Bird Feeder Owners:

Bird feeders are outlawed in California. Signs in many places say, “Danger! Do Not Feed the Bears!” or “Unlawful to Feed Wildlife Here” or “Don’t Feed the Alligators!” There are good reasons for such warnings. Feeding some wild animals can cause them to lose their fear of people and become aggressive and dangerous. Feeding some wild animals can make them dependent on humans and less able to survive on their own.

In our neighborhood, lots are being cleared for new construction, and animal habitats are disappearing at a fairly rapid rate. Endangered gopher tortoises in our neighborhood have been displaced, losing their homes when a new house was built on the site of their ancestral burrows.

Gopher tortoise at burrow. Photo in the public domain, origin unknown

We often see gopher tortoises eating grass in our yard and believe they may have dug new burrows in the wooded lot behind our house. The underground network of gopher tortoise burrows is routinely used by a variety of animals, so the impact of losing these safe passages is not limited to the tortoises who dug the burrows.

A new house was recently built diagonally behind us. I think some of the birds and animals we are seeing at the bird feeders once made their homes on the site of the new house.

I don’t know whether I am doing the right thing putting up bird feeders. I hope it is the right thing. I rationalize that the animals are still fending for themselves from when the feeders are empty in the late afternoon until I fill them again around 7:30 in the morning.

If I am ever able to do so, I will purchase the wooded lots beside us and behind us to preserve a bit of animal habitat.

When considering whether or not to feed wild animals, I believe we must follow the laws, and then let conscience be our guide.

Thank You, Joanna, for your advice on feeding birds! They are a joy to watch!

Visit Joanna’s beautiful and informative website, naturetails.blog

💚

One More

Raccoons are mostly nocturnal, but nursing females also feed during the day in order to provide their babies adequate milk. My daughter, Katey Batavia, took these photos of Mama Raccoon eating peanuts under our bird feeder in broad daylight.

Although raccoons are delightful to watch, we don’t seek to feed raccoons; they can carry rabies and have an annoying habit of raiding garbage cans and scattering garbage. Our garbage cans are secured with bungee cords.

But how can you begrudge a hungry mama and her babies a few peanuts under the bird feeder?

by Cheryl Batavia

Life Goes On

Maybe our male cardinal is feeding sunflower seeds to his mate as she sits on a new nest somewhere nearby. Photo by Aaron Ducette from Unsplash.

Life Goes On

Cool early morning.

Flowers bloom in ruined woods,

two bunnies munch grass.

The cardinals sing again…

All is well, and life goes on!

Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia

Life Goes On

We often see the male cardinal visiting the homemade feeder at the side of the house. He seems to have developed an addiction to black oil sunflower seeds. I haven’t seen the female for a while. She may be sitting on a new nest. I hear a lot of singing these days!

Comcast is making good progress on installing the new internet cable system throughout our area. Maybe internet service will improve soon!

My projects are progressing well, and I’ll share more on that when the time comes, but all the hard work and the headaches are taking a toll. Ongoing physical therapy is quite painful and leaves me exhausted. I am not seeing benefits yet. The headaches continue. Computer time is contributing to the stiff muscles in my neck, back, and shoulders which seem to be causing the headaches. My physical therapist has found some abnormalities in my posture. I am leaning to the left (literally), and she thinks I may have a curvature in my spine. I think she will recommend some imaging to my neurologist. Since migraine remedies didn’t work, it is probable that the headaches are not migraines. Computer time is also taking a toll on my eyes.

It seems I have no other choice than to decrease computer time, so I am going to take a break. I will miss all of my blogging friends very much, but I hope to be back soon, stronger and with good news. Happy spring everyone! 🩷

by Cheryl Batavia

Nature’s Blessings

Photo by Joel Henry from Unsplash

Photo by SGR from Unsplash

Photo by Maurito Nixon from Unsplash

Photo by Maurits Bausenhart

Photo by Ian Dooley from Unsplash

Nature’s Blessings

Blessings…

Celestial,

Earthly, Oceanic,

Terrestrial, and Personal…

Blessings!

Copyright© 2924 by Cheryl Batavia

Happy

Earth

Day!

May nature’s blessings fill our hearts with joy.

May we live in harmony with nature.

May we cherish and preserve nature’s gifts.

by Cheryl Batavia

We Mourn Our Losses

Photo by Jamie Street from Unsplash

We Mourn Our Losses

Yesterday, I heard a loud commotion outside the window. I arrived just in time to see, silhouetted against the sunny sky, screaming birds pursuing slightly larger birds as they rose high in the sky. Then I noticed the mangled nest!

Sadly, I had witnessed a similar scenario before. A dozen years ago, I saw two angry mockingbirds repeatedly attacking a much larger osprey who was carrying their chick to its nest on a pole high above the parking lot. It was a hopeless situation for the mockingbirds, but they continued to attack.

Though I didn’t get a clear view of the birds yesterday, I am pretty sure the nest raider was a blue jay, known for preying on cardinal chicks.

Soon all was quiet. I saw the male cardinal pausing at the edge of the woods, silent now, and looking back toward the ruined nest as if to say goodbye. Cardinal family, you are in my thoughts. I share your sorrow, and I will always remember being privileged to witness your loving family life for an all-too-brief period.

I was too distraught to write about these devastating events yesterday, but this morning, it occurred to me that, even among humans, this is nature’s way. Many human children are victims of accidents, cruel diseases, famines, and wars not of their making. Many children die too soon. Today, I grieve for all the lost children, both animal and human.

We Mourn Our Losses

Joys and sorrows shared.

Births and deaths both nature’s way;

we mourn our losses.

Love makes us vulnerable…

both animals and humans.

by Cheryl Batavia

Cardinals at the Palm Palace

Photo of male cardinal by Patrice Boucher from Unsplash

Photo of female cardinal by Joshua Cotten from Unsplash

Cardinals at the Palm Palace

Three small eggs,

pale blue flecked with brown

in a nest

made with love,

so exquisitely woven,

softly lined with grass.

Like a queen

in your palm palace,

self-assured

on your throne,

faithful cardinal mother

keeping your eggs warm.

We watched you

weaving your fine nest,

discovered

your blue eggs.

Pretty Mama, we share your

anticipation!

Very soon

your handsome husband

will help you

feed hatchlings…

King and Queen in your green realm,

reigning together.

We will watch

as hatchlings become

fledgelings, sprout

new feathers…

wobbly, but growing stronger,

flapping tiny wings.

Sometime soon,

comes the day they fly.

Under the

watchful eyes

of their parents, they’ll practice.

Soon, they’ll fly away!

We will watch

flapping tiny wings,

self-assured.

Someday soon,

King and Queen in your green realm…

Soon, they’ll fly away!

The cardinals’ nest, the “Palm Palace” is located among the fronds in the back of the tree on the left. We have a clear view of the nest from the window.

Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia

Northern Cardinals

Northern cardinals live in North America. They are the predominate bird in our neighborhood. A pair of cardinals have a nest in our little palm tree that is clearly visible from our window. The mother bird is sitting on three eggs.

From my research, I learned that they raise two families a year. I think this is the second nest. We have not seen the father yet. He is probably at the first nest feeding the hatchlings while his wife is sitting on eggs in the second nest. When the eggs hatch, he should be here to help feed the hatchlings their diet of insects.

Robert and I made a feeder, hung it on a shepherd’s crook, and filled it with black oil sunflower seeds, supposedly the favorite treat of cardinals. We also put out water on a stand. So far, there is no evidence that the birds are using it. Thank you, Joanna of naturetails, for your advice on providing both food and water.

I meant to post this before Easter, but WordPress problems have slowed me down. Anyway, I hope everyone had a happy Easter and a lovely weekend! I am getting the computer problems worked out, but I still may not be able to “like” for a while. I appreciate your patience.

by Cheryl Batavia

A Dusting of Snow

“Misty woods…”

“Tracks of a lone wayfarer…”

A Dusting of Snow

A chill is in the air,

misty woods foreshadowing

winter’s first snowfall.

A dusting of snow…

tracks of a lone wayfarer

on forest byway.

A dusting of snow

lies softly on fallen leaves,

touches trees with white.

Melting snow streaks windowpanes…

We watch winter’s first snow fall.

“A dusting of snow…”

“Melting snow streaks windowpanes…” Photos used by permission of the photographer.

Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia

Books by Cheryl Batavia. Art from Mainspring Books, publisher of Earthly Days.

 Earthly Days

https://a.co/51DGEok

by Cheryl Batavia

Ellen & Katey Visited a Ranch…E-I-E-I-O!

Ellen & Katey Visited a Ranch…

E-I-E-I-O!

Ellen and Katey visited a ranch…E-I-E-I-O!

And on this ranch they had some cows, E-I-E-I-O!

With a moo, moo here and a moo, moo there.

Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo!

Ellen and Katey visited a ranch…E-I-E-I-O!

Adapted from the traditional children’s song, “Old McDonald Had a Farm.”

Photos by Ellen, Katey and friends.

With a neigh, neigh here…

and an oink, oink there…

Here a mew, there a mew…

Everywhere a mew, mew!

Katey and Ellen visited a ranch. E-I-E-I-OOO!

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, my daughters from Texas and I visited Zoo Tampa and had a wonderful time. On Wednesday, they visited the ranch of some of their friends in nearby Arcadia. I stayed home to rest and prepare for Thanksgiving dinner the next day.

I love the photos Katey and Ellen shared from that trip. Katey and Ellen love horses and volunteer at a ranch in Texas that uses horse riding therapy for disabled children. The pig in the pictures is a rescued wild pig. Cats and kittens on the ranch are very affectionate. One in particular seemed to want to go back to Texas with Katey. They also fed peanuts to a friendly squirrel!

After a quiet Thanksgiving and a dinner of ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, and ice cream, we rested up for a boat tour and dinner overlooking the bay in Punta Gorda on Friday. Robert was supposed to go with us, but the weather was a little cool and windy. On Saturday, we took a water taxi to an island restaurant, then had decadent deserts in Boca Grande. The girls went for a swim at the beach near the lighthouse.

Katey Batavia, Ellen Maher, Cheryl Batavia on the water taxi.

I have been under the weather, so we didn’t take the road trip we had planned, just some day trips nearby. Allergies and a sinus infection, followed by 24/7 migraine headaches for several months have slowed me down. I recently had an MRI, which ruled out the most serious possible causes of the migraines. A neurologist’s visit is scheduled for March to follow up. Meanwhile, a prescription for migraines from my family doctor should ease my pain. Hopefully, next year, my daughters and I will take our usual road trip.

Katey Batavia

by Cheryl Batavia

Keepers of the Flame

Campfire built from fallen wood. Photo used by permission of photographer.

Keepers of the Flame

Forest fire. Photo by Henrique Malaguti from Unsplash.

Discovering Fire

Lightning strikes!

Dry grass up in flames,

trees on fire.

Seeking warmth,

humans save burning embers…

Keepers of the flame.

Campfire photo used by permission of the photographer.

Homefires

Homefires burn

near mouth of the cave,

repelling

predators.

Hunter-gatherer bounties

roasting over coals.

Bonfire photo used by permission of the photographer.

Bonfires

Tribe gathers;

communal fire burns…

songs, dancing,

stories told.

Festivities continue

late into the night.

Photo of wild blackberries by Rodion Kutsaiev from Unsplash.

Controlled Burns

Forest fire,

nature’s renewal.

Controlled burn,

friend of man,

creates fields of sweet berries,

drives herds to hunters.

Campfire extinguished, dugout canoe long-departed. Photo used by permission of the photographer.

A dug-out canoe is carved from the trunk of a single tree and hollowed out with the help of fire. Photo by Pura Communicacao from Unsplash.

Campfires

Stone-age man.

Fire-crafted dug-out canoes

traveling

waterways.

Building fires along the way

to cook fresh-caught fish.

Prehistoric art depicting hunting. Photo by Rabbah Al Shammary from Unsplash.

Stone-Age Humans

Cave paintings…

charcoal, red ochre.

Viewed by light

of bonfires,

reflecting the daily lives

of our ancestors.

Contemplating a fire in the fireplace. Photo by Oxana Lyashenko Dkohi from Unsplash

Modern-Day Humans

Building fires

at mouth of the cave…

controlled burn.

By the light,

festivities continue.

Keepers of the flame.

Modern-day backcountry campsite. Photo used by permission of the photographer.

Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia

https://a.co/51DGEok

Earthly Days is available on Amazon and

Barnes & Noble.

Softcover $18.99, Kindle Edition $2.99

by Cheryl Batavia

Gopher Tortoises Displaced

Earthly Days, digital version, now available!

What a delightful visitor! All the rain has made it difficult for landscapers to keep up with mowing. This gopher tortoise noticed and paid us a visit. Robert found the tortoise grazing on our weedy, overgrown lawn next to the woods.

Gopher tortoises build extensive networks of underground burrows which they use for many generations. Other small animals also use these burrows. Many houses are being built in our largely wooded neighborhood, and the habitat of these endangered tortoises is rapidly disappearing.

Gopher Tortoises Displaced

Just last year,

I used to pass by

endangered

tortoises

sunning in the empty lot

next to their burrows…

half asleep,

but prepared to scoot

underground

if threatened.

I watched them from a distance

and gave them their space.

Tortoises

are now displaced by

a new house

being built

over their ancestral home…

time to dig again!

Recently,

while returning home,

I saw two

tortoises

in the middle of the road,

so I stopped the car.

Hard to tell

what was happening…

Was it love?

Was it war?

I carried them to safety…

empty lot nearby.

One tortoise

pursued the other

through the trees,

out of sight…

so focused on each other,

they paid me no mind!

Tortoises,

time to dig again…

a new house,

underground.

Sunning in the empty lot…

but prepared to scoot!

Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia

Photo by Dawn McDonald from Unsplash

Gopher Tortoise

“Hey, there, you carrying

the tortoise! Hello!”

The boy was walking

toward the Gulf of Mexico.

“Don’t put that tortoise

in the water, please!

It’s not a sea turtle

that travels the seas!”

“That’s a gopher tortoise,

endangered, protected by law…”

Read the rest of this poem in

Earthly Days!

Available on Amazon,

Barnes & Noble,

and other online retailers.

https://a.co/51DGEok

Garland Shardoma

Gopher Tortoises Displaced is my first garland shardoma.

A big thank you to David, who blogs at The Skeptics Kaddish, for talking me into writing a poem in this form. It was great fun writing this, David! ❤

A garland shardoma has seven verses. Each verse has a syllable count of 3/5/3/3/7/5 and is unrhymed. The seventh verse is composed of lines taken from the other verses.

by Cheryl Batavia

Animals Adapt to Climate Change: Humpback Whales, British Columbia/ Savannah Chimpanzees, Senegal/ Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Islands

Humpback Whale. Photo by Cheryl Emerick from Unsplash

Humpback Whales, British Columbia

A hungry humpback named Harry

said: this krill shortage can be quite scary.

It’s just climate change; don’t be alarmed…

Your buddy Harry’s found a salmon farm.

We can outsmart the humans…Don’t worry!

A gourmet menu we will enjoy

when new fishing strategies we employ.

Fishing in shallow waters we can do.

Dolphins fish together…we can too!

Now don’t you think Harry’s a smart boy?

Forest Chimpanzees. Photo by Andrea Acanfera from Pexels

Savannah Chimpanzees, Senegal

Some chimpanzees left their forest home.

The scorching Savannah they did roam.

Scarce resources required large territories,

more walking upright with fewer trees.

It would get even hotter in years to come!

Global warming? We’ll shed some hair!

Hungry? More termite fishing…Who cares?

Thirsty? There’s a river…We’re in luck!

We’ll dig a little hole and filter out the muck.

We’re Savannah Chimps and proud of living here!

Marine Iguana, Galapagos. Photo by Michael Gerrard from Pexels

Marine Iguana, Galapagos Islands

Darwin studied iguanas; so fascinated was he

with the only lizards that swim in the sea!

Hypothermia, though, is a threat…

Global warming makes rocks hotter yet!

Iguanas can adapt remarkably…

Marine Iguanas shrink in el Nino.

Amazingly, in la Nina, they regrow!

Bone is reabsorbed to shorten their spines;

bone is regrown in cooler times…

Can they survive climate change? We don’t know!

Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia

Is Global Warming speeding up animal evolution?

Animals in many places are responding to climate change by changing their behaviors. Warming seawater has resulted in a decrease in the number of krill, a tiny shrimp that is the primary food of humpback whales.

One group of whales have adapted by finding a new food source, salmon fry from a hatchery in British Columbia whose mission is to replenish the dwindling salmon population. One whale changed his diet from krill to salmon fry. He feasted when the salmon fry were released from their net enclosures.

Humans then started transporting the fry a mile away to release them. The whale followed the boat and adapted by learning to fish in the shallow water. Then he recruited a team of his buddies to fish in teams as dolphins do. I guess the hatchery will have to produce a much larger crop of salmon fry to feed the hungry humpback whales and still have enough salmon for human fishermen!

A group of forest chimpanzees migrated to the savannah of Senegal. The climate was hotter, there were fewer trees, and sources of food were far apart. The chimps responded to the heat by growing less body hair. They established larger territories. Because there were fewer trees, chimps spent more time walking upright than their forest relatives, who usually travel by swinging through the treetops.

Because there was less fruit to serve as a source of water, they had to find fresh water sources. To purify mucky water, they learned to dig holes in sandy riverbanks. When the water filtered through the sand, the holes were filled with clean water for the chimps to drink.

As a source of protein, the savannah chimps use twigs to fish for termites, spending much more time in this activity than forest chimps do. In the middle of the day, when weather is hot, these chimps seek shelter in caves, as early humans once did.

As the climate warms, the savannah will become many degrees hotter. Water sources will dry up. Life will become even more difficult for the savannah chimps. Will they be able to survive?

Marine Iguanas, famously studied by Charles Darwin, live in the Galapagos Islands, a harsh environment. To survive hot weather, they shrink their bodies. In cooler periods, they regrow to their usual size. Too long in cold water, iguanas face hypothermia, which can be fatal. Can marine Iguanas survive global warming?

For more information, watch the PBS video on YouTube, “Earth is Changing (and Animals are Adapting in Surprising Ways.)” Evolution Earth

https://to.pbs.org/44Cuts5|#EvolutionEarthPBS

https://a.co/51DGEok

Earthly Days is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

in both softcover and Kindle version.