Nadia’s Backyard- Unnatural Selection: Cardinals, Cowbirds and the Mob June 10, 2013
- Pests and Parasites May 17, 2013
- The Return of the Stinker March 1, 2013
- Winter Rations December 31, 2012
- To All Things a Season November 16, 2012
- Galls Galore October 16, 2012
- Fall Medley #1 October 16, 2012
- Hitting the Trifecta September 7, 2012
- Where have all the berries gone? August 13, 2012
- There Be Giants Here! July 16, 2012
Author Archives: Randy Tindall
Unnatural Selection: Cardinals, Cowbirds and the Mob
There seems to be something attractive about plant stands near our front and back doors. So far, we have tried to assist in three attempts by Carolina Wrens to use them as nesting sites, which makes getting in and out … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized, Wildlife
Tagged Birds, Cardinals, Cowbirds, Missouri, Natural selection, Nests, Parasitism, Pest control, Pests, Photography, Reproduction, Songbirds, Wildlife
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Pests and Parasites
A very effective agent of biological pest control, this tiny wasp in our backyard is preparing to lay an egg on (or in) the little green aphid.. When the egg hatches, it will live inside the aphid, munching happily away, … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insect pests, Insects, Photography
Tagged Gardening, Insects, nature, Parasitism, Pest control, Pests, Plants, Wasps
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The Return of the Stinker
Hard to believe but stuff’s coming up! Not just the ubiquitous daffodils that pop up just in time to tease us about a yet-distant spring, but other stuff. Like Wild Leeks. Yeah, smelly old Allium tricoccum. What is this plant … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Edible Native Plants, Foraging, Gardening, Native Plants, Recipes
Tagged Cooking, Food, Gardening, Missouri, Native edibles, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Recipes
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Winter Rations
I’ve often thought of our Sweet Gum tree as more of a Bitter-Sweet Gum tree, mainly when I rake up piles of the spiky little balls it sheds with great joy and abandon. I think I am not alone in … Continue reading
Posted in Native Plants, Seasons, Wildlife
Tagged Birds, Missouri, Native Plants, Photography, Plants, Trees, Winter
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To All Things a Season
He was a husband, father, grandfather, friend to many, veteran and farmer, like his father before him. He loved the land and the work and the trappings of farming, and he loved his family. Dad liked his nature tidy and … Continue reading
Galls Galore
Besides having some spectacular fall colors this year, another thing our drought didn’t seem to hurt was the prevalence of oak leaf galls. I’m not sure why, but we seemed to have a bumper crop of them this year.
Posted in Insect pests, Insects, Native Plants
Tagged Autumn, Insects, Native Plants, nature, Pests, Photography, Plants, Wasps
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Fall Medley #1
Posted in Art, Native Plants, Photography, Seasons
Tagged Art, Autumn, Color, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Trees
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Hitting the Trifecta
It’s not often—or ever before, to be honest—that I’ve had the chance to photograph several stages in an insect’s life journey in just a week or so, but I think I nailed it recently. We’ve got some wild senna growing … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insects, Native Plants, Photography
Tagged Butterflies, Insects, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Reproduction, Wildflowers, Wildlife
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Where have all the berries gone?
This is what the fruiting head of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) often looks like after the berries have matured. What berries, you say? Ask the birds that ate them all, especially the robins that love to gorge on them and leave … Continue reading
Posted in Edible Native Plants, Gardening, Native Plants, Photography, Wildlife
Tagged Birds, Food for wildlife, Gardening, Native edibles, Native Plants, nature, Plants, Reproduction, Wildflowers
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There Be Giants Here!
Found this in our backyard today, so new that it’s wings weren’t even fully expanded. A big surprise, considering the dearth of butterflies this season, at least here. We’ve never seen this one before, but I think we’ve seen its … Continue reading
Posted in Insects, Wildlife
Tagged Butterflies, Giant Swallowtail, Insects, Missouri, nature, Zebra Swallowtails
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