Okay, there's no picture. The robins wouldn't stand still long enough, close enough for a photograph and the mass of ?? ~1 pound!!! of earthworms was so disgusting that I deleted the picture. In retrospect probably a mistake. The rains seem to have ended and in dry periods earthworms mass together in large groups to conserve water. While I was blowing debris off the path I happened upon a mass maybe 18" long, 2" high, and a foot across, a LOT of earthworms! Unfortunately I had dispersed the pile and mixed in leaves, petals, dried catkins, etc.. It wasn't pretty....it wouldn't have been pretty anyway.
Every summer in Fern Valley we dreaded the "attack of the robins". Starting in late June or early July, the robins went berserk, uprooting leaves, mulch, soil. They littered trails as fast as we could rake or blow them. Smoothly mulched beds became areas of riotous disorder. Now I know what they were looking for. A giant mass of "aestivating earthworms". I can't imagine what it would be like finding that clot of writhing worms if I were a hungry robin, but wow! It's no wonder they persevere!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Zankoriana' (top) and Hydrangea macrophylla 'Domotoi'
Hydrangea season has been going on for almost three weeks now and most varieties are on their way out or just about gone....not all of them though. I have been watching the nice soft pink double mophead 'Domotoi' and just now have some of its heads reached maturity; still if you look towards the back of the picture there are heads that still have a week to go before they'll color up. It's always good to have selections available to stretch the season.This season was easily stretched with its superabundance of rain and generally cool temperatures. We got our money's worth from all the Hydrangeas this year!
'Zankoriana' is fully open and the flowers are perfect; it's a spectacular plant, but curiously, unGoogleable. I must investigate further.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)