We're not official bird watchers. “Wildlife appreciation generalists” fits us more accurately. We enjoy seeing all kinds of wildlife around us.

When my husband and I started developing our nine acres of abandoned hayfield into a Christmas tree farm, we intentionally left one side of the property in open field “weeds” to some people. We only cut that section once a year to keep the forest at bay. Mowing takes place after the bobolinks have gone on their way and after the monarchs have finished with the milkweed. Bobolinks like to build their nests in fields, but their appearances here have been sporadic. Wild turkeys are continual visitors, using the tall grass for cover if threatened.

Our driveway edges the field for a few hundred feet. It’s so enjoyable to see a monarch flitting among the milkweed plants while walking to get the newspaper and mail. There used to be a gazillion monarchs, but this year I was excited to see one. The winter temperatures haven’t been very kind to them as they migrate between here and warmer climes. The weather hasn’t deterred some other kinds of butterflies, though. Dozens of orangey ones, and also bees and hummingbirds, love the Echinacea and other perennials in the yard.

One of the best things we’ve done for ourselves and the wildlife has been to put in a small recirculating pond in our front yard. Almost before it was finished, the frogs moved in. How did they know that water was suddenly going to appear? We spend the warm summer evenings sitting at the shaded edge of this water feature watching the birds, fish and frogs. The birds are getting more and more used to us being there and will hop into the little stream and bathe with reckless abandon while we wish we could be so uninhibited. The frogs climb onto the lily pads and dream froggy thoughts.

Once while we were sitting there, a very large frog tried to swallow a very large bird. The bird was dead, having been swallowed head first, but its wings were spread wide. It was hard to tell, but I think it was an immature robin. We watched this spectacle for a long time. The grandchildren were entranced. Cell phone pictures were taken to prove this occurrence. Finally, after the frog had tried everything including wetting the feathers, it still couldn't finish swallowing this huge mass. He gave up.

The water has drawn more species of birds than we’ve ever seen here before. Some cute little brown bird was out there tonight. Last week we saw a lovely yellow bird that wasn't the usual goldfinch. A yellow warbler? The cedar waxwings have been staying around. Usually, they were only here for the mountain ash berries, but they found and really like the blueberry bushes we planted for ourselves (originally). The waxwings have to share the berry bushes and our fruit trees with the fat robins. We have never harvested a cherry!

This brings up chipmunks. Cute, but a friend dubbed them “woods rats,” which kind of fits. They gather food right along with the birds, running back and forth with their little cheeks stuffed full of fruit. I have found some of their treasures hidden in the soft soil of my garden.

Aside from letting the field go wild, we have been landscaping the yard with flowers and bushes known as good food and cover sources for birds and other wildlife. Each year I buy way too many plants from the Strafford County Conservation District plant sale. They do an excellent job of choosing native plants that are particularly interesting to wildlife. Some of the bare little sticks I bought a few years ago are now 12 feet high and their fruits last all through the winter. I planted nannyberry and buttonbush species I hadn’t heard of before along with winterberry, bayberry and hollies.

The birds love to nest in our fir, spruce and pine trees. The branches are so lush they provide excellent cover for the young. At mid-winter tree harvest time, the families get so excited to find a bird's nest in their Christmas tree. Thankfully, folklore claims that this means good luck.

The latest trend seems to be to reduce your carbon footprint (a measure of the impact your activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases you produce). One of the ways being touted is letting part of the lawn go natural, saving on gas and oil for the mowers.

It's nice to know that we're ahead of the curve for a change. We find a peaceful calm at the end of the day getting in tune with the wildlife using the habitat we've created.

By Carolyn Enz Page, Community Tree Steward