Jennifer Murphy's photos

This Chipping Sparrow and his mate nested in one of the shrubs outside the cat fence. He seemed to enjoy teasing the cat, knowing he was safe on the other side of the netting.

This summer I'm letting a section of lawn go wild, with interspersed plantings of perennials. I'm calling it The Pollinator Plus Strip. My thinking is the perennials and wildflowers attract and sustain various pollinators and other insects. The insects are food for birds and small mammals. The grasses provide forage for grazing wildlife and seed for rodents and birds. It's a whole little ecosystem on the side of the road! The most surprising thing is the beauty of the ten or so different grasses that are growing.