As an urban dweller with a small backyard, wildlife in my life is somewhat limited. But perched on a hill, nestled between Glen Canyon and Mt. Davidson, the yard is not without its wild visitors, mostly avian. Resident squirrels still find unique ways to steal and eat the not quite ripe apples on my two small trees. And when fall arrives and the apples grow bigger and sweeter, the fruit will disappear altogether within a couple of days.
Recently, I observed something green and different rummaging in one of the trees. As it peeked out between the branches, I realized that it was one of the wild cherry crested parrots that make San Francisco their home. This one surprised me, not only because it arrived on its own, but also because it came without the usual cacophonous chatter that characterizes the wild parrots. Although it was shortly joined by three other parrots, they continued to forage silently before quietly departing together. Were they outcasts? Hiding from their home flock? It remains an unresolved mystery.
I am surrounded by bees. Fuzzy black and yellow bumblebees come to gather nectar and pollinate the flowering shrubs, including agapanthus, lavender, and rosemary. Next door, my neighbors keep honey bee hives, though these busy little creatures generally do not appear to visit my gardens.
Most of my wild visitors are birds. And what a variety of birds there are! Hummingbirds, crows, hawks, wrens, jays, and mourning doves are the most common. Occasionally, two owls will call to one another in the night, a lovely, haunting sound.
I am not a birder or bird expert, so I looked to The Golden Gate Bird Alliance to identify a few of the many birds that inhabit the canyon and fly overhead, occasionally stopping to rest on the fence or utility lines that run through my backyard. These are but a few, but include Western Scrub Jays, Red Tailed Hawks and Red Shouldered Hawks, Pacific Wrens, various finches, and American Robins.
Backyard wildlife, of course, can be very regional. On a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest, I stayed with a cousin and her husband in their stunning home, perched on a bay of Puget Sound. The house, originally built by her father, sits right on the water’s edge, with stunning views of the bay. With a large backyard, wildlife is much more expansive than my own.
Water views are mesmerizing. My first morning there, and every day that followed, I noted the black head of a harbor seal swimming back and forth. My cousin pointed out the smaller head, trailing in its mother’s wake. The baby struggled to get up on a nearby floating dock, and finally made it on my third day of watching. A larger gray harbor seal often amicably sunned himself on that same dock.
Two weeks before my arrival, my cousin snapped a photo of a bald eagle, perched on a tree in her yard. Murres, cormorants, gulls, and herons are a common sight on the bay, as well as the ever annoying and messy Canada geese. On the last day of my visit, a mother deer wandered into the yard, followed by her yearling and three fauns.
Wildlife is often not compatible with landscaping, and their presence is not always welcome. The animals are there for a reason, generally to rest and find food, nibbling at the tender plants. The day after I flew home, two sea otters clambered up the rocky point to nap on the deck, but not before digging up parts of the newly planted grass.
Backyard wildlife is a sign that the environment is healthy, and that is a good thing. So I let the squirrels and birds peck and steal the apples from the trees as soon as they ripen, and am grateful that they leave the lemons for me.
