The Benefits of Changing Habitat

This weekend, Tammy and I were pleased to look out the front windows of our house and see a Brown Thrasher hopping around in some of the bushes we have put into the front yard area that sits between our house and the gravel road.

It is entirely possible that the thrasher has a nest in this thicket of Redosier Dogwoods from the Iowa DNR State Forest Nursery we put in about six or seven years ago.  After a little taming a year or so ago, it appears to be achieving the multiple purposes we hoped for when we put these bushes in.  Yes, they catch some of the dust.  They also slow the wind down that had often whipped around this corner of the house - causing various problems.  And, the wildlife has apparently discovered this is a pleasant place to be.

We were delighted further when we recognized that we have a pair of Common Yellowthroats that seem to like this little thicket as well.  We can't recall hearing these little birds at our farm until the last four or five years.  It is possible they were here and we just didn't recognize their song.  But, I believe it is more likely that the changing habitat that we offer at our farm has provided them with an opportunity to thrive here.

You see, Redosier Dogwoods (we personally call them Red Twig Dogwoods) are not the most attractive landscaping bushes you could select for a feature by a house.  Maybe if we groomed them more?  But, they are serving the purpose we desire of them right now - and we are thrilled by the role they are playing in making our farm more habitat friendly.

It has taken some time for some of these Yellowthroats to find our farm and to determine it is friendly to them.  But, this should not surprise us.  Nature is constantly changing habitats.  Sometimes with catastrophic events such as a derecho, hurricane or wildfire.  The changes to the landscape often make the area much less amenable to many of the species that had once thrived there.

But, as the area recovers, other species find the new environment to be a good place to do what it is they do.  It takes time, but nature has its ways of healing - ways that can be quite amazing if we take a moment to observe them.

More Habitat Changes at GFF

For those of you who have not been to the farm in a while - or those who have never been on the farm - you have all witnessed the results of a "habitat change" of sorts if you have been reading the blog for the past fourteen months.

You see, I have been thinking (a dangerous pastime you know!).  And, I am realizing that the pandemic has certainly been stressful and limiting to most of us in some fashion or another.  In short, there has been a catastrophic change to our habitat that has enforced change.

Many people who had thrived (or thought they were thriving) in the world before Covid-19, found themselves at a loss.  And I understand that.  There are many things that we once enjoyed but have not out of necessity.

On the other hand, the pandemic created an environment that allowed some people to thrive in new and beneficial ways.  I was just noting that a few musical artists who had moved on from their music careers to take jobs so they could feed their families were suddenly finding themselves motivated and able to create music once again.  In addition, some new creative voices were finding the motivation and desire to share what they do - and people, such as myself, were finding that we were hungry for their artistry.

It was the pandemic that caused me to consider writing more frequently than I had in previous years.  Some might say I was reasonably prolific (for a farmer) prior to the pandemic.  Now, they just think I am insane (or at least a little imbalanced).  But, there is no denying that I have become a better writer.  And I am amazed by how much I have learned in the process.

I would be hiding the truth from myself if I did not recognize that the changes in the world and in my life that came about from this pandemic presented me with... a gift.  One that I hope to keep on sharing with those who enjoy reading these blogs.

Bigger Picture

As I considered this topic - all motivated by Brown Thrashers and Common Yellowthroats - I was reminded that sometimes discomfort is necessary so a new population or a different group can have its time in the sunshine.

We have moved away from the perfectly manicured landscaping around our house (both intentionally at times and involuntarily when we run out of time).  Our natural inclination is to present some beautifully maintained perennial gardens - and we would still like to do some of that.  But, the reward of naturalizing has netted us the opportunity to talk to Common Yellowthroats.

You see, the All About Birds site suggests that if you know these little birds are in a thicket, and

 "If you don’t spot one after a while, try making a “pishing” sound; yellowthroats are inquisitive birds and often pop into the open to see who’s making the sound."

I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to trying that one!

But, I am also reminded that there are many, many people in this world who are not as comfortable with the "norm" as many of the rest of us seem to be.  Sadly, we don't seem to be motivated to find ways to help these people to thrive when everything seems to be following regular patterns.  It takes a catastrophe - then maybe some of these people can thrive for a time - while others struggle and suffer.  I guess its a silver lining to the storm clouds.  But, I would rather we found ways to give a broader range of habitats for more people to thrive without a pandemic, or wildfire, or whatever....

So, this is all a reminder to me (and to you) that my comfort zone is not always your comfort zone.  And, sometimes my comfort zone is not always the best place for me to be because I am often not motivated to be my best when I am wholly comfortable.  It is also a reminder that we can make changes to our habitat without a disaster.  And, perhaps, we can make changes in hopes that we make someone else more comfortable so they are able to create, live and maybe even thrive.

And maybe my blogs are the equivalent of a "pishing" sound.  I'm just trying to see what will pop out from the thicket.

Pish!