Field Report: Red-bellied Sapsucker

This year we're focusing on our land here in Oakland, CA, as part of the "back to the land" theme for 2021. Keep in mind that by "land" I mean our oddly-shaped, residential plot in the East Bay Hills, not some 20-acre spread in a rural area! I'm determined to enjoy all that the plot of land has to offer, including its place in a "wildlife corridor" of residential property, and a source of material for interesting projects.

Red-bellied sapsucker in a spot of sun

Tending its drill holes upside down

Recently I've enjoyed observing a red-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) outside my home office window. The sapsucker set up its operation in a Pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) tree, which provides a leafy screen on the property line that we share with our neighbor, and lovely shade for the small courtyard outside our home offices. Its method is to drill holes in the Pittosporum bark, and then feed on the sap and any insects that are attracted to the sap. The drill holes are very neat and systematic, and range from small round holes to larger rectangular ones. The sapsucker seems to tend the grid of holes and feed for a full 8-10 hour work day, rain or shine.

Bits of drying sap in the larger drill holes

Small drill holes

I've seen little brown birds (LBBs) come around to feed at the drill holes, before and after its "shift", but so far it's been too dark to photograph them. These pictures were taken through a window, which is subject to reflections and a layer of moisture or dust from the elements, so they are not ideal. But the red-breasted bird is quite shy, and flies away quickly if I venture into the side yard to take its photo.

Beautiful feather markings

 

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Western Gardens

We're back again for our last winter movie, where plants have the starring role! This winter we're watching the BBC series "American Gardens" to visit beautiful gardens in the United States. Britain's Monty Don hosts the show, and so far we have visited prairie gardens of the midwest and the eastern  part of the country, and the private and estate gardens of the south. In this episode, Monty visits gardens of the western part of the country, and experiences its awe-inspiring landscapes. So pop some corn and grab a cool drink, and let's join Monty as he tours the west in search of the typical American garden.

Monty starts his tour in Arizona at the Sonoran desert with its plants that are adapted for its extreme heat. He learns more about desert plants and their marvelous survival strategies at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, and visits landscape architect Steve Martino's private garden. Its design includes plantings inside the house as well as outside, and incorporates elements of shade, light, and shadow. His garden emphasizes sanctuary and privacy, in a break from attitudes in the east where lawns run into lawns.

Next stop is Palm Springs with its mid-century glamor and style (we know a little about Palm Springs here at Eden By The Bay)! He visits private gardens, where air conditioning has brought the garden inside, and Sunnylands, a private garden that is now used for diplomacy. Next he heads for Los Angeles in a red convertible, to visit several private gardens with tropical themes, and a school in Altadena where students grow and cook food as part of the curriculum. He visits Lotus Land in Santa Barbara, to experience Madame Ganna Walska's theatrical and eclectic collection of plants and art, and Henry Cowell State Park near San Jose to marvel at the forest of Sequoia sempervirens. 

Monty ends his tour in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He visits Windcliff north of Seattle (Dan Hinkley's plant-hunter garden), and Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle (where plants and Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures are integrated). He spends time thinking at Amazon's The Spheres, and visits Bloedell Reserve where old- and new-growth trees are integrated. Monty concludes that there is no such thing as a definitive American garden. Instead, its gardens capture the frontier spirit - that you can do anything you believe you can. 

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Southern Gardens

Time for more winter movies, where plants get top billing! This year we're watching the BBC series "American Gardens" hosted by Britain's Monty Don. This time Monty visits beautiful Southern gardens during a heat spell in his quest for America's contribution to garden design. So make yourself a cup of hot chocolate (or a mint julep), and let's join Monty in his search for the typical American garden.

Monty starts in Washington D.C. at the home of former United Kingdom ambassador Nigel Kim Darroch, who observes that many American gardens do not have fences (lawns simply run into lawns), and speculates that Americans like big open spaces without boundaries. Next, Monty visits Monticello to learn about the estate and its history, including Jefferson's scientific contribution to gardens and the complex role that slaves played in sculpting and tending the landscape.

Across the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia horse country, Monty visits Oak Spring, designed by Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, and is surprised by its modest loveliness. In Charleston, South Carolina he visits Middleton Place, which was first settled in the 1670s, and is one of the oldest landscape gardens in the United States. Monty is surprised to see an alligator lounging on the lawn, and loves the ancient oaks festooned with long draping moss. He visits several private gardens and learns how much the hot humid climate of the South has shaped gardens in South Carolina. 

In Miami, Florida, Monty visits Vizcaya, a Renaissance garden built in the early 1900s, and observes that even with unlimited resources, you can't force some plants to thrive in a Florida swamp. But on the Big Cypress National Preserve he finds a place where many plants thrive. At The Kampong (Indonesian for "enclosure"), he visits the botanical garden of Dr. David Fairchild, a plant collector who sought the best food plant species of the world and changed the face of America's food production. Here Monty sees the Madagascar Periwinkle, or primrose, found by his plant hunter ancestor, and now thought to be important for cancer treatment.

Monty ends his Southern tour in Louisiana, first in New Orleans, where jazz was born and quirky homes and unique gardens abound, and then at rural Longue Vue House & Gardens, with its grand garden rooms. Despite the heat and humidity, Monty seems to enjoy his tour of Southern gardens. I appreciated the straightforward way that he interviewed historians to seek information about the slaves that created and tended the historical gardens of the South. Monty Don notes the optimism that permeates the American garden. 

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Prairie Gardens

It's that time of year again, when we settle in to watch some winter movies, where plants play the starring role! This year I've chosen Monty Don's BBC series "American Gardens". He has  profiled other great gardens of the world, and visited gardens in North, Central and South America in Around the World in 80 Gardens. I always enjoy his perspective and insights on gardens and the landscape. Grab your popcorn and join me as we visit American gardens with Monty Don!

In this episode Monty Don asks whether America has contributed to garden design, and goes in search of the typical American garden style. He starts his tour at the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield, Missouri, which was started in the 1980s to preserve the beauty of the original American grasslands. From there, Don travels to the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago (designed by Dutch landscape designer, Pieter Oudolf, and inspired by the prairies). In New York, Don visits Central Park, a roof top veg patch in Brooklyn, one of the Target Bronx Community Gardens, the New York Flower market (and avant garde florist, Emily Thompson), and strolls The Highline (an elevated train track repurposed as a city park, also inspired by the prairie style). 

On Long Island Monty Don visits restored wetlands and an artist's garden, and in Pennsylvania he encounters suburban gardens with big lawns (and sometimes picket fences), and tours several estate gardens including Chanticleer Gardens and the over-the-top Longwood Gardens. He ends his tour in New Jersey and The Garden at Federal Twist (also inspired by the prairie). Don concludes that the prairies continue to have an impact on American gardens, but that no one style captures the American garden style. Instead, American gardens capture the optimism and pioneer spirit of Americans. Nicely stated!

Enjoying Winter Moss

When the rains come here in the San Francisco Bay Area, our mossy yard comes alive in shades of green. Years ago our lawn of grass became a lawn of moss. For most of the year, the ground covering appears brown and dry. With the winter rains, even a small quantity of moisture restores the green. 

Mosses are nonvascular plants in the Bryophyta family of land plants. They are small, herbaceous, and absorb moisture through leaves and stems. They use photosynthesis to produce nutrients, and reproduce through spores. Many prefer shade and acidic soil. They require moisture to reproduce, but can survive desiccation for months.

Mossy "lawn" after winter rains

I've reported on the moss in our garden over the years (see Winter Moss, Moss, and Mushrooms), especially in years with plenty of rain. I've also enjoyed seeing moss in other gardens such as Butchart Japanese Garden, Seattle Chinese Garden, and Glacier Gardens. I haven't started to identify them yet, but I can see the differences in species that appear on the wood, concrete, and plants on the property.

Mossy path

My one regret with our soil restoration project, is that the moss "lawn" is being covered with a layer of wood chips. I take the long view on this situation, because it will ultimately result in healthier soil, with less compaction and more moisture retention. And I wouldn't be surprised if some moss finds its way to the top of the wood chip layer over time, to make a winter appearance after the rains!

Looking Ahead to 2021

 Happy New Year! We made it through 2020, and are now six days into 2021. Some of the same challenges of 2020 are still with us, but the future is a blank slate and several vaccines offer real hope. Let's make it a great year, no matter what happens!

This year my theme for Eden By The Bay is "back to the land", with the focus on our little residential plot in the Oakland hills. It's a peninsular-shaped piece of land that juts out into the intersection of two busy streets and freeway ramps. It sits at an odd angle, which makes it difficult to orient, but the front door faces roughly south-east. Last year my husband and I started working with our gardener and a professional landscaper to restore the soil and create a wildlife- and people-friendly sanctuary (see Soil Restoration). 

Clockwise: mossy stepping stone
Pink cherry blossom
Wood chip delivery
Foraging for dye sources

I chose "back to the land" as an homage to the 1970's back-to-the-land movement, during which there was a revival of "grow it yourself" and "make it yourself". In this case, I'll be looking at our residential lot to see what is possible, both for its role in a virtual "wildlife corridor" and as the source of materials for projects. I plan to continue the garden restoration, forage for dye sources, resurrect my raised bed, and attract more birds and "critters". Along the way, we'll look for opportunities to visit parks and gardens, watch movies and read books, learn about beautiful native plants, and make videos. Hope you'll join me!