The Big Yard: Notes from a Pajama Birdwatcher

March 17, 2025

Saint Paddy’s Day arrives with sun and wind and six species of hummingbirds. In order of appearance: Anna’s, magnificent (Rivoli’s), violet-crowned, rufous, broad-tailed, and finally, today’s male broad-billed hummingbird—all dressed up for the occasion in classic Irish leprechaun attire.

All he needs is a green top hat. But not in this wind.

The hummingbird migration is on, and the yard is already halfway to its usual total for the year. Soon, with the black-chins and Calliopes and Costa’s, the tiny nuggets of frenetic energy will cloud the feeders and bust my sugar budget.

The property expansion with its new feeding stations isn’t helping the situation. But, as the woman at the supply store says as I pull up with my shopping cart: “You must really love birds.”

Black-chinned hummingbirds (this one is a male) are the most numerous of all 13 hummingbirds that visit the yard.

A male Calliope, our smallest hummingbird.

Rare Lucifer Hummingbirds (female above and male below) are common in the yard all summer.

For the past two weeks, the birdwatching has taken a back seat to the newest construction at the property. The son-in-law and I are halfway finished with the off-grid-writing-shed/birding-watchtower project, tucked and bolted into a hillside outcrop of granite boulders. (Anyone can build on level ground.) We’ve hoisted the timbers in place and set the subfloor and walls and redwood deck. The salvaged metal roof is next. Then the salvaged doors and windows. And the salvaged hardwood flooring and wood-burning stove.

In three weeks, we’ll be ready for our first guests. Skunks, according to the wife (she calls our project a “tree fort”). I have the perfect bottle of Irish whiskey for the christening.

(Above and below). To support the shed, we used hoists to pull the 8x12 by 20-foot treated timbers up the hill to the site. (We used muscles and Advil to lift the remaining building materials.)

The son-in-law tests the support timbers (and the view).

A view of the completed foundation and beginnings of the shed.

The redwood deck at the entrance to the shed at the back.

The redwood deck at the front of the writer’s shed. Must get some deck chairs for the astounding views!

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