DEAR JOAN: A mating pair of small widespread songbirds determined to construct their nest in a fern we've on a stand on our porch. We didn’t notice the nest was there till just a few days in the past, when mother began laying her eggs.
The mother and father have truly been tolerant of exercise close to the nest, together with us shifting the fern stand off the porch to an equally protected space just a few toes away, as soon as the egg laying started. Ordinarily, we’d be comfortable to let the household be till the brood matures and strikes on. Sadly — for the birds, anyway — we are going to start a serious panorama enchancment undertaking in a few weeks that features demolition of the porch and the adjoining space the place the nest is at present positioned.
There's a shaded and considerably protected space across the nook, about 50 toes away that gained’t be disturbed by the development work, so I’m inclined to maneuver the fern stand to that spot. We’re guessing it will be greatest to make the transfer earlier than the hatchings seem, however want your recommendation.
Irene and Dan Weakley, San Ramon
DEAR IRENE AND DAN: Sadly, shifting the nest both earlier than or after hatching is in opposition to the legislation that protects birds. Nonetheless, relocating is perhaps preferable to the choice.
You don’t say what birds these are, however a lot of the smaller birds have shorter fledge occasions, which means chicks will spend solely two to a few weeks within the nest earlier than leaving it. Wouldn't it be attainable to delay the work till then?
If not, I’d recommend shifting the fern with the nest in levels, fairly than making one massive transfer and danger the birds not having the ability to discover the nest.
DEAR JOAN: If, presently of yr, I see a black-tailed deer with antlers which can be about so long as the ears however solely have two little prongs, can I assume he’s a first-year deer or may he be older with antlers that can get greater?
Additionally, I do know that blue potato bush is deer-resistant; nevertheless, I don’t wish to hurt the deer by planting poisonous issues. Will deer nibble at it or do they know to depart it alone? What do you advise?
Rhonda, Harmony
DEAR RHONDA: It’s attainable you’re a younger deer, however solely time will inform. The black-tailed deer, like most deer, shed their antlers every year between December and March, with new antlers showing from April by means of August.
When the antlers develop again, they are going to be progressively bigger season after season, however you’d need to know when the antlers had been shed to find out now what is perhaps coming. It may very well be an older deer that shed his antlers not too long ago, or it may very well be a comparatively younger deer rising his first or second set.
Blue potato bush (Solanum rantonnetii) is a part of the bigger Solanaceae household, often called — cue the dramatic music — lethal nightshade. It's thought-about poisonous to people and animals, with the berries being probably the most toxic.
It’s additionally one of many vegetation thought-about deer-proof as a result of deer aren’t recognized to munch on the leaves, flowers or berries. Nonetheless, a hungry deer, particularly in a drought, will eat something it will possibly discover, which makes rising most of the deer-resistant vegetation dangerous. However, sure, underneath regular circumstances they'll keep away from the plant.
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