Some time ago, we painted the second floor deck, railings, stairway, and the ground floor surrounding wood fence a soft green that blends in with the trees and grass--thusly inviting in all the little creatures curious enough to investigate.
Our treasures so far include a bird nest in one corner of the porch, tucked securely between the eave and drainage pipe (when checked, it was found empty, but its intricate architecture stymies the mind to conceive): a mother rabbit checking out the real estate (under the sundeck and enclosed patio area) for a perfect site to build a nest. We've had two sites, one merely digging the hole and moving on, but also a mother to dig a hole under the steps, fill it will hair pulled from her body, small soft leaf debris, and cover it all with left over grasses and particles of dirt.
The noise one night was at another corner of the house. We have an arborvitae bush at each end of the building. The one most desired is just outside our bedroom. At 4:30 am one morning, the mother bird was chirping non-stop. Whether it was instructing the little ones on what the morning would offer, or if chastising them for some rule infraction that had been broken, we will never know, but at some point, all went quiet. This bush is a major hotel for several species. It is nice and round, about 7 feet in height and thickly covered. We see birds sitting atop it at all hours of the day.
Also spotted from the sundeck, a crow nose-diving at a ceramic frog holding a lilypod full of water--unsure if it was the water he was after or merely thought the small figure looked like a source of food.
The top of the fence surrounding the enclosure is another favorite gathering spot for birds. They drop down for a rest when returning from a forage for food (the worm dangles from the beak as the bird's eyes dart around...checking out the situation?) This two inch resting rail is also a favored place to leave their special brand of white 'calling cards.' It appears, too, that the fence offers a perfect podium where they twill out to other birds, and a place, too, to meet and greet and to simply pass the time of day. I think they consider this whole structure, including the fence, as an extension of their woodland playground.
Squirrels also frequent this area. They've been spotted crawling under the fence and zipping across the yard to crawl under the other side (perhaps a short cut mapped out by a previous traveler).
The behavior and antics of all these small creatures keep me ever-looking, alerting my eyes and senses to take in each gift that nature allows me to witness.
Elizabeth Towles September, 2016
enjoyed the read, more please
keep writing
m
I'm not sure if the color of deck made any difference. You certainly have a penchant for welcoming all the little creatures to visit you. When I moved to suburbia 34 years ago, I was glad to have a power line right-of-way behind my house, but upset a couple of years later when in an apartment complex went up on the other side of the right-of-way. Over the years, that green space often became quite wild and was only occasionally cut down. That invited all kinds of Texas critters to move in, making my backyard a delight with many adventures.
Unfortunately the apartment complex changed hands recently and bought the right-of-way for a parking lot. While we still entice birds and other critters with our bird feeder and tiny backyard, I fear we won't have as many wild adventures as before.
Ron