Life in the Meadow

We're lucky to have a bunch of beautiful and interesting residents that share the farm with us throughout the seasons. a bumper crop of Sitka bumble bees, checkered skipper butterflies, California quail, coyotes, an abundance of snakes, and lots of other companions. 

Among the more notable residents that appear every year in spring are some breeding vesper sparrows, an uncommon grassland bird species. This year was the first year we ever found an actual nest, located in a recently plowed field. The parents built it in the short window of time after plowing and before a summer cover crop was planted. With the nest location noted, we can give them lots of space until the young ones are ready to fly, and knowing the timing of their nesting, we can do a better job of minimizing disturbances to the fields when they need time for nesting.