Category Archives: wildlife

Visiting the Butterfly Garden

This Butterfly Garden is north of Appleton, Wisconsin. In season, it is open Wednesday through Saturday.

I went with three of my grandchildren (Eli, Arianna, and Wyatt) and my daughter Rachel. It was the first visit for all of us.

This video was taken in the enclosed area where visitors can get up close and personal with the butterflies. Everyone was given a cotton swab dipped in a sugar solution. The idea was to touch the butterfly’s legs so it could taste the sugar and then it would get on the swab to drink more. That worked once for Wyatt, but usually, the butterflies preferred sipping nectar from the flowers.

It was a lovely afternoon to spend with butterflies and my family.

Until next time, that’s all there is from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright 2023 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved.

Squirrel!

This visiting squirrel surprised me. I rarely see them here.

Happily, it didn’t run away immediately and allowed me to take this video and a few photos.

Until next time, that’s all there is from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright 2023 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved.

Toad rescue

Stella didn’t hurt this little fellow. She was just playing with it. At first, I thought it was a rock. It’s a good thing I checked closer and discovered it was a toad, too cold to move.

When I picked it up I could see it was breathing and its eyes opened and closed, so it was alive.

I placed it on a rock that would get the first rays of sunlight in the morning. I guess that worked because when I checked it was gone.

To the rescue again, but at least I didn’t make a pet out of it.

Until next time, that’s all there is from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright 2023 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved.

Bird takes time for a bath.

We are not the only ones waiting for rain. The wild animals are, too.

Birdbaths are a special treat for the birds, even ones that are homemade puddles. As the water ran here, I took buckets of water to my flowers and tomatoes.

Until next time, that’s all there is from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright 2023 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved.

Watering more than flowers

Birds came to the water I ran for them today. There’s a birdbath by the house, but this puddle was just right for this feathered friend.

It is so dry here, I figured that after I watered my plants I would let some run into a puddle for the birds.

More than one bird liked this water today, but I only videoed this sparrow.

Until next time, that’s all there is from Sunnybook Farm.

Copyright 2023 Susan Manzke, all rights reserved.