Birds and Other Wildlife at Sequoia House Seattle

Native hummingbird partaking of Skyscraper Orange Salvia on second story backyard deck at Sequoia House Seattle. In the lower right corner you can see the top of frame for cucumbers in the vegetable garden

Wildlife plays an important role in the garden at Sequoia House Seattle. While the Giant Sequoia in front is host to many types of wildlife, including owls and the occasional bald eagle, in the backyard, we’ve created a mini bird sanctuary, using a mixture of both native and non-native trees and shrubs to create the different layers they need for protection and shelter.

Stellar jays feeding station in vine maple at Sequoia House Seattle. You can see the in-ground pool (original to this 1927 house) through the railings, as well as corner to the vegetable garden. English laurel with Cecile Brunner climbing rose, which the smaller birds love, is in upper right hand corner

Bush tits, chickadees, junkos, house finches and robins are among the host of smaller birds that are enjoying frolicking in the vine maple and the English laurel we’ve let grow to full height. In particular, the English laurel is an attraction for the smaller birds, who seem to gravitate towards it for protection from larger threats such as crows. We’ve had both stellar jays and robins build their nests in the backyard annually for many years.

This year, a local crow has taken to strutting around the yard and taking baths in the backyard swimming pool. Yes, Sequoia House Seattle has an in-ground swimming pool, put in when the house was built in 1927. With the solar blanket we keep on the pool (more to keep debris from the English

laurel out of the pool than to

Resident crow, whom we call "Kenny Bob," enjoys walking on the solar blanket of the Sequoia House Seattle swimming pool

keep it warm) shallow pools of water collect on it for both the crow and the other thriving bird community to enjoy.

Occasionally the resident stellar jays will squabble with him when he shows up, with the jays generally flying off to let the crow alone. Once he has gone, however, the stellar jays return to indulge in their own baths, as do the array of smaller birds currently in residence.

The backyard also provides an array of food sources for the birds. Worms in the lawn and vegetable garden for the robins. Bush tits and junkos in particular like to feast on the seed heads in the vine

House finch, (AKA "Broccoli Bird" for eating all the broccoli in the Sequoia House Seattle vegetable garden one year), takes a rest on one of the pool side lounge chairs

maple and hazelnut trees, often with squirrels doing the same thing nearby.

We used to put broccoli in our vegetable garden, but stopped after a house finch (now affectionately called “broccoli bird”) pecked away and ate the flower heads of the broccoli.