Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

Does anyone else remember the tune by Peter, Paul, and Mary that went, "We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How about you, you, you? You can come too, too, too. We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo."? That song has been stuck in my head this past weekend (still is, in fact) ever since we headed off to the Fresno Zoo during our Thanksgiving holiday weekend visit with Hubby's family.

I don't recall having gone to the Fresno Zoo before, so it was a new adventure for me (and Hubby too, I think). It's a smaller sized zoo and those kinds of zoos suit me best. I like to stop and observe the animals for long periods of time. So the less there is to see the more I can feel fine about leisurely standing and watching each animal.

It's also a very well-kept and well-designed zoo that has great enclosures and habitats for the animals that live there. It makes me happy when I see a zoo like this. I don't like the thought that the animals are in captivity in the first place, so if they are in well-designed habitats it makes me feel better and happier for them.

I was surprised that there were at least two walk-through aviaries where we could get buzzed by squawking lorakeets and be almost nose-to-nose with a beautiful cockatoo. To be inside the habitat without barriers between me and the birds was wonderful. I always enjoy walking through large aviaries.

Digitially created art photo by Cindy Iverson
Click the image to view larger

Not surprisingly, I found myself photographing more flowers and greenery than animals. What's the old adage? You can take the gardener/photographer to the zoo, but you can't lead her to the monkeys... wait, wait, wait... You can take the gardener/photographer to the zoo, but you can't take the animal out of the photographer... no? Oh well. You get the picture.

Introducing All the Animals of Rosehaven Cottage

When we first moved to our home (that later became Rosehaven Cottage), we realized that we had the privilege of living amidst a great deal of wildlife diversity.

Our gardens were part of the territory of an established feral cat colony that was being watched over by a loving neighbor but she had been unable to spay/neuter two of cats in the colony--one of which was a big black tom cat that considered our garden "home base". Tom Tom was later tamed, neutered, and is now "retired" from his tom cat ways; only going out on supervised strolls in the garden.

We also had a wonderful variety of birds, insects, and night creatures that frequented the garden even in it's early barren state.

With the addition of a 1,200 gallon pond in the second year, came new animals including the WalMart goldfish that thrive and reproduce in it. Adding a water source also increased the diversity of wildlife that frequented our garden. We now have black phoebe birds that feed on wasps, mosquitoes, and flies. Another mosquito eater we enjoy are the dragonflies that breed in our pond as well as feed throughout the upper air space over the garden every night during the spring, summer, and early fall. The tiny Pacific treefrogs found the pond very quickly and serenade us every night from late January until May during breeding season.

We also have brightly colored orioles and flocks of bushtits that forage in our rosebushes. The bushtits are looking for aphids and other bad bugs which helps to keep our garden free from pesticides.

The various finches that are native to our area love when flowers go to seed, so we plant sunflowers for them. And hummingbirds regularly buzz down into the garden to get a drink from the hose when we're spraying and watering.

The goldfish in the pond are so prolific that they provide a food source for the egrets that wade in the pond during the day and the raccoons and skunks that amble through at night. We also have the occasional clumsy oppossum that waddles through too.

During the day we often come across a lazy lizard sunning itself on one of the sunning rocks that we've placed strategically around the vegetable and flower beds.

The rodent population is kept down by a sweet little feral cat named Oreo that was born into the feral cat colony shortly before the last feral female was spayed. Occasionally, she will bring us a "gift" and leave it on our front porch.

Inside Rosehaven Cottage, we have inside-only cats (7 in total) that enjoy the luxury of a life free from the dangers of fights, cars, and contracted diseases. They laze about and watch the world go by from perches that we've strategically placed by windows so they can enjoy the garden habitat too. Although we never intended to have 7 cats, they are very well-mannered, loyal, and sweet companions which we feel very blessed to have stewardship over.

In fact, we feel very blessed to have the choice experience of being stewards over all the animals that call Rosehaven Cottage home.