Gardening for Birds 101--08/28/09

It is a truth universally acknowledged that birds bring life to a garden. While an exquisitely-manicured garden can be both an object of pride and envy, there’s something unsettling about a quiet and still garden. Something’s just, well, missing. Add a pair of robins sunning themselves or searching for worms, clouds of bubbly goldfinches, and the laugh-like gurgling of a wren’s song, however, and a garden is vivified and gains new excitement. In addition to providing backyard birds with food from your feeders, one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to attract birds to your garden is to plan a garden around them. Not only does it give one the satisfaction of seeing birds frolicking in the garden, it also fosters a healthy and living environment in your yard. What more could one ask for?

I was reminded of this fact by an e-mail that I received from long-time reader, Nick, a resident of Richmond, Virginia who has been coming up to Vermont for many years. Nick and his wife, have created a true backyard haven for birds and butterflies. The couple hung feeders and then planned a wildlife-friendly garden to attract more winged visitors.

The needs of backyard birds are simple to meet; they require food, water, and shelter. These needs are best met with a simple, natural garden. While the gardening tradition seems to encourage tightly-clipped bushes; sharp edges; and isolated, antiseptically-maintained flowerbeds, a garden that looks like it came out of a BBC drama or off the cover of a gardening magazine might not be the best way to attract feathered visitors. Birds prefer something fashioned by the hand of Mother Nature, with plants native to the region and varied depths and heights of plants. Not only does a garden composed of plants native to the region promise to attract more birds, it also requires less worry and attention than a garden of exotic and annuals. Here are several simple rules to consider when planning a bird-centric garden:

1. Provide a year-round banquet for birds. While the majority and greatest variety of birds are around during the spring and summer months, don’t forget the birds when they need you most—the autumn and the winter, when natural resources are scarce. Fruiting shrubs are a good option for year-round feeding. Good choices include viburnums, sumacs, holly, and cotoneaster.

2. Plant flowers that provide seeds. Thistle, sunflowers, liatris, and tickseed are popular with goldfinches and other small birds.

3. Remember that hummingbirds have special needs. Flowers for hummers should be brightly-colored and tubular. Good choices include bee-balm, hosta, mallow, catmint, fringed bleeding heart, cardinal flowers, trumpet flowers, and touch-me-nots.

4. Planting flowers, grasses, and shrubs at different heights provides protection and gives a flat garden texture and depth and gives birds protection from the elements and from predators.

Working from these simple guidelines, one can create a garden that is more bird friendly. And, of course, the helpful people at your local nursery can help you with planning a bird garden. So, get out your shovel and get going!

If you’re interested in other tips regarding gardening for birds, or have any questions about this column or a sighting check me out on the web at www.watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.com or send me an e-mail at chickadee@att.net. Happy birding and gardening!

Summer Surge--08/01/09

In spite of the rather wretched weather we have been having lately, there’s no doubt: summertime has come to Vermont! In addition to the flocks of tourists who have been visiting the area, flocks of birds—from the regular to the more exotic passerby—have descended upon the area in brightly-colored and melodious clouds.
When doing some pruning around the house, I stumbled upon a cleverly-hidden Catbird nest guarded by two very suspicious parent birds. The proud father stood at the edge of the bush scoping me out while mom fluffed up to guard her eggs. After very quickly vacating the area, I was pleased that the nest was in view of one of our windows. What a wonderful opportunity to watch these lovely, frisky little birds raise a family!

I was also pleased to see that the Cedar Waxwings have returned to my yard. As always, their arrival was announced by the buzzing of their distinctive, high-pitched zee. Surely, they’ll be gorging themselves on the berries that are just starting to ripen in the thicket nearby. In addition to the Waxwings, a pair of vibrant orange Baltimore Orioles soared right past me, playing a game of tag through the yard and in the willow trees where they seem to enjoy sitting. These lovely birds always seem to escape me; no matter how hard I try to attract them and lure them into my yard, they always manage to flutter away just as I spot them. This time, however, the birds stayed around long enough for me to get a good look before they flew off. Perhaps I’ll have better luck with them this summer. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

On another note, the other day I received a question from a reader regarding my website for this column. Yes, it is up and running! In spite of a break during the winter, I now have regular posts with birding tips and tricks, special sightings, general musings, and photographs of birds and flowers from my garden. You are also encouraged to leave comments, questions, and birding tips of your own. Please check me out at www.watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.com and thanks for your interest in the column! As always, you are welcome to send me questions and comments regarding this column of any sightings you have seen at chickadee@att.net. Happy birding and enjoy the fine summer weather (while it lasts)!

Summer Surge--07/24/09

In spite of the rather wretched weather we have been having lately, there’s no doubt: summertime has come to Vermont! In addition to the flocks of tourists who have been visiting the area, flocks of birds—from the regular to the more exotic passerby—have descended upon the area in brightly-colored and melodious clouds.
When doing some pruning around the house, I stumbled upon a cleverly-hidden Catbird nest guarded by two very suspicious parent birds. The proud father stood at the edge of the bush scoping me out while mom fluffed up to guard her eggs. After very quickly vacating the area, I was pleased that the nest was in view of one of our windows. What a wonderful opportunity to watch these lovely, frisky little birds raise a family.

I was also pleased to see that the Cedar Waxwings have returned to my yard. As always, their arrival was announced by the buzzing of their distinctive, high-pitched zee. Surely, they’ll be gorging themselves on the berries that are just starting to ripen in the thicket nearby. In addition to the Waxwings, a pair of vibrant orange Baltimore Orioles soared right past me, playing a game of tag through the yard and in the willow trees where they seem to enjoy sitting. These lovely birds always seem to escape me; no matter how hard I try to attract them and lure them into my yard, they always manage to flutter away just as I spot them. This time, however, the birds stayed around long enough for me to get a good look before they flew off. Perhaps I’ll have better luck with them this summer. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

On another note, the other day I received a question from a reader regarding my website for this column. Yes, it is up and running! In spite of a break during the winter, I now have regular posts with birding tips and tricks, special sightings, general musings, and photographs of birds and flowers from my garden. You are also encouraged to leave comments, questions, and birding tips of your own. Please check me out at www.watchthebirdsvermont.blogspot.com and thanks for your interest in the column! As always, you are welcome to send me questions and comments regarding this column of any sightings you have seen at chickadee@att.net. Happy birding and enjoy the fine summer weather (while it lasts)!

Some photographs from my garden!

An interesting sighting!

The other day, I was delighted to see that what I had initially thought was a chickadee sitting in the Burning Bush right outside my window was none other than a Black and White Warbler. Upon checking my field guide, I learned that the species is fairly common in the area; however, this was my first time seeing one of these pretty little birds. What luck that I happened to glance out the window just then!

Watch the Birds beyond the Green Mountains!

I recently received a message from Nick W., a reader of this column from Richmond, Virginia. He and his wife have been coming up to Vermont for many years now and love birdwatching both when on holiday and at home. As regards the column, "We use it to plant the right stuff to attract more birds, butterflies, and rabbits! Have a yard full of rabbits this year. Yard used to be desolate, now we have built a suburban wildlife habitat! I dont have to buy wildflowers anymore. Just go into yard and pick my own!" Nick writes.

Many birds flock to Nick's yard in Virginia, delighting in their flowers and birdfeeders. So nice to hear from you, Nick! Keep coming to Vermont!

Sorry for the absence

Hi all!

As many of you have noticed, my column has not be appearing regularly in The Manchester Journal as per usual. Due to the economic situation, the paper has been cutting down on the size of its publication and often times, novelty columns are the first to be cut. The column is in this week's paper and should be appearing more regularly for the rest of the summer. So, be patient with me and with the Journal and please keep looking for the column and reading!

Thanks and Happy Birding!

Madeleine

There's Something in the Air--07/03/09

There’s definitely something in the air here in the Green Mountains. With the advent of spring comes the irresistible onset of longer and warmer days, the shy peeking of flowers and plants as they resurface after a long winter’s sleep, and, of course, the return of our feathered friends who have finally come home after their holiday in warmer climes down South. I, too, returned to my beloved Vermont after months away at school and was delighted to have the birds welcome me back. There has been a veritable banquet of activity in the yard. The cardinals, blue jays, and goldfinches have shed their dull winter feathers for electric reds, blues, and yellows which dot the trees and lilac bushes like living Christmas lights.

In addition to “all the usual suspects”—chickadees, cardinals, mourning doves, and sparrows—I’ve had a few very interesting sightings over the past week. First off, I saw a male Red-Belled Woodpecker clinging to the tube feeder and feasting on sunflower seeds a few times. Though I have received various e-mails from readers who have seen these beautiful and noisy birds in their yards, I had never seen one before the other day. Red-belled woodpeckers do not, amusingly, have a visible red belly (the name refers, rather, to a reddish wash on the rump), but are easily identifiable by their bright white fronts, red crown, and distinctive zebra pattern on the back, a characteristic which gives them their nickname of “zebra backs.” Their range extends from Southern Vermont and Upstate New York down to Florida and the Midwest. Hopefully, I’ll get some other visits from this pretty woodpecker.

I was also pleased to see one of my favorite summer visitors—you guessed it!—the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. After a heavy rain, I was taking a walk in the garden when I heard the distinctive buzzing zip right above my head. Sure enough, a little male hummer was investigating the lilac bushes, apparently for something other than the fragrant blooms, as he was performing the sweeping U-shaped arc used to impress potential mates. I’ll make sure to whip up some sugar water and get the hummingbird feeders out in the next day or two!

Have you had any delightful spring visitors in your backyard? Do you have any questions about the column or a sighting you had? If so, please send me an e-mail at chickadee@att.net and I will be happy to send you a prompt reply. Happy Birding!

Checklist for spring birdwatching...

With the advent of spring and summer comes a bevy of birding-related things to consider. Here is a (by no means comprehensive) list of things to think about in the coming weeks:

1. The return of the hummingbirds means that it's time to dust off the hummingbird feeders and whip up a fresh and strong batch of sugar water to keep the little ones fueled. The standard recipe is 1 parts sugar and 4 parts water (you can make this a little stronger to lure the hummers in, but do not exceed the ratio too much). Make sure your feeders are kept clean and that sugar water is kept fresh. Especially when the weather is warm, it's important to make sure that you replace the sugar water in your feeders every 3 days or so, to avoid fermentation and spoilage that could harm your hummers. Soap and hot water are useful to clean your feeders, as are Q-tips, which you can use to get rid of black mildew and scum in the feeder portals.

2. Make sure that all nesting boxes are cleaned out and ready for action. Look for damage or structural problems, such as a leaky roof or a rotted perch. Also make sure to clean nesting boxes with very hot water and a little bit of soap (rinse well, of course) to kill any nasty things that might be lurking from previous occupants.

3. Plant bird-friendly plants and flowers. Plant some liatris or sunflowers, which both have seed heads that birds will flock to. For hummingbirds, plant some red and nectar-rich flowers. Favourites include beebalm, trumpet flowers, hostas, false mallow, touch-me-nots, fringed bleeding hearts, cardinal flowers, and many others.

4. Just because it's warm out doesn't mean that you can't still serve suet. While a ball of fat might not fare the best in the hot sun, the suet cakes sold at hardware stores and birding shops stay clean and keep birds happy. Flavours are varied and can be altered to attract a different crowd.

These are just a few things to jumpstart ypur birding season. So slather on some sun screen and venture outdoors!

2009 Birding Season kicks off in Vermont!

Hello all! I'm so happy to be back in the Green Mountains after many long months of toiling hard at school. I can say with some certainty now, however, that with the arrival of spring and the imminent approach of summer, my columns shall be appearing regularly in The Manchester Journal and here, on this site.

If all goes well, my first column of the season should be coming out this week (keeping fingers crossed!).