Shades of Green--05/29/10

After a long and snowy Winter and a cool, rainy start of Spring, Green has finally returned to the Mountains. We've been blessed with some truly beautiful days—warm, breezy, and filled with sunshine—but the most stunning time of day in Vermont, in my opinion, is twilight, for that is when the Green Mountains are their most vibrant. Everything looks better in a sunset, from the warm lighting of the flowers and trees, to the last sun of the day playing on the water, and the shadows dancing across the mountains. Twilight allows us to see all the many shades of green here in Vermont.

And of course, Spring's advent parallels the return of Vermont's favorite summer residents, the birds. Now that my feeders will hopefully be safe from the clutches of hungry post-hibernation bears, I've laid out the customary banquet: sunflower seeds, thistle seeds, and sugar water. (The morning after this column was written, I woke up to find that my feeders had been ravaged by a bear. I guess I spoke too soon...) With each progressive day, I see more and more birds flocking to my feeders and flying around my yard like so many colorful kites. We have the Goldfinches, who have happily shed their drab Winter feathers for their buttery Summer counterpart; stunning Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, who pop against the green backdrop; and Cardinals and Chickadees, who never left but whom we are glad to see nevertheless. To my delight, I saw my first hummingbird of the season investigating my newly-blooming coral bells and staring at me defiantly from my seat on the porch. Thankfully, these flying jewels faced no difficulty darting across the US border from their seasonal home in Mexico.

Yes, I know that the Mountains will get greener, and more birds will arrive, and that it is only a short time until my entire garden bursts with blooms, but this time of year is always so lovely. It lacks the newness of the first days of Spring, when little shoots fight to break through the still cold ground, and the tiredness of Summer, when everything fades and grows ragged in the scorching summer sun. It is, in a way, the perfect time of year, and also one of the most fleeting. Before we know it, Summer will be here in all her hot humid glory. But for now, we must enjoy the calm before the storm: the transition from Spring to Summer.

Some photos from my garden...

Good morning, Mister Bear

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I got out of bed with a spring in my step. I walked over to the window, and something wasn't quite right.

Oh. Oops.

So, apparently within 12 hours of writing my first column of the summer about how it was safe to put feeders out full time because the bears shouldn't be hungry anymore, I got zapped.



Fortunately, it wasn't too hard to bend it back into shape, and I've cautiously placed my feeders back up--for the daytime.

I spoke too soon, bears. Sorry about that.

Snow scene

Well, we certainly did have a White Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season to all!

May these days fill your hearts with joy and may your birdfeeder always be busy!

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