"birdscape" your back yard, instead of taking a vacation

If vacationing in the Bahamas, Cozumel or Maui isn’t in your budget right now, do something relaxing for yourself anyway. Some people I know have created their own “birdscape” in their back yards - a place where they can go (weather permitting of course) and not worry about phones, emails and such.  Simply watch birds while relaxing in something like a lounge chair.                        A “stay-cation”!

Every birdscape will be different, and size isn’t a big deal at all. Some effective ones are just half of a back yard – maybe 200 or 300 square feet. What matters more is what you put IN the birdscape.

Clearly, you'll want trustworthy, science-based advice on local birds and their preferences. (Not about birds seen by some writer in Vermont, Ohio, or California, or …)  

Not only that, but (as you may know) I’m a licensed Landscape Architect in Texas. I can provide you with a list of bird-attracting plants native to this area, that I’ve personally seen to be durable and effective. One point I’ll always make is that the time to start creating and planning a birdscape is NOW.

A back yard birdscape is certainly not a match for a vacation on some sunny beach, but the millions of people who are taking a “stay-cation” this year will readily tell you it’s a whole lot cheaper and there's no trip to the airport involved.