Here come the Hummingbirds. Are you ready?

Ruby-throated Hummingbird



Costas' Hummingbird

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are about to arrive in north Texas (a few are already here). An excellent check on their daily northward progress is at the migration maps at  www.hummingbirds.net . So put out nectar feeders now, to attract the early arrivers.

A few people have told me that they'll put out nectar feeders whenever they see their first Hummingbird, which is thinking that's illogically backwards. Now is when Hummingbirds establish their nesting locations and movements for the entire summer: where they will look for food, where they can safely build their tiny nests and so on.

 

 

A hawk’s buffet      Hawks, falcons, kites (“raptors”) love it when you put birdfeeders out in the open - like in the middle of a lawn.  A "targeted bird" has no way to get away. All but the bravest, or dumbest songbirds, on the other hand, try out-in-the-open feeders. Every feeder absolutely needs a nearby escape route. Shrubs, tall native grasses, even a discarded christmas tree should be no more than 4 to 6 feet from a feeder, so songbirds don’t wind up as a predator's lunch.

 

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

How many feathers does a bird have?

 

Scarlet Tanager

A typical bird has between 2000 and 4000 feathers. The feathers all start out as living tissue, complete with a blood supply. After they’re formed, however, the blood shuts off and the feathers remain, sort of like our hair or fingernails – basically dead structures.

Birds' feathers are key to two very crucial features of birds; warm-bloodedness and flight.

To a scientist, a bird’s feathers have all sorts of names such as “flight feathers”, “primary feathers” and things called “filoplumes”. Basically, however, all feathers fit into just two categories: “down feathers” and “contour feathers”.

Loosely arranged down feathers trap large amounts of air, which insulate the bird’s body well. This enables keeps the bird’s body warm and allows warm-bloodedness. Contour feathers help promote flight by smoothing the bird’s body, and making it aerodynamic, allowing flight. These are mainly on the outside of a bird.

That’s all good to know. But all most of us really care about is that birds’ feathers make them pretty and colorful. (There’s a science-based reason for that too!)



Magnolia Warbler

 

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

 

Hummingbirds don't target the color RED exclusively.

    They like red things, but not exclusively!  And they're flying here soon -traditionally right after Spring Break. The hummingbird products (feeders etc.) seem to rely on the color red. Hummingbirds are attracted by red, certainly, but no more or less than any other bright color. Yellow, white, neon blue - any color but green. They’ve evolved this way so they can differentiate the brightly-colored flowers (where their food is) from the sea of green leaves.

   Actually, red food coloring has been proven to damage the birds’ DNA. These days also, manufacturers have gotten smart enough to make things like feeders with bright colors, eliminating the need for coloring the nectar – and making it stay safe; no risk of DNA damage. The color has faded on some of my older feeders so I’ve just tied a few feet of bright ribbon to it – works fine!

 

 Whether you see them or not, it's very likely there are owls within your sight, as long as there are trees in sight. They are masters of camouflage, and they sleep motionless for most of the day. So camouflage is a necessity.

A friend sent me the link below, where you see several well-camouflaged owls (maybe you won't see them). Try it!

http://twentytwowords.com/15-camouflaged-owls-beautiful-birds-blending-in/

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

 

At this rate, how soon will Dickcissel's become extinct?

Dickcissels are handsome yellowish songbirds seen in north Texas in warm months. They should be here in just a few weeks. A few years ago, they inundated open fields and meadows throughout north Texas. But their numbers have drastically declined lately.  Now we know the biggest reason why. They’re considered agricultural pests in South America (they really aren't), where they winter.  So these harmless birds are often poisoned or sprayed with pesticides.

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Wolves alter rivers, and do a whole lot more than we used to believe

Wolves are a very necessary and vital link in a natural ecosystem.

The common belief most of us have is that wild wolves' best and only attribute is killing things. And to a minor extent that is true.  They are, however, good for so much more, including creating bird habitat. It's  shown in this YouTube video shot at Yellowstone Park by Sustainable Man;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50BhXz-Q
... OR (if the video is temporarily unavailable)
search in YouTube using 'wolves Yellowstone sustainable'

 

they’re built to peck wood       Woodpeckers have thick sculls, outside of which is another shell. In between is a light shock-absorbing sponge-like layer of tiny hollow chambers between the outer shell and the skull. So, NO, they don’t get headaches when they peck.

They do NOT damage trees, although it may look like they do. The trees they peck on are already sick and dieing, attracting the bugs that Woodpeckers are after. Woodpeckers are “cavity nesters”, often living in houses or the holes they peck in unhealthy or dead trees, so they have no need for camouflage.

 

 

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation

and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

 

 

Selecting a birdbath that birds will actually like and use

When is a birdbath not really a birdbath?

Often what’s called a birdbath is really just a “garden ornament” that birds rarely use, and becomes a maintenance headache. In reality, anybody who can pour concrete can make what's loosely called a "birdbath". Birds, however, may not give it more than glance before going elsewhere. Address these four things when shopping for a true birdbath.

·       Depth. Most birds are afraid of deep water (they’re terrible swimmers). The water’s depth should be no more than 2 to 2½ inches unless you're trying to attract ducks.

·       Material. It shouldn’t be so light that it blows over.  Some metals or resins are good. Concrete is best, but make very sure that it’s a “dense” concrete that doesn’t harbor algae or soak up water The water freezes and expands in winter to cause cracking, and in warm weather cheap concrete provides a place for algae to grow.

·       Ease of cleaning. Birds like clean water. Algae (which grows in many birdbaths) can be eliminated in a good birdbath with regular scrubbing. Aeration from a bubbler or dripper helps too. Bleach is only called for if the algae gets a foothold.

·       Location. Place it within 3 to 5 feet of a dense shrub - an “escape route” for birds if a predator (cat?) appears. Too close and the predator can sneak up on a bird. A half-day of direct sun is good - afternoon shade is desired in north Texas.

 

 

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

 

Goodbye Goldfinches; parting is such sweet sorrow

 

American Goldfinch

Soon, the hordes of Goldfinches that have been sucking feeders dry will migrate north.  We’ll miss ‘em until next November.  Their favorite Nyjer thistle seed won’t keep over the summer, however. So as not to get stuck, next fall,  with a bunch of seed that's no other birds' favorite, when the last Goldfinch leaves, I suggest you keep feeding whatever Nyjer you have left...don't store it - it won't be any good in the fall.  But switch your Nyjer feeders with regular tube feeders. Mix the leftover Nyjer with Sunflower hearts or Black-oil Sunflower, which most birds prefer.  Then, when Goldfinches migrate north, other birds (Cardinals, Chickadees, Titmice, House Finches etc.) will move right in to the same feeder.

 Many of you have noticed that most of the little native sparrows and Juncos have already gone north until the fall.  But Hummingbirds will soon fill any void. (By late March, they’ll probably be here.)

 

Pick an oak, any oak          Oak trees play host to 534 species of butterflies and moths. Which is of special interest to those of us in north Texas.  Why? - we live in a region called the “Post Oak Savannah”, where oaks thrive in the environment and like to live naturally. Some of the native 0aks we can plant to attract butterflies and moths are chinkapin oak, post oak, shumard oak, bur oak, blackjack oak, sawtooth oak, overcup oak and live oak.

 

  

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.