You won't find a Hummingbird anywhere but on this side of the planet.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Sunbird (from Africa)

Hummingbirds are found only in this hemisphere (North & South America). In Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia their ecological niche is filled with a relatively small group of birds called Sunbirds, who also eat nectar. These larger, comparatively clumsy, Sunbirds (who may be colorful) cannot hover, fly backwards or maneuver well, like our Hummingbirds.   

 

Spring migration is underway, but…

       Roughly 50-million birds die each year due to lighted communication towers (radio, cell phone etc.), according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Dept.  Scientists have proven that migrating birds get disoriented by towers that use steady-burning lights. Birds will circle them endlessly until they collide with something or drop from exhaustion.  But the FCC hasn’t acted yet.
The American Bird Conservancy reports that, in one case, 10,000 dead birds were found beneath one lighted tower after just one night during migration!

 

 

 

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.

 

Safe, natural weed killers you can use if safety is a concern at your house

There are several natural weed killers around that won't kill or injure wildlife, pets, birds or children. If you have any of these around, you may want to be safety-conscious and use one of these alternatives to Roundup. Nobody makes a ton of money by selling this stuff, which is why you don't see them advertised. But they work safely, and that's what matters.

1.  Vinegar – A favorite choice for natural herbicide use is 10% white vinegar made from grain alcohol. It should be used full strength.  Nature's Guide now has a  20% vinegar registered and sold as an organic weed killer: works well!  Vinegar Herbicide Formula:
      1 gallon of 10% (100 grain) vinegar
      Add 1 ounce orange oil or d-limonene
      Add 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
      1 teaspoon liquid soap or other surfactant

      Do not add water!

Shake the mixture well before each spraying and spot spray weeds. Keep the spray off desirable plants. This spray will injure any plants it touches. This natural spray works best on warm to hot days.

Vinegar sprayed on the bases of trees and other woody plants will not hurt the woody plants at all.  Use only natural vinegars and avoid all vinegars made from glacial acetic acid.

2.  Molasses - Dry or liquid molasses can be used to safely kill hard-to-control weeds. The dry product is used at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. as a fertilizer and fire ant repellent. Doubling that rate causes a herbicidal effect on certain weeds.

3. Corn Gluten Meal - It is a natural weed and feed fertilizer. It should be broadcast to prevent grassburs, crabgrass, and other annual weeds that germinate from seed. The key is to broadcast the material before the weed seeds germinate.  “CGM” on the bare soil around the young plants feeds them, to help develop big healthy plants while keeping the competing weeds at bay. CGM can also be used in seed planting but only after the seeds have grown into small seedlings.

4. Crabgrass Killer - Crabgrass Killer is a natural weed killer used to kill crabgrass, chickweed, and other similar weeds. Cinnamon bark is the active ingredient in the Agralawn product. It’s especially effective on clovers of all kinds. Apply it dry to moistened foliage, to kill quickly without hurting most grasses in a typical lawn.

5. Fatty Acid & Plant Oil Products -  There are several of these fancy, strong soaps and plant oil products on the market including Monterrey, EcoSmart, Herbicidal soap, Scythe, and Racer. They are non-selective herbicides that usually have to be sprayed more than once.

6. Hand Tools and Mowers - Hand weeding is always recommended and it doesn't take much time if done a little at a time, regularly. Many lawn weeds, especially the purple Henbit coming up now, are easily controlled or eradicated with a once-over with your lawn mower! In fact, most weeds, if you keep cutting them down with a lawn mower, will just die.

 

 

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.

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.