It’s still a disaster for humans and birds

Meadowlark

Summer Tanager

The drought in north Texas is still bad – even with all the recent rains we’re not out of the woods by a long shot. Recent rains, though certainly welcome, only reduced what’s named an “Extreme Drought” to a “Moderate Drought” or better. We still have no “cushion” of water in ground and our lakes to get us through the next severe drought (which will come).
 

According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, native plants can withstand droughts, so our birds are genetically programmed to seek them out (for food, nest material etc. So if you like birds, plant native Texas plants.Conversely, if you don't give a #&*@? about water or birds, plant whatever's on sale.

Bell's Vireo

 

Dicksissel

 

 

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3. 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

 

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TEXAS BIRDS PREFER NATURAL NEST MATERIALS

 Birds prefer familiar, native plants for nest material.  The fields and forests where they used to get it are disappearing, however.

A related problem is our tendency to “clean up” yards.  Humans tend to put most natural nest material in a plastic bag, destined for a landfill.

Recently a friend brought me some old nests (a strange but welcome gift) and I analyzed their contents. About 80% of it was small twigs and bits of leaves. Another 15% (approximately) was lichens, bits of cobwebs, or stalks of native grasses. Only a very small part was artificial things like string or yarn. (of course, this is species-specific)

 

These particular nests came from an area with lots of trees. Nests in meadows, conversely, will probably have a much higher percentage of native grasses. So, the local environment of the nest-builder is important, but unnatural materials (like old candy wrappers) play a very small part. Plus, used drier sheets are a no-no for nests due to the chemicals remaining in them.

When available, birds seem to like fur/hair (whether from a coyote or your pet lab – it doesn’t matter). Nor do they seem to care much about the origin of the cavity, box or platform they build their nests on. Swallows may seek out an exterior beam of your house, and a few “cavity-dwelling” birds actually prefer artificial boxes.

The nests themselves, however, are largely natural materials – probably because wild birds genetically recognize them.  The typical mowed lawn is a very unattractive and sterile habitat for most birds, and offers little if any nesting material. A lawn isn’t found naturally anywhere on earth.

     

Some favorite native grasses for nests are bluestem, muhly, threeawn and gramma (left standing through the winter). These are not lawn grasses ! Also, birds often use thin strips of bark from many types of trees native to the north Texas area.  Thin bark stripped from young trees (like eve’s necklace, Mexican plum, redbud, red cedar, roughleaf dogwood or cedar elm) are sought by birds. Also, small chips of bark (oaks are a favorite) are used to cushion the bottom of nests.

Dangerous flight!    During a long migration flight small birds can actually die from exhausted fat and protein reserves. Larger birds often succumb to dehydration, due to heat generation from all that activity, which leads to evaporation of the body’s essential water.

 

 

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.

 

 

Aggressive Hummingbirds may be calmed by multiple feeders

 

 

Hummingbirds are one of the most aggressive, selfish birds we have in north Texas. They’re bullies. Thank heavens they’re so small or they might try to take over the world…or at least every tree and birdfeeder in it.  Juvenile Hummingbirds, especially, seem to frequent feeders where they don’t get chased away.

If you have one nectar feeder, you know what we mean! But if there are two or more feeders in the yard, a “bully” usually has a tough time claiming them all. Particularly if the line-of-sight between the feeders is blocked by something like a shrub or corner of the house. The nectar at one feeder can’t be a lot better than the other, since no Hummingbird likes settling for second-rate food. Both feeders have to be filled with fresh nectar and cleaned regularly.  In our heat, mold can grow easily and quickly. I refill our feeders about every 3 to 6 days (depending on the weather), running the parts under very hot water at the same time. Then, every two or three weeks, I’ll clean them with a solution of one part vinegar to 10 parts water.

      Notice that I never said anything about adding food coloring. That’s a total myth. Red food dye can cause, according to several research studies, genetic defects in Hummingbirds. Most nectar feeders are bright-colored anyway, so it’s totally unnecessary and just not worth the risk.

 

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.

 

These bird invaders are crowding out our natural birds.

 

Eurasian Collared Dove

 

Several non-native bird species have moved into North America, most recently the Eurasian Collared Dove. This bird, originally native to the Indian sub-continent spread following an accidental release in the Bahamas in the mid-70s. These non-native species (due mainly to the lack of natural enemies) will out-compete our native bird species. Recent invaders likely to be seen in north Texas are the Monk Parakeet and the Nutmeg Mannikin. Actually, the House Sparrow (really a Weaver Finch), the Starling, the Rock Dove and the eastern population of the House Finch are “invaders” too – having been brought here against their will in the past.

 

 

Not hard to figure out what kind of bird it is.  

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Several times I’ve been asked to I.D. a bird. The query goes something like ”the average-size bird is black, but it has a yellow head”. I instantly know it’s a Yellow-headed Blackbird. They’re traveling through here now, having spent the winter in Mexico or the deep, deep south of Texas. Some will stay here all summer, but the majority will continue north. The male only is black and yellow – the female is all brown. YHBBs prefer wetlands and open, freshly-cultivated fields. That’s where their main food source is (insects). They eat seed sometimes, if insects aren’t handy. They feed and travel in mixed flocks, mainly with the slightly smaller Red-winged Blackbirds. An interesting phenomena is that YHBBs and other migratory birds are arriving about 5 days earlier than historical data indicate.  What that means is to look sooner for the many warblers and such that will be moving through 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 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

 

 

 

Now you can spot plants that have died silently during the winter

 

Tufted Titmouse

 

Plants that die during the fall and winter, you probably won’t spot this spring. When the weather warms up, they simply won’t put out leaves. No amount of water will bring them back to life. This loss is usually caused by a lack of water in the winter rather than by winter’s temperatures. Plants may be native to this area, or very adaptable, but no plant can live without water. If properly watered, however, our cold-hardy plants make it through the coldest north Texas weather.

During the winter, the portion of all plants above-ground may turn brown and look lifeless. But the roots are still very much alive.  In fact, in Texas (thanks to our mild climate) the roots often grow vigorously all winter.

You’re probably thinking; what exactly is ”properly-watered”? A rough guideline follows, but there’s really no standard answer. It depends on a bunch of variables like the age of the plant, the planting’s location, the type of soil and rainfall we get. Often, the natural rainfall keeps plants alive, but there’s no guarantee. You’re best off, as during the summer, with native plants that thrive in our soil and require minimal water.

Plants need a steady, even level of moisture to keep up the physiological changes that make them able to handle the cold. I’m not saying anything remotely close to “the more water the better”. The rule of thumb is to water plants thoroughly once every 2 to 3 weeks through the fall and winter months. If there’s a good rain, count it as a “watering”.  Often, no artificial watering is what a plant needs.   When you have to water by sprinkler, make it brief to prevent wasteful run-off. About mid-February, resume your regular watering schedule.

Plants are busy producing high concentrations of dissolved sugars, amino acids and other soluble organic molecules to stay resilient. Water is essential for these processes to occur. This may seem like an unnecessarily detailed explanation, so all we really need to know is that regular watering in winter is one way to assure that roots won't dry out and can weather the cold.

For those of us who have planted young plants or bulbs this past fall, it is essential that we keep them well watered when the winter weather is dry. Prolonged dryness from fall through late winter will result in slow growth and a poor showing of flowers in the spring. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch helps immensely, acting sort of like insulation. (I simply use brown, shredded leaves which are, of course, free). All living things need water year-‘round. If we didn't get regular rains in the winter, you may be seeing the results now.

 

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.

Was that bird raised in a cage? Really?

 

In many countries, including this one, it’s illegal to capture and sell wild birds. Unfortunately, poor countries (often where birds live) don’t have the means to enforce this.  So birds, like parrots and buntings, are smuggled illegally. Roughly 80% of smuggled birds die in transit. About 1,000 bird species are now in danger of extinction due to illegal capturing and smuggling.

 

 

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.

Should we eradicate millions more bees? Or should we let them pollinate?

no bees, no plants, no food

When you put plants into your landscape, you want to feel the sun warm your skin, smell the fresh earth as you dig, and listen to the birds making their sounds of spring.

Yet more and more gardeners -- as well as farmers, birdwatchers, beekeepers, food-lovers and others -- know something is missing: Nature's natural pollinators are dying off in massive numbers.  What happens if bees disappear? It's simple: No bees, no food.  We rely on bees to pollinate everything from alfalfa to strawberries, from almonds to the hay used to feed dairy cows. Plus plants (directly or indirectly) provide food for millions and millions of birds. Plants provide protective cover and nesting sites too.  Yet the EPA is seriously considering approval of additional bee-killing pesticides that are 6,000 times more toxic than DDT. How bad are they?

 

Just one example: After a nearby farm planted corn seeds coated with these pesticides in 2013, a farmer named Dave Schuit lost 37 million of his bees. "Once the corn started to get planted our bees died by the millions," said Schuit.

This shouldn't happen to our food supply. Tell the EPA to back off.

 

 

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.