Hummingbirds at feeders; who's who?

The two main species of Hummingbirds in north Texas are fairly easy to tell apart near a nectar feeder. The Black-chinned Hummingbird pumps its tail up and down when hovering;  the Ruby-throated Hummingbird doesn’t. This is true of juveniles too, although the coloration may be different.

A well-built feeder should not drip, attracting wasps and such. In Texas’ hot weather, a feeder is more likely to drip if you fill it with cold nectar and place it outside when the air is very hot.

I recommend a nectar-mix of 4 parts water and 1 part sugar. Hummingbirds need a 4:1 mix as much for the water as for the sugar. They’ll eat a richer mixture, but won’t be getting the correct hydration and energy they need to stay healthy.

 

More Whooping Cranes     The number of endangered Whooping Cranes in Texas is at a record level. In a recent census of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas, the total number actually seen was 260.  It’s estimated that at least 4 Cranes are still migrating.  Two more are with Sandhill Cranes near Aransas. 

So the total visible flock size is 266.  It consists of an estimated 140 adults, 87 subadults, and 39 juveniles. These are the endangered cranes at Aransas, and doesn’t include, of course, ones that weren’t seen, so there are very likely more.

 

 

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. 

Big birds don’t scare littler birds away

Grackles

Large birds like crows and grackles often get blamed for driving away more desirable birds.  However, that’s rarely the case, unless they’re after the same things. For example, crows foraging in a field for insects such as grasshoppers are no threat whatsoever to seed-eating Cardinals or Goldfinches.

 

Seen a Prothonotary Warbler?    The Prothonotary Warbler (seen here, though he’s shy) has an interesting name – probably stemming from a notary or scribe in the Roman Catholic Church. It’s almost certainly derived from the Latin word “protonotarius” – a Catholic official who wears a yellow hood. (The bird has a yellowish head and chest).

Prothonotary 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.

 

Purple Martins actually need people

Purple Martins depend almost entirely on humans for housing. If you put out appropriate accommodations they may just settle in at your place.

Their criteria for nesting sites are usually near some water (or some other source of insects), and plenty of safe, clean housing. The birds also need on open area (meadow?) around the nest with a 40 ft. radius circle - no big trees.

In Texas, white is by far the best color for a house.  They’re typically aluminum, and look like little apartments with round doors.  The dimensions of the holes, and the “apartment” itself, are crucial in deterring predators. For heaven’s sake, don’t buy what’s alleged to be a Martin House without a proper pole – one that is stable and raises/lowers the house without calling for ladders or cranes. An appropriate pole is almost impossible to buy by itself.

If you’re thinking about becoming a Martin landlord, remember that there’s some maintenance involved. Houses need to be cleared of old nests at least yearly, and you’ll need to monitor it so other birds don’t take over.

Last year over a million families put up Martin houses. Here, it’s best done iun the spring. Also, several neighborhoods and communities in north Texas have become Purple Martin landlords. They depend on us!

 

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.

Killdeer often hide in plain sight

Killdeer

Many of us have seen killdeer, but didn’t realize it.  These ground-dwelling, long-legged, ring-necked birds are very good at hiding in plain sight. They tolerate quite a lot of human activity. Like, next to a roadway or in a paved parking lot – for example, we see them often in the parking lot "islands" of the Factory Stores, on the north side of Denton. What they can’t tolerate is their nestlings or eggs being picked up by a human and moved to a “safe” place.  If someone is headed toward a Killdeer nest, females may divert him or her by acting as if they’re injured.

Killdeer on nest

 


 

 Are they really “green”?      In the U.S., there are over 17,000 circulating publications (that means magazines and newspapers, but does not include junk mail or catalogs). Producing one requires, on average, the equivalent of 2,165 trees.

Of those 17,000 publications, fewer than 200 use any post-consumer recycled material. The few that do, destroy about 217 trees each; 1,948 fewer. In other words, each of those few mailers leaves 1,948 trees – to provide shade, cool the earth, rejuvenate the soil, emit oxygen and provide homes for birds.

 

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.

The bird that almost became extinct because of a rumor.

Years ago, there was a fake “bee scare”. Farmers mistakenly thought that the Eastern Kingbird raided the bee hives they kept for pollinating crops, so they nearly killed the birds off.  WRONG!  (And maybe farmers today should maintain their own bee hives. They might be more concerned about the insecticides they use.)

 

Formerly called the “bee martin”, The Kingbird is a summer bird commonly seen from the Rockies east to the Atlantic coast, including north Texas. Both Eastern and Western varieties are seen here.

 

Where is the Cardinal a “native”?     Here! It’s lived in north Texas, year ‘round, for a long, long time. However the Cardinal (“Northern Cardinal” to purists) has been introduced into several other places. It was introduced into southern California several times, starting in 1880. In 1929-31 it was introduced into the Hawaiian Islands. Also, it was brought into Bermuda “long ago”  (nobody kept records then). It also expanded its range into a few other areas. Now it is a resident, either native or introduced, in pretty much every state in the c0untry.

 

 

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.

Controlling ants safely.

The recent huge rains have brought ants out in big numbers, fire ants and many other species. Ants can bother people, but very few species do any real damage. Fire ants are just one of well over a hundred ant species - most of which do no harm at all, but benefit the environment.  Here are some general guidelines on ant control.

1. Identify, as best you can, what ant species you are dealing with. And whether their presence is temporary or permanent, harmful or not. Each species has different habits, and locating their food, water and shelter will determine your success.

2. If the ants are not entering your home, they probably are not doing damage (unless they sting, like fire ants). Watch the activities of the ants to find where they are coming and going. If you find how they are entering your home, you can physically exclude them. If ants stay outside, exclusively, they aid in transforming twigs and leaves into soil, and probably do no harm.

3. Remove or alter the conditions that enticed them in the first place. Keep counters clean of food. Try to keep sinks and surrounding areas dry. Wiping counters down with vinegar or citrus oil can work as a temporary deterrent.

4. If steps 1-3 do not slow the ants down, it is time for baits, dusts or sprays. Remember that you are only seeing a small portion of the colony at any one time. Only about 10% of a colony will forage outside the nest. Therefore baits are often the most effective approach since foraging ants bring it back to the nest. Applying any insecticide organic or chemical could cause the colony to bud or split into multiple colonies creating more problems.

5. Baits, containing boric acid, are highly attractive to ants and under most conditions provide good control. Place baits into spill proof containers out of the reach of children and pets. The stations should be placed along active ant trails. It is important to remember that boric acid contains elemental boron and at high concentrations will sterilize soil, so should not be used in gardens.

6. Ants have a habit of changing food sources from sugars to carbohydrates. It may become necessary to mix peanut butter with boric acid to keep the ants feeding on the boric acid.

7. There are ant baits with the active ingredient abamectin. These baits can provide good control and should be used for heavy infestations or when other bait is not effective. They can be applied in stations around foraging ants or broadcast around ant trails. Again, boric can be damaging to the soil.

8. If the homemade baits fail or if you’re not the “home brew” type, hiring a professional pest control company would be the next step. Be sure to find one that understands the non-toxic approach.

 

 

 

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.

Have pity!! They need to eat in the summer too

 

Downy Woodpecker




Hairy Woodpecker

Almost all woodpeckers are here in north Texas all year long – winter and summer. In a pinch they’ll eat things you put out for other birds – like sunflower seeds. However, they much prefer peanuts and suet…all year long. Look for a kind of suet that won’t melt in the Texas sun (unless it gets above about 110°). Or you can make a crunchy peanut butter sandwich for them; it fits perfectly in most suet feeders. Of course, insects in the bark of unhealthy trees is a favorite natural food.  Doing nothing during warm months is problematic, because a hungry woodpecker isn’t a pretty sight.

 

Discouraging Pigeons.    To discourage Pigeons (more accurately, “Rock Doves”), avoid feeding on the ground or on large tray feeders (a few may still be able to get onto some hopper feeders, but not many). The worst thing is to simply dump birdseed on the ground. This attracts them, along with pesky House Sparrows and rats. The very best plan is to increase the number of trees and shrubs, since Pigeons don’t fly well and prefer to be in open areas like parking lots and big lawns.

 

 

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,.