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.