Cattle Egrets' long, arduous trip to north Texas

Cattle Egret

The familiar, white Cattle Egret originally comes from the "old world", primarily what's known as west Africa. Back in the 19th century, there was a lot of ship traffic across the Atlantic, and there have always been strong winds. Somehow, some Cattle Egrets reached northeastern South America in the late 1800s - present day northern Brazil. (exactly HOW they crossed the ocean will always be a mystery)

They like to hang around grazing animals, and Brazil had plenty. Very gradually, the Egrets expanded their range northward, always associating with large grazing animals.

The first documented Cattle Egret in North America (north of the Panama-Columbia border) was in 1952. By 1959 they had reached the southern part of Texas. About five years later they were here in north Texas.

 

 

             Lots of people are putting out nest-building material for birds. Dog fur (actually, any kind of fur) is a favorite. Wild birds like strands of yarn and thread too. However, make certain that strands are no longer than 3 inches (longer ones can tangle up their wings or feet). Dryer lint looks like it would be good, but NO.  It often contains harmful additives from detergent, fabric softener or bleach.      

Places in north Texas to see birds

Birding can be done almost anyplace. Here's a partial list, so there are many places besides those mentioned. (my apologies if it's heavy on Denton sites - that's where I live). But I'm sure there are also good birding sites in Mineola, St. Joe, Wichita Falls etc.

There’s Denton's Northlakes Park, Southlakes Park, Lewisville Independent School District Outdoor Learning Area (LISDOLA), the Elm Fork/Trinity River Greenbelt corridor (Carrollton), LBJ Nat’l Grasslands (Decatur), Hagerman Wildlife Refuge. I’ve seen them in parking lots, near playgrounds, in drainage ditches, on cell towers, under bridges and in my own yard.  Good birdwatching!  
 

Your Yard.
Just about any yard in north Texas can host some interesting birds, at any time of year. Especially if you offer the basic things birds look for: fresh food, clean water, safe shelter and protected nesting sites. In other words, provide a good home for birds and you won’t have to leave home to see them.

 

The Nearest Vacant Lot.

A vacant, or “undeveloped”, lot is almost always a bird sanctuary. Plants have been left to grow, flower, go to seed and die naturally. It’s likely that nobody soaks it with pesticides. It can be a small meadow, forest, wetland, grassland, or a combination of the above. Often it’s an area that floods occasionally – a plus for birds.

 

Isle du Bois.

Part of Ray Roberts State Park (off Hwy. 455, on the south side); Actually, the entire park is full of all sorts of birds in their natural habitats, but Isle du Bois is my personal favorite due to the amount of grassland birds, and that it can be travelled by car. 

 

Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center.

This large, totally-natural area just northeast of Denton has all sorts of birds and other wildlife that you wouldn’t think would hang around here. It has several primitive trails that take you through wetlands, uplands, and several other environments. 

 

Cross Timbers Park.

Any park is good, but this is my favorite. Cross Timbers (in southern Denton) has lots of natural vegetative cover and flowing water that birds crave. Birds have plenty of protective cover with the native vegetation (in the natural areas), lots of water to bathe in and drink, and lots of natural food. They love it!

 

LLELA.

The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area has a variety of ecological types, thus a wide variety of birds. It has expertly-led birdwalks on many occasions.  Call 972/219-7980 for information.

 

Elm Fork Nature Preserve.

The main trail is about 1-mile long, through virtually undisturbed woodlands, in west Carrollton. There’s an excellent birdwatching area near a natural pond, which is part of the old channel of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, which long ago changed its course. This is what this area used to be like!

 

Shorelines of Lakes Lewisville & Ray Roberts.

Excellent wetland and shorebird watching near the parks and undeveloped areas. Also, since almost all birds like to be near water, varying environments and their natural bird species and can be found nearby.

 

Country Roads.

Almost any rural road is a good place to drive slowly and see birds from your car. In the summertime you’ll probably see Meadowlarks foraging in the fields,  Scissortail Flycatchers on fences, and Barn Swallows nesting under old bridges, and Red-tailed Hawks perched on dead trees. Northern and western parts of the county seem to have slightly more varied environments.

 

Wherever you least expect it.

There’s LBJ Nat’l Grasslands, Hagerman Nat’l Wildlife Refuge, Ray Roberts Lake, Heard Museum, LISDOLA, stream corridors, un-named parks, and that vacant piece of land down the street. Almost everyplace has interesting birds. I’ve seen them in parking lots, on golf courses, by drainage ditches, at construction sites, on cell towers, under bridges and in my own yard.    

 

 

 

Did you see the results of our latest superflight?

A “superflight” occurs late in some winters. The most recent superflight just finished – the end of winter brought an unusual number of Red-breasted Nuthatches and Pine Siskins into this area. If memory serves me, the superflight prior to that (in north Texas) was 2007, when Red-

Red-breasted Nuthatch

breasted Nuthatches were all over the place.

 

In the short term, it has to do with the natural food (not from feeders).  If it’s particularly plentiful one year, a superflight could happen. Of course, it affects summer birds too, what with all the leftover natural seed and the resultant abundance of vegetation.

In the long term, this is one way birds expand their natural territory. That is, if birds see that the environment (weather, vegetation, natural food etc.) is good, they might stick around, or visit regularly.

 

Dining on eggshells       As nesting season kicks into gear, we save eggshells (from breakfast or whatever) for the birds. Birds know that creating an egg (or several) inside a 2-ounce bird-body really saps the calcium from the female bird. Somehow, birds know they need to replace this calcium. So they eat eggshells enthusiastically! We break the shells into pieces no bigger than a fingernail; then heat them to kill any bacteria – 10 minutes at 350 should do it. Then we just set them outside on an old plate.

 

Sensible alternative to trying to grow grass under trees

 As a Landscape Architect, one of the most common concerns I encounter is that lawns do not grow well under trees.  So I’m often asked how to make lawns grow there. 

Invariably, my response is “don’t even try!” Making north Texas lawns grow well within the root zones of trees usually means putting a whole lot of stress on trees, which often results in the tree's premature death (a tree under stress attracts more bugs, too, which can affect other plants as well). Lawns and trees are simply not compatible.

A tree’s roots are spread throughout the soil directly underneath its canopy. Contrary to what we all learned in school, most of these roots are in the top 6-inches of the soil, where the most nutrients are found. So, if a lawn is encouraged to grow in the same area where a tree’s roots are, there’ll be constant struggle between lawn and tree. This may make lawn care people happy (and wealthy) but avoid getting caught in the struggle. There are several reasons why trees and lawns don’t coexist.  

REASON #1

A typical lawn requires a lot of water. A typical tree doesn’t. So if you water the lawn whenever it needs it, the tree’s roots will suffer – and may rot. Also, since it’s shady under a tree, the water will stay there too long - it won’t evaporate as quickly as it does in the sun.

REASON #2
Typical lawns require a lot of fertilizer. Since a high level of fertilization isn’t needed by most trees, they could “overdose” on chemical fertilizer.  Some kinds will even kill them over the years. Even more damaging is the use of “weed and feed” fertilizer, or other chemical fertilizers with a high salt content, which can easily weaken or kill a tree.

REASON #3

Since almost all lawns require sun, and a tree creates shade, a homeowner’s impulse is to remove some of the tree’s leafy branches. But a tree needs every leaf it creates, to grow. If too many branches are removed, the tree’s ability to photosynthesize is lessened, and it suffers.

REASON #4

Disturbing a tree’s roots (even slightly) by tilling, adding soil or adding sod stresses the tree by interfering with its ability to obtain nutrients from the soil through its roots. This is why planting lots of cute little flowers beneath trees is a terrible idea.

         

Over the years, I’ve found that by far the most successful solution is to plant a ground cover under the drip zone of the tree. Forget about a lawn right there!  The goal is to grow a ground cover in as much of the tree's root zone as possible. Of course, if the tree is a newly-planted “stick”, plan the ground cover bed for the tree’s size in about 10 years.  

 Adding a layer of soil on top of the tree’s roots (putting very heavy stress on the tree), will very likely kill the tree over a period of several years. Instead, carefully plant the ground cover under trees - it's lawn. It's far better for the trees' health.

Some of the most reliable “under-tree” ground covers for north Texas are pigeonberry, vinca major, Virginia creeper, cedar sedge, inland sea oats, liriope, wood fern and horseherb. Among these I often randomly plant some shade-loving flowers (Turk’s cap, columbine, spiderwort etc.) for some seasonal color. Several do a wonderful job of attracting birds and butterflies too.

 

Match the tree’s preferences for water, fertilizer etc. to whatever you plant beneath it, and you’ll have a healthy, extremely low-maintenance area that’ll be a lot more attractive than half-dead grass, exposed tree roots or bare dirt.

 

Why red food coloring is bad for Hummingbirds

 

Black-chinned Hummingbird

According to Wildbird magazine, if nectar is dyed red, a typical Hummingbird (weighing just a few grams) takes in 10 times the amount of dye necessary to cause DNA damage.

High doses of Red #40 (the most popular coloring agent) will also result in “significantly reduced reproductive success, parental and offspring weight” according to researchers. Plain nectar is what they need.  Nothing more.  Another research study proved that red food coloring is, more often than not, harmful to Hummingbirds - damaging the birds' DNA.

 

     No study has ever shown that red coloring in nectar attracts them. Adding color to nectar is just an “urban legend”; it’s never been proven to be necessary or helpful.  Nowadays, almost all feeders are colorful enough all by themselves.  In truth, it’s not just red that attracts them.  It’s any bright color except green; (an adaptation that lets them spot nectar-producing flowers in a leafy jungle).

 

Here in north Texas, microscopic bits of mold (found in most food coloring) can multiply rapidly in heat, ruining an entire batch of nectar and making the birds go elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

          So please keep the nectar fresh and clear, and the Hummingbirds healthy!

 

We're fortunate, in north Texas. The Central Flyway passes overhead. This 

Black-headed Grosbeak &
Lazuli Bunting

migration route briefly brings us all sorts of birds that are bound for Canada, upper Midwest, Mississippi valley and so on. In the fall, it brings us birds from those regions, bound for Central and South America.

Each spring and fall we have a good opportunity to see birds native to somewhere else, like these two in the photo. They stop in mid-flight to rest and "gas up" for the next leg of migration. That's IF they spot a safe, vegetated place, and it has the food (seed and insects) they eat, and water to drink and freshen up.

It doesn't matter much how large or small the habitat is - some of the most popular and "bird-friendly" spaces are on lots an eighth of an acre or less.  After all, birds have the entire sky to cavort in, in addition to the ground-level habitat.
 

The importance of creating small habitats for north Texas' wild birds



House Finch

Scarlet Tanager

Tiny, private spaces can easily be transformed into “bird magnets”.  It’s necessary since birds don’t really care if you own ten acres or ten square feet. To them, ownership of land is meaningless. Birds might choose to forage in a utility easement, cavort in a park a mile away, get a sip of water from a puddle in a parking lot, nest in your neighbor's yard and eat from a feeder on your balcony. A lot of their routine is up to you.

As people are living closer together, more and more products are being made or adapted for use in small spaces like balconies, patios and “postage stamp” courtyards. This is vital since bird habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate.

Wood Thrush

If you have only a tiny patch of ground, consider a pole-mounted system. This lets you put several types of feeders on just one pole. The pole can be simply be stuck in as little as one square foot of ground.  And don't forget a birdbath! Also, at this time of year, one feeder could certainly feed nectar to the amazing little Hummingbirds. (Then, next fall, you can easily exchange it for a feeder for our “winter-only” Goldfinches.)

Many feeders can be mounted on windows, using heavy-duty suction cups. There is almost no danger of birds flying into a window with this type of feeder.   Reason: the bird is in a slow ”landing pattern” when he’s within two feet of a feeder, so he’s alert to the surroundings. The real danger zone is if a feeder is about 2 to 6 feet from a window. At this distance a bird, circling the feeder (and concentrating on its location) isn’t paying attention to a nearby window. To be extra-cautious, stick some sort of ribbon or decal on the glass.

Seed residue can be a problem. To avoid this entirely, use a variety of seed that has had the outside hull removed. Since the birds don’t have to remove the hull from the seed, there’s no hull to fall to the ground. Or to fall on your balcony. The goal, however, is to entice the birds to eat every last seed.

Of course, if a seed is fresh (even if the hull is left on), any that falls to the ground will likely be eaten by ground-feeding birds – like Cardinals. Thrashers and Doves. So, even if the price is a bit more, get the seed that’s freshest from the mill. More of it gets eaten and less of it winds up beneath the feeder. If you can clean up the hulls beneath a feeder, go ahead and buy the less-expensive seed with hulls.

Seed that’s blended especially for our Texas birds is best for small spaces too – more of it gets eaten. Some “cheap” seed blends are loaded with filler that Texas birds don’t eat; like milo and corn. You pay for it, but it just ends up on the ground.

Violet-crowned hummer

 Of course, nectar feeders (for Hummingbirds) and nut feeders (for almost all birds) make hardly any mess, and are great for small spaces.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 Feeding the birds isn’t complete without bird habitat – even if it's just a tiny bit! Several pots of flowers, even a few planted with shrubs, give birds personal places. They need some of these to wait for their turn at the feeder, crack open a seed or just sit and relax. A small space that’s nothing but a grille and lawn chairs isn’t appealing to birds. A tiny patch of vegetative habitat is!

 

What it means when Cardinals are bright red

Cardinal  (male)

 

     A recent study found that, in rural areas, the bright red of Cardinals was a good indication of their health, including the abilities to resist disease and raise healthy young Cardinals. In urban areas, however, that wasn’t true.

         In urban areas (cities and towns) color didn’t indicate Cardinals’ general health or future reproductive success. In urban areas there are many plants that are “exotic” – derived from other countries or regions. Birds that eat these may get a lot of pigment, but are not necessarily in good health overall, because most exotic plants don’t contain much protein or fat. A good example is species of honeysuckle: the exotic Japanese (or Halls) Honeysuckle doesn’t do much for the health of local birds;  but the native Evergreen Honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirons) is avian “health food”.

     Urban Cardinals also have access to birdseed which is very nutrient-rich, but low in carotenoids (which produce pigments).

      Of course, other species, in addition to Cardinals, benefit from good food.  My advice, if you live in an urban area, is to continue to offer fresh birdseed and plant masses of native plants that are mostly red or yellow, such as Lantana, Turks Cap, Salvia Greggii and Cardinal Flower.

 

 

 

 

 

HOW DO YOU DO, MR. CROW       Just like people, American Crows can recognize specific human faces. Even years after the encounter.  Also, they can associate the humans with positive or negative feelings – such as “feeds good stuff” or “scares me”.

        Crow’s intelligence has long been known, but their brains aren’t unusually large. It’s just that they use their brain well. (Humans only use about 10-15% of the brain)

Pyrrhuloxia & Cardinal