Saturday, October 4, 2014

"Robin Redbreast" is NOT about the Robin in Texas

The bird that inspired many tales, including the children’s story “Robin Redbreast “ is not the same kind of robin that we see here, although both have a red/orange breast. The stories are about the European Robin (pictured above) a bird native to the British isles and the inspiration for the 15th century poem. The red-breasted bird we see below and in Texas is officially named the American Robin and is a totally different species. It lives in north Texas year ‘round, but is most active (and more likely to be seen) in the spring.

Tasty bugs!

In Texas, all but one species of wild bird (even those that eat seed like Cardinals) feed their newborns nothing but insects. They’re easier to digest! When they leave the nest, young birds learn to find and eat seed – maybe at your birdfeeder with the help of parents. The exception is Finches, whose nestlings can eat seeds.

Insects are, hpefully, abundant in the spring, unless you rake up all leaves on the ground (where they overwinter), or use a lot of chemicals. About 96% of insects are harmless anyway -many are even beneficial

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.

American Robin

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Maybe not in Pennsylvania or Illinois, but NOW is by far the best planting time in north Texas

In north Texas, the very best time to plant is NOW. Not in the spring like up north. If you’re new to Texas, this may come as a surprise. But if you’ve been planting things here for several years (like me) you’ve learned to follow Mother Nature’s example. So, if you want to attract birds next spring, plant hardy birdscape plants now.

All of the most hardy and effective plants are Texas natives. I’ve had the most success with the woody, perennial kind, including shrubs and trees. Of course, you won’t actually see growth until next year, but the roots will be growing like crazy all winter. Choose the right plants and I’m positive that birds will hang out in your yard.

It has to do with the fact that plant roots can’t grow through frozen soil. Here, the ground may freeze a quarter inch deep (if at all). Even then the ground is thawed by mid-afternoon. All woody trees and shrubs do best if planted now. Also all ground covers and most flowers – all but the very tender species that could be killed by a long, hard frost (if we have one) Up north the ground may freeze solid many inches deep, possibly all winter long. And “up north” is where gardening advice columns were written, originally.

Sumac & friend

My favorites, to plant now, include mistflower, Mexican plum, beautyberry, sumac, lantana, flame acanthus, Maximillian sunflower and several prairie grasses. Don’t forget the mulch!

What’s vertical migration? Unlike regular bird migration which involves flying south for hundreds of miles, vertical migrants may just fly down a slope. They may make the short journey from a mountain down to the valley floor. Thus they spend the winter in better weather conditions, and with more available food, that isn't covered up by ice and snow.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Chickadees remember where they (or you) put that seed

In a study of Black-capped Chickadees, the portion of the brain used to process spacial information (the hippocampus) varies in size during a typical year. It enlarges in the fall and winter, when seeds are harder to locate, coinciding with seed-hoarding and -finding activity. It shrinks in the spring, when feats of memory are no longer crucial.

Careful of those hot-air balloon injuries! During the past 50 years, only 48 U.S. residents contracted rabies from bats (not "died from"); that's less than one per year. That’s less than the number of hot-air balloon injuries in the whole country! (for comparison: in 2001 alone, 15,989 people contracted TB). Nationally, less than half of one percent of bats even have rabies. Bats aren’t rabies vectors anyway.

Just to be super-safe, however, never pick up a bat from the ground with your bare hands.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Cooler weather's coming here fast. Get ready now!

if you have no trees...

Fall is here, and cool weather is right around the corner - falling leaves and all! A tree without leaves can look gloomy, but a simple, old method can liven things up by attracting bunches of birds to it. There’s even a simple way to attract tree-loving birds, when you have no trees.

Just mix up what I call “tree goop”; peanut butter and seeds - like the old scouting trick. I use cheap peanut butter (smooth or crunchy – doesn’t matter). Into it I blend (with a sturdy utensil) a bunch of fresh birdseed containing black-oil sunflower seeds. There’s no magic ratio, but the more seed there is, the more it appeals to birds.

Now, visit your bare trees and liberally spread some of the mixture on it (at least a square foot). (in north Texas, most leafless trees are Post Oak, Blackjack Oak, Green Ash and Cedar Elm). With the addition of the “tree goop”, however, the birds will bring some color. You could spend a lot more money buying some costly, pre-packaged mixtures. But the results are the same.

If you don’t have a tree (which means few, if any, squirrels), try a log section (pictured). All it is is a log about a foot long and 2” to 4” in diameter. Simply screw an eye-hook into the top, spread some “tree goop” and hang it outside. Any “clinging” birds in your area should find it.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Why is that Woodpecker making so much noise?

Woodpeckers sometimes hammer on metal siding or flashing, resulting in an annoyingly loud noise. It’s almost always a male, and he’s not looking for insects; he’s discovered that his pecking can be heard from much farther away.

It looks like the same hammering behavior that's typical of all Woodpeckers. But it’s a signal telling females that he’s on the prowl, and for other males to stay way. If it doesn’t work (and it rarely does), he’ll eventually go try something else.

it’s magic! Colonial New Englanders believed that the Chipping Sparrow and the Dark-eyed Junco were the same bird! The Chipping Sparrow (which is there in summer) simply changed its plumage for the winter, to a Junco’s gray. Understandable for the 18th century I suppose - they’re roughly the same size and have a similar song; and DNA hadn’t been figured out yet.

Chipping Sparrow

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

start planting NOW, but not invasive, non-native plants

Starting in about a week or two will be the very best planting time for north Texas' climate. If you've been waiting 'til the spring; that habit is just a holdover from gardening practices "up north". Just make sure you're not planting an invasive species, that you'll regret later.

An “invasive” plant is one that sounds great at first. But it’s so vigorous that it rapidly becomes a pest. A nuisance. A pain in the landscape. To put it politely, you can’t restrict or contain the growth of an invasive plant with anything short of a thick concrete barrier or a nuclear explosion. (Even that’s not effective in some cases)

It’s a plant that grows too well, which may sound pretty good to those of you with a brown thumb.

However, the rapid, overcrowding growth of these invasive plants quickly turns into an expensive nightmare, one that may involve your neighbors as well. Invasive plants crowd out, and often kill, your other landscape plants. Often they produce a great many seeds, sprouting in other parts of your garden, in cracks in the sidewalk, in nearby parks and in your neighbors’ landscapes.

These plants, which are almost always non-native, should be avoided (or removed if already planted) because they;

Crowd out native, and endangered plants,

Foul up the instincts of our birds, who look for native plants to feed on, and for nesting material and shelter.

Steal soil nutrients and water from other plants,

Crowd out host plants for butterflies and food sources for our native wildlife,

Hybridize with native plants, often resulting in weakening the genetic makeup,

Serve as hosts for plant diseases that can infect desired plants,

Prevent the establishment of seedlings of desired trees and shrubs,

Increase the overall water demand of your landscape,

Cause you to spend more time and money weeding, and with insect-controlling sprays.

The poster-child of invasive plants, the “plant that ate the south”, is Kudzu vine. Like so many non-native plants it was brought to this country from Asia without the natural insects and pathogens that normally control it.

One case involving invasive plants in the north Texas area is the colorful monarch butterfly. The monarch requires plants from the genus “Asclepias” to lay its eggs. (Milkweed and butterfly weed). But these plants are being crowded out by things like non-native privet and English ivy. Result: fewer monarch butterflies.

Another example, our native hummingbirds are confused when they see a Japanese honeysuckle, which appears fine, but is less nutritious and more insect-prone than our native honeysuckle. Result: hummingbirds go elsewhere.

Several other plants that have been brought to this area can also be invasive. The main reason is that there’s no natural constraint to their growth, like there may have been where they were brought from. Therefore avoid; Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, water hyacinth, periwinkle, Tartarian lantana (our native lantana is excellent), Chinese wisteria, trumpet-creeper, pachysandra, scarlet firethorn, elephant ears, golden bamboo, mimosa, redtip photinia, Siberian elm and privet (or ligustrum). Some people even see Bermuda grass as an invasive pest.

Of course, there are several other plants that can be invasive. Also, some plants I’ve listed above may not be invasive in very specific, well-controlled environments. The best way to avoid bringing an invasive plant home is to make sure you get ”Texas-native” plants.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Our State bird often pretends to be something else.

Northern Mockingbird

A few species of birds are the only living creatures, other than humans, that can imitate sounds that they weren’t born to produce. This ability to learn and imitate strange sounds is called verbal mimicry, and the few species of birds that can do it are called mimics. The most common mimic in north Texas is our State bird…the Mockingbird. I've heard stories of Mockingbirds mimicking a squeaky screen door, a ringing cell phone and computer dings.

Wide open, disease-free spaces Birds like plenty of space for feeding, and it prevents disease. While images of dozens of birds crowded onto a single feeder are attractive, the likelihood of contact between sick and healthy birds grows. Also, jockeying for space may increase a bird's stress level, making it more susceptible to disease.

To prevent overcrowding, use feeders that minimize contact between birds and provide additional places to feed. That could mean having several feeders, planting large clusters of native plants, or both. The most important task, however, is to keep the feeding sites clean.