How many birds was that?

You certainly don’t see every single bird that visits your yard, so how do you get a rough headcount? Or how do you authoritatively tell a friend there were xxx birds in your yard? Experts disagree on details, but they’re in the same ballpark.

Count the birds you see in your yard in a typical ten second span (count those at your feeders, flying nearby and those just watching). Multiply that number by 5 or 6 (that’s where they disagree) for a very approximate number of birds who look to your yard for support.

cold facts about shivering        Birds shiver in cold weather, just like we do.  Every bird in the world does it to keep warm. Shivering keeps the core body temperature where it needs to be (106-109 degrees for birds). That could mean a difference of 100 degrees from the outside temp to the inside of a bird.

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.  

 

There are reindeer in North America, but we call them "caribou"

The genetic makeup of reindeer and caribou is the same. The two main populations are in sub-arctic regions of Scandinavia and North America; these two populations have been separated for centuries,  and couldn't  interbreed. As a result, the two populations have evolved a little differently - the caribou being slightly larger than the Scandinavian reindeer

One member of the species has a glowing. red nose but scientists haven't located it yet.

Most north Texas owls don't "hoot"

    

 

Eastern Screech Owls

The majority of Owls in north Texas don’t use the familiar “hoot-hoot” or “who-who” sound (depending on how you want to spell it). The largest native owl, the Great-horned Owl, is the only hooter. Our most numerous one is the Eastern Screech Owl, which makes a tremulous ‘horse whinney’ sound. Only occasionally will it actually screech. Most often, a Screech Owl is black & white.  Sometimes it's brown, however (both are pictured above). He’s smaller (about 9”) than the average owl.

Greater Roadrunner

Do I dare to eat a cactus?      During the winter, Roadrunners are often forced to feed on cactus plants, since insects and lizards are scarce. They often break off a piece of cactus and repeatedly smash it into a rock, softening the needles, to make it edible.

 

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.  

Goldfinches are here now, but don't look for a bright yellow bird.

American Goldfinch (winter feathers)

White-throated Sparrow

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Lots of birds have arrived in north Texas (or are coming), and will stay here all winter. Among them is the Goldfinch, which is not a bright yellow right now – it’s a dull yellow, almost tan because it's growing winter feathers. Other winter birds here are the Junco, Chipping Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and several others. These join the "regular" birds that are here all year long.

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 

Bats’ diet in Texas    Very few bats are vampires – none of the ones in north Texas. There are over 1100 species of bats in the world, and only three are what’s called vampire bats. They are limited only to Latin America. Vampire bats don’t “suck” blood like in the movies – they lap it; being careful never to kill, or even weaken, the “donor” (it makes no sense to harm your source of nourishment).

 The other bat species (1097 or so) eat insects, fruit, pollen and nectar. The bats here in north Texas can eat about 5000 flying insects per night, per bat! Lots of them have migrated south for the winter.  Many, however, remain in north Texas, inactive for the winter – often disguised as dead leaves on trees.

 

 

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.

Why are Americans destroying our Tongass National Forest?

 

In a late-night backroom deal, Members of Congress snuck a provision into an unrelated Defense Authorization bill that would log some of the rarest and largest ancient trees remaining in one the world’s most intact old-growth temperate rainforests—Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. This is a forest that you and I own, as American citizens.

 

Bald Eagles

The Tongass has been hit hard by industrial-scale old-growth logging, and pending timber sales, such as the announced Big Thorne project. Excessive logging is already threatening the tracts of unbroken forest needed by birds and wildlife. The language in the Defense Authorization bill will transfer irreplaceable public lands from Alaska's Tongass National Forest to a private corporation, allowing it to cut some of the rarest and largest ancient trees left in the forest. These old-growth forests are critical for birds and other wildlife, including the Bald Eagle, Queen Charlotte Goshawk, Alexander Archipelago wolf, Sitka black-tailed deer, and more. This sneaky, underhanded attack on the Tongass will only add to the risks for birds and other wildlife. It will affect us all.

 

According to the State of the Birds 2014 report, the list of “home-wreckers,” threats to healthy bird habitats, is long and growing: they could threaten half of all North American bird species. The Tongass National Forest itself is the home and breeding ground for many, many species of wildlife, but unfortunately few voters. Please urge Congress to leave the large, ancient trees of the Tongass standing, instead of giving them to lumber companies.

 

 

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.  

 

What color is the Cedar Waxwings' tail?

 

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwings have already been seen frequently here in north Texas this year. They're starting to appear in groups, in yards now!

 

The tips of their tails are normally a very bright yellow. On a few of them, however, the yellow has been replaced by an orange/rust color. These birds have fed largely on the non-native honeysuckle vine (Japanese or Hall’s Honeysuckle). The native plant (Coral Honeysuckle) is a more natural food source, is less “invasive” and won’t turn the birds orange.

 
 Who’s getting fooled?     Everyone knows that squirrels bury nuts to eat later. But researchers in Pennsylvania and Connecticut found that squirrels often dig a hole, then don’t bury a nut in it.  When a squirrel knows something is watching, and digging up nuts a moment after he leaves, he may dig fake burial holes to get the follower to give up (maybe it's a bird such as a Blue jay, another squirrel or even a human).  A squirrel may even re-bury a sloppily buried nut to make it harder to pilfer.

 

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, when leaves are off the trees, is a great time to plan your birdscape

 

Just so we’re clear, that’s “plan”, not “plant”. (Although many trees and shrubs can be planted now).

In winter, you can see the “panoramas”, “vistas” and “views” that a good landscape plan should expose or capitalize on. You can also clearly see scenes you may want to block, as well as birdscaping opportunities.

Timing is better too. Starting advance plans now doesn’t push the planting phase into the heat of the summer – which dooms many plants and requires a lot of water. And is usually more expensive.
 

   Cool weather is easily the best time, in Texas, to plant birdscape plants, including ones that provide food for birds when you forget to fill your feeder. Plant them this winter so that, when spring finally gets here, they will have acclimated to their environment, and can grow dependably, quickly and lushly,

A good landscape designer can look at a bare tree, and visualize how it will look when it’s green. He or she should also conceptually select and place plants so as to maximize the bird appeal and provide such things as nesting material and safe cover. Also, he can suggest other “non-plant” items to attract birds, such as birdbaths and birdhouses.

That’s part of what a professional does - I call it  “Birdscaping” - a process adding bird-appeal to your yard and making it easier to maintain.

 

 

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.