Birds 'n Such

New Year Juncos and Favorite Birds of 2011

2012-01-13T05:47:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! Like many, I always look forward to the new year. I’m not sure exactly why, I’m definitely not getting any younger. For me, I think it’s the feeling of having a fresh start – a new chance to get it right. If I could just stick to all those new year promises that I make to better myself (aka resolutions) , then all would be grand. However, we all know how that usually turns out.

As a birdwatcher, the new year brings promise of exciting new adventures and the hope of new life bird or two. The first bird sightings of the new year for me was the dark-eyed junco. Junco’s are not the most exciting of the songbirds, but they are one of my favorite winter-time birds.

Dark-eyed juncos arrive in my area with the first cold spell of the season (usually late October) and spend the first few months of the new year with us. Many associate there arrival with the first snowfall of the season (aka snowbirds), but since our area doesn’t get all that much snow the first cold front will have to do.

Juncos are ground feeding birds so be sure to toss a little bird seed on the ground when filling your feeders. I keep a small bag of white proso millet, one of their favorite, on hand just for that purpose.

With that said, I would like to recap and share a few of my favorite birds, including some lifers, of the past year. Note that I said ‘favorite birds’, not favorite photographs of birds. I clarify because many of my bird photos leave much to be desired. Birds can be quite uncooperative at times.

First up is the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). I’ll take any photo I can get of these guys. The primary habitat of the RCW, the
longleaf pine ecosystem, has all but disappeared. This reduction of suitable habitat has caused the number of RCWs to dramatically decline. They are currently listed as endangered and today there
remains approximately 14,000 birds scattered throughout the southeast.

[Click on any photo to enlarge]

Here’s a lifer I got the opportunity to get in the marshes of the Outer Banks of North Carolina this past fall – the salt marsh sparrow.

Another 2011 favorite bird was the Northern gannet. This one is a juvenile. Northern Gannets spend most of their life at sea.

And while we we’re talking marine birds, check out this large group of brown pelicans. There’s nothing all that unique about seeing a few brown pelicans, but what was impressive to me was the large number of pelicans in one place. This photo was taken this past fall on a pelican rookery located on one of the barrier islands in North Carolina.

It may be tough to tell, but there’s an American redstart singing in the photo below. This photo was taken in the Dismal Swamp this spring and was another lifer for me.

One of my favorite little woodland songbirds is the brown-headed nuthatch. This was the first photo I ever got of one of these birds. They’re so small and never sit still!

Here’s a red-shouldered hawk sitting on my Christmas décor in my front yard. At least someone likes my decorations.

Last, but not least is this group of American goldfinches. These birds were captured by my Wingscapes Birdcam this past spring.

Thanks for stopping in and taking the tour with me. Good luck on your own birding adventures this year.

Again, Happy New Year!

Mistletoe: Not Just for Kissing

2011-12-22T06:03:00.001-05:00

Tis the season for mistletoe! Most would agree that the Christmas season and mistletoe go hand in hand. I remember my dad shooting it out of the trees when I was a youngster. According to folklore, after every kiss under the mistletoe one of the berries was plucked, and once all the berries where gone, there was no more kissing.

American mistletoe can be found all throughout eastern and southern forest of the US, and is especially fond of maple trees. It’s unveiled each year when the last of the leaves fall from the trees and reveal their clumps of green, ball-shaped foliage growing among the tree branches.

There’s more to mistletoe than just holiday tradition. Believe it or not, it plays an important part in our ecosystem. Mistletoe is a host plant for the great purple hairstreak butterfly, and is the only plant that its larva will eat.

Mistletoe is also a good winter food source for birds. Birds feast on the female mistletoe’s white berries, which are toxic to humans, and then spread the sticky seeds to other trees through their droppings. From there it takes root into the tree. It’s considered a hemiparasite because it doesn’t live entirely off the tree. Mistletoe generates its own photosynthesis; however, it does depend on the tree for its food and water, enough so that the tree could die from a heavy infestation – but in most cases, that’s not the case.

For the most part, this unique native is harmless and its benefits to wildlife and our holiday enjoyment outweigh its potential invasiveness.

I want to personally wish everyone a happy and safe holiday!!

Trip to the Zoo - Rhino Hornbill

2011-11-06T10:05:00.001-05:00

The zoo has always been one of my favorite places to visit, even as an adult it remains at the top of the list. I especially enjoy going there knowing that new animals have arrived, such as the case with Virginia Zoo’s new pair of Rhinoceros Hornbills.

It looks almost prehistoric doesn’t it?

Rhinoceros hornbills are native to southeastern Asia where they are currently under extreme pressure for survival due to deforestation and poaching (for there feathers). Rhino Hornbills are an indicator species in their range and their absence indicates a poor ecosystem. They eat a variety of fruit and play a vital role as important seed dispersers for Southeast Asian tropical forest ecosystems.

That’s why programs such as AZA’s Species Survival Plan Program (AZA stands for Association of Zoos and Aquariums) work hard with accredited Zoos and other organizations to manage and conserve threatened or endangered species.

These juveniles became part of the Virginia Z0o last November. The goal of the zoo is to establish a breeding pair among the two birds. They are only 3 years old right now and become reproductively mature at the age of around 6 years. In captivity, it’s important to attempt pairing these birds early so they can build their relationship/bond.

Like with most other hornbills, the male has orange or red eyes, and the female has whitish eyes.

One of the other distinctive characteristics of hornbills is the presence of the “casque”, a structure on top of the bill that is unique to hornbills. All hornbills have some type of casque, but few are as impressive as the rhinoceros hornbill. The purpose of the casque is not entirely clear but it is thought to play a role in amplifying sound and used in mating behavior as well.

I found it interesting that Hornbills are the only birds in which the first two neck vertebrae (the axis and atlas) are fused together; this is obviously due to the extra weight from the bill they carry around.

It’s still early, but all indications from the zoo show that they’re getting along well and seem to be happy in their new environment.

This post was submitted to this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly (#167). Be sure to stop by and check it out.

My Virginia Gardener Blog

2011-10-29T09:16:00.001-04:00

I wanted to write a quick and slightly overdue post to publicize another blog I’ve been contributing too since the beginning of this year. I consider myself fortunate to be a part of the State-by-State Gardening Publication team as one of their bloggers for the state of Virginia, alongside my blogger pals Les and Jan.

State~By~State Gardening has been publishing state gardening magazines for 11 years and provide quality magazines that have proven to be useful tools for gardeners in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Now, in addition to the magazine, each state has its own set of online garden bloggers. Here’s a link and logo to my Virginia garden blog (also located on the right side bar of this blog).

If you enjoy reading and learning about nature and gardening, be sure to stop by and check out my blog there, along with some of the other great blogs there as well. It doesn’t matter whether you live in one of these states or not, there’s something present for everyone that appreciates gardening.

Close Encounters

2011-09-21T06:18:00.001-04:00

What a cool insect – looks like something from an alien movie doesn’t it? I’ve always liked praying mantises, they seem so cool and sophisticated.

Mantises are at the top of the insect food chain and will eat just about anything it can grab and hold with its powerful front legs. It didn’t take me long to realize why this particular praying mantis was stalking the area. Yes, it may be hard for some to comprehend (even myself), but these insects are capable of taking down a hummingbird if given the opportunity.

Hummingbirds passing through my area now are very active, franticly feeding and bulking up for their long journey south for the winter; but this large female praying mantis (above) has her own agenda. She will be laying eggs soon and could use the extra nutrition herself.

Out of curiosity I watched as a cautious hummingbird approached the feeder, while the mantis watched closely and tried to angle itself in a position to attack.

There are lots of species of mantis’s, but the one in these photos is the Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis). It’s a non-native insect introduced to North America in the late 1800s to aid in pest control. The Chinese Mantis can grow to a length of more than 6 inches. Our native mantis’s are about half that size when fully grown making it easy to distinguish between the two.

Situations like this in nature don’t normally affect me, it’s just part of the circle of life and the way nature balances itself out. However, this particular insect is non-native, and it’s also stalking a man provided food source that's been put out for the birds. Under those circumstances, I feel as if I’m somewhat responsible for the birds safety. I guess one could argue that it’s no different than hawks that stalk backyard birdfeeders, but in the hummingbirds case, it’s just a matter of relocating the feeder to a safer location. And that’s what I did.

Just remember to always keep an eye out on your feeders to ensure that they’re in a safe location for the birds. Things will happen beyond our control but at a minimum we can at least eliminate the obvious dangers.

There’s an article on the Birdwatchers Digest Site titled “Praying Mantis Makes Meal of a Hummer”, along with photos. If your not too sensitive to such things like this be sure to check it out!

Surviving Irene

2011-09-08T21:34:00.001-04:00

After experiencing a couple hurricanes and a few more close calls in my lifetime, the anticipation of Hurricane Irene wasn't a welcomed one. I wasn’t that worried about the storm itself, but more so the dreaded aftermath that such a storm can leave behind. Experiencing the wrath of Hurricane Isabel in 2003, I know the kind of damage that these winds and rains can bring.

Although not entirely the event that the news media made it out to be in our area, Irene was a storm to be reckoned with that flooded many low-lying areas and unfortunately took several lives. Damage in our area was mostly due to falling trees, which as a result, kept us in the dark for 5 days. Being without electricity definitely makes you realize the little things that we often take for granted. But I’m thankful nevertheless, it could have been much worse. With the exception of some minor siding damage to the house, and being without power for a few days, I’m pleased to report all is well with me and my family.

Here’s one of the many downed trees in our area –

This unfortunate family had one tree fall on their house, causing major damage, and to add insult to injury, a second one (shown below) fell across their front yard knocking down power lines that fell into the street and blocked the entrance/exit of their driveway.

For many, the rain from Irene was a welcome site. Normally this isn’t the type of rain that you would wish for, but for many local farmers who have been dealing with below normal rainfall for the last couple of summers welcomed it. Better yet, the rainfall from hurricane Irene contained most of the forest fire in the Great Dismal Swamp that has been gagging everyone in the area for a good part of the summer.

If interested, more Dismal Swamp fire photos are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Northeast Flickr account: http://bit.ly/ohNf6s

Believe it or not, there are still a few smoldering areas in the swamp, but hopefully the latest rains we’ve been getting this week (remnants of hurricane Lee) will help put an end to the remaining flare ups.

If you’re a hard core birdwatcher, hurricanes can offer one the opportunity to see some rare birds, especially along the coast. Strong winds blow many pelagic birds off their course, driving them closer to the coast, offering opportunities to spot them in areas that they normally wouldn’t be. You can read about some of the cool birds that were seen as a result of hurricane Irene here.

Here’s a quick photo (below) I took of a house finch (sorry for the poor quality) taking cover during the storm on our back porch up next to the house. A pair of house finches hung out most of the day there surviving the storm. Birds are very sensitive to changes in air pressure and know instinctively to take shelter. A sharp drop in barometric pressure alerts them that a big storm is on the way. This photo kind of gives you an idea what a lot of these little birds go through in times like these – not only do birds have to deal with the harsh heat of summer and freezing winters, but events like hurricanes can be costly to small birds. Read more about the effects of hurricanes on birds here: http://www.birding.com/hurricanes.asp

And while we’re talking birds and hurricanes, check out this really cool video about a bird that got caught up in the middle of hurricane Irene and survived: http://youtu.be/wlbCZG-wGuY

Lessons from the Purple Martin Field Day

2011-07-07T22:20:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I look a little road trip up to the northern part of my state (VA) to attend the 17th annual Purple Martin Field Day. It was my first time attending and despite the 2 hour, 45 minute drive I had a great time. It’s a small festival, but what it lacked in size it made up for in quality.

As a somewhat new Purple Martin landlord I’m always seeking to learn more about the hobby and meet people in the “business” that’s willing to share their knowledge and experience with beginners like myself. It’s a rewarding hobby but establishing and maintaining a healthy Purple Martin colony can be difficult, not to mention, very frustrating at times. That’s why it’s great to meet with individuals to discuss issues and realize that I’m not alone.

The featured speaker, Lance Wood, is an expert on Purple Martins and has published several articles about them in national publications. Mr. Wood has expanded his colony from four pairs of Purple Martins 20 years ago, to more than 130 nesting pairs today – wow! He shared his knowledge, techniques and best equipment available for successful martin attraction and management.

During the lectures we enjoyed watching hundreds of purple martins soaring overhead and feeding their young.

I won’t go into the detail on everything discussed, but if anyone reading this is considering, or would like to start their own purple martin colony the three basis things a person must have, according to Lance, is knowledge, some up-front funds to get started, and ‘moxie’; meaning the courage to do a few unpleasant things (like eliminating non-native competitive species like house sparrows and starlings).

As for the martins themselves, they require housing that’s erected in open spaces, away from tall trees and buildings but near human dwellings, quality housing that wont fail in strong winds, and adequate protection from predators such as owls, hawks, snakes and raccoons. Read more about the standards for Purple Martin Housing here and here.

Lance’s recommends natural gourds for purple martin housing, but if that’s not available, good quality plastic gourds will do fine. You can read about his thoughts on gourds here.

One of the best ways to get started and learn is to visit the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA) and read some of the publications and other useful information on there site. PCMA also has a mentor program set up by region with contact information of experienced purple martin landlords in your area to help answer any questions you may have.

If you meet the basic requirements for purple martins, consider putting up houses for these birds. They are wonderful to have around and the effort is well worth it.

Also in attendance was Ron Kingston sharing his expertise on Eastern Bluebirds. Ron is best known for his invention of the Kingston Stove Pipe Baffle. If you have bluebird nesting box(s) in your yard be sure they’re protected from predators such as rat snakes and raccoons. Kingston Stove Pipe baffle is a great option and very easy to make. It will also work well on purple martin mounting poles.

Wild Birds Unlimited Giveaway Winner

2011-05-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

I want to thank everyone who participated in my recent Wild Birds Unlimited Giveaway. I’m happy to announce that the winner was Julie G! Congrats Julie, and I hope you enjoy your new Medium Quick-Clean Finch Feeder – I know I have really enjoyed mine.

Julie blogs over at Nature’s Splendor. If you get a chance stop by her blog and check it out – she has some great stuff there!!

Wild Birds Unlimited Giveaway Reminder

2011-05-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

For those that may have missed it, or just haven’t had the chance to participate, there’s still time to get your comments in on my Wild Birds Unlimited product giveaway. Whether you’re a regular reader of this blog or just happened to stop by, anyone can participate. A winner will be chosen on 5/20/11, so be sure to get your comments in before the end of the day on Thursday, 5/19.

Here is the link - http://www.birdsnsuch.com/2011/05/wbu-product-review-and-giveaway.html

May Flowers – Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

2011-05-15T00:06:00.001-04:00

It has been a few months since I last participated in Carol’s monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day (GBBD), but I’m glad to finally be back! It’s not that I haven't wanted to participate, its just after moving into a new home 5 years ago with virtually no landscaping in place, its been tough coming up with blooms to show off each and every month. As many gardeners know, the challenges of adjusting to a new place can be overwhelming at times.

I have to admit that most of the struggles have been with myself, trying to figure out what goes where, what combinations work best, and what plants do best in semi-sandy topsoil in mostly full sun. I've spend the last couple years amending the soil in my garden beds by adding various organic matter to it. After some success’s and a few failures here and there, the garden is finally starting to come together. I still have a long ways to go and a lot to accomplish yet but that’s the fun part about gardening; right?

With that said, here are a few of my favorite blooms in the garden right now:

First is the ever so hardy native Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata). A hardy, drought tolerant perennial. It thrives in full sun in well-drained areas (perfect for my landscape). This plant will spread by reseeding if you allow the seed heads to completely dry prior to trimming.

Not far away is another care-free easy perennial to grow – Yarrow (Achillea millifolium).

Combined with the yarrow is some Dianthus (Dianthus caryophyllus) ‘carnation’.

This next one is quickly becoming a favorite ground cover of mine – ‘Cranesbill’. I’m not sure of the cultivar. I dug up a clump of it from my dad’s house a little over a year ago and it has begun to spread nicely in my garden bed.

One of my favorite combinations in my front-yard flower bed is the ‘Gold Mound’ Spirea mixed with my Knock-out roses.

Another view…similar shaded blooms with contrasting foliage.

Here’s a nice, easy to grow native shrub, Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) 'Henry's Garnet'.

Below are the blooms of ‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint (2007 Perennial Plant of the Year).

This ‘Michael Dodge’ viburnum below was planted two years as a young 5” plant. This is the first year it has bloomed. It produces bright golden berries in late summer. Mix this in the garden with the purple berries of the American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) and you’ll have a show-stopper for sure.

Lets not forget the blooms in the vegetable garden. Below are the blooms of my sugar snap peas. My daughter and I check these plants daily for the sweet edible pods they produce and usually eat them before they ever make it to the house.

Thanks for stopping by to view some of the blooms in my garden. If you want to see more be sure to visit Mays Dreams Gardens blog for this month’s Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Also, be sure to participate in my giveaway (see May 6th post below) for a chance to win any one product from Wild Birds Unlimited up to $50!!! Runs through May 20th!

WBU Product Review and Giveaway

2011-05-06T06:51:00.005-04:00

Don’t you just love American Goldfinches? No matter how often you see them, the male’s bright yellow plumage this time of year is an instant head turner. Like most bird species, the female’s plumage is a bit less colorful than the males, but nevertheless they are always fun to have around the yard.

I’m excited to share that the bird feeder in this post is my new Wild Birds Unlimited Medium Quick-clean Finch Feeder. As you can see, the goldfinches wasted no time acclimating themselves to it. The seed is easily added from the removable top cover and the reinforced metal feed port makes it safe and easy for the finches to dine on the Nyjer (thistle) seed.

One of my favorite things about this feeder is how easy it is to take apart. Two buttons on either side release the base from the tube for emptying old food and providing a one, easy step method for quick cleaning.

Keeping your birdfeeders clean is a must, but can present problems because many bird feeders on the market today aren’t designed with that in mind. A feeder not properly cleaned often can become contaminated with droppings and moldy birdseed, creating a habitat for unwanted parasites and harmful bacteria.

Like many of Wild Bird Unlimited (WBU) products, it’s backed by a lifetime guarantee that includes squirrel and raccoon damage (which is known to happen from time to time).

WBU was gracious enough to let me try this feeder out in my backyard at no charge, and you too can also have one of these feeders for FREE or any other WBU product up to $50.00 (US only).

Yep, that’s right! WBU is has generously allowed me to make this offer to one of my lucky readers. To participate just browse their website or the product links below, pick out any one item $50.00 or less and let me know what you’ve picked out (including item number will help) by leaving it in the comments below this post (one comment per person). I will determine a winner via help from the website “Random Thing Picker” .

I will contact the winner to gather shipping information and pass it, along with what you have chosen, to my WBU contact and they will ship the product to you at no charge. A winner will be chosen on 5/20/11 so be sure to get your comment in by then!

You can choose this feeder or select from one of many of the other products and accessories that WBU offers. For you convenience I have added links to their products below. Have fun browsing and GOOD LUCK!

Binocular Strap
wild bird seed
thistle seed
nyjer seed
black oil sunflower seed
suet feeder
wild bird feeder
window bird feeders
birdacious
finch feeders

Other WBU Links:
Wild Birds Unlimited Newsletter
Wild Birds Facebook Page

Upcoming Events and a Contest

2011-04-19T21:36:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to remind everyone that’s local or going to be in the VA/NC area during the 2nd week of May to stop over and visit the Great Dismal Swamp NWR for its 5th Annual Birding Festival. The event starts on Thursday the 12th of May thru Saturday the 14th. There will be guided bird and nature walks, bird banding demonstrations and various workshops. Saturday (14th) will be family fun day that will include children activities, live music, food and more. I’ve had a great time at this event in the past and looking forward to it again next month. Check out their website for more details.

The Dismal Swamp is a great place to bird this time of year. During the spring migration, thousands of warblers pass through the swamp on the way to their summer breeding grounds. Many birds, like the prothonotary warbler and American Redstart will stay and nest on the refuge. Although not that great, here’s a photo I took of a redstart last weekend in the Dismal Swamp:

I got a sneak preview last weekend, along with my Master Naturalist group, when we all went birding there with local birding expert Bob Ake. We had a nice encounter with two
Barred Owls who responded to Bobs call (by mouth) and some good looks at Prothonotary Warblers, American Redstarts, and a Belted Kingfisher to name a few. Bob is excellent at identifying birds by ear so he helped us identify a few singing birds like the Louisiana Waterthrush and the ever elusive Swainson's Warbler that was calling nearby, but unfortunately never showed itself.

And for another bit of upcoming news…

Birds ‘n Such, for the very first time, will be featuring a contest and giveaway sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited. All the details will be available in my next post in a couple of days. STAY TUNED, you don’t want to miss it!

Website Updates

2011-04-11T08:03:00.003-04:00

I'm currently in the process of making some design changes to the blog over the next few days, so if things look a little out of whack that's the reason. Thanks for your patience!

Bringing Nature Home–Lecture by Doug Tallamy

2011-03-31T20:33:00.006-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to hear Douglas Tallamy speak at a local event sponsored by the South Hampton Roads Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society and hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College. You may know of Tallamy from his popular book titled Bringing Nature Home – How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Tallamy is also a science professor, gardener and naturalist on an awareness campaign to spread the word about the benefits of native plants and preserving our biodiversities.

Tallamy, speaking to a full audience, brought to light many issues that face modern suburbia landscapes today, and presented a convincing case for protecting our current “wild” places, as well as adding new ones right within our own properties. He raised some thought-provoking questions and challenges, along with detailed facts and statistics to back up his message. His message challenged each of us to evaluate our own backyards and ask ourselves if we’re doing enough to sustain wildlife, preserve biodiversity, and making the most of local native plants within the garden.

Sustainable, in natures sense, is defined as an area capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting its natural resources or causing severe ecological damage. Tallamy explained that an area is either sustainable or its not, nothing in-between. Throughout the country we have cleared land to build our homes, but have failed to replenish the surrounding landscapes, leaving only small habitat patches for our wildlife to sustain itself. As a result, biodiversity needed to run our ecosystems cannot survive long term being sustained by these small “habitat patches”. “It’s not about humans disappearing” Tallamy said, “It’s about sharing the Earth”.

We all enjoy nature, but tend to pick and choose what we like about it. Even as gardeners, we often favor plants that are so called ‘pest free’. Many go as far as believing that we’ll still be alright if the things we don’t like about nature ever disappeared, never to return. Tallamy strongly disagrees, and believes that all aspects of nature are needed. The benefits of plants and animals go far beyond what we could ever imagine. A staggering statistic Tallamy shared showed that we have already removed approximately one-half of the plants on this planet. That’s pretty scary considering all that plants do for us. And as plants decline so do the animals that depend on those plants for food. Plants depend on animals as well. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that up to 80% of all plant pollination is done by animals, and many of those pollinators are slowly disappearing as well – habitat loss being the major factor. Beginning to get the picture? It’s a balancing act. If one end is affected, so is the other. Tallamy said to think of plants and animals around you as “rivets” that hold your environment together.

Biodiversity, simply put, is the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat. A healthy biodiversity is set up with its own checks and balances known in nature as redundancies among species. That is several species doing the same job to benefit nature. It sounds strange, but it’s a good thing. It’s like natures own backup system. If one species disappears another one steps up to fill in. The problem comes into play when all of a sudden there’s only one or two species available to do a specific job, and if one or both disappeared, that job doesn’t get done, leading to “ecosystem failure”. For instance, just think about what would happen if all our pollinators disappeared and the effect it would have on the food we eat, among other things. “Always remember that biodiversity is an essential non-renewable natural resource”, said Tallamy.

We have sacrificed biodiversity for our own needs by creating large, fancy lawns to fit in with our neighbors. We have cleared our native landscapes and replaced them with turf lawns and other non-native exotic species that don’t support the insects, caterpillars, and butterflies, causing birds and other creatures to work harder in search of food. This trend sounds concerning and not something that the everyday gardener would necessarily think about. However, Tallamy believes that we can reverse most of the damage thus far by creating natural areas and returning native plants back into our landscapes.

Plant diversity is the key to attracting birds and other wildlife back into our gardens, but unfortunately not all plants are created equal in their ability to provide food. Statistics show that native plants appeal more to our native insects and other animals more so than non-native (alien) plants. These are the plants that attract the native insects and caterpillars that in turn attract the birds and frogs that eat the caterpillars and insects; and so on.

Even among natives, plants aren’t equal in their ability to support food for wildlife; so why not plant the ones that are the best since, according to Tallamy, we’re playing catch-up. Tallamy offers several lists on his website that he recommends based on the plants ability to support various insect species. He offers lists for both woody and herbaceous plants; or download the complete Excel Spreadsheet that separates the list even further within the various tabs of the workbook. Did you know that the oak tree alone supports 534 butterfly/moth species? Who knew?

So, go ahead and begin to turn your landscape into “bird food factories”, as Tallamy put it, if you want birds in your yard that will feed and reproduce. Remember it is insects, not berries or seeds that most birds prefer, especially in the spring and summer months of the year.

I’m not judging anyone for having a nice lawn, or recommending anyone to pull out all their non-native plants. I just wanted to communicate Tallamy’s message and give gardeners something to think about moving forward. Maybe we can all evaluate our landscapes and make small adjustments here and there that would benefit the local wildlife and the environment.

Like it or not, gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife. It is now within the power of individual gardeners to do something that we all dream of doing: to make a difference. In this case the “difference” will be the future of biodiversity, to the native plants and animals of North America and the ecosystems that sustain them (Tallamy, 2007).

To learn more, pick up a copy Doug Tallamy’s Book: Bringing Nature Home – How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.

This post was submitted to Jan's Gardeners Sustainable Living 2011 Project. Click on the link below to check out all the details:
http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2011/03/gardeners-sustainable-living-2011-win.html

Mad Grackles and Kissing Finches–Counting Birds

2011-02-20T10:20:00.001-05:00

Have you been counting the birds? For those unaware, today is day #3 of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). It only takes a minimum of 15 minutes to note what birds you’ve seen. Why not consider taking a little time to help count a few of the winter birds in your yard. Check out the above web address for details.

I spent a couple hours off-and-on yesterday hanging out on my back deck counting birds. The best part for me however was having my 6 year old daughter sitting beside me for the first half-hour or so with her own tally sheet writing down and observing the birds she saw. I helped her with most of the identifications, but other than that she did the rest.

Here’s her tally sheet….isn't it cute?

The GBBC even has a special website for kids that offers puzzles, coloring pages and more…http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/kids

We enjoyed watching a variety of birds visit the backyard feeder as well as a few birds that were just passing through.

When I wasn’t watching, my Wingscape Birdcam was doing the job for me. I had it pointed at my platform feeder for most of the day. Below are a few of my favorites.

No shortage of American Goldfinches in my backyard this winter…

Here’s one of my favorite visitors – the Pine Warbler:

Here’s a Common Grackle. Doesn’t he look ticked off?? Maybe he doesn’t like his photo being taken while eating…?

My favorite of the day was the kissing House Finches below.

Their not really kissing. The male (right) is passing a seed to the female (left). A lot of bird do this during their courtship.

Okay, lets not be greedy!

The Birdcam is still set up so hopefully I’ll capture a few more interesting photos today!

If you get any interesting photos during this years Great Backyard Bird Count be sure to submit them to the website photo gallery. You may just have a winner - http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/photo-contest-rules

So, what kind of birds have you been seeing in your backyard?

This post was submitted to this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly (#130). Be sure to stop by and check it out.

National Bird-Feeding Month

2011-02-13T10:33:00.001-05:00

For those unaware, February is National Bird-Feeding month. During this month, individuals are encouraged to provide food, water and shelter for the birds. As many already know, February is also one of the toughest months for our wild birds, and that’s why this month was chosen.

National Bird-Feeding month was originally introduced in 1994 by congressman John Porter (R-IL). The goal is to provide food, water and shelter for the wild birds, and as a result, promote backyard bird feeding as an entertaining and educational experience for both children and adults.

Bird feeding also provides a much needed break from today's stressful lifestyles. Below is a Carolina Chickadee enjoying a suet snack.

Each year, a new theme for National Bird-Feeding Month is selected by the National Bird-Feeding Society (NBFS). The theme for 2011 is "Most Wanted - America's Top Ten Backyard Birds" and features ten species from the east and west that are among the most popular to attract.

Here are the top ten backyard birds east of the Rockies: American Goldfinch, Chickadee (Black-capped/Carolina), Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Tufted Titmouse, and White-breasted Nuthatch. With the exception of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, who feed on nectar, the top ten birds eat bird seed.

Be sure to check out their site for more information. Throughout the month, NBFS will be providing tips and techniques to help create a successful bird feeding/watching experience.

Northern Mockingbird (above)

Whatever your reason may be for feeding birds, attracting America’s ‘Most Wanted’ backyard birds to your yard will be an enjoyable experience, it’s a pastime that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

And don’t forget about the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) coming up February 18 – 21. Anyone can participate, from beginning birdwatchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on any one day, or you can count birds for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun and easy – and it helps the birds to! For details check out the GBBC website - http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

It’s a great month to educate people about the hobby of birdwatching and how much fun it is to feed the birds.

Have a great weekend and be sure to visit Birdfreak's Bird Photography Weekly (#129) to see more bird photos!

Lousy Bird Walk

2011-01-17T01:16:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I headed out to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge for a morning bird walk. The guided walks offered there in winter are referred to by the refuge staff as “Lousy Bird Walks” because most of the fall migrants have moved through and the remaining birds have moved into deeper cover. But don’t be deceived, there’s still lots of birds and other wildlife to see. Winter can be a great time to walk the trails because most the foliage has dropped, leaving the wildlife more exposed for better viewing – not to mention, NO mosquitos!

Despite the name and the chilly temps, Saturdays walk was anything but lousy. We saw quite a few birds including a lifer for me – the orange-crowned warbler.

This photo was taken from Cornell’s All About Birds webpage.

The orange-crown warbler winters on the refuge as well as a few other areas along the southern half of the Virginia coast line. It’s a small warbler with dull winter colors.

Other interesting birds spotted that morning were – yellow-rump warbler, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, northern flicker, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina and winter wrens, brown creeper, American goldfinch, hermit thrush and robins.

In addition to the birds, we also walked up on four white-tail deer that stood about 30 feet from us. They stood their ground for a few seconds before disappearing in the woods. Unfortunately, I was so focused on not forgetting my binoculars that morning I forgot to bring my camera with me.

Leaving the refuge that morning also offered some interesting birding. Just a few miles up the road I spotted a barred owl, pileated woodpecker, American kestrel and a Northern Harrier. All in all not a bad day. If only I had not forgotten that dang camera!

Many parks and refuges offer organized bird walks routinely. Take the time and go if you get the chance. It’s a great opportunity to get out and observe the birds and other nature up close. The next one at the Dismal Swamp NWR will be February 5th.

Red-Shoulder Alert!

2011-01-09T01:09:00.001-05:00

Backyard birdwatching never gets boring. Just when things look peaceful and quiet all ‘you-know-what’ breaks out. I was watching a few birds at my feeder this morning when all of a sudden they panicked and quickly scattered to the nearest cover. In most cases that only means one thing – a raptor is nearby. Sure enough at that very moment I noticed a hawk flying low across the backyard, eventually landing on top of my unoccupied purple martin house. It was a red-shouldered hawk.

The red-shouldered hawk is a medium-sized hawk. They feed mostly on small mammals, but will hunt birds also. During winters, they sometimes habituate to preying on birds commonly found at bird feeders. Red-shoulders typically wait atop a perch and swoop down on their prey in a surprise attack method.

Look how his head turns 180 degrees to survey the yard behind him.

He eventually took off empty handed (or empty talon in this case) to hunt elsewhere.

Take a good look at the photo above and you can see its reddish "shoulder" on the top side of its right wing, hence the name red-shouldered hawk.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and be sure to stop by Birdfreak’s Blog for more great bird photos in this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly #124.

Snowed In!

2010-12-28T10:15:00.004-05:00

Snow here in SE Virginia is somewhat of a hit and miss affair - mostly a miss. We normally get a dusting to an inch here and there with most of the big stuff just missing us. This month has been a bit unusual as we’ve had a couple inches already, so the prediction of a few inches the day after Christmas wasn't really that big of a deal. However, those few inches turned into 14 plus inches at my house. That's a BIG deal here! The last time the region got more than a foot of snow was over 20 years ago. No complaints here though. My wife is a teacher and my daughter is a six year old tom-boy, so snow days are like bonus holidays in our household.

My daughter couldn't wait to get out in it. She took two steps onto our back deck and just fell out in the snow.

While the snow is fun and games for us, it's a tough survival for the birds and other wildlife.
An abundance of Red-Wing Blackbirds are perched in the cypress trees waiting for me to re-fill the bird feeders. They can clean out a feeder in a hurry.

When the blackbirds aren't hogging the feeders a few of the smaller birds manage to slip in and get a snack, like this house finch.

Here’s one of my favorite visitors, the pine warbler.

My bird bath heater went kaput on me last year so I had to manually brush the snow off and fill it with warm water.

Before…

After…

Providing a source of fresh water for backyard birds during the winter months can be a very beneficial, often attracting more birds than the seed in your feeders. I’ve read that many birds will eat snow in order to get sufficient water in the winter when their normal water sources are frozen, but open water is their preferred choice.

Take some time to feed and water your backyard birds during these tough winter conditions, and then sit back and get ready for some wild winter entertainment!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and continues to enjoy the rest of the holidays! Hopefully I can take advantage of this ‘inside time’ and catch up on some blogging.

Nightjars of the World - Book Review

2010-12-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

There's nothing more serene to me than that of a whip-poor-will call on a quiet summer evening. It’s one of my favorite night sounds. While not frequently seen, the whip-poor-will makes itself known through its loud calling at dusk during various times of the year, especially in rural areas across the eastern half of the United States.

Whip-poor-will:

These birds belong to a nocturnal group mostly known as Nightjars; which brings me to the subject of this post:

I was fortunate this summer to receive a review copy of the book Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird, and Owlet-nightjars of the World by Nigel Cleere, and published by Princeton University Press. Right off the bat I was drawn to this book, not because it was just another bird book, but a book about a class of unique, secretive birds that many don’t ever get to see or experience. It's the ultimate identification guide to the nightjars, potoos, frogmouths, oilbird, and owlet-nightjars of the world. It covers all 135 known species of these elusive and cryptically plumaged birds with more than 580 colored photographs. The quality of the book and photographs within it are outstanding. I'm not aware of any other book out today that has pulled together and captured these birds in such a magnificent way.

Lyre-tailed Nightjar:

No, you won’t see these birds at your feeders, but there’s a good chance you could here there evening call or possibly flush one from its day-time resting place on a hike through the woods.

Many of these birds are rare or common in other parts of the world such as South America, Africa and Australia. Some of the more common nightjars that may be heard or encountered here in the the United States are the Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will's-widow, Common Nighthawk and the Common Poorwill (west).

Many are so unique they look more like something that should be part of a Harry Potter movie.

...like this Indochinese Frogmouth.

...or these various nightjars shown below.

Serious and intermediate birders alike will find this book fascinating - great photography and easy reading that includes colored maps tailored to each species.

I highly recommend this guide / reference book to add to your collection. It would also make a wonderful Christmas gift to anyone interested in birds.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:58:00.001-05:00

From the front porch…

…to the centerpiece of the kitchen table.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and God bless!

Kiptopeke State Park & the CVWO

2010-11-21T13:59:00.001-05:00

If you're not aware, it's a great time of year to be out birding. Many birds not native to the region have, or will be passing through as they migrate south to their winter homes. This is known as the fall migration, and I'm fortunate to live along one of the bird migration routes known as the Atlantic Flyway. It's the route that generally follows the Atlantic Coast of North America and beyond - see map below.

One of the key stopover area along the Atlantic Flyway for many of these migrants is the Virginia Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore is an important staging and feeding area that provides a variety of habitats for hungry birds; as well as cover for tired, wary birds.

At the southern tip of the Eastern Shore is Kiptopeke State Park. Since 1963, Kiptopeke has been the site of bird population studies for Virginia's Eastern Shore. Sponsored by the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory (CVWO) and licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, volunteers capture, examine, weigh, band and release resident and migratory birds each year from mid-August through November. In the raptor research area, hawks, kestrels, osprey and other birds of prey are observed and banded from September through November. Kiptopeke’s hawk observatory is among the top 15 nationwide.

CVWO has put together a short video that gives an introduction of the great work that they do there. It's a really neat video so if you have a few minutes to spare check it out.

The Yellow-rumped Warblers (below) is one of the many songbird species that visit the Eastern Shore this time of year.

For additional info check-out the CVWO website: http://www.cvwo.org/.

CVWO blog: http://www.coastalvirginiawildlifeobservatory.blogspot.com/

Kiptopeke blog: http://www.kiptopeke.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Mary Reid Barrow for posting this video first on her blog.

A Visit to Norfolk Botanical Gardens - November Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

2010-11-15T05:12:00.001-05:00

My family and I spent the afternoon at Norfolk Botanical Gardens last week enjoying some of the fall colors in the garden. I enjoy visiting other gardens during non-peak times to get ideas on what looks good this time of year. Like any other gardener, my goal is to have color and interest in the garden year around. With that said, I'm going to fudge a little bit for this months bloom day and highlight some of my favorite blooms from our visit last week.

The fall blooming camellias stole my attention right away. They were absolutely gorgeous. Some were just starting to bloom and others were in full bloom like this one below. The ground was just littered with pink pedals.

As expected, the chrysanthemum's were in full bloom. This one's called 'Hillside pink Sheffield'. I'm going to have to get some of these for my own garden next year!

I'm going to need a little help with this next one. It's some kind of aster but I'm not sure of it's name. They were planted sporadically throughout the garden and provided a burst of color everywhere I saw them.

Here's a closer look. If anyone knows please let me know in the comments. This is another plant I would like to incorporate into my own garden.

Surprisingly, the roses were blooming like it was mid-summer. Lack of a hard frost has kept them looking good.

I thought this was an attractive color combination below - Russian sage with black mondo grass planted in front. Although the blooms of the Russian sage die back in fall , the rest of the plant looks attractive for most of the winter, as well as the black mondo grass.

Here's a neat plant called Pachystchys lutea 'Yellow Shrimp Plant'. The erect floral spikes are actually closely arranged bright yellow bracts. Small white flowers appear in between the bracts.

Berries were very abundant in the garden, as you can see with this pyracantha koidzumii 'Victory'.

And this viburnum. This one is called Viburnum dilatatum 'Erie'.

Crabapples are some of my favorite trees and they didn't disappoint.

These weren't labeled so I'm not sure about the name.

This one below is 'prairie fire'. Crabapple trees are great to have in the home landscape. They provide food for wintering birds and other wildlife.

I hope you've enjoyed this pictorial tour of the gardens with me. If you want to see more be sure to visit Mays Dreams Gardens blog for this month’s Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Bird Chow Challenge Contest

2010-10-26T08:02:00.000-04:00

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an ongoing contest that ends this week called the Bird Chow Challenge. I know this is short notice (sorry!) but if you have an interesting, funny or unusual photo of a bird chowing down, now is the time to share it!

I’m currently going through my photos to see what I may have for submittal. I’m finding a few photos captured by my Wingscape BirdCam that may work. That’s the great thing about this cam, just set it up and walk away.

Here’s a BirdCam captured photo of a curious Red-Bellied Woodpecker eating at my peanut feeder.

Here’s another photo courtesy of BirdCam of a momma Eastern Blue Bird feeding her young. Both of these photos were taken last summer.

It’s simple to enter, just go to the link below and follow the instructions. Be sure to have your entries in by Monday, November 1st to qualify. There’s lots of cool prizes being offered.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/challenge/bird-chow/take-the-bird-chow-challenge

Have a look at some of the entries received so far: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/challenge/bird-chow/Bird%20Chow%20Entries/1-24

Another Year Older and a New Bird Feeder

2010-10-24T10:05:00.001-04:00

This past week I turned another year older. Forty-one years to be exact. Each year seems to go by faster than the last. I remember when older adults used to tell me to slow down and enjoy your youth because it will pass by before you know it. I definitely understand that now - not that being in your forties is that old... Oh well, I guess we're never to old to received birthday gifts, right? I look at them as a way to help ease the pain of growing older.

My wife and daughter gave me a wonderful gift from one of my favorite stores: Wild Bird Unlimited (WBU). It was a new hopper bird feeder; but not like any other feeder, it's the EcoTough Classic Feeder. The Eco feeders are a line of feeders sold by WBU that are environmentally friendly and made of recycled plastic. It's a wood-free feeder that actually looks like real wood. These feeders won't crack, fade or rot and carries with it a lifetime guarantee. As with any good quality product, the price is a bit high but it's hard to beat the lifetime guarantee.

Hopper bird feeders look similar in shape to a bird house but offer feeding areas on either side of them while food storage is contained in the center housing. It attracts a wide range of birds. I've gone through several of these feeders in my "short" lifetime that were made of various wood materials, and some were good quality ones, but over time the wood ones just don't hold up in the weather.

While this probably wont be the last bird feeder I purchase it hopefully will be the last hopper feeder that I have to buy.

After taking down the old and putting up the new I decided to dust off my Wingscapes BirdCam to see which birds would be the first to visit the new feeder.

As I expected, the house finches were the first to arrive. Lots of these birds in my backyard this time of year.

Here are a couple of female house finches posing for the camera.

Here's a neat photo. The male house finch just left his perch and looks like he is just floating in air.

It wasn't long before the Northern Cardinals found their way to the new feeder.

If you're thinking about feeding birds in your yard the best feeder to start with, in my opinion, would be a hopper feeder filled with black-oiled sunflower seed. Black-oil sunflower seed is the most popular choice of seed eating birds and will attract the largest variety of birds. I normally alternate my feeders with sunflower and safflower seed, sometimes mixing the two.

BirdFreak blog host Bird Photography Weekly every Sunday. Be sure to stop by their to see more interesting bird photos - and post yours there too!

Shorebird Season

2010-10-03T09:46:00.001-04:00

Late summer and fall are the peak season for viewing shorebirds in many parts of North America. Many species that breed in North America journey from their arctic nesting grounds to winter here in the United States and all the way into South America, and then return to the Arctic the following spring. Some travel more than 15,000 miles in this annual circuit. Remember the whimbrel project?

A few weeks ago I got the opportunity to photograph a few of these birds along the coast of North Carolina. Here are just a few I encountered.

...like the the Semipalmated Plover. They breed along the sandy beaches of the tundra and winter along coastal California and the Carolinas south.

The word in their name "semipalmate" means having the front three toes partly webbed.

Look closely at this next photo and you can see the webbing between it's toes. (click the photo to enlarge)

Up next is the Ruddy Turnstone.

Ruddy Turnstones breed on coastal tundra in northwest Alaska and other islands of the Arctic. They winter in various areas along the US coast (east and west).

Another winter visitor is the Willet. Willets breed from central Canada to Northern California and winter further south along our coastlines.

Here they are feeding on some type of sand crab. A favorite food for may shorebirds.

Sanderlings are also popular here this time of year.

Sanderlings are long-distance migrants from the arctic. They often form in large flocks along mudflats and beaches. They are fun to watch as they are constantly bickering with each other.

If given the chance, get out and see what shore birds may be wintering in your area.

BirdFreak blog host Bird Photography Weekly on Sundays. Be sure to stop by their to see more interesting bird photos - and post yours there too!

Bath Time! Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-21T22:37:00.001-04:00

Sanderling bathing in the Atlantic surf:

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday.

A New Beginning - September Bloom Day

2010-09-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

After a long hot summer, September offers a new beginning – a turning point of the season. This is the time of year where summer begins to release its tight grip and the cooler nights and less humid days begin to appear. It’s a sign of what’s to come, and a much welcome relief. Many see this time of year as a winding-down point for the garden, while others view it as a second spring. I must admit after a very hot and dry summer, my garden is looking a little ragged and very tired. However, there are a few bright spots still left, and a few more just beginning to appear.

…like the bluebeard (Caryopteris). The wispy bunches of flowers develop along the stems in late summer to early fall. The silvery foliage also adds a little extra contrast to the landscape.

Pollinators also appreciate these late summer blooms.

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is another late bloomer. It’s well liked by hummingbirds and offers them some late season nectar prior to their migration – when they need it the most.

The combo of the bluebeard and sage planted together adds a big splash in the garden…

A tough little annual that fits in almost any garden is the ‘Diamond Frost’ Euphorbia. It’s very popular in containers, but don’t limit it to just pots. It does great in the landscape as well, offering continuous blooming clouds of airy white flowers. It looks delicate but don’t let that fool you. ‘Diamond Frost’ requires no dead heading and can tolerate heat and drought. Its mounded habit makes for a great border or fill-in plant.

And let’s not forget about the summer vines. A new one in the landscape for me this year is the moon vine or moonflower (Ipomoea alba). It’s a species of night-blooming morning-glory, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America. The name Moonflower comes from their blooming in the evening and their large, round shape like a full moon. The blooms begin appearing at dusk and are very fragrant. The blooms are also magnets for sphinx moths. A great plant for the evening garden.

Another fun, easy to grow vine is the cypress vine. Once established this little vine really takes off, and is very attractive to hummingbirds.

One of my favorite shrubs in the garden this time of year is the American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). It’s a native woodland shrub that adapts well to the landscape. It blends in the garden hardly noticed until it’s bright lavender berry clusters begin to appear, quickly becoming the star of the garden.

For more September blooms be sure to check out Mays Dreams Gardens for this month’s Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Upcoming Fall Events

2010-09-08T22:13:00.001-04:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The air is cooler, the leaves are changing and migrating birds are on the move again. There’s lots going on this time of year especially if you love being outdoors. It’s also a great time to catch an event or fall festival in your area. There are several in my area related to birding in some way, shape or form that I’m hoping to attend, and hopefully some of you will too.

Currituck Wildlife Festival

First is the 2010 Currituck Wildlife Festival. It’s this weekend – September 11 & 12th. This event host Local and National Decoy Carvers, Wildlife Painters and Exhibitors, Antique Decoy Collections, and more. The event is located at the Currituck County High School in Barco, NC. I’ve participated in this event in prior years so I can say with confidence that it's a great show. Some of the most talented artist on the east coast are a part of this event.

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Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival

Another event taken place in October is the 18th Annual Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia is a rest stop for many migrating birds, and offers some of the best birding around. You can register and get more information about this event from their website.

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Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival

One event that I’m definitely attending this fall is the 14th Annual Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

"Annually in November, all the stops are pulled out for folks who come from across the country to participate in the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival. The six day event celebrates the natural wonders of the area and offers many opportunities to explore and discover the richness of the regions environment."

And if it couldn't get any better, Bill Thompson, III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest, is this years keynote speaker. Check out their website above to get a listing of events and details on registering.

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Virginia Wildlife Photography Contest

If you’re a Virginia photographer or happen to have some great photos you've taken in Virginia, you may want to enter them in the 2010 Virginia Wildlife Photography Contest. Deadline for entry is November 2nd. Lots of categories and prizes! Check out the link above for more info.

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Another big event this fall was recently brought to my attention by a reader asking me to help spread the word – so I will...

A BIRDING ADVENTURE IN CENTRAL PARK
Fall Bird Walks Led by Experts from
the American Museum of Natural History

Fall Bird Walks in Central Park
Observe more than 50 different species of birds—including resident and migrant birds, water birds, song birds, and birds of prey— during this eight-week bird-watching adventure in Central Park. Join naturalists Stephen C. Quinn (Tuesdays and Fridays), Joseph DiCostanzo (Wednesdays and Thursdays, 7 am), and Harold Feinberg (Thursdays, 9 am) on tours through the park, one of the premier places locally to watch birds during spring and fall migrations. Participants will learn how to use field marks, habitat, behavior, and song as aids in identification. Interested birders, from beginners to the advanced, are invited.

WHEN: Eight Tuesdays: Sept 7–Oct 26, 7–9 am
Eight Wednesdays: Sept 8–Oct 27, 7–9 am
Eight Thursdays: Sept 9–Oct 28, 7–9 am
Eight Thursdays: Sept 9–Oct 28, 9–11 am
Eight Fridays: Sept 10–Oct 29, 7–9 am

WHERE: Walks start across from the Museum on the northeast corner of Central Park West and 77th Street.

ADMISSION: $85

URL: http://www.amnh.org/programs/programs.php?date=2010-09-08&event_id=1772

FOLLOW: Find the Museum on Facebook at facebook.com/naturalhistory <http://facebook.com/naturalhistory> or visit twitter.com/AMNH <http://www.twitter.com/AMNH> to follow us on Twitter.

Playing with Snakes at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve

2010-09-01T04:35:00.011-04:00

My daughter and I spent a wonderful Saturday afternoon over at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, located and owned by the city of Portsmouth, VA. It’s a 142-acre suburban wilderness park along the Hoffler Creek thats been preserved for plants and animals of all types at the heart of the Chesapeake Bay’s unique ecosystem.

This particular day they were offering a 2-hour program about snakes geared for both kids and adults. My daughter really loves animals and believe it or not, really digs snakes. If you remember in previous post, the snake display at the annual Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival is her favorite each year. Here she is a couple years ago at the event holding one of the snakes. You can read about her snake handling here, here and here.

I have taught her that not all snakes are equal, and not to ever approach a snake in the wild.

Saturdays presentation was put on by JB Rattles. JB is a local reptile expert that travels around the area sharing his experiences about some of the world’s most misunderstood animals. The presentation kept everyone on the edge of their seats while JB explained some of the facts and myths about snakes.

Here’s my daughter touching one of the many snakes JB brought out that day. This one is a black rat snake.

The black rat snake is the one you’re most likely to run into around your house. They are very common in this area and are one of the best predators for keeping mice and rats under control. Although they can grow quite large and seem intimidating, it’s a myth that they will chase you. And that goes for any snake. If ever one comes toward you, it was probably scared in that direction – just step out of the way.

Black rat snakes are resilient climbers and can climb vertically on rough surfaces as demonstrated below.
Here’s the black rat ascending a brick wall:

Same snake going up a pine tree:

We learned some other interesting things about snakes - like some of the differences between venomous and non-venomous snakes. For instance, I didn’t know that one way to tell the difference between the two types was the markings on the underside of the snakes tail. Notice in the chart below that the non-venomous snake scales will divide into 2 rows after it passes the anal plate. The other one has a single row of scales, this would mean it is a venomous snake. This rule applies to all native US snakes.

Knowing this is nice, but you won’t catch me picking up a snake to find out! However, if your lucky enough to find a snake skin still in tack you would be able to tell using this method.
There are three venomous snakes in our area of Virginia, and all three of these snakes were present.

Shown below is the most common venomous snake in our region - the Northern Copperhead.

Here JB demonstrates how peaceful these animals can be.

While snakes do not go after people, you must treat them with respect when encountering one in the wild. If cornered or surprised they will bite; however, a majority of snake bites are preventable.
JB stressed the importance of taking action if ever bitten by a poisonous snake. Get to a doctor or hospital immediately and do not attempt to administer first aid yourself. This could make the situation worse. In most cases, adults bitten by a poisonous snake in this region will be okay, but don’t chance it, get to a doctor - especially if a child is involved.

Here's another venomous snake - eastern cottonmouth. These are mostly found in or around water.

Here's a canebrake rattlesnake:

The canebrake is an endangered species. It's decline is mostly due to habitat loss. You may remember my rare encounter with one last fall.

JB brought a variety of other snakes that’s not local to the area, or country for that matter. Like this monacled cobra:

This guy was a little nervous. Notice how his head's faired up.

Check out this 13-foot burmese python!

Here's JB holding a ruthven’s kingsnake (non-venomous):

This snake closely resembles the highly venomous coral snake. To tell the difference remember the saying - "Red touching yellow, snake killing fella. Red touching black, no venom sack."

We often use the word poison and venom interchangeably, often referring to snakes as poisonous. But really thats's not correct - its venomous snakes, and there's a difference. Poison is absorbed or ingested. Venom, on the other hand, is injected into the bloodstream. Unlike poison, some say you could drink venom and it won’t hurt you. Only when it's injected is it effective. I'll just take their word for it.

I hope you enjoyed this brief overview of this fun and informative event. Thanks to Hoffler Creek WP for sponsoring this event and to Les over at A Tidewater Gardener for making me aware of it.

This post has been submitted to this weeks Camera Critters Meme - #126. Be sure to check it out!

The Purple Martins of Manns Harbor

2010-08-26T05:40:00.003-04:00

While on vacation last week my daughter and I spent an afternoon together and ventured from the beaches of Nags Head to the beaches of the Croatan Sound, located along the west end of the Roanoke Island. Roanoke Island is part of the barrier islands off the cost of North Carolina. The area is best known in American history as the site of Sir Water Raleigh’s attempt to establish an English settlement in the late fifteenth century. The fate of that colony remains unknown as it mysteriously disappeared a few years later and is known today as the “Lost Colony”. Visitors from all around come to Roanoke Island to see the “Lost Colony” play, which happens to be the longest running outdoor theater production in America. Roanoke Island is also home to the first English born child to the New World, Virginia Dare, who was part of the original lost colony.

Many outsiders are unaware, but Roanoke Island is home to another unique attraction – the famous purple martin roosting site under the William B. Umstead Memorial Bridge (aka “Old Manns Harbor”). This bridge extends across the Croatan Sound and leads to and from the mainland on the northern end of the island. The bridge is home to one of the largest purple martin roost along the east coast. 100,000 + purple martins converge on the bridge every night from July through early September. Manns Harbor Bridge roost is so large the bird's morning departure can sometimes be seen on Doppler radar. Some martins may travel up to 150 miles from their summer breeding colonies to reach this site. They arrive at sunset to roost under the bridge. The Coastal Carolina Purple Martin Society (CCPMS) has determined that this spectacular roost has been active at this bridge for over 30 years.

The purple martin numbers can be so large during the summer (at dusk and dawn) that the CCPMS initiated the installment of speed reduction signs and lights, alerting drivers to slow down. Personally, I think this is a great idea.

We arrived at the bridge that afternoon about 45 minutes before sunset and pulled off the road onto the designated parking area at the entrance of the bridge. Not knowing which end of the bridge was better for viewing the martins, I just chose the first entrance we came to (island side).

My daughter enjoyed playing on the beach while I snapped a few photos of the gorgeous sunset.

A young lady showed up with her yellow lab and began throwing sticks in the water for her dog to retrieve. This was a big hit with my daughter.

Birding action was a bit slow but we did spot a Pied-billed Grebe...

...and a nearby great blue heron.

We did begin to spot a few martins flying over at dusk, as well as a common nighthawk (below).

We didn't see as many martins as anticipated and I was beginning to wonder if most of them had moved on further south or we were just on the wrong end of the bridge. Just before dark we decided to jump in the car and head across the bridge. A little over half-way across the bridge my daughter hollered: “look at all those birds dad”. Sure enough, the purple martins were pouring in like black birds landing in a corn field to feed. Fortunately, no one was behind me so we were able to stop on the bridge and watch them for a few minutes. The pictures below are nothing like the real experience and the quality is not that good due to the lack of daylight and the fact that they were taken from inside the car; but it will give you a idea of how many were coming in to roost. Click any photo to enlarge it.

And this wasn’t the normal amount. A recent CCPMS blog post earlier in the week (8/16) reported that the numbers were down a little for this time of year, which indicates that they may be migrating earlier this season. The timing of the migration has a lot to do with the number of insect available for them to fatten up on before leaving for their long trip to South America for the winter. The insects must be plentiful this year.

For more information on this be sure to check out the Coastal Carolina Purple Martin Society (CCPMS) website and blog: http://www.purplemartinroost.com/
http://www.purplemartinroost.blogspot.com/

Migratory and wintering roosts are critically important to the annual life cycle and ecology of Purple Martins. To get involved with and to learn more check out the Project Martin Roost site sponsored by the Purple Martin Conservation Association: http://purplemartin.org/roost/

This post has been submitted to Skywatch Friday, and I and the Bird #133. Be sure to check out these great websites!

Meet Ricky & Lucy - Osprey of the Outer Banks

2010-08-22T07:24:00.001-04:00

I'm back from the Outer Banks and the family vacation is officially over - back to reality. Unfortunately vacations never last, but the memories do. And this past week I brought back a few memories I'd like to share.

The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. The 2-hour drive from where we live makes it a convenient vacation destination. Whether your a beach person or not there's lots to do and see there, not to mention some great restaurants serving some of the best seafood around. Many of the restaurants border along the waters edge offering some excellent scenery while dining. One such restaurant is Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe. One of the main attractions at Basnights, besides its great food and wonderful view of the Roanoke Sound, is the pair of osprey that nest behind their restaurant. The osprey pair is known locally as Ricky and Lucy - named by the restaurant staff.

The osprey nest sits on a platform that's attached to a 15 - 20 foot snag that sits over water. Ricky and Lucy have nested here for several years and have become a favorite attraction for many. The restaurant has even created flyers about them which are placed on each table for customers to read about.

In the spring of 2007 the restaurant was destroyed by fire. The osprey pair flew around confused and frightened for several days but returned a few days later and continued to nest that year while the restaurant was rebuilt just a few yards away from them.

This is one of the juveniles that has yet to leave the nest.

These ospreys will be migrating soon and will spend their winter in South America. Ricky and Lucy will return next spring to nest again in this very same spot.

Osprey readily builds its nest on manmade structures, such as this nest platform designed especially for it. Such platforms have become an important tool in reestablishing Ospreys in areas where they had once disappeared.

They dine almost exclusively on live fish. Here's one of the parents on a nearby snag eating a fresh catch.

After diner we walked out on the dock behind the restaurant to see what else was lurking about...like this Laughing Gull (shown in it's non-breeding plumage).

Mallards swimming nearby looking for a handout.

Fish crows...

I have a hard time telling the fish crow apart from the American crow. Fish crows are a little smaller but the best way to tell them apart is by their sound.

There was even a young Swamp Rabbit eating grass nearby.

If you get a chance, stop on over at Birdfreak's website and check out more bird photos in this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly.

Sunrise on the Outer Banks of NC - Sky Watch Friday

2010-08-19T10:54:00.001-04:00

Greetings from the Outer Banks of North Carolina! My family and I are having a great time at one of our favorite vacation sp0ts. Today's forecast here is calling for 70% chance of rain so I'm taking a short break inside to share a few sunrise photos I took earlier in the week overlooking the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

Early morning is such a peaceful time at the beach.

I spotted this little sand crab scampering across the beach in the early morning light. These little critters take advantage of the quiet beach and come out looking for food and digging new holes to hide in during the day. Their camouflage makes them tough to spot. These little guys are plentiful here and at times make the sand come alive with movement.

Be sure to visit the Skywatch Friday home page for more great sky photos. Today's edition will start at 2:30pm est.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Late Summer Blooms

2010-08-15T02:18:00.001-04:00

Late summer can be tough on the garden, especially if it's been a hot dry summer like it has in my region. One thing you learn when going through a dry spell is which plants can take it and which ones can't. Fortunately we've had some rain recently and the grass is starting to turn green again and the flower blooms have resumed.

One thing my garden hasn't been short of this summer is butterflies. My goal the last couple years has been to plant more flowers that attract butterflies, and it's starting to pay off as you will see in some of the photos below. In my opinion a true butterfly garden should contain both nectar plants for butterflies to feed on, and host plants for butterfly larva.

Here's is a monarch butterfly feeding on a tropical milkweed plant, also known as 'bloodflower' (Asclepias curassavica). If you look closely (click photo to enlarge) you can see a monarch caterpillar feeding on the plant foliage just below the butterfly (where the arrow is pointing). Milkweed is a great plant for pollinators and is the main host plant for monarch butterflies.

Here's another...

Below is a native milkweed called 'swamp milkweed' (Asclepias incarnata).

Here's a new butterfly bush (buddleia) I purchased this summer. It's a dwarf variety called 'Blue Chip'. So far I've been very pleased with it. It's a smaller compact version that continues to bloom just like the larger cultivars. I purchased this later in the summer which is not the ideal time to plant. For that reason I planted this in a pot where it sits nicely on my back deck. I plan to transplant it in the garden early this fall when things cool off a bit.

And just like all buddleias, the butterflies flock to it.

Black and blue salvia (Salvia guaranitica) is also new to my garden this summer. Beware, it likes to spread but if you have the room it's a neat plant and the butterflies and hummingbirds dig it to.

Russian sage is a great drought tolerant plant that continues to bloom and looks great with most plant combinations. Here a buckeye butterfly enjoys feeding from its nectar.

Blanket flower (gaillardia) is another drought tolerant plant that continues blooming throughout the summer. Keep it deadheaded for more blooms.

Zinnias...

This is a mixture of 'New Gold' lantana mixed with 'Citus' lantana.

Here's a stand of melampodium. Truly a "plant it and forget it" plant. It begins to bloom the moment it comes up and last until frost.

'Miss Huff' lantana with a volunteer sunflower in the background.

Not sure of the name to this lantana. It's a low growing ground cover variety. Can you tell I like lantana?

Verbena is another one of those easy to grow, bang for your buck plant.

Thanks for stopping by and taking this tour with me. Remember, just because we're in the dog days of summer doesn't mean that the garden has to look like it. There're lots of plants that can stand up to the heat and drought that this time of season is known for.

For more ideas and other August blooms be sure to check out Mays Dreams Gardens for this months Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Thanks for hosting Carol!

Growing & Harvesting Potatoes

2010-08-10T05:16:00.001-04:00

Potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables to harvest. I’m not sure why because they do require some labor to dig and in most areas need to be harvested in the hottest part of the summer. The fact that you can’t see them (until dug) provide that “surprise” factor that only gardeners can appreciate. Questions like how many, how big, and will it be a big harvest are all queries that get answered once you go diggin’ for them.

Our family has grown potatoes since I was a young kid helping my dad in the garden. I was always looking for that one big potato that was larger than the rest of ‘em. Today I still look for that big one, but big is not always better. The smaller “new potatoes” are the prized ones when it comes to flavor and you can start “stealing” a few from the garden about the time the plants finish blooming.

This year I grew a cultivar called Yukon Gold. These potatoes have a gold colored center with a buttery-tasting waxy flesh. They taste great boiled or baked. They mature in about 90 – 100 days.

Contrary to some beliefs, potatoes are easy to grow and don’t require a large space. You can even grow them in containers or trash cans. Here's a short video I found on the subject.

Potatoes can tolerate a variety of soils, but prefer soil that’s loose and well drained since their roots grow deep. I like to mix in some peat moss to the planting area because not only does it help fluff up the soil a little, it adds some acidity to the soil that potato plants prefer. In addition, I add a little fertilizer that’s high in phosphorus (the 2^nd number on the bag of fertilizer) prior to planting. Phosphorous is good for root crops like potatoes.

Potatoes grow best when planted in early spring. I plant mine about 3 weeks before my areas last frost date. A couple days prior to planting, cut the seed potatoes into pieces so that each piece has at least two eyes. Let the cut pieces sit for about two or three days so the raw edges can dry out. This reduces the risk of rotting in the ground prior to sprouting; or you can do as I do and plant the whole seed potato. From my experience the plants seem to come up a little quicker with more vigor and less chance of rotting when planting the whole seed potato.

There are a variety of ways to plant potatoes. I plant them in a shallow trench row 3-4 inches deep and about 10 – 12 inches apart, and cover them with about 2 inches of soil. I continue to rake soil around the base of the plant as they grow. Eventually this will form a mound or hill around the plant. Another option is to form a mound first and plant the potato 3-4” deep in the mound. I’ve done it both ways with no difference in the results.

Early harvest can begin soon after the potato plant blooms – just reach down a few inches from the base of the plant and scratch into the soil until you feel a potato. Grab what you need and fix the disturbed soil to protect the remaining potatoes and off you go. The rest of the potatoes can be harvested soon after the plants begin to fade and die in the summer.

Potatoes store for months if kept in a cool dark place away from the sun. I store mine in a old bushel basket in the corner of the garage. Check periodically for any rotten ones and throw them out as necessary.

Canning potatoes is another method of storing them. Here are instructions on how to do that – http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-potatoes.html

You can buy seed potatoes at your local garden center in late winter / early spring or if interested in getting a different variety than what’s offered locally, check out: http://www.potatogarden.com/

Potatoes are easy to grow, they store well, they're fun to harvest and taste great! What more could you ask for?

Yellow on Yellow - Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-03T22:41:00.001-04:00

Tiger Swallowtail on Sunflower

The Tiger Swallowtail is the Virginia state insect.

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday.

Wearable Hummingbird Feeder

2010-07-29T05:50:00.003-04:00

So, how far are you willing to go for the ultimate hummingbird experience? A California inventor has created a hummingbird feeder that you wear on your face. Just put it on, sit quietly and very still outside, and wait for the little birds to zoom up and drink the sugar water from a hole between your eyes. Sounds a little gimmicky, but check out this must see video of the feeder in action.

It kind of looks like something out of a horror movie. Word of warning - while this attracts hummingbirds, it may scare humans. You may want to inform your neighbors and others around you before putting this on and sitting out in your backyard, or you may find yourself having to explain it to the local police - ha, ha!

You can buy one of these for $79.95. Sounds a little pricey if you ask me but it does look as if they have put a lot of work and detail into this helmet. Read all about it here: http://www.heatstick.com/_eYe2eye.htm

Also, keep your "normal" hummingbirds full this time of year. Hummingbirds are fueling up for their long journey southward in a few weeks.

Skinks Alive!

2010-07-26T05:44:00.003-04:00

It's amazing what you can come across in nature, and in most cases, the best things are found by accident.

This female lizard with her eggs was discovered by my parents under an old board on their property. We gently raised the board to take a peak.

I'm not a 100% sure of the identification of this lizard, but I am sure that it's either the common five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) or the Southeastern five-lined skink (Eumeces inexpectatus). It's difficult to discriminate between these two species on the basis of physical appearance.

Regardless of the id, skink are very common in our region. They are often seen close to ground level around house foundations or spotted scooting across the deck or sidewalk. I even had one in my house a few years ago. Needless to say, the Misses wasn't happy.

Even after they hatch the female stays close to her young. Look closely and you can see her half buried in the dirt below.

Juveniles are similar to adults but have a bright blue tail, which serves to attract predators' attention away from the body. The tail breaks off when the skink is attacked, and it continues to wriggle for some time to distract the predator further.

Skinks feed mainly on invertebrates, including beetles, grasshoppers, wood roaches, caterpillars, spiders, and centipedes.

I've seen skinks probably a thousand times in my life but watching the female protect her eggs is a first for me. It kind of puts a whole new prospective on how I view these lizards now. Even some of the smallest creatures we often take for granted serve an important role in nature.

Be sure to check out Camera Critters website over at http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/ for more photos of fabulous critters.

Summer Storms - Skywatch Friday

2010-07-22T14:41:00.001-04:00

What's summer without afternoon thunderstorms? You know, the ones that made you nervous as a kid (as it does my 6 year old daughter). Now I look forward to the tranquility that they bring, not to mention the heat relief and rain, especially now that's its so hot and dry in our area this summer.

We had one such storm this week that resulted in some beautiful skies...

God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. (Genesis 1:8, NIV)

Be sure to visit the Skywatch Friday home page for more great photos.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Give Grapes a Try

2010-07-18T00:46:00.001-04:00

Growing fruit in the home garden is more popular now than it’s been in years. More and more people are discovering the fun, savings and great taste from growing their own fruits. I grew up in a family that always had fresh fruit and vegetables available in the summer. One of the fruits I fondly remember was grapes. I remember my grandmother picking grapes and making fresh grape jam. It tasted best served on her homemade country biscuits. It was the greatest!

Maybe its me, but with all the fruit tree and home gardening craze going on you just don't here that much about grapes. Not only are they good to eat, grapes provide a beautiful ornamental look and are valuable as shade or screen plants around your home when trained to grow on a trellis or arbor. And growing them is not hard. All you need is a little space, plenty of sunshine and decent, well drained soil.

Here is an arbor that I built about three years ago located in the corner of my backyard.

Eventually the vine will spread across the top of the arbor and completely shade the area underneath. At that point, I'll probably add a garden bench underneath.

There are many choices when it comes to growing grapes - green, purple, red, black. Some have seeds, and some don't. When choosing a grape cultivar, your best source of advice is a reputable nursery to help pick out a good one for your area as well as a variety suitable for your intended use.

I grow scuppernong grapes (not sure of the cultivar). Scuppernong is a large variety of the muscadine grape family (Vitis rotundifolia), a species of grape native to the southeastern United States, and thus well adapted to the warm, humid conditions of the region.

These will turn to a coppery-bronze color when ripe.

Grapes are best planted in early spring or fall. Regular applications of a balanced fertilizer during the growing season will benefit them. Pruning grapes can be tricky. When it comes to pruning I personally don't follow the suggested methods. Pruning is important if growing grapes for commercial use, but in the home garden less so. I do some light pruning in early spring (just before the leaves appear) to thin out the vines. Also, keep an eye out for any dead or damaged limbs throughout the summer and remove them as necessary. A lot of information is out there on the subject if interested in learning more about pruning grape vines.

Birds enjoy grapes too, and not just for eating. Look closely and you can see a young chipping sparrow sitting in its nest located deep within the grape vine.

So go ahead and give grapes a try - they're good, healthy and can make for an attractive setting in your yard.

More info on grapes...

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8203.html

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/pdf/1429.pdf

http://www.isons.com/muscadine_grape.htm

Cool & Useful Garden Links

2010-07-14T22:46:00.001-04:00

Like most blogger's, I enjoy reading other blogs when time permits, and its probably no surprise that I tend to favor nature and garden related content. However, I must admit that I also enjoy reading a few other blogs that may not fit that criteria. One such blog I enjoy visiting daily is Lifehacker. Lifehacker is made up of a team of bloggers that post several times a day covering tips and tricks for streamlining your life. A lot of the content is technology and web 2.0 related but don't let that stop you from checking them out - you just might learn something.

Recently they've featured some really cool garden related post and sites that I thought would be worthy of sharing with you.

The first site is called SproutRobot! SproutRobot will build a custom planting schedule based on your zip code so you always know what to plant and when. It's free to sign up but they also offer paid services that offer extra benefits. Click here to access and read Lifehacker's post with more info about SproutRobot!

Next is a web tool called Garden Pest Detective. This site helps you hunt down garden pest. Pick the vegetable, select the kind of damage you're seeing, and the Pest Detective highlights what could be causing it, from plant pests to diseases. Click here to access Lifehacker's post to learn more about this.

And related to this same subject, check out Lifehacker's post titled How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals. This post discusses garden pest from slugs to deer. Within this post check out how you can repel garden pests with coffee.

Lastly, check out their recent post about cloning herbs from cuttings to expand and extend your garden season.

I hope you can find at least one of these links useful this season in your garden.

Hummingbird Hitches a Ride - Another Local Bird Tale

2010-07-01T05:46:00.003-04:00

Another bird story surfaced in this weeks local paper and its got me convinced that the birds in my city have gone a little "cuckoo" (no pun intended...ha ha).
First was the escaped emu that was roaming the city, now a story just came out about a hummingbird moving to the country. And when I say moving, it's probably not moving in the way you think.

It's hard not to get excited about seeing a hummingbird. I see them in my garden all the time and I stop each and every time to watch them zip around my flowers. Their curious nature often makes it possible to get very close to them from time to time. But what recently happened to a local woman takes it to a whole new level.
Below is a brief story as to what happened, but you will have to read the article to appreciate the whole story.
A lady was visiting her mother across town, and for whatever reason a hummingbird took a liking to her. The hummingbird actually landed on the woman's head and at one point licked her face. The hummingbird later entered into the woman's truck when she was ready to drive off.
She named the hummingbird Jake and it traveled with her while she ran errands around town. The hummingbird actually waited outside for the woman while she attended her doctors appointment. The bird ended up going home with her.
Check out the article if you get a chance. It's a must read!
http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/28/city-bird-moves-country/

26XBN46MNPAW

Bee Good to Pollinators

2010-06-27T07:39:00.004-04:00

In case you missed it, this week (June 21st-22nd) was National Pollinator Week. Three years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of the final week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has grown to be an international celebration of the valuable services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and other insects.

One of the leading organizations for this cause, and a great resource for all things pollinator related is pollinator.org. Their mission is to protect pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research. Signature initiatives include the NAPPC (North American Pollinator Protection Campaign), National Pollinator Week, and the regional Planting Guides. Be sure to check out the regional planting guides on their website. Once there, input your zip code and it will give you an informational guide (.pdf) for selecting plants in your area for pollinators along with other useful information about the pollinators in your area. Here is the regional guide for my area: http://www.pollinator.org/OuterCoastal.rx5.pdf

In addition to planting a variety of pollinator favorites, you can also provide housing for our native pollinators like the orchard mason bee and the leafcutter bee. Here's a photo of my mason bee house.

Mason bees nests in natural holes, creating individual cells for their brood that are separated by mud dividers. Unlike carpenter bees, they cannot drill there own holes in wood. They will often use holes created by carpenter bees or any other small hole or crevice found in nature. They are great pollinators to have around for your garden, and you can help attract them by purchasing or making one of these houses for them.
I put my house up a little late this spring so I haven't had any mason bees in it but it has attracted a few leafcutter bees. Like Mason Bees and just as fascinating, leafcutters have a similar nesting style and will nest in the same wooden bee houses except, as their name suggests, they line their cells with small pieces of leaves instead of mud. Here's a close-up comparison:

Mud sealing - a Mason Bee hole

leaf sealing - a leafcutter Bee hole

Leaf cutter bees are also great pollinators to have around.

Check out these links for more information on our native bees, as well as attracting and constructing housing for them:

Information about solitary bees and attracting them: http://wingsinflight.com/gardbees.html

Managing and instructions on building a mason bee house: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Other/note109/note109.html

http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/Build-a-Bee-House.aspx

Great site about native bee conservation: http://www.ournativebees.com/home.html

Also, check out the pollinator page over at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/

Big Bird on the Loose

2010-06-21T17:44:00.004-04:00

As most of you know, I’m all about attracting wildlife, especially birds, to my yard. It’s always exciting to catch sight of a bird at the feeder that I haven’t seen before. But the bird I saw last week wasn’t one I expected, or better yet, didn’t even think was possible.
I was cutting grass on my riding mower one afternoon last week when something caught my attention. I looked over to my left and what was there didn’t seem real - oh, but it was! It was Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). The closest I had ever been to one of these Australian birds was at the VA Zoo, which is at least 30 plus miles away.

Emus are large flightless birds that reach up to 6-1/2 feet tall. They are native to Australia and are one of the largest birds in the world, second only to the ostrich. Emus forage on a variety of plants, seeds and insects and are capable of traveling long distances in search of food (not good news for the owner still looking for this big bird). In recent years Emu farms, both abroad and here in the U.S. have become very popular. They are farmed primarily for their meat, and sometimes for leather and oil. They are also popular animals to see in petting zoos and hobby farms.
For just a split second, the Emu was coming straight towards me at a hasty trot before veering off to one side. I think the running mower probably startled it a little. I turned the mower off and just stared at it in disbelief for a moment. I knew this wasn’t normal, but I wasn’t aware of an emu farm nearby and wasn’t sure who to call. I continued to watch as the Emu slowed to a casual walk and proceeded across my front yard. At that moment I realized I should document this or possibly be considered crazy for telling everyone what I just witnessed, especially since my wife and daughter were not home at the moment of encounter. As a matter of fact, none of my neighbors where outside to witness this. I was definitely all alone on this one. At that moment I jumped off the mower and went inside to grab my camera. I came back out and was able to snap off a few photos before the emu disappeared down the street.

My feeling went from disbelief to comical later on when viewing the photos with my family. I’ve attracted many birds to my yard using bird feeders and nest boxes, but without saying, this was definitely the oddest bird I have ever had in my yard.

A few days later my mother-in-law emailed me an article from the local paper that helped to put the puzzle pieces together. It seems as if several emus escaped from an animal farm in a neighboring city and have been showing up in odd places, one of them being a local golf course. Here’s a link to the article:
http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/16/trail-emu/
Just this past weekend another article surfaced in the same news paper. Seems as if one is still on the loose:
http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/19/emu-loose/
And just this evening the story made it on our local TV news - hey, this is big news for a small city like Suffolk.

UPDATE: The last emu was captured on Tuesday (6/22) and moved to the VA Zoo. Here's a link to the local article: http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/22/emu-captured-moved-zoo/

Be sure to check out other birds this week over at Birdfreak's Bird Photographer Weekly #96

Great Dismal Swamp 2010 Birding Festival - Better Late than Never

2010-06-19T01:34:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I've gone AWOL for a few weeks and gotten behind on my post again. I guess it happens to the best of us, or worse depending on how you look at it. Now back, I wanted to follow up on our trip to the Great Dismal Swamp for last months birding festival. Better late than never, right?

My daughter and I set out early that morning before the weather got to hot. Our destination was to the Washington Ditch canal were we intended to check out and hike the new boardwalk trail that just opened up to the public.

Upon entrance to the Washington Ditch we were greeted by a couple of whitetail deer browsing along the field edges. I managed to snap a photo before the last one casually disappeared in the thicket.

Here's a look at the entrance of the new boardwalk trail.

This new trail winds 3/4 mile deep in and out of the forest. It goes through a variety of habitats found within the swamp. My daughter and I hiked a small portion of it.

Along the trail we saw encountered a lot of familiar native flora. Here's one of my favorites, the coral honeysuckle. It's a favorite of hummingbirds as well.

We stopped along the trail to check out out a variety of birds and other wildlife. Morgan (below) seems to be interested in something above. I think it's wonderful that she shows an early interest in nature and the outdoors. I think it's very important to get children outside as early as possible so that they can learn to appreciate the great outdoors and all it has to offer. If I could only get her over her fear of bugs!

After the hike we headed over to the Dismal Swamp headquarters where the main event was taken place. There they had a variety of displays and nature activities set up for kids and adults to learn and enjoy.

Like the previous years of this event, Morgan's favorite display was the snakes. Here she is getting ready to handle her favorite one - its an Corn Snake. Corn snakes are found throughout much of the southeastern and central United States. They're docile snakes that reach approximately 4 to 5 feet in length. Sometimes they are referred to as red rat snakes.

By the way, here's a cool site that list the snakes of Virginia if interested: http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/reptiles/snakes/snakes_of_virginia.htm

Below she is holding the corn snake by herself. Believe it or not, this is the main reason she enjoys coming to this event each year.

Below she is holding a smaller Mole Kingsnake.

After the snakes we walked over to one of the activity tents where we built a bluebird nest box. Notice how well she hammers. She looks to be taken it very seriously.

Needless to say we had a great time at the fourth annual Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival. And if you live in the area, here's a link to the swamps summer calendar of events. There may be something that interest you: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp/pdf/summer10.pdf

Spring Migration Celebration at the Great Dismal Swamp

2010-05-05T12:39:00.001-04:00

If you live in Virginia or North Carolina, or anywhere in the vicinity this weekend, be sure to come by and attend the fourth annual Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival. The event starts on Thursday the 6th thru Saturday the 8th. There will be bird banding demonstrations, guided bird and nature walks, workshops, and more. And Saturday will be family fun day that includes children activities, music, food, exhibits and tours. I’ve had a great time in the past at this event and looking forward to it again this year.

Here’s a link to the event brochure with schedules for each event (there all free!). Also, be sure to look at the photos along the top of the second page. My daughter's picture is in there! She is the one holding the snake. It was taken at last years event.

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatdismalswamp/pdf/2010%20BF%20program.pdf

Hope to see some of you there!

Hiding Out

2010-05-02T09:25:00.001-04:00

One of the most territorial birds in my backyard is the Northern Mockingbird. And when they have a nest nearby they seem to turn it up another notch or two. They aggressively harass birds that intrude on their territories, flying towards them flaunting their bright white wing patches and squawking like mockingbirds do.

I've noticed some of these turf wars going on in the back corner of my property recently and decided (with caution) to take a closer look. I inspected the area for a nest and what I stumbled upon was even better - little fledglings!

These little mockingbirds were hiding out in my elaeagnus shrubs.

Look closely below and you can see another one buried deep within the shrub.

Here's another...look closely.

Needless to say, they were well protected within the shrub and the parents provided another barrier of protection from outside.

I counted three all together, but there could have been more. I didn't wont to continue stressing mom and dad out or their young. I stepped backed and watched for a while as mom and dad continued to feed them in the shrubs. They will continue to care for their young until they are able to do so for themselves. This is the case with most birds. The parents will continue to feed and watch over their young even after they leave the safety of the nest.

Have a great weekend and be sure to visit Birdfreak's Bird Photography Weekly (#88) to see more bird photos!

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Northern Mockingbird,Fledglings

Cuter than a Chickadee - Nest Tube Update

2010-04-29T06:46:00.001-04:00

Five little chickadee eggs equals....

five little chickadee chicks.

So, what's cuter than a chickadee? How about baby chickadees!

These little Carolina chickadees are in my chickadee nest tube I constructed last year. They are about two weeks old now and will be fledging within the next few days (between 16 -19 days). As a matter of fact, today will be my last time peaking at them because at this age they could fledge prematurely if disturbed too much.

It's been fun watching the parents go back and forth into the nest cavity feeding their babies.

Both the male and female take part in caring for the young. Carolina chickadees will normally raise just one brood a year. I'm looking forward to seeing the young ones around the yard this summer.

To learn more about Carolina chickadees check out these links:

http://www.sialis.org/cach.htm / http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Chickadee/id

Technorati Tags: Carolina Chickadee,Nest tube,Fledglings,Eggs

The Whimbrel Project

2010-04-22T13:34:00.001-04:00

The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge serves as one of the country's most valuable stop-overs for migratory birds. Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, this 1,127-acre refuge was established in 1984 for migratory birds and endangered species management. I'm fortunate to live not that far from this prime birding refuge. Sites like these are very important to birds like whimbrels who stop over in the spring to rest and refuel before heading north to their summer grounds.

Whimbrel's (click link to see a photo of the bird) are one of the most wide-ranging shorebirds in the world. One particular whimpel named 'Hope' is helping scientist understand why this particular shore bird is on the decline. I first heard about Hope from an article in my local newspaper and was amazed at how far whimbrels travel in one year - over 14,000 miles...WOW!

Hope was captured last spring on VA Eastern Shore and fitted with a transmitter. This study is designed to identify stop-over sites that are important to whimbrels and make a case for preserving these sites. This is a very important project because whimbrels have been declining in recent years - mostly due to land development.

Hope recently returned to Virginia's Eastern shore where she'll spend a few weeks resting up and eating fiddler crabs. Her next stop will be to her nesting site in western Canada, near Alaska.

What's amazing is the fact that Hope came back to the exact same mudflat where she was caught last year. It's a wonder how they do this. Here's a map that shows Hope's path over the last year:

Map Source: Center for Conservation Biology, ESRI, USGS

Reference: http://snipurl.com/vp65j

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Technorati Tags: Whimbrel,Shore Bird,Local,Eastern Shore,Conservation

Easter Eggs

2010-04-04T00:23:00.001-04:00

Look at what's arrived just in time for Easter. The warm spring weather has the birds extra active in my area and the nesting season is well underway. Above is a Eastern Bluebird nest in one of my pvc nest boxes. Eastern Bluebirds normally lay between 3 - 6 eggs.

Another early season nester is the Carolina Chickadee. Those who have followed this blog may remember the chickadee nest tube I built last spring. I'm please to report that the pair of chickadees I posted about a couple months back have decided to make it their home. Carolina Chickadees normally lay between 3 - 8 eggs. That's their eggs below.

These may not be traditional Easter eggs, but their still fun to find. Have a great Easter everyone!!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said... (Matthew 28:6)

Technorati Tags: Easter,Eggs,Eastern Bluebird,Carolina Chickadee,Nest

Bob’s Big Year

2010-03-03T22:23:00.001-05:00

I first heard about Bob Ake in the local newspaper earlier this year. I was drawn to his story not just because he enjoys birds, but also because Bob is a local guy from the Hampton Roads area of VA (my hometown). The former ODU professor retired early to follow his passion – BIRDS!

Bob volunteers and counts shorebirds for the for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and can be found almost anywhere along the Chesapeake Bay looking for birds. He received his first field guide in the mid 60s and has been chasing birds ever since. In fact, he was one of the few birders chosen in 2006 by Cornell University to help comb the woods of Arkansas and Florida for the ivory-billed woodpecker. He has helped band birds, works with the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory on hawk watches, and does Christmas bird surveys for the Audubon Society. But Nov. 30 was his last survey for a while. He will devote all of 2010 to counting birds for himself, something he has been planning for a long time.

He is on a mission this year is to see 650 different U.S. birds, more than he’s ever seen in a single year. When birders set out to see as many birds as possible within 12 months, it’s called a Big Year.

Bob sat down with the American Birding Association lists of 957 bird species endemic to North America and began figuring out his itinerary. He will travel all across the United States this year with a goal of spotting two-thirds of the birds from that list.

Bob didn't waste any time – he started his quest on January one and was up to 116 species in just the first few days. The total to this point stands at 386. He’s well on his way!

If interested, check out Bob Ake’s blog to track his progress: http://bobsbirds.blogspot.com/. He post regular updates with photos of his Big Year adventure. I hope you find his story and blog as interesting as I have. To read this complete article follow this link: http://snipurl.com/umgxe

STEVE EARLEY PHOTOS | THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Reference Info: Virginian Pilot; Jan 10, 2010; Magazine; page E1; “Day 1: 82 down. 568 to go”; by Diane Tennant

Technorati Tags: Bob Ake,Local,Big Year,ABA

Spring Cleaning the Chickadee Way

2010-02-26T21:35:00.002-05:00

As most can attest, it’s very satisfying when you get something accomplished, and even more satisfying when it works the way it’s intended to. However, when it deals with nature there's no guarantee things will go as planned, but when it does, it makes it all the more worth while.

That’s what happened recently with the chickadee nest tube project I built last spring. If you are a follower you may remember the post titled “DIY Chickadee Nest Tube”. Unfortunately there were no takers last year – probably because I got it up a little to late in the spring. Or, maybe the declining housing market had something to do with it (just kidding about that last part).

It’s still early, but there’s reason to believe that this spring (if it ever gets here) is going to be different. The short warm spell that teased us last weekend got everyone in the spring cleaning mode. Including these little Carolina Chickadees.

To my surprise, a pair of Carolina Chickadees spent all weekend cleaning out the PVC nest tube. Each were taking turns removing the wood shavings from the nest cavity. Studies indicate that chickadees prefer to nest in cavities they excavate themselves; so I filled the cavity with loose wood shavings prior to putting up.

The shavings kept them occupied most of the weekend, flying in and out with beak full of wood, landing in a nearby tree and dropping them to the ground.

Chickadees are a fun to watch. They're one of the most bravest and curious of the backyard birds. They often seem tame at times.

They've slowed up a bit on their nesting activities now that the weather has cooled off again, but hopefully they'll resume their spring cleaning activities soon.

If interested in building your own chickadee nest tube follow the link below to learn how:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/Birdscope/Winter2009/chickadee_tube.html

Be sure to visit Birdfreak's BPW #79 to see more bird photos!

Technorati Tags: Carolina Chickadee,DIY Chickadee Nest Tube,Spring,PVC

Snowed In

2010-01-31T01:16:00.001-05:00

Snow is not all that common here in my part of VA; however, every few years a storm comes through that seems to make up for its absence. Such a storm passed through this past weekend that dumped several inches of the white stuff. I'm not complaining, I enjoy the snow and my daughter, like most other children, couldn't hardly wait to get out in it. She woke up and immediately headed to the window to look out - she wasn't disappointed. It was like Christmas morning to her! We enjoyed our time out playing in it.

With ample warning a few days prior, I was ready. The house was stocked with plenty of food, I managed to unburied my snow shovel from the shed and placed it by the front door, and most importantly, filled the bird feeders.

This little bird below wasn't that interested in the feeders as much as he was in the potted plant on my front porch. This little song sparrow spent quite a bit of time scratching in the potting soil eating what looked like little cone seeds that had falling off the miniature cedar shrub planted in the pot.

I took these photos through the front storm door while he hopped and scratched through the soil, paying very little attention to me.

Song sparrows like open habitat, including marsh edges, overgrown fields, backyards, and along forest edges. I'll occasionally see them at my feeders more often in winter than any other time. According to the range maps, I live at the dividing line where their winter range starts and their year-round range ends. I mostly see them in winter but have spotted them in my area in summer too. They live up to their name in being one of the most persistent singers throughout the spring and summer months.

If you have snow out where you live be sure to get out and feed the birds. These can be tough times for wildlife and a little bird seed would be a nice welcome to a hungry song bird...and have fun in the snow while your at it!

Be sure to visit Birdfreak's Bird Photography Weekly #75 for more great bird photos.

Technorati Tags: Song Sparrow,Bird Photography Weekly,Snow

Red from the Rooftop

2010-01-10T09:44:00.001-05:00

One of the last birds spotted before the New Year came in was this red-shouldered hawk.

I was in my front yard working in the flower beds when this big guy showed up on my rooftop. I slowly slipped inside the house to grab my camera, expecting him to be gone when I returned, but lucky for me he was still there. He/she seemed to be more occupied on something else than what I was doing so I quickly snapped off a couple photos before the big guy flew away.

Red-shoulders will often visit backyard bird feeders to prey on small birds feeding there, especially in winter. They will drop on prey from a perch location. This one seemed to be doing just that. He was eyeing my backyard bird feeders hoping to snatch an easy meal for sure. Fortunately for the birds feeding below it flew off without a meal this time.

On a separate note, I want to apologize, especially to my regular readers for going AWOL and not not posting for a couple months. Now that we are through the holiday season and it's too cold to spend lots of time outdoors I will be posting more regularly again. I haven't visited many of your blogs either, so I have lots of good reading to catch up on!

In the meantime, be sure to visit Birdfreak's Bird Photography Weekly #72 for more bird photos.

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Red-Shouldered Hawk,AWOL

It's Officially Winter Now - The Snowbirds Have Arrived

2009-11-15T08:37:00.002-05:00

We all see and enjoy the beautiful fall colors and feel the relief of cooler air that fall brings. It's a short lived introduction to the season we all know arrives next. But to me, nothing introduces the winter season more than the arrival of the Dark-eyed Junco. In my house these birds were, and still are, referred to as "snowbirds". I guess they got this nickname for their knack of showing up just before the first snowfall - or in my area, the first cold spell.

I'm always excited to see my first Juncos of the season and this weekend was it! I spotted them foraging under my bird feeders.

Juncos are ground feeders that tend to stay together in small flocks. They vary in color across the country, but in general they’re dark gray or brownish birds. When they take flight, they can be easily identified by the two white stripes on their outer tail feathers.

In my own yard, I've noticed that these birds like to hang close to ground cover - like shrubs or small trees. These birds would benefit well by providing them with a homemade brush pile for winter protection. I'll post more about that later...

Have a great week everyone and be sure to check out more bird photography over at Birdfreak.com!

A Tribute to Berries - Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

2009-10-15T05:42:00.002-04:00

When trees and other garden blooms begin to go dormant this time of year, other plants begin to peak in color. I try to be creative in my own garden and constantly work to add color throughout the year. One of my favorite ways to do this is with berries. Berries add an extra dimension to the garden. Berries of every color enhance the backdrop for the upcoming winter months; and as a bonus, they attract and provide food for many birds.

Winter holly has to top the list. This time of year they drop their leaves and leave a massive amount of red berries. This particular variety is 'Sparkleberry'.

I purchased several of these last fall, and as you can see, they are doing very well.

Another winter deciduous holly in my garden is 'Winter Gold'. These berries start out bright orange and slowly turn to yellow as the season progresses.

Next is my coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). They are not normally known for their berries but it's hard not to notice. Coral honeysuckle berries begin to appear in late summer and serve as a juicy food source for birds and other wildlife.

Here's a new shrub (small tree) I planted this summer - Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendron trichotomum). This large deciduous shrub offers a late-summer display of jasmine-like white flowers encased in red tepals . Bright blue berries in fall are accented by bright, pinkish-red calyxes.

Nandina 'compacta' is another heavy berry producer. These berries will be bright red by Thanksgiving. They're great to use in a holiday decorations.

This is a favorite in the landscape at the moment - 'Winter King Hawthorne' (Crataegus viridis). Winter king is a small deciduous tree that features white flowers in spring that turn reddish in fall. Small, crabapple-like fruits mature in fall to a bright red and persist throughout the winter, or until the birds get to them.

Last but not least is the American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). It's known for its vibrant purple berries that form in tight clusters up and down its branches. The one I have (below) has become a victim of bird food; but if you look closely you can see a few berries still holding on.

Now that I've covered the berries in my garden here's a few of the other blooms still around.

Coreopsis - I believe this is 'Moonbeam'. This is a very tough plant that re-seeds itself in my garden each year.

Russian Sage is another tough, drought tolerant plant.

Hyssop, 'Blue Fortune' - a favorite of the butterflies and bees.

A mix of Lantana - 'Miss Huff' and 'New Gold'. These provide long lasting blooms.

A few blooms still on my Kaleidoscope abelias.

Be sure to check out more flowers in bloom over at May Dreams Gardens blog - there's lots of good stuff to to see there!

Technorati Tags: Bloom Day,Berries

A Birding Trail Near You

2009-10-01T11:18:00.007-04:00

I just love being outside this time of year. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, just being out and enjoying the fresh, cool fall air is all it that’s needed to help relax me after a long day at the office.

One of the things I enjoy this time of year, and hope to accomplish this fall, is visiting one of the areas birding trails. These trails offer opportunities for people to get out and find birds - or just take a leisurely hike. In my state (VA) alone, there are many trails to choose from. Some may require a little distant driving while others are more local. Many of the trails loop and connect with one another. Here’s a snapshot of my region:

Virginia Coastal trail map

I’m also excited about a new book I just ordered titled “Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail”. This book features detailed maps of the states trails and includes contact information and descriptions for each site. I’m sure each state offers a similar publication.

In the mean time, check out this four part series on birding trails put out on the web by Audubon Magazine. The series is broken up by region (West, South, East, and Midwest) and each guide outlines the top birding trails along with a little info about each, including who to contact for more information on each area. Each guide is written by Kenn Kaufman and can be downloaded (via .pdf) and saved or printed for reference.

Here is the East guide - click the thumbnail image to download the pdf:

Also, be sure to check out audubon.org/bird_trails for more up-to-date information on birding trails. This site is also broken up by region and state.

With thousands of stops and trails throughout the US, chances are there’s a birding trail near you. So grab your binoculars and get out there!

Reference: http://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=1671

Fall Gardening Tips - Guest Post

2009-09-20T07:55:00.001-04:00

One of the blogs I really enjoy reading is DigginFood, managed and operated by west coast gardener Willi Galloway. Willi blogs about what's happening in her garden and kitchen, sharing some great gardening tips and recipes along the way. She is West Coast Editor of Organic Gardening magazine and the garden expert on eHow.com. Willi is also a weekly guest on Seattle’s KUOW 94.9 gardening program called Greendays Gardening Panel.

I'm always looking for new ways and ideas to extend the garden season. So I asked Willi if she would be willing to write a guest post on my blog on fall gardening tips. She agreed and I am excited to share her advice with you. So, please join me in welcoming my friend Willi Galloway to Birds'n Such.

I’m very excited to be guest blogging on Birds ‘n Such! I love to stop by and learn about the birds that fly through Alan’s garden, because they are so different from the visitors to my urban Seattle yard, which is devoted mainly to vegetables. Even though we don’t have a lot of places for birds to perch in our yard, I happened to step outside at the right moment earlier this week and caught sight of an Anna’s hummingbird taking a sip of nectar from some radish blossoms.

I let lettuce, arugula, mustard greens, and radishes go to seed in my garden in late summer and early fall for the simple reason that that they self sow and grow with no work at all on my part. The salad greens don’t always plant themselves where I would choose, but it’s the easiest way to ensure a crop of fall greens. Of course, with a little planning you can easily extend your harvest to Thanksgiving and beyond and keep the plants contained in your beds:

Get Your Timing Right. So often people think about planning their fall garden now, as their squash and tomatoes and peppers begin to fade, but late summer is the best time to start a fall garden, especially when planting from seed. Getting an early start allows the plants to establish before the days grow short and cool. But not to worry if you didn’t plant Brussels sprouts in mid-July or beets and carrots in early August! You can think about planting your fall crops earlier next year while you get some seedlings in the ground now.

Plant Seedlings. Look for seedlings of cool weather crops, including kale, Asian greens, Swiss chard, lettuce, mustard, and collards at your local nursery or farmers market. Seedlings give you about a six-week jumpstart on seeds and they require less work, since you won’t have to thin them. You can stick seedlings in around larger summer vegetables that are still producing or clear an entire bed for fall crops—either way, be sure to dig in an inch or two of compost before planting. I pack fall planted seedlings a bit closer together because they take about two weeks longer to mature than ones planted in spring. If you plan on direct sowing or starting your own fall seedlings in the future, be sure to look for varieties advertised as “cold-tolerant”.

Extend the Season. All of the vegetables I mentioned above thrive in cooler weather. You can leave the plants exposed, but mulching around them with a thick layer of straw and building a simple hoop house over your bed and covering it with plastic or a heavy row cover will help to extend the growing season and protect the plants from frost. (Click here to get my plans for building a simple hoop house).

Be Patient. As our autumn days grow shorter and cooler, the plants slow down and by late winter they’ll just sit tight and wait for better growing conditions. At this point, patience is called for on your part! Arugula, kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard often survive the winter—even in cold climates like Colorado or Minnesota—and put on a big surge of growth in early March, which means you can start harvesting homegrown salads before most people plant their peas!

Technorati Tags: Willi Galloway,Fall Gardening,Guest

Rare Encounter

2009-09-01T06:10:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had one of those times when you regretted not having your camera on hand? I had one of those moments this past weekend and I’m still kicking myself for not having one with me. I even debated whether or not to post this since I have no, as they say “proof of purchase” to confirm my encounter. Regardless, this is the place to document my exciting discoveries – right? So if you would, just take my word for it and hopefully next time I will have my camera with me!

On Sunday, my daughter and I headed out in my pick-up truck to the local landfill to unload some of the never-ending stuff that seems to collect in the black hole I call a garage (I’m sure some of you can relate). On our exit out of the landfill I approached a car in front of us that was stopped. As I slowed down behind the car something caught my eye. Out from in front of the stopped car came slithering a large snake. Virginia is home to a variety of snakes, many I have encountered before, but this one was unlike any I had come across in the wild. A quick look at its tail verified it for me – a real live, non-captive, Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)!

I knew these snakes were around but had never encountered one. As a matter of fact, they are listed as endangered here in the state of Virginia. My daughter and I watched the 4-1/2 + foot snake safely from inside our vehicle as it slowly crossed the 2-lane road and disappeared in the grass and wooded area surrounding the roadway. Snakes aren’t on the top of my list of animals I want to encounter, but this one was a sight to behold.

Canebrakes are large, venomous snakes that can grow over 5 feet in length. Males grow larger than females. It has a triangular head and a pit below each eye. The black tail is tipped with a rattle.

Below is a photo of the canebrake rattlesnake taken by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries:

I felt the encounter was also a good time to remind my little girl not to ever approach a snake in the wild. Here she is holding a captive cornsnake at the 2009 Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival.

The canebrake is sometimes referred to as the timber rattlesnake, or vice versa. It was once thought the two were separate species but is now considered to be just another color phase.

Technorati Tags: Snakes

Mockingbirds Don't Forget!

2009-08-30T08:22:00.001-04:00

An interesting new study that came out this spring found that mockingbirds can remember people who have threatened them in the past.

Northern Mockingbird - photo by Alan Pulley, 2009

The study was lead by Doug Levey, a professor at the University of Florida, showed that mockingbirds ignored most passers, but attacked when they recognized people who had approached their nest just days before.

"Sixty seconds of exposure was all it took for mockingbirds to learn to identify different individuals and pick them out of all other students on campus," Levey said.

Check out the article and video when you get a chance - it's very interesting: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/18/mockingbirds-human-recognition

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Northern Mockingbird

August Sunset - Skywatch Friday

2009-08-26T21:40:00.022-04:00

This was the scene in my backyard a few nights ago...

So that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:6 (NIV)

Be sure to visit the Skywatch Friday home page for more great photos.

A Day at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens

2009-08-26T05:58:00.002-04:00

I spent a fun day earlier this week visiting the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. I remember going there once at a young age but haven't been back since. It's about 35 miles from where I live and I've been trying to get back to it for a long time now. Needless to say, my expectations weren't let down.

Norfolk Botanical Garden is nationally recognized for its deep-rooted history and celebrated for its blooms in every season. The 155 acre garden is home to 30 distinctive themed gardens, 95 species of birds and 30 different kinds of butterflies. There's also a 3-acre children's garden where they can explore the connections between plants and the environment.

Here my daughter is intrigued with a tiger swallowtail butterfly.

The butterfly exhibit was one of the more exciting areas, especially for the kids. This enclosed exhibit was filled with hundreds of butterflies.

Black Swallowtail

Gulf Fritillary

The Japanese Garden was another favorite.

Norfolk Botanical Gardens has one of the largest, most extensive collections of azaleas, rhododendrons and roses on the East Coast. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait and go back next spring to see them in peak bloom; however, there were plenty of other blooms to explore. The following is some of my favorite photos I took in the gardens.

A few roses were still looking good...

The park was home to some gorgeous crepe myrtles.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief pictorial tour of the gardens. If you're ever in the area and have a day to spare, swing by Norfolk and visit their botanical gardens - you wont be disappointed.

Technorati Tags: Norfolk Botanical Gardens

Hawk ID Presentation

2009-08-24T06:51:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share this really cool hawk guide, I recently found, created by the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA). This free guide is a PowerPoint presentation that combines photographs of flying raptors, silhouettes and in-flight identification tips to help improve your hawk watching skills. The guide has been out for a few months but I just came across it this past weekend thanks to RGVBirding Fest, who posted it on Twitter.

Here's some screen shots from the presentation guide:

The free guide is called Identification of Raptors of the Northeast and can be found here: http://hmana.org/read_article.php?id=12

HMANA is a membership-based organization committed to the conservation of raptors. They are the same organization that put out the Silhouette Hawk ID Guide about a year ago.

Like I mentioned, this guide is a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. If you don't have PowerPoint on your computer you can download PowerPoint Viewer for free. PowerPoint Viewer allows you to view PowerPoint presentations but doesn't allow you to create or modify presentations.

Technorati Tags: Hawk Guide

Mystical Moths

2009-08-22T08:27:00.002-04:00

Isn't this a striking creature?

I'm not sure what species of moth this is. If anyone knows please leave me a comment. I've tried to ID it thru Bug Guide but haven't quite narrowed it down yet.

In my efforts to make my yard a better habitat for birds, butterflies and bees, I've found that other little creatures tend to tag along as well - like moths.

I've taken a little time here recently to try and familiarize myself with moths and their purpose in the natural world. They are considered a pest to many. Some moth caterpillar species become invasive and can cause extensive damage to plants while others like the clothes moth can cause damage inside a home.

Aside from a few problematic species, moths play an important part in our ecosystem. They are a big part of the food chain, making meals for others like spiders, frogs, bats and birds. Moth larva also serve as a source of food for wildlife. Moths are also important pollinators. Many plants, especially night blooming ones, depend on moths for pollination.

Moths ans butterflies are closely related - both being of the order Lepidoptera. Some of the differences between moths and butterflies are fairly obvious if you look closely. Butterflies fly in the daytime, while most moths fly at night. Butterfly antennae are thin and smooth, with small clubs at the end. Moths have a thicker, feathery antennae, without the club on the end. Most moths have thicker bodies as well.

The above photo may look like a moth at first glance but if you notice the "clubs" (circled in red) on the end of its antennae, you will see that it's a butterfly.

Another easy way to tell butterfly and moths apart is to watch it land. If it's wings are folded together pointing up, its probably a butterfly. If its wings are folded against its body or pointing out flat from its sides, it's probably a moth.

My daughter has a bug book with a recipe for attracting moths - called "moth sugar". I personally haven't tried this but my daughter and I hope to do this before the summer ends.

Here is the recipe:

Moth Sugar

3 tbs sugar
water
2 tbs apple juice
1 quart plastic jug/container
old paint brush
sponge

(1) Fill jug with water (2) mix sugar and apple juice into the jug of water (3) use the paint brush to brush the "moth sugar" on a rock, stump, fence post or wherever...or soak the sponge in the mixture and hang it up in a tree (4) just after dark, go see if you have any moth visitors!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Technorati Tags: Moth,Butterflies,Recipe

Benefit of Bees

2009-08-20T05:43:00.002-04:00

As many know, there’s a lot that goes into managing a vegetable garden. No matter the size, there’s always something to do – like soil prepping, weeding, watering, planting…you get the idea. With all that we do to help improve our chances for success, we’re not the only ones in control. Believe it or not, there are other busy workers out and about giving us a helping hand, and their presence could determine the success or failure of our efforts.

That’s right, I’m talking about bees!

I’ve come to learn that the longer I garden the more I get interested in the little things that help make it all come together. The importance of bees is sometimes under estimated. A close connection exists between the bees and our vegetables. Most of the vegetables and fruits we eat depend on bees for reproduction. Bees are truly a gardener’s friend.

To ensure my veggies like squash and cucumbers get pollinated, I like to add a few flowers throughout the garden to help attract more bees.

I did a little research on the subject and came up with a few cool facts about bees and pollination:

This from the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign

Almost 90 percent of flowering plants must be pollinated by animals.
More than 200,000 species – from beetles to bees, from ants to butterflies, from hummingbirds to bats – act as pollinators; but bees pollinate the most plants.
Pollinators (mostly bees) are responsible for about 1/3 of the food that we eat
Honeybees are not native to the United States. They were brought over by the colonists in the 1600s.

Want to attract more bees? Here are some tips...

Plant more native plants.
Bees like herbs. Plant a few of them in the garden and allow some to bloom.
Pick plants that will flower throughout the year - even in winter. Bees forage anytime the temperatures are above 50 degrees.
Avoid using pesticides whenever possible. If you must spray do it in the evening when bees are less active, and if you can avoid it, don’t spray the bloom itself.
Flat flowers are best for bees because they don’t have long proboscises like butterflies do. They don’t like to go down to deep in a flower.
Create a drinking area by filling a saucer with wet sand and sinking it into the ground. Keep the sand wet. Puddling areas like this will attract both bees and butterflies.
Some recommended plants include goldenrod, yarrow, bee balm, hyssops, salvias, mints, lavender and thyme as well as fruits, like blueberries.

With all the benefits that bees provide, why not provide them a little something extra in your garden.

Reference:

Technorati Tags: Bees,Pollination,Gardening

Great Egret - Bird Photography Weekly

2009-08-16T08:43:00.003-04:00

The Great Egret is one of my favorite herons. It's pure white plumage makes it hard to miss. Nothing is more graceful than watching one glide just a few feet above the water.

It's the largest of the egrets, and did you know that the Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society.

Pretty cool, huh?

Be sure to stop by and visit this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly!

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Great Egret

Summer Blooms in the Rain

2009-08-15T00:54:00.003-04:00

The dog days of summer can be very uncomfortable here in Hampton Roads. This is the time of year when the days get hot, humid and dry except for the occasional late afternoon thunderstorm. While the hot and humid part has remained consistent with the season, the weather here has been anything but dry. August has been a very wet month here thus far. As a matter of fact, I had to slip out between rain showers to snap the photos of this months bloom day. I'm not complaining however, any time spent taking photos in the garden is time well spent.

My landscape drains very well so the extra rain lately hasn't been a problem. It's actually been a blessing to my young, first year trees and shrubs planted throughout my landscape. The first year can be the most critical for any perennial type plant. Rain now will help the roots of these young plants become better established before dormancy sets in.

With that said, lets start with this months lineup -

First off is a knockout - a knockout rose that is. These roses live up to their name - requiring very little care. Keep them cut back and deadheaded and they will bloom all season long. Just be sure to keep the Japanese beetles off them.

Another pink bloomer is the 'Carolina Beauty' crepe myrtle tree. I have four of these trees planted in my front yard along the edge of the road. It's another carefree low-maintenance plant.

Here is a new addition to my landscape - 'Blue Fortune' Hyssop (Agastache 'Blue Fortune'). It has fragrant blooms and can be used as cut flowers. There are many different varieties of hyssops that come in many different colors and shapes. They are a great plant for attracting pollinators to the garden. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds alike are attracted to this plant.

What can you say about 'Miss Huff' Lantana? This plant will begin blooming in late spring and will keep right on until the years first frost. It's a low maintenance plant and is drought tolerant once established. If you like butterflies and only have room for one plant - this is the plant for you! In most southern states 'Miss Huff' will come back year after year. In other areas its sold as an annual.

...and here is it's little cousin - 'New Gold' Lantana. It's smaller than 'Miss Huff' but blooms just as well with bright yellow flowers all season.

One of my new favorites is the Chinese Abelia. It's another butterfly magnet. This shrub reaches 6 to 8 feet tall with branches sticking out in all directions. As the summer wears on, plants produce massive terminal clusters of white, bell- shaped flowers. Look closely into the photo below and you will see a hummingbird clearwing moth hovering over one of the flower clusters.

Another hummingbird clearwing on the Chinese abelia.

Next is a 'Fan Scarlet' Lobelia (Lobelia speciosa). This is a new perennial I planted this summer. Seems to be doing well. It has showy flower spikes that bloom throughout most of the summer. It also attracts hummingbirds.

Another reliable summer bloomer is the coral honeysuckle. This is by far a favorite of the hummingbirds. I have it growing up one of the post attached to my deck. Look closely and you can see a hummingbird resting on one of the limbs in the center of the photo.

And as a bonus, red berries develop in late summer through fall on this honeysuckle.

A new addition to the landscape this spring is the Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendrum trichotomum). This shrub/small tree offers a late-summer display of jasmine-like white flowers. Bright blue berries in autumn are accented by conspicuous bright, pinkish-red calyxes. These flowers have a nice scent and it's another plant that the butterflies and hummingbirds like.

Here's a close-up of the harlequin glorybower bloom.

A plant that's often overlooked is the marigold. Marigolds are easy, dependable and they bloom all season. Who could ask for more? I plant these plants along the edges of my vegetable garden because of their reputation for repelling certain harmful insects, and attracting beneficial ones.

Last but not least is my caladium plants. Not exactly a bloom but their foliage color is just as attractive. I have these mixed in with a few coleus plants to add some extra contrast. These plants are great for adding some color to shady spots in the garden. This is the first year I have grown caladium and was wondering if I could dig up the bulbs in the fall and replant them next year. I'm thinking you can but wasn't sure if there was some special requirement for storing them. If anyone knows for sure just let me know in my comments. I would like to plant some of these in pots next spring.

TIP: To help keep color in the garden year around I've learned by visiting local garden centers throughout the year helps keep me informed and provides a good indication as to what's blooming during that time of year.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this brief tour through my garden. Be sure to check out more flowers in bloom over at May Dreams Gardens blog - there's lots of good stuff to to see there!

Technorati Tags: Bloom Day,August

Mobile Blogging

2009-08-13T07:25:00.003-04:00

This is just a 'test' post from my new Blackberry. I wanted try out the mobile blog app to see how it worked.
Lovin my new BB. What's your favorite mobile app?

UPDATE: I had to manually (from the pc) add the title to the post. Hmmmm…I’ll have to figure out how to do that from the phone.

Summer Vegetable Garden

2009-08-12T06:03:00.001-04:00

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about my summer vegetable garden, but don’t let that fool ya, it’s been very productive this summer. So much so that it's been consuming most of my outdoor time recently – but with all this, who’s complaining, right?

As you can see, I enjoy growing a variety of vegetables. I tend to plant lots more than I can keep up with but the neighbors don’t seem to mind receiving the overflow.

Tomatoes are the main crop right now. They are really coming in at full force.

Tomatoes are one of my favorite veggies to grow in the garden - there's just so much you can do with them in the kitchen. I grow several varieties of hybrid and heirloom tomato plants. I personally prefer the paste (roma) variety. These are determinate tomatoes plants and are best for making and canning my favorite salsa.

However, tomatoes don't come without their fair share of problems. They can be finicky plants. I always plant a few extra in the garden incase I loose some to disease of any other unforeseen circumstance. Because they are susceptible to various spreading diseases it's a good idea to plant them in various spots around the garden as opposed to putting them all in one area. That way if a disease strikes a particular plant, it hopefully wont infect the whole bunch.

Crop rotation is also very important practice that I apply in my garden. I like to draw a sketch that outlines where I plant each thing in the garden so I can track where vegetables were located the year before. Rotation is especially important with tomatoes. Tomatoes are part of the solanaceae (night shade) family of plants that include potatoes, peppers and eggplants. If you can help it, it's best not to plant these vegetables in the same spot where they, or any of their kin (solanaceae family) were planted the year before.

A few simple techniques like these will not only help grow happier tomatoes but will help improve your overall garden vigor.

Just remember to keep it simple and have fun...like I've heard Felder Rushing say "it's just digging a hole and putting stuff in it".

Technorati Tags: Gardening,Tomatoes,Solanaceae Family

Eastern Kingbird - Bird Photography Weekly

2009-08-09T06:42:00.001-04:00

For this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly I would like to present a summertime visitor to my backyard - the Eastern Kingbird.

I've been trying to capture a photo of this witty bird for a while now, and finally a couple weeks ago one hung out long enough for me to snap off a few shots. They never seem to stay very long when they visit - just long enough to gobble up a few insects and move on.

The Eastern Kingbird is a flycatcher that likes to hang out in open landscape, feeding on flying insects. Below is a neat photo of one in action.

As you can see, there were plenty of insects out on this particular hot, humid afternoon!

Don't let the word 'Eastern' in it's name throw you off, this bird has a wide summer range that stretches across most of the US. In winter they migrate to the tropical forest of South America.

One thing I've noticed about these birds are their aggressive behavior toward other birds. When it enters into my backyard, the bluebirds and purple martins become a little unsettled. I've watched a kingbird attack a purple martin in mid-air for no particular reason. Neither were hurt but the kingbird doesn't play when it comes to other birds getting in it's way.

Click here to learn more about the Eastern Kingbird.

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Eastern Kingbird

Summer Blues

2009-08-07T06:05:00.001-04:00

One of the first things I look forward to in my yard come spring is the courting and nesting of the Eastern Bluebirds – and now that the summer is dwindling they are still hard at it. Eastern Bluebirds are early season nesters but will keep right on nesting into the late summer months – possibly raising up to four broods, but typically two broods a year are more common in most areas.

Here’s the second brood of the summer in my Gilbertson PVC nest box. They’ll be leaving this nest soon...

Studies show that bluebirds in their southern range have more broods per season mostly due to the longer, warmer days. Here’s a very interesting article that talks about the subject: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1244

Not far away is another bluebird nest box with chicks just a couple days old.

I was surprised to have a bluebird nest in this particular box being that it’s between two other nest boxes within 50 yards of each other. Most research suggests that Eastern Bluebirds nest boxes be placed at least 100 yards or more apart. Bluebirds are territorial, especially during nesting season; however, I have noticed that as the season progresses they seem to mellow a bit, and this particular box wasn’t occupied until recently. This was an additional box I added after spotting a tree swallow checking out some of my other occupied bluebird boxes. In the case that you have both bluebirds and tree swallows in the area, nest boxes can be placed closer together.

Although it’s now August, here's another bluebird nest just getting started.

As you can see, there's still a lot of nesting activity going on!!

This time of year bluebirds will build their nest very quickly. They know that the days are getting shorter and time is running out.

If interested in knowing the difference between nest of some common cavity nesting birds, check out the website below: http://www.sialis.org/nests.htm

Technorati Tags: Eastern Bluebird,Nest

Dog Days of Summer - Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T06:14:00.001-04:00

Gray Squirrel relaxing on a hot summer day.

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday.

Technorati Tags: Wordless Wednesday,Gray Squirrel

Birding Adventure TV

2009-07-21T09:39:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone! Yes, I’m still here alive and well, trying to survive through the busy summer months. I want to apologize for the sporadic post lately; I hope to be back on regular “blog schedule” soon…

I wanted to take a moment and pass along the word about an email I recently received from James Currie. James is the host of a very cool TV program called Birding Adventures. It’s a program that focuses on destination and adventure birdwatching. It takes you to some of the best exotic birding destinations in the world looking for rare and highly sought after bird species. James informed and asked me to pass along the news that Birding Adventures has branched out and is now being offered to a wider audience across the US.

See press release: http://www.pr.com/press-release/165379

If it’s still not available in your network you can go to the web site to watch previews and purchase complete episodes. Season 1 is already out with 13 episodes and can be purchased for $14.95. http://www.birdingadventures.com/shop.php

Check it all out when you get a chance!

Sunset at Sugar Creek - Skywatch Friday

2009-07-09T14:39:00.002-04:00

One of our favorite places to eat on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a restaurant called Sugar Creek. Arguably, it offers one of the best viewing for dinner on all of the Outer Banks. Sugar Creek sits at the point where the Albemarle and the Roanoke Sound come together.

Soundfront walkways, gazebo and pier offer for great views for waterfowl & wildlife.

Happy skywatching and have a great weekend everyone!

Technorati Tags: Skywatch Friday,Outer Banks,Sugar Creek

Hungry Mouths - Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T05:53:00.002-04:00

Now that's a lot of mouths to feed!

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday.

Technorati Tags: Purple Martin,Wordless Wednesday

Another Brown for Bird Photography Weekly

2009-06-28T07:13:00.001-04:00

Last week for bird photography weekly I showed off some photos of the brown pelican. This week I would like to share with you the brown thrasher. The only thing in common between these two birds is the word "brown" in their name.

I took this photo on a nature trail last week on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The quality of the photo isn't all that great but I thought it was worthy of sharing. Especially since these guys are tough to get close to. Brown thrashers are shy birds that hang out along the edges of hedgerows or other thick shrubbery. They are year around residents in my area of the country here in Virginia.

Brown thrashers can be found nesting in residential areas in thickets, over-grown fields, and along the edge of forests. Like mockingbirds, they can be very aggressive to anything or anyone that approach their nest.

The brown thrasher is the official state bird of Georgia.

Have a great week everyone and don't forget to stop by and visit this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly!

Technorati Tags: Bird Photography Weekly,Brown Thrasher

Brown Pelicans on the Outer Banks

2009-06-21T06:58:00.001-04:00

In just two days from now my family and I will be on our way to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a weeks vacation. It's one of our favorite vacation spots. The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a chain of barrier islands midway on the Atlantic Seaboard, 90 miles south of Norfolk, Virginia and about 320 miles north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Besides hanging out at the beach there's lots to do there. I hope to fit in a little birding while I'm down there. The Outer Banks known for its great concentration of migratory birds on the Atlantic Flyway and home to a large variety of shorebirds and waterfowl. Besides an assortment of gulls, one of the first birds I normally spot flying along the shoreline is the brown pelican.

Brown pelicans are seen flying in a straight line or a V-formation not far from the waters surface. Their really cool to watch when there looking for food. They will glide above the water surface and quickly take a nose dive into the water to catch its food - mostly fish. These pelicans will also hang around piers and follow fishing boats for an easy meal.

The above brown pelican picture is a painting I did about 10 years ago.

I hope to share more photos in the upcoming days from the Outer Banks!

Don't forget to check more bird photography over at this weeks Bird Photography Weekly, just click the image below...

Technorati Tags: Brown Pelican,Outer Banks,Bird Photography Weekly

Being a Responsible Landlord

2009-06-17T05:50:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a a few days since I last posted. There's so much going on this time of year with the vegetable gardening, flower beds, birdwatching, etc, etc. There's just not enough time in a day. I did however want to follow up on my post from last week titled Purple Martin Update (2009). I received a few comments and questions that I didn't get around to answering in the comments so I thought I would try to touch on them here.

Part of being a responsible purple martin landlord requires frequent nest checks. My particular setup comes with a telescoping pole that allows me to bring the house down to my level to check the nest. Martins are very tolerant of people, which is good, because studies have shown that active involved landlords improve the colonies reproductive success rate. Without knowing exactly what is going on in each nest, a landlord would have no clue if predators like snakes, owls or raccoons were eating their eggs or babies; or if nest was infected with blowflies or mites and needed to be changed out. Not finding and reacting quickly to these problems can greatly reduce the breeding success of your purple martins.

Non-native birds like house sparrows and European starlings can be big problems for purple martins as well. These birds are aggressive and will quickly take over a martin house if nothing is done to stop them. If starlings are a problem in your area then use martin houses with starling resistant entrances holes (SREH). These half circle shaped holes are big enough for purple martins but too small for starlings to fit into. I use SREHs on my purple martin house and gourds and haven't had any problems with starlings. House sparrows can be a bit tougher to control. I'll save that topic for another post, but if your interested in learning more about controlling house sparrows then check out this article: http://www.sialis.org/hosp.htm

For more information on the advantages of doing nest checks and how to conduct them read the article "Why Landlords Should Conduct Weekly Nest Checks" written by James R. Hill III, Purple Martin Conservation Association.

Technorati Tags: Purple Martin,Nest Checks

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T06:20:00.001-04:00

Click here to learn more about helping frogs in your area.

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday

Technorati Tags: Wordless Wednesday,Toad,Frogs