Comments for Beautiful Wildlife Garden

Comment on Bird Feeders are not saving the world by Linda Finke

Linda Finke — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:58:44 +0000

I find this article very discouraging! If I was not such an ardent lover of birds, I might decide to take down all my birdfeeders! Who ever said that bird feeders are saving the world anyway? It is winter, my yard has lots of plants that offers seeds, etc. However, the feeding of the birds is like feeding my soul. Those of us with small yards do what we can do. In this way, I could see that the birds are even mixed up by this warm weather in South Bend, IN. Last week we had our usual pair of ducks show up in our small pond. Mating this early? I don’t think so, but maybe!. Then. because I have seeds for my lovely yellow finches, I noticed that one of the males was turning more yellow! Hmm—a little early I think —but nature has a story to tell. Already we have the mourning doves — 5 of them, returning, robins have showed up, five pairs of cardinals, jays, woodpeckers and nuthatches, etc. etc. Let’s see, I have a small pond 10 x 18 feet — so the heron shows up now and then, and of course there is the Red tail Hawk who plucks off one of the smaller birds.

And because of all these visits from birds, I am teaching my 2 year old grandaughter that it is just not a “bird” — but that it is red and that it is a cardinal. Who knows that she might not become the next great ornithologist.

Passion for having native plants, should not make the rest of us feel like we are pagans, and have been led away from the truth!

Many years ago, we had a long and fierce winter. Suddenly I had a flock of birds I had never seen, nor have seen since, but there they were, roosting in my hemlock trees! Native species, I have no idea–but I know that my awe made a lot of to decide to feed the birds.

In a two block area, I am the only one who feeds consistantly. And if I am sick, and don’t feed them, they go away. However, the birds , seem to always be checking back to see if there is food. Once I fill the feeders, it only takes an hour for one group to show up–and then they all send out and sing out “Food is here, she finally got outside, Come get your food!”

Lighten Up!!!

Comment on Bird Feeders are not saving the world by Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:34:02 +0000

Great post!! My husband and I have a summer business selling among other things–bird feeders, but I just did a presentation on creating bird habitats. Attracting birds has nothing to do with bird feeders, but everything to do with native trees/shrubs/flowers. You’ll attract twice the amount of birds and it’s free to feed them–seeds/berries/nuts–and insects! I agree with Ursula though, feeders are a great supplemental food during the late winter/early spring when natural sources are running low.

Comment on Bird Feeders are not saving the world by Rattlesnake Creek Garden Club

Rattlesnake Creek Garden Club — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:15:37 +0000

I feed birds because I want to see them , not because “it feels good”. I have read Mr. Tallamy’s book and try to plant only native plants , but my wife has some non-native favorites in the front yard. If you want Eastern bluebirds , brown thrashers , crows , redwinged blackbirds , yellow rumped warblers , pileated woodpeckers , grackles or starlings at your feeders , buy a big suet cage and hang it at a 45 degree angle. I use suet with insects in it and all these birds come to the feeder. I have also hung “upside down” feeders with the suet facing up and these same birds also come for the suet. Because of the 16 oaks , pines , tulip poplars and beech trees in the back yard , we get red shouldered hawks , Cooper’s hawks and red tailed hawks. Robins and towhees feed in the leaf litter under the trees. My wife has become interested in birds because of the feeders.The feeders augment the natural food and we see more birds than if there were no feeders.It has been an education for me , I did not used to be interested in birds at all.I will continue to plant natives for the birds and the insects. We are decreasing the front lawn by planting trees and flower beds.

Comment on Bird Feeders are not saving the world by WisconsinWildMan

WisconsinWildMan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:55:18 +0000

It’s worth noting too that there are some good books on birdscaping that include suggestions for what to plant. However, many of these books don’t distinguish between native and invasive species. Placing feeders and landscaping with native plants is a big step in the right direction.
WisconsinWildMan recently posted..Winged Wednesday: Plants for Birds – Alternative Native Plants

Comment on Bird Feeders are not saving the world by UrsulaV

UrsulaV — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:19:30 +0000

Well, in the interests of pedantry, a significant portion of those 925 are sightings rather than established populations—usually blown in from elsewhere by storms—and their occurrences aren’t really based on anything we’re doing. (No quantity of native plants is gonna get me an Emperor Goose or a Key West Quail-Dove…but lord, don’t I wish…!)

But there’s a good 600+ that are actually established in North America, and it’s definitely worth stocking the yard with bugs for them. I would say, however, that feeders do provide one vital function, which is a guaranteed food source during severe weather—I was caught in the recent freak Seattle ice storm, and there are at least two Anna’s hummingbirds that survived the day largely because my host kept refilling the feeder when it iced over, and an extraordinary number of varied thrushes were kicked down from higher elevations and descended on the feeders, where they normally wouldn’t have been found. (I also do get a lot of brown thrashers on my suet feeders, but you have to hang them up right up against the tree, or they won’t go for it at all.)

I think of feeders like vending machines at the airport—they’re not a full diet, but when you need one, boy, do you need one!
UrsulaV recently posted..The Container Of My Dreams