If you’re convinced you’ll never be able to learn bird calls, start with the Gray Catbird. Once you’ve heard its catty mew you won’t forget it. Follow the sound into thickets and vine tangles and you’ll be rewarded by a somber gray bird with a black cap and bright rusty feathers under the tail. The Gray Catbird belongs to the genus , which means “small thicket.” And that’s exactly where you should go look for this little skulker. In summer, Gray Catbirds eat mainly ants, beetles, grasshoppers, midges, caterpillars, and moths. When fruits are available they also eat holly berries, cherries, elderberries, poison ivy, green-brier, bay, and blackberries.
Click here to go to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to hear the Catbird’s call
Two of our favorites include the nectar loving Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and the Eastern Bluebird. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird beats its wings about 53 times a second! With all that fluttering, its no wonder these little guys love nectar. They need that sugary goodness to boost their energy. Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract The Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of them each summer. Enjoy them while they’re around; by early fall they’re bound for Central America, with many crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight.
Think spring. What do you think of? I think of warmer weather, rain and all kinds of plants beginning to push through the ground. And since this will be happening soon, there is one precaution you should take before it’s too late for your plants. Use plant supports. Spring staking is always easier and better for your garden plants. Some plants can stand on their own. Others need a helping hand in the form of a stake… sometimes two.. Regardless of the reason for staking, you will easily obtain a healthy neat and tidy garden when using staking methods that are appropriate for your plants. Here are some tips and tricks to staking plants correctly. Follow them and enjoy a beautiful garden all summer long.
In other words, most new landscape plantings start out with trees and shrubs that are planted too deeply, and eventually lead to plants dying prematurely. Furthermore, once the tree is placed in the planting hole, the original soil from the hole is commonly piled back on top of the ball against the trunk, and then mulch is added. The end result is a root flare that can be four to twelve inches below the soil line. These trees become “time bombs” waiting to die, and the property owner eventually has to bear the expense of planting a new tree.
Water is one of the most important things birders can add to their backyard to attract birds. All bird species need water, and adding one or more water features to your yard will quickly attract feathered friends. Birds need water for two reasons: drinking and preening. Water helps keep a bird’s body cool both from the inside and outside. Water baths can also remove dust, loose feathers, parasites and other debris from a bird’s plumage. Offering water in your backyard will attract more birds than just food sources, since birds that would not normally visit feeders can be tempted by water features. Any water is an improvement on a dry backyard, but moving water will attract more birds because the motion catches their eye and they can hear any dripping, sprinkles or splashes. Adding a Water Wiggler dripper, or mister accessory to a standing birdbath adds motion easily. Birdbaths are the fastest, easiest way to add water to your backyard bird habitat. The Rock Pile offers different sizes and styles. Birdbaths come in three basic designs:
