Archives

DO NOT PLANT THIS MILKWEED IN YOUR GARDEN

Jul23

        With each passing year, more Georgia gardeners are planting milkweeds in hopes their efforts will bolster the dwindling monarch butterfly population.  The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Program recommends we do not plant the common milkweed in our gardens (Asclepias syriaca) in the state.

       This reason they want us to defer from planting this particular milkweed is it is not native to Georgia. This recommendation is based on the fear that this milkweed could potentially become invasive and usurp habitats currently occupied by Georgia’s native milkweeds and other wild plants.

IS THERE A SEED OR SEED MIX THAT HOUSE SPARROWS DO NOT LIKE?

Jul16

       The house sparrow is on a short list of birds that most folks that feed birds would rather not visit their feeders.  There are, however, seed mixes that house sparrows seem to relish more than others do.  A good example of this is house relish mixed seed blends that contain high percentages of fillers such as cracked corn, wheat, milo, rye, and oats.

       Instead of feeding these mixes, opt for blends that include high percentages of sunflower seeds, millet, and safflower seeds. House sparrows usually sparingly eat these blends.

       Since there is no foolproof mix that will be ignored by house sparrows, you may have to stop feeding to deter them.  This will force house sparrows to forage for food elsewhere.

BACKYARD SECRET – A LITTLE-KNOWN WAY BIRDS STAY COOL IN SUMMER

Jul10

        Birds have several ways to keep cool during the summer. One of the lesser-known strategies is to hold their feathers as close to their bodies as possible.  This behavior allows much of the heat trapped against their skin to escape.

       Wow, that is a neat way to beat the heat!

BACKYARD SECRET – RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS DO NOT MATE FOR LIFE

Jun29

         When we see male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds perched next to each other on our feeders it is easy to assume that ruby-throated hummingbirds mate for life like many other birds that reside in our backyards.  The truth of the matter is, however, they do not.

       Females arrive in our yards each spring after the males.  In addition, males migrate south before the females.  Actually, they stay together for only a matter of days.

       If that is not enough, male rubythroats do not even help build the nest or feed their young.

OUR MOST BEAUTIFUL COCKROACH

Jun23

           If there was ever a contest to crown Georgia’s most beautiful cockroach, I am certain that the winner would be the pale-bordered field cockroach (Pseudomops septentrionalis).  I never thought that it is impossible to describe a cockroach is being beautiful.  Then a few days ago, I just happened to find a pale-bordered field cockroach.  When I first looked at it, it appeared to be a bauble that had fallen of a necklace or bracelet.  Upon closer examination, I saw the object had six legs and was adorned with a distinctive pattern that was far different from any cockroach I have ever seen.

            This cockroach is small (1/2 to 5/8 inches long).  Unlike the cockroaches we are familiar with,  it rarely ventures into our homes.  Instead, it remains outside living its life in the thick cover found in our backyards, gardens, and natural areas.  It is particularly fond of mulch, and woodpiles.  It is a scavenger that spends the daylight hours feeding on the juices of low-growing plants and flowers.  Fortunately, it does not damage plants nor is a garden pest.  In addition, unlike other cockroaches, they are not known to carry any diseases that can infect humans.

            This insect is not native to the United States.  Instead, its home range includes Mexico and Costa Rica.  Interestingly, some experts believe it was accidentally brought here in shipments of bananas.

            If you spot a pale-bordered field cockroach in your backyard, I suspect that you might exclaim, “It is the most beautiful cockroach I have ever seen!”  

 

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A GREEN ANOLE RUN FASTER?

Jun15

        A common resident in my backyard is the green anole.  I particularly enjoy watching them stalking insects among the stems and foliage of the plants growing in containers on my deck or basking on a plant or deck rail.   Whenever I get too close to them, they quickly run away.

       This prompted me to wonder how fast a green anole can move. It seems that while green anoles are able scamper away at a seemingly fast pace, when compared to humans, they cannot run very fast at all.  The truth of the matter is the fastest a green anole can run is a little over 10 mph. In comparison, the fastest humans can sprint at speeds of more than 27 mph.

       I have heard people say that green anoles will run faster if you scream at them. When I first heard this claim, I found it hard to believe.  Much to my surprise, when I did some research on the subject, I found that the claim may be valid.

       The reason I say this is in laboratory settings scientists have found that green anoles do indeed run faster in response to repeated loud noises.  Could screaming prompt the small lizards to scamper away faster than normal?  It does seem possible.

       The next time you spot a green anole, yell at it and see if the lizard does scamper off quicker than you expected.  If you do so, make sure your neighbor is not nearby.  If you do not heed my advice, you may have a difficult time explaining why you are yelling at lizards.

ODD MOCKINGBIRD BEHAVIOR

Jun9

        It is easy to believe that researchers fully understand the behavior of birds.  Such is not the case, however.  Last week my daughter, Angela Dupree, watched a mockingbird doing something she had never seen before.

        It seems that, as she walked to her car parked in the large parking lot adjacent to her workplace, she noticed a mockingbird placing small sticks atop the left rear tire on the passenger side of her car.  When she looked around, she found the bird had apparently done the same thing atop 4-5 cars parked nearby.

      The next day the bird did the same thing.  In fact, it acted perturbed when she watched it at worked.  She also noted small piles of sticks on the ground near the tires on several cars parked nearby.  It appeared these sticks had fallen off the tires when the drivers had moved their vehicles the previous afternoon.

       When she asked me if I had any idea what was going on, I told her that perhaps the bird was attempting to build nests.  I based this interpretation on the fact that mockingbirds sometimes build several nests in an area before selecting the one they use as their nesting site.  However, that does not explain why a mockingbird was choosing the tops of tires as potential paces to build nests.

       I have done a little research on the subject and found that, while the behavior has been seen before, nobody seems to know exactly what is happening.  Some suggest the birds are just marking their territory.  Who know!

       If you have seen have witnessed this behavior or can explain it, please let me know.

       My daughter’s experience demonstrates we have a lot more to learn about the behavior of even common birds such as the northern mockingbird.

A METHOD THAT HELPS SAVE CHIMNEY SWIFTS THAT COME DOWN YOUR CHIMNEY

Jun4

       Occasionally chimney swifts will end up in a fireplace.  If this happens to you, here is a tip that just might save the bird and prevent it from flying about your house.

       If you find a chimney swift in your fireplace, hang a dark cloth across the front of the fireplace making sure that all of the light from your room is completely blocked off.  It is also helpful if you shut off the lights is the room and close the drapes.  Once this has been accomplished, the only light the chimney swift will be able to see will be coming down the chimney.  In many cases, the stranded bird will make its way upward trying to reach the light coming down the chimney.  If it is able to do so, your problem is solved.

       This technique will not work if the bird is a juvenile.  Juveniles have wings that are much shorter than those of the adults.  In addition, they will be very vocal.  If the stranded bird is a juvenile, the best thing that you can do is contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, the names of the licensed wildlife rehabilitators in your area can be obtained by calling the Wildlife Conservation Office located in Forsyth, Georgia.  The telephone number for this office is 478-994-1438.

BACKYARD SECRET – MOURNING DOVES AND EURASIAN- COLLARED DOVES DRINK IN DIFFERENT WAYS

Jun1

       If you have both mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves visiting your backyard, you have a great chance of witnessing the different manners in which they drink water.

       If you carefully watch a mourning dove drink, like most other birds, it scoops water up into its bill and then lifts its head back to allow the water to trickle down its throat.

       In comparison, the Eurasian collared-dove keeps never lifts its head down while it is seemingly drinking water through a straw.  This many not seem like much, however, it is something most other birds are unable to accomplish.

EURASIAN- COLLARED DOVE © Terry W. Johnson

       It is amazing what you can learn about bird behavior in your backyard.  To me, watching the behavior of the birds that visit our yards adds a whole other dimension to backyard birding.

       Keep watching!

SHOULD BLUEBIRD NESTING BOXES BE CLEANED AFTER EACH NESTING ATTEMPT?

May28

       In Georgia, the eastern bluebird’s nesting season extends from late February and early March to July and early August.  During this time, how often should bluebird nesting boxes be cleaned?

       The North American Bluebird Society suggests that boxes be cleaned after each nesting attempt regardless of whether or not it was successful.  The cleaning procedure should take place after the birds have fledged and should include removing the old nest, eggs that did not hatch, and any young that did not fledge.  This procedure removes parasites and encourages re-nesting.