CAROL LINK: Make your landscape attractive to birds with color, feeders, plants

CAROL LINK | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES I snapped a shot of a bird flying around and landing in our backyard. Although I enjoy watching birds, I cant identify many, except for hawks, eagles, owls, redbirds, bluebirds, blackbirds, finches, robins, killdeers, wrens and a few others.

I suppose the word casual would best describe my bird watching. I am not a serious birder or ornithologist by a dictionary definition, but I enjoy watching birds as they flit and float about our yard. I dont watch birds through binoculars or a telescope, although I do use a zoom lens for taking bird photos. Generally, I observe birds with my naked eyes, and I enjoy listening to their songs and chirping.

Because we live on several acres in the country, we have a very large open yard. One recent morning, I looked out the kitchen window and saw what (at first glance) resembled blue Easter eggs scattered on the ground. Quickly, I realized a flock of bluebirds had landed in our yard and were pecking in the grass, nibbling on bird feeders, flying about the yard and sitting on tree limbs.

Ironically, I had seen the same thing a few years ago, only that time, a flock of redbirds had landed in our yard and were dispersed all around.

My thought then was that it appeared as if a load of red Christmas ornaments had been spilled all over the yard.

Early this spring, when Oscar was sitting in the office at the computer desk, directly in front of a window, a hummingbird flew up and hovered, looking at him, as if to ask, Where is my feeder? Im hungry!

Thirty years ago, right after we moved here, Oscar and I were working in the back yard when a mama quail sauntered across the yard, with a group of baby quail running along behind her.

Another time, a small bird slammed into the den window and dropped to the ground. From the window, I could see the little bird, lying on the ground, completely still, appearing to be dead. Oscar went out and picked up the little bird, placing him in the palm of his hand. The bird was lifeless. Using his index finger, ever so gently, Oscar rubbed the birds chest. First, the bird moved a little, then he aroused completely and flew away. Oscar had performed CPR on a bird and saved his life.

Each year, in early spring, to make sure each little hummingbird is well-nourished until they migrate south in the fall, we hang nectar feeders from the back porch. We can see the tiny birds from our kitchen table as they feed. Watching them is one of Oscars favorite pastimes. At times, though, he gets frustrated because there always is a bully sitting on a wrought iron post, protecting the feeders from all comers and chasing the other birds away, in an attempt to keep all the sugar-water for itself.

To attract birds to our landscape, we have situated colorful birdhouses throughout. A couple of bird feeders are suspended from a tree out back, another one is hanging in the gazebo and bird baths are in several locations.

Continue reading here:
CAROL LINK: Make your landscape attractive to birds with color, feeders, plants