by DJ Featherton
Welcome to Birding: Backyard & Beyond! It’s the place to learn all about Birds, read about Backyard Design for attracting birds and to brush up on your Birding Skills.
The backyard has always been my private haven for peace and beauty. It’s also my place for creative design and landscape. The right shrubs and flowers, fruit trees and veggie gardens, ponds and pools all attract the birds, along with patios and decks, gazebos and a nice pergola will make your backyard a bird sanctuary to enjoy. Well, I don’t have a yard big enough to accommodate all that I’d like, but making periodic change is fun and not real expensive.
My wife and I have long been birders. We have enjoyed bringing a variety of birds to our yard with some really cool feeders and even a decorative bird bath complete with solar bubbler. The bubbler keeps the water moving which attracts the birds. It’s fun to see a big blue jay or brown thrasher flopping around in the water. This year we purchased four colorful glass hummingbird feeders and hung them in the ivy that pretty much covers the pergola by our patio. The glass is pretty to look at and we now have hummingbirds throughout the day!
We live in a bird rich environment with everything from ospreys and eagles picking fish from the small lakes to flocks of blue birds and warblers passing through on their seasonal migration. So, we grab our bins (birder talk for binoculars) and head to the backyard.
Now that you know I’m a birder, I am asking for information on a big bird problem in my neighborhood. What can be done about thousands of vultures sitting on roof tops and roosting in trees all night? They’re huge, and they swoop around like gliding gargoyles! Their roosting is tough on shingles! And vulture poop stinks! One neighborhood has designated horn blasters at sundown, but positive results are minimal. Ok, any solutions for this odd problem? Let us know. Let us also know of any unique landscape products or design that are useful.
Hey, grandkids are coming over. Time to head to the backyard and fire up the grill with the grandkids favorite……HOT DOGS!