Just For The Birds BlogPast and current articles by Kathy Coward of Just for the Birds in Old Town Spring
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I would like to be a roadrunner on some of these hot summer days so that I could run really fast to the shade or the airconditioning. Here are some interesting facts on the greater roadrunner. They once lived only in dry open areas in the Southwest, but they now have expanded their range eastward to open woods and grasslands and we have them here in East Texas Greater Roadrunners are members of the cuckoo family, they have two toes pointing forward and two facing backward, making a X footprint. Their sound is a "coo,coo, coo, ooh, ooh, ooh."
They really can run fast and have been clocked up to 20mph. Early settlers named these birds roadrunners because they ran ahead of the horse-drawn wagons, catching lizards, rattlesnakes, scorpions, mice and other small animals. Male and female roadrunners appear identical and they mate for life. Both parents build a shallow 1 foot nest in a small tree or a clump of cacti. The female lays three to six white or yellowish eggs. The young will be able to catch food on their own within 3 weeks after hatching. I hope you are lucky enough to hear the coo ,coo of the roadrunner and then to see one or have one around your yard or garden to eat any pesky varmits.
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Our fall migration begins usually in mid August through mid October. I have had quite a few people tell me they have hummingbirds at their flowers or feeders. My first little hummer to stay around and eat arrived at my feeder about 3 days ago. I was sitting outside near my feeder and before he ate he came over and hovered right in front of me just like he was giving me a greeting. It is great how such a small thing can give you such joy.
The most common hummingbird we see here is the ruby throated hummingbird. The male has the pretty iridescent red patch on his throat. You can see it if the light is shining the right way. The female is more green grey but I love them all. The males are very territorial and fight others for nectar all the time. If you can put up two or more small feeders apart from each other it is best for viewing and helping out the birds trying to avoid the bullies. Most of our hummingbird feeders have enough red or bright color on them that coloring the nectar is not necessary. The nectar ratio is 4 water to 1 sugar (just plain old white sugar, never honey as this can harm the birds.) I find if I boil the water or microwave it first before putting the sugar it seems to stay fresh longer. Any extra nectar , keep in the refrigerator until you need it. In our heat unfortunately we need to change the nectar and clean the feeder every 3 to 4 days or at least every week and it helps to keep the feeder in the shade if possible. The heat makes the nectar ferment and can cause harm to the birds. The second weekend in September you might try to attend the Hummer Bird Celebration in Rockport-Fulton , Texas, about an hour north of Corpus Christi. They are right on the migratory trail of the hummingbirds and at times have as many as 40 to 50 birds crowding around one feeder and they have feeders out all over town so you can imagine what a sight this is. To find out more information about this Festival you can call the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce at 1 800 826 6441 or on the internet at www.rockport-fulton.org. Happy Hummingbird watching. In July we think of the fourth of July and the symbol of our country, the bald eagle. We think of strength, dignity and freedom when we see the eagle. The eagle is honored by American Indians and the Pueblo people believed that eagles were related to the Sun because they were able to soar high into the sky and disappear from sight. The dignified image of the bald eagle comes partly from its coloration-a pure white head and tail contrasted with a dark brown body.
If the bald eagle has feathers on its head, then why is it called bald? The name comes from an Old English word, "balde," which means "white." It was natural to call this pure white-headed bird the bald eagle. Their large size and fierce look in their eyes give eagles the appearance of strength.. The bald eagle has a wingspan of seven to eight feet. Eagles are "birds of prey," which means they eat meat. Fish is the favorite food of eagles. They eat many animals besides fish, including geese, ducks, rabbits, turtles and other animals. They also eat carrion- the decaying flesh of dead animals and this is especially important in winter when other foods are usually not easily found. Eagles lay one to three eggs in early spring in a very large nest which they make of sticks. Most nests are as big as your bed. Eagles that survive the difficult first years of life can live to be forty years old. Bald eagles are found only in North America. Recently the bald eagle was removed from it's classification as an endangered species. This was a wonderful success for conservation. We still do have a federal law, the Bald Eagle Protecion Act, to protect this beautiful and important symbol of our country. One of my favorite reference books is the Bird Gardening Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes. It gives a great overview on easy ways to help out the wildbirds while you get the enjoyment of watching them. In the book they mention the four needs of birds...1. Food..2.Water..3.Nesting Sites..4.Shelter.
Food... food for birds includes seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers, nectar, buds, insects, earthworms, and more. The easy one for us to provide is seed but there are many plants, shrubs, flowers and trees that we can plant to provide food for birds. Water...Birds need water for drinking and bathing. Birdbaths or pools should be shallow and having several will give the birds choices. They do not need to be elaborate, just a shallow dish placed on a stump and some rocks or bricks does the job. Birds love the sound of dripping water and are really attracted to it. A fountain is great but even a plastic bottle with a small hole placed in a tree over a birdbath does the trick. Nesting Sites...Birds need a place to build a nest and raise young. Some birds will use a birdhouse but many such as cardinals, blue jays, and mockingbirds will only use shrubs or trees to nest in. Shelter... Birds need shelter from the elements and from predators. Dense shrubs or trees will help and with our summer heat a place to get out of the sun is a must for our birds. Enjoy this summer , think cool and help out the birds and you will receive alot of joy. |
AuthorKathy Coward, Owner Of Just For The Birds Shop Archives
August 2021
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