Gardening For The Birds
The first of the hummingbirds came on schedule around May 1 this year and we had to rush the feeder out of its winter hibernation and into action. This is always the time to get your hummingbird feeder and put it out. Hummingbirds are very territorial and will come back to the same area and feeder, so you want to put your feeder in the exact same spot for at least a couple of years, then you could move it within a reasonable distance if you need to in the future. The ratio of sugar to water for their food is 1:4, or ½ cup sugar to two cups water. Change the sugar water every few days in hot weather so it doesn’t ferment. Our hummers have been visiting a lot and it looks like the new family is about ready to head south for the winter.
There are some bird friendly landscaping basics that you should follow, the most important being that birds require a combination of food, water & shelter. These are best provided by a combination of man-made devices and natural plantings in close proximity.
Starting with the man-made devices, the ideal layout has two feeders and a birdbath or water dish. For placement draw a triangle with 3 equal sides of around 6’ in length and place the feeders at 2 of the points and the birdbath at the 3rd. We got our wonderful tube-type feeders and handsome birdbath at the #Wild Birds Unlimited store in Sudbury's Mill Village and the folks there are very helpful and knowledgeable. For our gardens, we have one upright with two feeders - filled with songbird mix and thistle seed. The other upright has one feeder filled with black sunflower seeds. Our birdbath has a tiny electric heater in the winter that keeps the water from freezing, and we change the water a lot as the height also makes it a perfect dog water bowl. When it gets green and black mold we clean it with a mild bleach/water solution – never use soap or chemicals and always rinse very thoroughly.
Once you have located your man-made devices, the fun begins. First thing we did was plant a couple of “Birds Nest” spruces flanking the birdbath, about 6’ away. They are low, evergreen shrubs with very thick branching and provide safety in a hurry to the ground feeders from predators in the sky. Next we planted a weeping flowering cherry closer to the house that the birds are constantly using as an eating perch. Also when the year’s hatchlings come along with their parents to eat they will use this tree as a starting point until they get the hang of landing on the feeders. They usually figure it out pretty quickly, especially the cardinals.
About 20’ behind the feeders we’ve planted a bird smorgasbord of woody, deciduous shrubs of varying heights that have even attracted the family of 7 wild turkeys that live up behind the original Walker Farm. The birds’ favorite appears to be the elderberry bushes, which grow very quickly and have pretty flower clusters that ripen in the fall into purple berries that hang so low that the turkeys can reach them from the ground.
Intermingled are a few clumps of native dogwood shrubs, red chokeberries, high-bush cranberries, viburnums, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries and a few others. They all have berries and great fall foliage. With these and any of your bird friendly shrubs keep in mind that when pruning, prune once a year and prune hard, don’t be constantly trimming as you don’t want to encourage dense, short twigs that could make it difficult for birds to escape from a predator. You could be inadvertently turning a natural shelter into a dangerous trap.
Also another thing to keep in mind, even though they’re not attractive try to leave a few dead trees nearby - just be sure they’re not going to fall on your house. In addition to furnishing holes for nesting, the trees attract insects that are the food source for woodpeckers of all types – last week we were visited by a huge pileated woodpecker that looked exactly like the woody woodpecker from the cartoon show. The upper bare limbs of the trees also provide perches that the morning doves seem to love for viewing their world and making sure the coast is clear of predators.
Our flower garden in front of the shrubs has a variety of flowers to attract birds and hummers. Hummingbirds are attracted to bright red to orange colored flowers and while they prefer the trumpet-shaped flowers that complement their bill shape, they will feed on other types of flowers as well as plants that harbor the insects they eat for protein. They love the bee balm with its red blossoms that open mid-summer and continue for over a month. We’ve also got one sad specimen of red honeysuckle vine that smells great to people and has a wonderful nectar within. As a bonus, their fleshy seeds are a favorite of the neighborhood mockingbirds in the fall.
Another great bird friendly flower in the garden is the columbine, which prefers shade but will do fine in a partially sunny spot. Together with lupines, delphiniums, bleeding hearts, snapdragons, and tall phlox they make up the bulk of our bird-friendly flower plantings.
When planning your garden for the birds you won’t go wrong if you think from the bird’s point of view – give me a place with food, water and shelter (from both predators and the weather) and I might just settle down and stay a while. And while I’m at it if I’m happy I might just provide you with a song.
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