High School Graduation

Think of high school graduates as butterflies flying for the first time after  spending
their lives in as a cocoon 

On Saturday June 9 2012 at 12:30 I will be walking the stage at my High School Graduation. Graduation is a huge milestone for me because I remember fighting my mom when I had to go to school or being so afraid of bees, weather and loud noises that I refused to leave my house. Many people have told me that I have come a long way since I was in preschool and kindergarten. Some of the people that will be in the audience during graduation will include my kindergarten teachers, Jason and mac and both sisters. This is the threshold of school life and the real world. It is a bitter sweet moment for me but I am excited about it. I would like the thank all of the people that helped me through my life, so many that I can't list them all. Some of all of the people that helped me through my life my mom, dad and sisters helped me the most.

Thank You.

Plans after High School Graduation

Here is this month's music video, the song is Diversify by Lao Tizer. I like his Music because he plays jazz music with the piano, acoustic guitar and the violin. Lao Tizer specializes in the piano and many of his songs have played on the Weather Channel Local on the 8s forecasts. This song makes me think of summer or the diverse life in the forest. Video from You Tube.


On June 9th 2012 I will be attending the High School Graduation for New Hanover High School. This is a turning point in my life since I am transitioning from school life to adult or college life. This is a bitter sweet moment because I am exited about moving on and being independent but I am going to miss the people, the structured schedules and the consistent schedules of high school. My family has plans to celebrate my high school graduation, but one of our biggest plans includes going out of town. My sister Vikki plans to take me camping in the Appalachian Mountains. We are thinking about getting a cabin and spending a week in the forest. If this works out, I will learn many new skills and get the experience of camping out. 

Audubon trip Trip on April 15 2012

On April 15th 2012 the Cape Fear Audubon hosted a field trip to Holly Shelter Gamelands with several plant and butterfly experts. One of these people included Jeff Jippen who was an expert on butterflys from Duke Univirsity. We saw many common plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians and birds, as well as many uncommon to rare species. Some highlights of this trip includes the sight of a  Forest Service Helicoper that was helping the forest service fight a distant fire, and the local abundance of a rare and endangered butterfly called the Frosted Elfin. We went off trail to find some of these plants and butterflies. The tour lasted from 1-4 and we had a great turn out.

Here are some photos from my trip     

A rare pineland grass pink orchid  

Nesting Birds 2012

Carolina Chickadee Nestlings the day of hatching, 4-22-2012

The Carolina Chickadee is our among the smallest birds in the Carolinas at barely 3.5 inches long. I have been raising and providing habitat for Carolina Chickadees for 4 years and Eastern Bluebirds for three years. I monitor the nests once or twice a week and check in on them daily and take notes on behaviors. Carolina Chickadees will nest in any available cavity including birdhouses with hole sizes ranging from 3/4 of an inch in diameter to duck houses with 6" holes. Chickadees and Tufted Titmice will also nest inside old woodpecker holes, in old buildings, abandoned cars and boats, uprooted trees and even laundry, pots and other items around human dwellings. With the exception of the nonnative European house sparrow and native purple martins that nest only in specialized nest boxes or in dead trees filled with woodpecker holes, Carolina Chickadees are our most common cavity nesting bird and may be the only native woodland bird that nests in urban areas.

An average suburban or inner city backyard in eastern North America can have between 10-20 breeding species of birds. However, a well wooded backyard or one that contains an native plant habitat or is near a natural grassland or forest can have fifty or more species of breeding birds. Here is an list of the most common backyard nesting birds and their nest requirements. The exact species of birds in your area depends on your geographic location, local habitat conditions and the local abundance of that species in your county.

Birds 

Mourning Dove: commonly nests in trees, shrubs and weedy areas along property borders

Yellow Billed Cuckoo: a common bird in hedgerows and woodland edges, may nest in gardens

Eastern Screech Owl: may be enticed to nest in a yard with a owl nest box  

American Kestrel: may move in to a flicker or kestrel nest box  

Chimney Swift: commonly nests in chimneys and on the eves of houses  

Red Bellied Woodpecker: often drills nest holes in shade trees, telephone poles and even houses  

Pileated Woodpecker: may nest in a dead tree or a telephone pole, also uses large bird houses

Northern Flicker: readily takes nesting boxes or drills cavities in trees near open areas  

Eastern Wood Pewee: nests high in trees, either wooded yards or urban parks

Eastern Phoebe: often nests on porches, over barn doors or in sheds

Great Crested Flycatcher: either uses a nest cavity or woodpecker hole or birdhouses, mail boxes and eves 

Least Flycatcher: usually nests in garden hedgerows or in brushy areas near water

Blue Jay: nests 60-100ft in trees near or in oak, hickory forests or mixed forests, also in parks   

Red Eyed Vireo: nests in shade trees, either in isolated street trees or in remote forests

White Eyed Vireo: may nest in a hedgerow or overgrown fence row, favors grapevines for nest sites

Barn Swallow: often nests on the side of houses, barns and bridges

Purple Martin: uses multi compartment martin houses or clusters of hanging gourds in open areas

Tree Swallow: often uses bluebird houses in open areas, sometimes competing with bluebirds  

Carolina Chickadee: uses nest boxes, tree holes, eves, vents and even overturned pots around houses

Tufted Titmouse: uses both natural and man made cavities near forested areas.

White Breasted Nuthatch: usually nests in old downy woodpecker cavities near woodlands

Carolina Wren: nests in forested areas or hedgerows, may use gourds wicker baskets or boxes on porches

House Wren: eagerly takes nest boxes and can out compete all other songbirds in suburban areas

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher: usually nests in open woodlands or parks with lichen covered trees

Eastern Bluebird: takes wooden nest boxes placed in meadows, lawns or parks

Wood Thrush: often nests in shade trees or large shrubs in yards near forests or large parks  

American Robin: often nests in backyards near forests, feeds on lawns and in fields  

Northern Mockingbird: nests in shrubs and vines in many locations from prairies to cities to farms.

European Starling: uses woodpecker holes or nest boxes meant for flickers in wooded yards.  

Pine Warbler: nest only in pine trees, can be abundant in newer subdivisions with pine trees

Yellow Throated Warbler: nests in trees near water and even close to houses and gardens.

Yellow Warbler: usually nests in backyards near marshes, often in alder or willow trees

American Redstart: often nest in semi open yards with patches of shrubs, trees and open areas

Common Yellowthroat: nests mainly in large gardens, marshes and overgrown lots 

Summer Tanager: nest high in oak or pine trees, more common in older neighborhoods with old trees  

Northern Cardinal: nests in shrubs near forests or along your home foundation, even along streets 

Indigo Bunting: usually nests in hedgerows along property borders or in large gardens  

Rose Breasted Grosbeak: may nest in a backyard tree if its near a wooded area  

Chipping Sparrow: common in neighborhoods with pine trees or juniper, may nest in a potted plant.  

Field Sparrow: nests in overgrown hedgerows or habitat gardens with shrubs and tall grasses  

Song Sparrow: often nests in gardens, hedgerows or plantings along streets and roads.  

Red Winged Blackbird: nests mainly in marshy areas, often uses willows or shrubs along a pond

Common Grackle: nests in colonies 100ft in trees, almost always near creeks or swamps  

Orchard Oriole: nests in large trees near open areas, even along city streets  

Baltimore Oriole: nests in large trees near open areas, even along city streets  

House Finch: often nests in backyards with pine trees, junipers, may nest on the eves of homes or in potted plants. flocks travel to meadows, pastures and large gardens to feed.

American Goldfinch: may nest in a backyard if it contains a large garden or if the property backs up to an weedy area

House Sparrow: often nests in city backyards or at farmhouses where they nest over doors, on porches, streetlights, store signs, and compete with native songbird for woodpecker holes and nest boxes 

Please consult with a field guide or an local birding group to see which birds nest in your area.



A typical wooded neighborhood in the Eastern United States
Wilmington NC Spring



Earthday 2012

An Silky Aster blooming in the spring of 2011, an unusual time of year. Trees and flowers are my symbols of earth day.

Of all of the holidays in the year, Earth Day is my absolute favorite. I love earth day because it raises awareness of the environmental protection and conservation, even if its only for one day.  At the earth day festival in Wilmington North Carolina they have live music, refreshments, booths and fuel efficient cars. The Wilmington Earth day Festival occurs on the weekend of earth day at Hugh Mc Rae Park. Some of the booths that are usually out at earth day include Wave Transit, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, Tidal Creek and sometimes the Ability Garden, the Audibon Society and Kids Making It. However these three organizations did not have booths this year. Me and my family clebrate earth day by working in the garden, going to the earth day fair and sitting back and enjoying nature. I ended up enjoying the best part of 4-21-2012 at earth day and the senior prom that came later that night that I was not looking forword to.

The Azalea City

Azalea Festival and Spring

Oceansong by the Rippingtons

This Song reminds me of warmer days in coastal forests and beaches.

The North Carolina Azalea Festival 2012 occurs from April 11 to April 15 in Wilmington North Carolina. The Azalea Festival is an annual event that celebrates spring, history and the best of all azaleas and dogwoods. This five day event includes live concerts, azalea princesses and belles, garden tours, the Coles Bros Circus and the Azalea parade and street fair. Depending on the weather on the previous winter or the following spring, most of the azaleas and other trees bloom between March 15 to April 20, giving Wilmington and the rest of the east coast a breath taking spectacle. There are several kinds of rhododendrons in Wilmington, native azaleas such as pink or pinxter azaleas (the star of the azalea festival) and many exotics including Formosa Azalea, Asian azaleas and the wonderful Encore Azaleas that bloom several times a year. Both native and exotic azaleas line streets, fill gardens and parks. In addition to azaleas, look for native trees of the eastern forests and old fields like American Plums, White Dogwoods, Red Buds, Laurels, Crabapples and Wild Cherries. There are many non native plants that also bring fanfare to Wilmington during the spring and summer, some of my favorites are the Crape Myrtle, Saucer Magnolia and the Japanese Cherry. Trees that are blooming or leafing out are great places to look for warblers, vireos, wrens and many other birds. They are looking for bees, wasps, flies and aphids that feed and hide in the blossoms and leaves. This is truly my favorite time of year. I don't go the the Azalea Festival Parade or the the circus because of the crowds and traffic but I enjoy watching the parade on TV and occasionally going to the street fair.

Creating an Insectary

On the day after my 18th Birthday, my mother has given me a nice new book about attracting pollinators. Name of the book is The Xerces Society Guide to Attracting Native Pollinators. On the first night of skimming the book, I learn many new things about attracting native bees, wasps and flies as well as honeybees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. I have been in to bees and wasps since I was four year old, but I was also scared of them. My backyard habitat and vegetable garden is filled with bamboo mason bee houses, an carpenter bee fence, paper wasp shelves and even patches of soil for ground nesting bees. I also took a local beekeeping class in 2011 and plan to keep honeybees on my yard.

 A good bee farm or insectary should have:

• Variety of native and ornamental plants, trees and shrubs
• A good water source
• Bee, wasp housing, butterfly host plants and proper natural breeding habitat

If your yard or farm is short on bees or butterflies and your crops or pasture plants are not being pollinated there are some simple solutions to add bees to your area.

Set up an Bee Pasture.

A Bee Pasture is a patch of land filled wildflowers and flowering shrubs for bees and other pollinators. The best bee pastures should have several species of native wildflowers that bloom throughout the seasons, at least one specie of grass of sedge to out compete weeds and trees and proper nest sites. Bee pastures should be within 200 yards of the farm field, pasture, garden or orchard to ensure that the bees can reach the crops. Many species of bees don't travel more than a few hundred feet from the nest, while other bees like carpenter bees, bumble bees and honeybees can travel miles from their nests.

List of plants for a bee pasture

 Native Plants

Southern Crabapple

Parsley Leaved Hawthorn

American Plum

Carolina Rose

Eastern Redbud

Eastern Flowering Dogwood

Pink Azalea

Tulip Tree

Southern Magnolia
Red Bay

Sassafras

Blueberries (Especially Highbush blueberries and box huckleberries)  

Blackberries (native species like Black, Common, Allegheny, Apache blackberries and Dewberry)

Fox Grape

Herbaceous Plants

Asters including New England, Old Field, Common, Wood, Calico asters and Ironweeds

Thistles: including Yellow Thistle and Wild Lettuce

Goldenrods and Dogfennel especially for wasps and beetles

Blazing Stars 

Coneflowers (particularly Purple Coneflower, Prairie Coneflower and Black Eyed Susans)  

Blanket Flowers

Sunflowers (particularly Common, Prairie, Narrowleaf Sunflowers and Compass Flower

Salvias and Sages including Lyre Leaved Sage, Black and Blue Sage, Blue Sage, and Scarlet Sage 

Giant Hyssop

Blue Verbain

Rose Verbena

Field Mint and Bee Balms

Indigos

Milkweeds and dogbanes

Phloxes

Fennel and Golden Alexander

 Good Nonnative Plants for Bee Pastures 

Trees

Crape Myrtle

Pear

Figs

Apple

Indian Hawthorn

Asian Azaleas

Camellias

Plants

Assyliums

Common Yarrow

Dandelion

Bull Thistle

Canada Thistle

Prickly Sow Thistle

Hawkweed

French Marigolds

Mexican Marigolds

Cosmos

Mexican Sunflowers

Jerusalem Artichoke

Peppermint

Catnip

Cat Mint

Oregano

Russian Sage

Borage

Dill

Parsley

White Clover

Yellow Clover

Good Bee Houses

Bamboo rods or Hollow plant stalks  secured in a plastic container and mounted to a wall will attract nesting mason wasps, mason bees, leaf bees, and carder bees

Logs, Untreated Posts and old wooden fences make good Carpenter bee colonies, Mason, Resin, bees, mason wasps will move in to old Carpenter bee nests

Shelves provide nest sites for paper wasps and mudaubers that prey or garden pests

Plastic cans, coffee tins lined with cardboard and filled with cotton, moss or grass will attract bumble bees to nest. Place this and wasp platforms in wooded areas away from people or towards the back of your yard.

 

Great Backyard Bird Count 2-17-2-20-2012

2-11-2012
This is a rare shot of one of our smallest backyard birds, the Ruby Crowned Kinglet or Rubycrest.
Kinglets are fearless of people and are common during the winter but rarely hold still for a photo.
This bird was taken one week before the 2012 Bird Count  

I participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count each year. This survay is done by Cornell Labs during the second week in febuary to monitor the populations of birds in North America. I counted the birds in my yard during all four days but I also counted the birds at several locations around Wilmington. These locations include Airlie Gardens, Maides Park, Hugh's Mcrae Park. Some of the highlights from my bird count include an adult Bald Eagle at Airlie Gardens, a Merlin in my yard and the Eastern Towhee. All of the birds that I recorded are not rare species in North Carolina but several birds were of interest.

Bird list

My Backyard  6:45-8:00AM

2-17-2012

2 Red Bellied Woodpeckers

10 American Crows

2 Fish Crows

15 Carolina Chickadees

6 Tufted Titmice

4 Carolina Wrens

4 Eastern Bluebirds

24 Cedar Waxwings

18 Yellow Rumped Warblers

2 Pine Warblers

10 White Throated Sparrows

4 Cardinals

22 Red Winged Blackbirds

2 House Finches

2-18-2012

1 Merlin

1 Cooper's Hawk

2 Mourning Doves

2 Downy Woodpeckers

4 Red Bellied Woodpecker
12 Carolina Chickadees

4 Tufted Titmice

4 Carolina Wrens 

1 Ruby Crowned Kinglet 

4 Eastern Bluebird

20 American Robins

2 Mockingbirds

13 Cedar Waxwings 

4 Starlings 

25 Yellow Rumped Warblers 

4 Pine Warblers 

4 Cardinals 

1 Song Sparrow 

3 Field Sparrow

6 White Throated Sparrows 

12 Red Winged Blackbirds 

4 Common Grackles

10 Brown Headed Cowbird 

1 House Sparrow 

2-19-2012

1 Red Tailed Hawk

2 Mourning Doves

2 Downy Woodpeckers

4 Red Bellied Woodpecker

1 Pileated Woodpeckers
9 Carolina Chickadees

4 Tufted Titmice

4 Carolina Wrens 

1 Ruby Crowned Kinglet 

4 Eastern Bluebird

6 American Robins

1 Mockingbird

1 Brown Thrasher

25 Cedar Waxwings 

4 Starlings 

22 Yellow Rumped Warblers 

4 Pine Warblers 

8 Cardinals 

3 Field Sparrow

6 White Throated Sparrows 

12 Red Winged Blackbirds 

8 Common Grackles

4 House Finch

1 House Sparrow 

2-20-2012

1 Red Tailed Hawk

1 Cooper's Hawk

1 Mourning Doves

4 Red Bellied Woodpecker

9 Carolina Chickadees

4 Tufted Titmice

4 Carolina Wrens 

4 Eastern Bluebird

18 Cedar Waxwings 

2 Mockingbirds

4 Starlings 

25 Yellow Rumped Warblers 

4 Pine Warblers 

4 Cardinals 

6 White Throated Sparrows 

25  Red Winged Blackbirds 

4 Common Grackles

1 House Finch

Maides Park 2-17-2012 3:45 PM-4:00PM

12 American Crows

4 Carolina Chickadees

 1 Carolina Wren

1 Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Hugh McRae Park 2-17-2012

10 Candia Geese

3 Mallards

2 Feral Ducks

1 Double Crested Cormorant high

1 Red Bellied Woodpeckers

9 Brown Headed Nuthatches

6 Pine Warblers

1 Carolina Wren

1 European Starling high 

Airlie Garden's Audubon Trip 2-18-2012 8:30 AM-11:00AM

8 American Widgeons

1 Green Winged Teal 

4 Mute Swans 

42 Candia Geese 

4 Pied Billed Grebes  

1 Double Crested Cormorant

1 Great Blue Heron

3 Snowy Egrets

1 Great Egret

6 White Ibis

1 Laughing Gull 

3 Ring Billed Gulls 

2 Forester Terns  

1 Bald Eagle

4 Red Tailed Hawks

1 Cooper's Hawk 

4 Turkey Vultures

1 Mourning Dove

2 Red Bellied Woodpeckers

1 Northern Flicker

2 Carolina Chickadees

4 Tufted Titmice

1 Carolina Wren

1 Golden Crowned Kinglet

4 Ruby Crowned Kinglet

25 American Robin

1 Mockingbird  

14 Cedar Waxwings

8 Yellow Rumped Warblers

2 Cardinals

2 Red Winged Blackbirds

4 White Throated Sparrows

2 House Sparrows

Spring arrives

This is a video of Chris Geith's song So Many Nights from the Time less World Album
Courtesy of You Tube, This is one of the Contemporary Jazz songs that remind me of spring.

March is one of my favorite months of the year because it is the end of winter, and the beginning of spring bird migration. I also like this month because my sister both and my sister Vikki's was born in March. In March many plants begin to bloom and insects emerge. (my favorite creatures to watch). Some of the plants in bloom include Flowering Dogwoods, Red Buds, Cherry Laurels and Native Azalea, while violets and bluets carpet fields and forest under stories. One bird that arrives around my birthday is also one of my favorite birds, the Wood Thrush. This songbird arrives from South American around March 25 and breeds here until September 15. Spring brings warmer temperatures and colorful blooms but it also comes with pollen and violent thunderstorms. Spring is one of my worst times for allegories and hay fever with all of these trees in bloom. Even with that spring is still one of my favorite seasons of the year.  

Nature and family

I would not have made it this far in my life without my family to support me. My mom and my sister Vikki was the people that helped me get in to nature. My mom showed me rolly pollies when we were digging in the garden. My grandmother, mother, and my sister Vikki are in to gardening and my grandfather keeps pigeons and feeds wild birds. My parents used to bird watch and my mom had a bird feeder when I was a kid. I got in to birding when I found one of my mom's bird books in the living room. When my sister Vikki moved away and got married, our garden fell in to disrepair until I got in to gardening and habitat restoration. Vikki and John keep a garden at their Ashville home and hike many of the mountain trails and state parks. When we went to the Blue Ridge Mountains on the summer of 2010 we went to North Carolina Arboretum, the Carl Sandburg House Pisgah national forest and hiked the trails. During our trip to Boston last summer Nikki took us to the Boston Arboretum and the Auburn Cemetery to look at plants, birds and gravestones and we had fun. My mom and my dad helped me get over the fears of bees, wasps, thunderstorms and stay in school. If it was not for my family I would still be at my house playing video games and looking out my window.

Music and nature

Allman Brothers Jessica Courtesy of You Tube

The Allman Brothers Jessica is one of my favorite Instrumental Classic Rock songs. When I hear this song I think of grasslands, pinelands, open pastures and the serenity of these locations. I favor most genres of music from classic rock to hip hop to jazz. I do not like country, acid rock or gang rap music at all. I dislike the voices and lyrics of country songs, the screaming of acid rock and the gang violence of many rap songs. Of all of the genres of music that I listen to, my favorite is jazz music because of the instrumental nature of the music and classical is a close second. I think of locations, wildlife and events when I listen to music. Music is one of my calming strategies when I am stressed or unhappy. When I am working on computer work, in the garden or around the house I put on a classic rock, hip hop or classical music station or throw in a jazz CD. Music that has a peaceful quality helps me stay on task but music that has negative lyrics, foul language makes me feel uncomfortable. Music is one of the best ways to get away from the moment

Go Native!

A well planted native habitat garden can attract habitat specific birds like Eastern Towhees and Field Sparrows that prefer to nest and winter in old fields and grassland edges rather than yard.

My two favorite books are Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy and How to Get Your Lawn off Grass by Carol Rubin. These are my favorite books because they talk about how lawns, exotic plants and invasive plants damage natural ecosystems and ultimately our environment. Lawns are sterile monocultures of cut grass that have little value for our local wildlife. Lawns are disturbed soils where exotic weeds like Eurasian Crabgrass and Bahia grass gets a foothold. In order to control dandelions, weedy grasses, unwanted saplings, landscaping companies and homeowners dump herbicides to control weeds. When insects like the Japanese beetle or European scarab damages or when fire ants move on to a recently mown lawn we run for the insecticide. According to toe Book Get Your Lawn Off Of Grass "A 25x40ft patch of manicured lawn uses about 10,000 gallons of water during a summer." Chemicals from lawns run off when you water your lawn or when a storm approaches. These chemicals runoff in to our storm drains, retention ponds, canals and eventually our creeks, rivers and oceans. This is where fragile ecosystems thrive and where our drinking water comes from. Lawns may be the landscaping equivalent to concrete and asphalt but landscapes dominated by exotic plants from other countries can cause just as much damage. Many exotic plants require chemicals to control pests since their natural predators don't exist in North America. Exotics from different regions such as tropical forests of South America and Asia require tons of water to keep it alive during a summer and even more work to preserve it during a harsh winter. Finally, some exotic plants from regions with a similar to ours can establish themselves in nature and take over native ecosystems. Some examples include privets, European buckthorn, kudzu and Japanese Honeysuckle. Some infestations are so bad that National Park Services and municipalities have to apply chemicals, fires or biological agents to control these pests and restore natural ecosystems.  Crape Myrtles, Asian Azaleas, Camellia and Gardenia are not invasive plants since they rarely reproduce and are suited to the North Carolina climates. However, newly imported plants often harbor exotic insects, weeds, and fungus without their natural predators. 

Wildlife 

• A property with just a lawn full of bluegrass or summer rye has almost no wildlife diversity.
•  A bluegrass or rye lawn with a few trees, native or exotic has more wildlife at a lower diversity.
• A yard lush with exotic shrubs and manicured hedges and flowerbeds is almost as sterile as a lawn.
• A native habitat patch will attract native birds, insects, reptiles and mammals due to the higher concentrations of fruits, prey and foliage.
• A yard lushly planted with native plants and water sources can support about same amount of wildlife as a native woodlot or grassland that is the same size as your yard  

 Solution

 Our lushly planted front yard garden with native and garden plants, pull up a chair and enjoy. 

In my opinion I think that our landscaping should be mostly or entirely native plants but I don't mind non invasive plants as long as they are mixed with some indigenous plants. For example, our backyard has a 50 year old Crape Myrtle, Camellias, exotic azaleas, and exotic bulbs and plants from my grandmother's garden. I grandfathered these plants in and used them in my landscape; however I completely removed all of the privet, and buckthorn, ivy, and honeysuckle and wisteria since these are noxious weeds. My mom's garden in the front yard contains both native and exotic plants and continues to provide good habitats for insects, birds and mammals. One of the best ways to add native plants to the garden is to use existing ornamental plants like azaleas and Crape Myrtles and under plant those with native sub canopy trees, ferns, wildflowers and canopy trees. In our yard, I under planted our native azaleas, woodland trees and shrubs as well as our existing or new exotics with native ferns and wildflowers. This will restore a section of the natural forest ecosystem and attract natural predators that protect the foreign garden treasures. Many insects, spiders and birds eat both garden and household pests, not to mention mosquitoes. A suburban or urban with exotic plants, manicured lawns treated with poisons will have a higher problem with pests. In addition, mammals, insects and weeds eventually become resistant or even immune to poisons, with all of the native predators and diseases dead or displaced the pest population mushroom. A yard with a few simple native plants or a full fledged habitat restoration project will still have native and exotic pests but the natural predators and competitors will help keep them in check. Example: the Asian tiger mosquito is a dangerous pest in the Southeastern United States because they spread yellow fever, canine heartworms, and West Nile virus though their bites. If a native meadow garden, a wetland garden or hedgerows of indigenous trees are added, birds, spiders, insects, and reptiles arrive due to the increased cover and the abundance of prey items. The mosquitoes become food items for birds, dragonflies and anole lizards, providing an effective control without chemicals. Native gardens don't have to be weedy fields, meadows or forests, but they can have the ornamental look while requiring little care. Our habitat has a manicured garden with both native and exotic plants in place of the lawn in the front yard. The backyard contains habitat gardens that grow wild but still look manicured. People can even grow native plants in flowerpots or raised beds if they don't have yard space. Most exotic plants are good for gardens and look great in gardens but people should include some natives as well. Avoid invasive plants such as English Ivy, privet, wisterias and Autumn Olive

Alternatives to Invasive Exotics

English Ivy- Virginia creeper, Muscadine Grape, Carolina Jessermine
Privets- Yaupon Holly, Highbush Blueberry, Carolina Cherrylaurel
Buckthorn- Southern Crabapple, Native Hawthorns, Carolina Rose
Chinese Wisteria- American Wisteria
Pampas Grass- Switch grass, Purple Love grass, Cattails
Tree of Heaven- Red Maple, Staghorn Sumac, Black Locust
Chinese tallow tree, Popcorn Tree- Elderberry, Southern Crabapple
Nandina- Beautyberry, Winterberry Holly, Inkberry


  







Winter Flocks

This is a Mourning Dove that photographed from my porch with my new GE Digital Camrea.
1-20-2011 

I took this hungry robin eating Red Tip Berries from the end my driveway 50ft away.
1-20-2011

For four days, Friday January 20, Saturday January 21, Sunday January 22 and Monday January 23 2012 flocks of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Blackbirds and Starlings visited our neighborhood and my backyard habitat. There were at least several thousand birds around the area that weekend. The flocks of birds were seeking late winter fruits from native and exotic plants like privet, red tip, holly, and persimmon as well as the last remaining dogwood or red bay berries. The flocks of birds also visited our water feature and marsh garden in flocks of ten to twenty. Among the flocks of robins, blackbirds and starlings were several species of warblers, Hermit Thrushes, Bluebirds, Baltimore Orioles and Eastern Phoebes. Our regular birds such as chickadees, titmice, native sparrows and cardinals visited both the birdfeeders and the natural food sources in the area. Our backyard looked like a scene from Hitchcock's film The Birds. I was hit by three chickadees on Sunday morning when they were fighting over some sunflower seeds or even the front yard nest box. Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Red Bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers are among the first birds to begin their courting behavior. The ethereal whistles of the Carolina Chickadee and the repetitive peter peter notes from Tufted Titmice are early signs of spring. Chickadees are among the first birds to breed in most regions, for example, Carolina Chickadees began to nest in February in some areas.

 

Watch the video by clicking on this link

https://picasaweb.google.com/105631164771623441362/January262012#5701989133596896178 

Preparing for spring

Two Northern Cardinals in a Shingle Oak
with fresh spring leaves

January and early February is the perfect time to prepare your bird feeders, gardens and nesting boxes for spring. I usually mow my meadow garden between December and early February to spread the seeds and provide ample light for reemerging perennials and seedlings. It is good to leave at least a few stalks from last year's vegetable or flower garden to provide food and seeds for animals. White throated sparrows, field sparrows, chipping sparrows, towhees and wrens often use the dormant grasses and weeds as shelter. In addition, many insects, spiders and reptiles overwinter in or under dead vegetation or fallen leaf litter. As spring grows closer, most of the dead stalks should be mowed down, or death-headed to encourage new growth. If possible, do not send all of the dead plant material to the curb or fire pit, dead leaves, sticks, and grasses are used in bird nests. Rake some or all of your leaf debris under your shrubs and trees to protect woodland plants, attract snails and insects for birds and to maintain moisture around your trees. January and February is a good time to install nesting boxes and clean out old bird nests or rodent and wasp nests from bird houses. Old nests often have residual parasites from last season and may encourage bumble bees, wasps or ants to move in. This is also a great time to repair damaged parts of nest boxes, install new features like metal flashing, baffles and mesh floors. Keep in mind that Carolina Chickadees and Eastern Bluebirds can nest as early as February in North Carolina. I usually clean out boxes at the end of each brood or at the end of the season if bluebirds move in. Depending on the season, habitat and natural food availability, January is a peak time for bird feeders. Many wild seeds and fruits that the birds have been feeding on since the fall are depleted and most of the insects are inactive or active only on warm days. Keep your feeders and suet cages stocked at all times to keep attracting birds. Don't forget about water sources too, this is also a great time to clean or upgrade birdbaths because the birds and other wildlife will find it quicker in the winter since natural water is scarce. 

 

Late Winter To do List 

• Install new bird houses (especially purple martin housing and bluebird boxes) 
• Clean, modify or repair existing birdhouses 
• Mow habitat gardens and clip back perennials for next spring 
• Begin to sow seeds for wildflowers 
• Plant any trees or shrubs if you haven't done so 
• Keep feeders filled 
• Clean and maintain birdbaths and prevent them from freezing 

Cavity Nesting Birds 

Great Crested Flycatcher in flight singing
dawn song
April 2011

Eastern Screech Owl- February to March 

Barn Owl- Anytime especially winter 

American Kestrel-May to June 

Red Headed Woodpecker-June-September

Red Bellied Woodpecker-March-September

Downy/Hairy Woodpecker-March-April

Pileated WoodpeckerMarch-May

Flicker-March-July

Great Crested Flycatcher-May-June

Purple Martin-Early March 

Tree Swallow-April 

Carolina Chickadee-February to April 

Tufted Titmouse-March to July 

White Breasted Nuthatch-March-April

Brown Headed Nuthatch-February to April 

Red Breasted Nuthatch-February to March 

Carolina Wren-April-July 

House Wren-May-July 

Winter Wren-March-April 
European Starling-March-April

Prothonotary Warbler-May-June 

House Finch-May, July, sometime September

House Sparrow (Pest) Anytime but usually March to September    

Greenfield Lake Park Cape Fear Audubon 1-14-2012

This was the first time I used my New GE Camrea during a Audibon Trip.
This is a veiw of the lake through three young cypress trees 1-14-2011 

I attended an Audubon Society bird walk on Saturday January 14th 2012 at 8:30am. My friend Mac attended the tour with me. When we arrived there were four other people, the leader was a guy from the Northeast. Walk about a mile along the loop when he got a call from the president of the Cape Fear Audubon who was with a second group of people looking for the tour. We were told to meet at the parking lots near the bathrooms but there are two bathrooms at Greenfield Lake Park. We met at the parking lot near the playground and began our tour.  The rest of our group met at the bathrooms by the boat docks and walked in the opposite direction trying to find us. Mac ran back to meet the other group and tell them were we were. Mac than got in his car and drove to our position to direct us to the large bridge. The other half of our group met us there and we continued our tour. We saw 42 species of birds and stayed out there until 11:00am.

Weather- According to a handheld thermometer  

·         37 degrees F at the start of the walk

·         52 degrees F at the end of the walk

·         Average Temp 43.5 degrees F 

·         Humidity 43-45%

·         Clear skies 

·         Calm to light winds

 Reported Birds

Canada Goose

X Goose (mix breed between a Canada Goose or a Snow Goose)

Mallard

Wood Duck

Bufflehead

Ruddy Duck

Hooded Merganser

Pied Billed Grebe

Double Crested Cormorant

Annhinga

Osprey

Cooper's Hawk

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Ring Billed Gull

Mourning Dove

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker 

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Tufted Titmouse 

Carolina Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Brown Headed Nuthatch

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Golden Crowned Kinglet 

Cedar Waxwing

American Robin

Northern Mockingbird

Brown Thrasher

Pine Warbler

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Northern Cardinal

Swamp Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White Throated Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Common Grackle

Red Winged Blackbird 

Backyard Habitat Restoration Project 1A



Above is a female mockingbird feeding a skipper caterpiller to a recent fledgling from a nest in our exotic camellia bush. This caterpiller came from our front yard meadow garden which attracts grassland and woodland animals. This is an example of what native plants can bring to our yard. 

 

One of my largest projects that I completed during my teen years was not school related or involved volunteering or a job it was working in my yard. Since my mom told me about the Backyard Habitat show that the National Wildlife Federation did in 2008 when it came on Animal Planet she has always recommended that we create a backyard habitat and certify it. It took several years for my mother to convince me to clear the brush and vines in the backyard and restore the garden. After participating in some Audubon tours and classes at the State Park, learned about invasive plants and how they damage a natural ecosystem. It was disheartening to find out the Wisteria climbing in to the woods and the dense patches of Ivy was a invasive import that has little wildlife benefit and can strangle the native trees in our neighborhood. I also found out the woody growth and the "meadows" in our backyard consisted of exotic privet, buckthorn, Japanese Honeysuckle and Popcorn tree. Our garden once contained native plants, herbs like mints, Prairie Phlox and Gladiola and Irises from my Grandmother's Garden. I wanted to salvage these plants because we inherited house after she passed and I want to preserve a piece of her garden. Our goal was to have no lawn by the end of this process and we slowly converted our front lawn in to a flower beds and meadow gardens. The week after going on summer vacation after completing the tenth grade, me and my mom started clearing out the backyard. I cut down all of the wisteria and treated with bush begone bush killer. We also removed most of the privet, ivy, honeysuckle, all of the buckthrorn and popcorn trees. We also mow the area, cleared the former flowerbeds of exotic grass and shrubs and salvaged all of the native plants and garden survivors. One that weekend we removed 95% of the invasive plants and cleared out four beds. Over the next year we eradicated or reduced the rest of the invasive plants except for the tall glossy privet trees and unwanted sweetgums and maples that sprouted along the fences. As we cleared out the gardens we moved most of the garden plants and wildflowers that were in the way of the tools or pesticides. Once the weeds and invasive plants were under control I started using salt and vinegar to control the sprouts of wisteria, autumn clematis, and honeysuckle. Although less destructive than chemical treatments  vinegar quickly shutdown the plants but can permanently alter the soil's acidity. Once I got my hand saw I began cutting down the large privet trees one by one and used the shovel to dig up the younger trees or Chinese or European Privet shrubs. In 2011 we added several plant communities including old field/ early succession, meadows and a prairie/Savannah bed. Before we cleared out the yard there was one cedar bluebird house from a hardware store, now there are five nest boxes for chickadees, bluebirds, wrens, flycatchers a martin house, mason and bumble bee shelters and even a bat house. This project saved a 50 year old crape myrtle, native redbuds, cherrylaurels and red mulberries as well as a potted southern crabapple tree. Without human intervention the vines would have strangled these trees and damaged the native canopy trees. This projects has brought new species of wildlife to the neighborhood and encouraged others to plant a small patch of wildflowers or native trees.

A male Orchard Oriole singing atop our neighbor's pine to attract a mate.  A sign of a healthy ecosystem within a residental area.