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tips to bring in the birds

Have you ever watched a robin splashing enthusiastically in a birdbath? Or witnessed a young bird step from a branch for its very first flight? If you have, you know what a joy watching our feathered neighbors can be. What you might not realize is that there are some simple things you can do to make your yard a more enticing place to all kinds of birds. Here are some tips to make your back yard into an enticing haven for lots of these feathered treasures.

PROVIDE BERRIES OR SEEDS ALL YEAR — Because they fruit at different times, grow a couple different varieties of plants like serviceberry, hawthorn and dogwood to extend the berry season. And if you grow berry plants, double the number of your favorite ones. You’ll insure that there’s enough for both you and the birds. Plant fruit-bearing plants away from sidewalks, driveways and patio areas to reduce the mess. And be sure to feed seed and suet, as well. Different birds have different tastes.

KEEP FOUR-LEGGED VISITORS OUT OF FEEDERS — Use baffles below feeders or wrap posts in aluminum flashing to thwart furry looters. And don’t grow plants close to feeders. (They can hide predators like cats!)

DON’T LET THE WATER RUN DRY — Keep birdbaths and ponds filled all season. Reliable sources of water, especially moving water, will attract more birds. Remember to rinse and refill birdbaths often to help prevent disease and mosquitoes. In winter, keep it ice free with a heater, or empty ice and refill the birdbath every day. Also buy a birdbath with a rough or textured floor or add small stones to the bottom to prevent injury to birds.

PLACE YOUR POND IN THE OPEN — Avoid chemical runoff from surrounding lawn areas by building on level ground. Make an area of the pond 2 in. deep or less so birds won’t drown.

PLANT EVERGREENS FOR SHELTER — Spruce, hemlock, cedar and pine are great for nesting for cardinals, sparrows, towhees and other birds. They’ll also give birds a little relief from nasty winter storms that can sap their strength, thus helping them survive cold temperatures.

VARY HEIGHTS OF TREES, SHRUBS AND OTHER PLANTS — You’ll fill the needs of different birds who prefer to nest and feed in tree tops, shrubs or on the ground. And because it’s hard to fly with wet feathers, grow shrubs within 10 ft. of ponds or birdbaths for safe places to dry off a bit before flying away.

Check out a couple of ways to pamper your feathered visitors at right!

what kind of bee?

Not sure what kind of bees you’re seeing? Here are some ID tips. Some carpenter bees and bumblebees may have slightly different markings than the ones here, but the hairiness of the body is still a good clue. Carpenter bees are solitary bees, unlike bumblebees and honeybees, so you won’t see a colony of them.

At about 1 in. long, carpenter bees (top illustration) are usually the largest of the three, with shiny, not furry, abdomens. They fly rapidly at about head height.

Bumblebees (middle illustration) are smaller — 1/2 to 3/4 in. — and furrier than carpenter bees. They fly slowly near the ground. Some have pollen baskets on their hind legs.

Honeybees are the smallest of the group, at about 3/8 to 5/8 in. long, and fly more quickly. More tan than yellow, they also may have pollen baskets.

asian lady beetles

Harmonia axyridis

Multicolored Asian lady beetles, or ladybugs, are beneficial, but you might not think so when they swarm your back porch or come indoors for a visit. Like the many other species of lady beetles, they feed on aphids and soft-bodied insect pests that attack flowers and vegetables. The best way to identify a multicolored Asian lady beetle from other species is by the distinctive “M” marking on the back just above the colorful wings. These lady beetles vary in color, from green to orange. And the number of spots on their backs varies.

Asian lady beetles don’t feed on wood, fabrics or human food. Nor do they sting, carry diseases or bite, although you may get a startling pinch from one. This pinch does not break the skin and is usually only a problem when your skin is moist on warm days. When you handle Asian lady beetles or step on them, they release a yellowish fluid that’s harmless but smells awful. And it can leave a stain. Always sweep up and dispose of dead beetles. Particles from the dried and crushed bodies can affect people with respiratory problems.

problem solver

Eastern chipmunk
Tamias striatus

IDENTIFICATION — You’re looking out your window and you see it — a striped rodent feasting on your birdseed. At first, you’re enraged. But you can’t take your eyes off the tiny critter — it’s just so entertaining. Before you know it, the chipmunk has run off with a good portion of birdseed and you’re left wondering what happened. Irritating as that is, it gets worse. Chipmunks don’t stop at birdseed — they can be bad news for your plants, too.

DAMAGE — Chipmunks are voracious pests, and though they prefer seeds, they’ll eat almost anything. They devour fruit, vegetables, seedlings, flower bulbs (crocuses are a particular favorite), mushrooms and flowers. They stuff their cheeks with nuts, birdseed and grains to bring down to their underground tunnels — one chipmunk can store up to 30 cups of food for the winter. They do eat insects and slugs, but this is small compensation for all the pilfering they do in the garden. These little pests can also weaken structures when they burrow around or under them.

CONTROL — Keeping chipmunks out of your garden isn’t easy — the striped bandits can be persistent. But you can protect your plants. Plant bulbs to their deepest recommended depth to make it harder for chipmunks to dig them up. Include daffodils, which chipmunks avoid, among your bulbs to dissuade them from digging. Laying a screen or hardware cloth over the newly planted area may also help deter them.

If you enjoy watching their antics, you can put out a few ears of dried corn and give them access to water, like a birdbath. This might prevent them from eating your plants. If not, you can sprinkle plants with cayenne pepper. (You’ll have to re-apply after a rain.)

You can also spray predator urine near plants to keep chipmunks at bay. Products like Shake-Away^® contain fox urine, and the smell scares rodents off.

birdbath basics

Some types of birdbath are more attractive to birds, and safer for them, than other designs. Shallow, rough-surfaced, tall birdbaths are best. Birdbaths should be no more than 2 in. deep so birds of all sizes can use them. If your birdbath is deeper than that, place pea gravel or a flat stone in it to make a shallow spot for small birds.

Choose birdbaths with a rough surface for the best footing. Concrete, unglazed terra-cotta or plastic birdbaths with ridges have rough surfaces that birds like. A layer of pea gravel will add traction to a metal or glazed clay bath.

Set birdbaths on pedestals near shrubs so birds can flutter easily to a safe perch. If you put a birdbath on the ground, keep it away from dense plantings so cats can’t sneak up on them as they use it.

deer damage

Deer populations, once hunted to near extinction, are rebounding to their highest levels ever. The best way to stop deer is with a 16-ft.-tall fence, but short of turning your yard into a fortress, there are some strategies you can use to keep their damage in your garden to a minimum.

Young bucks may be using your ornamental trees to rub the velvet from their newly sprouted antlers. The damage to the bark invites infection and could kill a smaller tree. If too much bark is rubbed away, the tree could die. Should you start to notice bark damage, as in the top photo, wrap the bark with protective tape or use wire-frame tree guards.

In spring through summer, a full-grown deer can eat up to 10 pounds of food per day. They eat tender plants and cause the damage in the bottom photo until hard frosts shift the menu to woody shrubs. The animals return to browse over time, and the plant could finally die as pieces are taken bit by bit. Start spraying repellents, like egg spray or bobcat urine, and rotate them so deer don’t get accustomed to any one scent.

Finally, try to grow those plants that deer don’t usually find appealing. Now, a hungry deer will eat almost anything, but in general, they shun ornamental grasses and plants with fuzzy, tomentose foliage, such as lamb’s ears. The animals find this stuff hard to swallow. They also avoid plants with lemon, sage, mint or spicy tastes.

Check out our Web extra on dealing with deer.

problem solver

Moles

IDENTIFICATION — These poorly understood landscape pests are difficult to control. You may never see a mole, but they leave an obvious trail of evidence. Moles tunnel underground, eating soil-dwelling insects and earthworms — rarely do they eat plants. As their prey gets closer to the surface, so do the moles.

DAMAGE — Mole tunnels are a major nuisance in the lawn where mower blades cut unevenly and scalp the grass. If you have moles, stomp down the tunnel tracks before you mow. Regularly stomping the tunnels will discourage mole activity, but it won’t get rid of them for good.

CONTROL — Controlling moles is difficult because their activity is erratic. There are many poisons, repellents and noisemakers that are marketed to control moles, but many of them don’t really work. Trapping and killing moles is the most effective method of control. You can purchase traps at the garden center or call a professional pest control company to take care of them. Either way, keep kids and pets away from the traps because they can cause serious injury if they’re tripped accidentally.

problem solver

Grasshoppers

IDENTIFICATION — If you’ve walked through tall grass in the summer, you’ve seen grasshoppers leaping away in all directions. The one at left is a differential grasshopper, but there are many other species that range in color from yellow-green to brown, red-brown or black. Grasshoppers can be found in most parts of the United States and southern Canada.

DAMAGE — Most grasshoppers are serious pests of agricultural crops, but they’ll eat vegetables, fruits and flowers, too. Usually they’re rural pests, but have become much more common as more people garden in suburbs and on acreages. Grasshopper damage is usually only aesthetic, but in large numbers they can ruin fruits and vegetables.

CONTROL — Pesticides and beneficial pathogens that control grasshopper populations exist but are hard to use because they have to come in contact with the insect to work. Cover prized plants or vegetable crops with floating row covers or a fine wire mesh. Chickens and guinea fowl are also good natural grasshopper controls!

mantids

Mantids are among nature’s most elegant, efficient and lethal predators. But despite their movie-monster appearance and ferocious reputations, they make great garden helpers.

To satisfy their tremendous appetites, mantids catch and eat all kinds of garden pests, including scale, mosquitoes, aphids, black flies and leafhoppers. And the mantis is the only predatory insect that continues to feed after sundown. This makes it an excellent control for night-flying moths, too.

Mantids are very sensitive to chemical insecticides. So if you want to use mantids as part of an organic pest management program in your garden, use selective products, like Bacillus thuringiensis (for caterpillars) and insecticidal soap (for soft-bodied insects) when necessary.

What can you do to get more birds to visit your feeder? You can’t send out written invitations to let them know where the party is. We have a tip that’s sure to bring in more birds right away.

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plants deer avoid

While there’s no such thing as a deer-proof plant, there are definitely ones that deer don’t crave. Generally, they shun plants with fuzzy, tomentose foliage or ones with lemon, sage or spicy flavors. The plants below are some of deer’s least favorites.

Bulbs
Allium Allium spp.
Autumn crocus Colchicum spp.
Daffodil Narcissus spp.
Fritillaria Fritillaria spp.
Grape hyacinth Muscari spp.
Squill Scilla spp.

Perennials
Adam’s needle Yucca filamentosa
Agastache Agastache spp.
Blue cardinal flower Lobelia siphilitica
Catmint Nepeta xfaassenii
Foxglove Digitalis spp.
Speedwell Veronica spp.

Annuals
Angel’s trumpet Brugmansia spp.
Canna Canna spp.
Forget-me-not Myosotis spp.
Firecracker plant Cuphea ignea
Heliotrope Heliotropium arborescens
Larkspur Consolida ajacis

Trees, shrubs and vines
Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii
Clematis Clematis paniculata
Dwarf Norway spruce Picea abies
European white birch Betula pendula
Holly Ilex spp. (except thornless varieties)
Honeysuckle Lonicera spp.

common garter snake

Common garter snakes are sometimes called garden snakes. The yellow stripes you see in the photo give these snakes their name. They look like the striped garters that men used to use to hold up their socks.

Although garter snakes are usually between 2 and 3 ft. long, occasionally they’ll reach 4 ft. There are several species and subspecies with a variety of markings. Some have the yellow stripes, but others have speckles or red stripes on a brown or black background. A few are all black. The markings help the snakes blend into their surroundings.

Sometimes a garter snake finds its way into a house, but it’s not a cause for alarm. Usually it happens when the snake comes out of winter hibernation along the foundation or in a septic tank and accidentally gets into the basement. The best way to keep snakes outside is to carefully seal up any holes in or near the foundation. Expanding foam, available at your local home improvement store, works well.

mason bees

You may already have orchard mason bees flying around your garden. In early spring, look for metallic blue-black insects like the one in the photo at left. You might mistake them for house flies at first glance. But on closer inspection, you’ll notice four wings and antennae. Flies have two wings and no antennae.

If you don’t find bees, you can buy and release them. (One place to order them is Knox Cellars www.knoxcellars.com or 360-733-3283.) Be sure to order early in the year because as the weather warms, the hibernating bees may wake up in the post office instead of in your garden. They arrive in cardboard tubes, which you store in the refrigerator until temperatures reach 50 degrees consistently.

Place the tubes, along with some empty ones for nesting, in a home. Since they’re cold-blooded, orchard mason bees need the sun to get them going every morning. A sunny, south- or east-facing wall that’s out of the wind is a perfect spot. A single tube, or tunnel, is home to several bees, each nestled into its own little mud-walled cell. You can help the bees with their masonry work by making a mud puddle for them. Spring usually brings plenty of rain, but when it’s dry, turn over and water a shovelful of soil near the nest.

When leaves start falling in autumn, bring in the nesting tubes to a refrigerator kept at 38 degrees. In the North this saves the bees from being faked out by a January thaw. In the South, the bees will emerge stronger and healthier if you give them a rest in the refrigerator every winter. Put them out again before mid-May because they only have enough bee “fat” to sustain them in hibernation until then. Welcome these gentle pollinators next spring and watch your garden buzz with activity.

dealing with raccoons

Nothing irks a bird-lover more than having the seed in carefully erected bird feeders raided by raccoons! Mounting baffles on the supporting posts is a good way to thwart these unwanted visitors, and you can make as many as you need for around $10 each.

To create a baffle, buy a length of 7-in.-diameter galvanized heating duct and a 7-in., round end cap. Using self-tapping screws, attach the cap to the tube. Then use a spade bit in your drill to make a 1-in. hole in the center of the cap. Finish the baffle off with a coat of rust-proof paint.

To hold the baffle on the pole, tighten a hose clamp onto it. Then slide the baffle down so it rests on the hose clamp. Check the illustration at left to see how the parts fit together and how it’s mounted on the pole.

To keep the marauders out of your garden, you could surround it with electric wire, but, short of that, there are a number of other approaches you can try.

Raccoons quickly adapt to whatever device you use to scare them. So while a barking dog may keep them at bay for a night or two, they’ll quickly get used to it. Play a radio in the garden every once in a while. Noisy solutions like this are probably only for folks who don’t have neighbors.

Then there’s the barrier approach. Line your garden with prickly rose cuttings. Or lay a length of chicken wire raised on bricks around the garden’s perimeter. Raccoons have trouble walking across the mesh. Some gardeners grow cucumbers near sweet corn or grow pole beans up corn stalks. Raccoons don’t like to tangle with the vines.

And there’s always the trap. But if a whole family of raccoons moves in, you’ll be hard-pressed to catch them all before they eat everything in sight. If you catch and release, let the critters go at least ten miles away. Otherwise, you may be face to face with the same raccoons every night.