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#1 |
Offical Silphium Abuser
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Southeast Ohio
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This blog entry by Jim McCormac at Ohio Birds and Biodiversity addresses the question of why some people are seeing fewer birds at their feeders. (It's good news--who knew that tulip trees in Ohio are having a mast year?)
Bird food: It doesn't just come in bags - Ohio Birds and Biodiversity
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"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." --Cicero ~http://rebeccas-window.blogspot.com/~ |
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#2 |
Curious George & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
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It's a great article, Rebek, with great photos. Thanks for posting it. I didn't know that cardinals snacked on tulip trees or that bluebirds ate red cedar cones.
I haven't noticed any dearth of birds at my feeders this year, except that I have no pine siskins or red breasted nuthatches that were abundant last year. They wax and wane though, coming this far south about 1/3 years. I am not going to go out and plant poison ivy, no matter what it says! I am hoping Virginia creeper does much the same. I know it gets berries on it. I have planted a bunch of cuttings in the past few yars and it is doing well. I think I need some staghorn sumac, though. I should look up if it grows this far south, since I don't think I have ever seen it around here. We have winged sumac, but its fruit cluster isn't nearly so cool looking!
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There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, this is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar. - Lord Byron Turttle's pollinator garden |
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#3 |
Heron
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: powell,Ohio
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That is a good article! I'm surprised they got 28 yellow rumped warblers on the christmas bird count. I'm also missing the pine siskins and red breasted nuthatches at my feeder this year I was so happy the were here last year they were both a first for my backyard.
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The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now. ~Proverb |
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#4 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I had no idea that tulip tree provided seeds for birds! Yay!
I planted it with hummingbirds in mind.
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"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ Last edited by dapjwy; 01-14-2014 at 08:48 PM. Reason: Letterman adds an "M" to "ind" changing it back to " mind" again! |
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#5 |
WG Fundraising Coordinator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Kentucky
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I have seen the cardinals working out the tulip tree seeds that have fallen and wedged into the cracks of the deck. I'll have to watch for them in the treetops now.
We don't have any red-breasted nuthatches here either this year for the first time. |
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#6 |
Alternate POM Judge
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Maryland
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i've been hoping to see a red breasted nuthatch as well.
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In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle |
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#7 |
Heron
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: powell,Ohio
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I have a red cedar next to my driveway that is just loaded down with cones this year. There has been a Northern mockingbird hanging out in it for weeks eating the cones. I just spent the last hour watching him defend his bounty from several marauding blue jays up to three at a time. Me thinks I need to plant more species that hold berries through the winter.
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The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now. ~Proverb |
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#8 |
Heron
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: powell,Ohio
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There are still a lot of cones left on my cedar despite the mockingbird camping out on it. I just hope the starlings don't find it.
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The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now. ~Proverb |
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#9 | ||
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I wouldn't mind planting some red cedar--especially for bluebirds--but I think I read that they shouldn't be planted near apple trees because they cause rust. I'm still hoping to grow Fuji apples as they are our all-time favorite. Quote:
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"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#10 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I've never had an opportunity to observe tulip trees each season of the year. Once mine is mature enough to bloom and go to seed that will change. I'm happy to know that it provides seed...I know it didn't rank too high on Tallamy's list, but now I know (as I suspected) that it has to provide for some species.
__________________
"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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