Don't Forget the GBBC Feb 14-17 2014

[recurve]

It's coming up don't forget!

GBBC | Great Backyard Bird Count

[dapjwy]

Thanks for the reminder, recurve. I've been thinking about it since New Years (for some reason, I thought that was when it was (I guess I remember it being a long weekend). I'd been meaning to post a reminder too...but haven't gotten around to it.
I'm glad you did.

Now, we just have to keep the thread active so I remember come next weekend.

[dapjwy]

Bumping this up as friendly reminder.

[recurve]

Just finished my first count of the weekend!

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by recurve

Just finished my first count of the weekend!

I'm just about to start mine.

[sprucetree]

It's been a tough winter for the birds but I can see that providing suet, black oil sunflower seeds and some crabapple trees are very important.

I took a long walk with the idea of looking for and listening for birds and saw a male and female cardinal and a robin in said crab tree.

Not bad considering it was along a busy street: Boy the Urban Birds have it tough.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by sprucetree

It's been a tough winter for the birds but I can see that providing suet, black oil sunflower seeds and some crabapple trees are very important.

I took a long walk with the idea of looking for and listening for birds and saw a male and female cardinal and a robin in said crab tree.

Not bad considering it was along a busy street: Boy the Urban Birds have it tough.

You make me want to plant more and more berry producers--something I've been wanting to do anyway, but it seems even more important after reading your post. I have already planted some, but most are not mature enough to bloom and set fruit. I have one crabapple on the property line--Malus coronata, I think. I want more.

I'm growing Nyssa sylvatica, but they've yet to bloom...and, I think they produce in the fall. I need to add a lot of things that hold their fruit into the winter.

[sprucetree]

I'm working on my list now since I planted some dogwood bushes, spicebushes, and hazelnuts last year.

Also last year I planted some Tulip Trees and Hawthornes

I have some space for some Indian Currant, Arrow wood Viburnum, Service Berry and Virginia Creeper.

The biggest job will be the trellis for the Virginia Creeper and since I'll order all my Natives from Cold stream planting them in one day

I've seen people with Eyes bigger than their shovels and they struggle to get everything planted or just give up and let the leaves drop.

I planted an Arrow wood Viburnum too close to the stop sign and will have to transplant that Again

Better to go carefully on the placement of the Shrubs and trees because it seems transplanting them sets them back enough that they don't flower or fruit.

Going by some of the birds you've posted Dapjwy your doing a good job on attracting them

[recurve]

This pretty fellow stopped by today to get counted!



Red shouldered hawk

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by recurve

This pretty fellow stopped by today to get counted!
Attachment 40175

Attachment 40176
Red shouldered hawk

Cool. You got a hawk too. It is nice to have more variety...I was glad to add mine to the list. I hope to attract more and more species with my native plantings (especially things that hold fruit into the winter/spring)...and add more to my list each year.