“If you take care of the birds, you take care of
most of the environmental problems of the world.”
Thomas Lovejoy
E-Newsletter
~News and Upcoming Events~
- Sign up NOW for the Statewide Milkweed and Monarch Survey! Conduct 1-3 visits to a site between July 1st and August 15th.
- Saturday, June 7th ~ Field Trip ~ Birding by Bicycle in Rock Creek Park (see information in link)
- Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Lesser Goldfinch Range Expansion ~ You’ve observed it, now there is confirmation. Article with link to the study. If you’ve reported Lesser Goldfinches on any ebird reports, your data are part of the study! Good work!
- Saturday, June 14th ~ ALL DAY (8:00 – 5:00) Birding Camas Prairie – Centennial Marsh WMA (see information in link)
- Saturday, June 28th ~ South Hills Big Day (more info soon)
The 411 on Native Plants
Birds and native plants are made for each other, thanks to millions of years of evolution. Trees, flowers, shrubs, and grasses can serve as shelter, nesting material, and veritable buffets for birds.
Learning which plants are best suited to your region can help make your yard, balcony, or patio even more bird-friendly. With a little work and planning, you could be rewarded with an iridescent Ruby-throated Hummingbird or a seasonal migrant like this Blackpoll Warbler.
Whether you’re looking to increase your awareness outdoors or attract more birds to your home, let this primer be your guide.
From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Click the link above to read the full article, watch some great little videos,
and be inspired to do some good in the world to help out the birds
Ways to help birds
- Make Windows Safer, Day and Night These simple steps save birds: On the outside of the window, install screens or break up reflections—using film, paint, or other markers spaced uniformly 2 inches apart across the entire surface of the glass, or Acopian BirdSavers spaced 4 inches apart.
- Keep Cats Indoors A solution that’s good for cats and birds: Save birds and keep cats healthy by keeping cats indoors or creating an outdoor “catio.” You can also train your cat to walk on a leash.
- Reduce Lawn, Plant Native Add native plants, watch birds come in: Native plants add interest and beauty to your yard and neighborhood, and provide shelter and nesting areas for birds. The nectar, seeds, berries, and insects will sustain birds and diverse wildlife.
- Avoid Pesticides A healthy choice for you, your family, and birds: Consider purchasing organic food. Nearly 70% of produce sold in the U.S. contains pesticides. Reduce pesticides around your home and garden.
- Drink Coffee That’s Good for Birds Enjoy shade-grown coffee: It’s a win-win-win: it’s delicious, economically beneficial to coffee farmers, and helps more than 42 species of North American migratory songbirds that winter in coffee plantations, including orioles, warblers, and thrushes.
- Protect Our Planet from Plastic Reduce Your Plastics: Avoid single-use plastics including bags, bottles, wraps, and disposable utensils. It’s far better to choose reusable items, but if you do have disposable plastic, be sure to recycle it.
- Watch Birds, Share What You See Enjoy birds while helping science and conservation: Join a project such as eBird, Project FeederWatch, Christmas Bird Count, Breeding Bird Survey, or the International Shorebird Survey Note: If you don’t yet know how to use eBird, we have a free course to help you get the most out of the project and its tools.