GARDEN GUIDANCE
Where Are They?
by John Weis and Carol Holtrop, Advanced Master Gardeners

Leaves are falling, many birds have begun their migrations, and trees are showing their branches and letting us see what has been happening in them this year. As you walk your property and your neighborhood, look up, look down and look inside to see where birds and maybe other critters have been or might still be living.

Most forest birds live in open nests in shrubs and trees. Birds such as thrushes, orioles, tanagers, crows, jays, finches, sparrows and blackbirds prefer these nests. If you have just a few individual trees in your yard you probably won’t have these living there, but if you have a grouping or row of closely growing trees, you’ll probably have a nest or two to find. The bigger the grouping or row of trees, the more likely you’ll have birds living there. A fencerow 30 to 50 feet wide made up of a mixture of deciduous and fruiting trees and shrubs could have as many as 12 different species of birds. The bigger and more varied the fencerow planting, the more species you might find.

Look way up to the smaller top branches. Nests are built up there or way out on the ends of branches because the branches are thinner and aren’t strong enough to support predators. Orioles with their bag-type nest like this location.

Other birds prefer to build in tree cavities or tree snags; these are woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, Eastern bluebirds and purple martins. If you’d like to invite some of these to your backyard next spring you might like to provide bird boxes for them. Find plans for these bird boxes as there’s not a one-size-fits-all bird box. Different birds need different size openings, perches, shapes and colors. Remember to place them early so they are available as soon as the birds return.

Once the birds have left the tree cavities, other critters like to take up residence. Squirrels are one variety that you’ll find scampering across your yard. Watch them to see where they go…and disappear.

While you’re out looking, don’t forget to look at the ground. Woodcock and ruffed grouse, pheasants, killdeer, warblers and juncos build nests on the ground. These will be harder to find as they are built to blend in with their surroundings to avoid attracting attention to the nest. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t find a killdeer nest as they use only a depression in the ground or gravel and don’t even line it except with a few stones.

Nests can be built from many things but birds like to use things close by - such as grass, twigs and mud for the American robin. If you leave stashes of “nest materials” out next spring, avoid bright-colored materials and yarn. Yarns hold water and can make for a soggy nest that won’t hold together in the rain. Bright-colored materials could attract predators.

Remember as you are out and about, leave all nests as you find them. Some nests will be reused in future years or bits and pieces removed for new nests by next spring’s returning birds.

Now that you have some more ideas of where to look, go out and enjoy your search.

For more information on building or placing bird boxes, planting a bird friendly landscape, or monitoring migratory birds, visit your local library; call the MSU Extension office in Huron County at 989-269-9949, ext. 603; visit the Master Gardeners’ wildflower display garden at next year’s Huron Community Fair; or email Carol at holtropc@gmail.com. Other sources of birding information are: www.savingbirds.org, www.wildflowersmich.org, and www.bringingnaturehome.net.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENER
EVENTS in 2010:

• April 10 - Spring Into Gardening Conference and Yard & Garden Expo, Ubly Heights Country Club, Ubly, with Janet Macunovich, keynote speaker.
• May 22 - Perennial Plant Sale, Merchants Building, Huron Community Fairgrounds, Bad Axe
• June 26 - Garden Walk of Huron County
• July 25-31 - Huron County Master Gardeners’ Wildflower Display Garden and information booth at the Huron Community Fair, Bad Axe

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