Bird Day Thursday-- Natural Bird Feeder

This summer marks my first ever successful planting of sunflowers. Well, perhaps it's because I wasn't the one that actually planted them, so I won't really take credit for it. Nonetheless, they have been a source of great beauty and enjoyment for me throughout the summer.

I don't know how many hours I spent observing, photographing and videotaping the steady supply of bees that are attracted to the abundant pollen of these monster flowers.
But now, even though the bright yellow sunburst petals and ginormous, perky green leaves have been replaced by drooping, browning, decaying parts, they continue to attract my attention on a daily basis. The bees are not the only critters that love sunflowers.

(And I mean they REALLY love them!)

Now that harvest season is here, and the bees have done their work collecting and spreading all the pollen, the sunflowers are now producing seeds, which attract a whole new lineup of daily visitors. I don't know why anyone would spend their hard earned money on expensive bird feeders and bird seed when they can just plant a little sunflower garden instead. If you look at a bag of store-bought bird seed, guess what one of the main ingredients is? Sunflower seeds! That's because sunflower seeds are highly nutritious, providing an abundant source of unsaturated fats, protein and fiber, and important nutrients like vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, folate, iron and phytochemicals.

Among the many visitors to my Natural Bird Feeder is on everyone's list of favorite birds: The Chickadee. What could be more satisfying than providing a healthy little afternoon snack for one of the cutest, most loved birds on the planet?


Next in the lineup is, in my book, one of the most stunning backyard birds in the Northwest: The Stellar's Jay. He may not be on everyone's "Top 10 Feeder Birds" list, as they are sometimes viewed as bullies that prevent other birds from getting their fill, but he is a welcome visitor to my backyard any time.






Now, I know that most sane people do not regularly put up a bird feeder for the benefit of the neighborhood Crows. And why should they? Crows are one of the most well-adapted urban species around, and seem to have no trouble finding food in anyplace where humans also inhabit, providing an endless supply of bread crumbs and fast food leftovers.



Well, even crows need to eat healthy once in a while. The Crows in my backyard seem to enjoy the harvesting process as much as the food itself, and it's an interesting experience to watch the adults pass along their skills to the younger ones.











The last sunflower-loving critter on my list is definitely not a welcome one to anyone's bird feeder. That's because he is not a bird! Bird feeder people try every trick and contraption in the book, both store-bought and homemade, to keep Squirrels out of their bird feeders! Squirrels need to eat, too, and they're going to find a way into your bird feeder no matter what you do. The nice thing about a Natural Bird Feeder is that the seed is not costing you any money, so it really shouldn't matter who is enjoying the tasty, nutritious food. So you can sit back and enjoy their acrobatic show as they go in, out, through, and under the various parts of the plant to get to their coveted treat.



I realize that my Natural Sunflower Bird Feeders will not last forever. But sunflowers are just one example of the many plants that can be used to attract birds to and/or feed birds in your backyard.

Another successful planting in my garden this summer was my tomatillo plant, which was a daily stop for bees and hummingbirds.

Other than attracting pollinators (birds, bees, butterflies) to your garden, there are many specific native plants and trees that can be planted in your yard that will provide food (seeds, nuts, fruit, insects), nesting habitat or shelter for different types of birds during each season of the year. To find out what types of vegetation can be planted in your part of the country, check with your local Audubon Society, and look for books specific to your region.

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We Want Answers!

Oh my! It seems as though it's been quite some time since I have written... Readers are demanding to know why. Plus there are Name that Bird answers to reveal and winners to announce. In this blog post I will attempt to answer these questions, and quell any worries that the Grapevine may be disappearing.

Fear not! I am still here, only there is a little more of me now... apparently there is a little bun baking inside my oven that has been demanding even more of my time and energy than my loyal readers!

Unfortunately, this means my photography and art have been severely neglected. Crafting time has been replaced with all things Baby-- doctor visits, reading pregnancy and nutrition books, preparing the nursery, etc. I did have one last, very successful craft fair in July; and I may still find the time to list some new items before the holidays, and before the bambino arrives (which happen to be around the same time). I'm not promising any sort of regularity, but I will also make an attempt to keep the Grapevine active.

Now for the fun stuff. The last online version of Name that Bird was all the way back in May! This one was a straight up bird identification with a video and photo of the "mystery" bird. This is not one of your common backyard birds or a cartoon, so it was a little more challenging than some of the other contests. The bird in question is a Purple Martin.

If you couldn't identify this bird by it's physical features, another clue would be the gourd-shaped nest boxes. Purple Martins are a type of swallow that migrate north from South America during the breeding season, and nest in secondary cavities, such as old tree hollows or cliff ledges. On the East coast and in the Pacific Northwest, they have become dependent on human-provided nest boxes, usually in the form of a gourd or multi-compartment wood or metal house. The gourd style houses are usually man-made, but were originally made from actual gourds that were dried and hollowed out by Native Americans.

In other parts of the county, including the mountainous regions of the west, and along the California coast, the birds have not taken to the artificial nest boxes, and still use natural crevices of trees and cliffs to breed and raise their young. For more detailed information about Purple Martin migration and breeding, you should check out the Purple Martin Conservation Association. Congratulations to Sarah W. for correctly identifying the mystery swallow, and winning one of my handmade recycled photo tiles!

In July, I also held an in-person Name that Bird contest, at the Wedgwood Art Festival. Up for grabs this time was a copy of "A Spring Without Bees" by Michael Schacker. Rather than a handmade goodie, the prize was a little different this time, as a tribute to my dog, Lily, who passed away one year ago on July 7th. You are probably wondering what the connection is between bees and my dog. More specifically, it is the disappearance of the bees, and the cause of their disappearance that makes the connection. Lily died from cancer, which I believe may have been caused from the use of chemical-based flea medications. Despite my better judgment, and my usual adherence to natural remedies and an overall healthy alternative lifestyle, I did sometimes resort to these types of treatments to deal with those pervasive pests. While we can never know for certain what caused the cancer in the first place, it is known that some chemicals found in these flea remedies are carcinogenic, and coincidentally, the same chemicals found in the agricultural pesticides that are responsible for the disappearance of the bees!!

If you think this is a stretch, I encourage you to read the book. In addition to shedding light on the "mystery" of Colony Collapse Disorder, this book has strengthened my resolve to stick to organics and natural products even more so than before.

If you are Matthew K. from Wedgwood, then you get the chance to read it for free! Lots of people correctly identified the Cedar Waxwing from a photo display at my booth, but Matthew was the lucky one this time. Congratulations, Matthew!

Cedar Waxwings can be identified by their prominent black mask, slight tufted light-brown crest (sometimes more apparent than others), pale yellowish bellies, bright yellow tips on the tail feathers, and sometimes-hard-to-see brilliant red "wax droplets" on the wing tips.

They are a big fan of berries, so look for them in forested areas with lots of fruiting trees or flying over water, where they also like to feast on flying insects.


Another type of waxwing, which may cause some identity crisis, is the Bohemian Waxwing. The two are very similar in many ways, such as the black mask and yellow tail tip, but also have some specific differences that you can look for when trying to distinguish between the two:

The Bohemian Waxwing has a reddish brown head, and no white above the mask. Bellies are gray, rather than yellow, and the body is grayer overall. The under tail is reddish brown, rather than gray.

For more detailed information, photos, and voice identification, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology "All About Birds".

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