Educational Material – Page 18 – Nature Along the El Camino Real

What’s That Orange Bird?

September 13, 2023September 14, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

This morning I looked out our front window to check on one of my hummingbird feeders. I went oh, what is that big orange thing! It was a male Baltimore Oriole!!

It was trying to drink the sugar water from the hummer’s stash. I rushed to see if I could take a photo through the window. I got a few that were good enough to clearly identify the bird. He was not there long because a couple of attacks to his head by one of my male ruby-throated hummers ran him off.

I had the bottom of an old feeder, so I got it out. I placed some grape jelly, pineapple chunks, and some Mandarin oranges in it and mixed a little sugar water in it also. An orange cut in half would have been better, but I had to use what I had on hand.

I took the feeder out to my garden and hung it on a shepherd’s hook.

In about an hour the Oriole found it. But so did the other hummers. Not so fast they cried.

Those little rascals simply think they own the garden. I have seen them run the butterflies off too. I love them all, so they will have to work it out amongst themselves.

I have noticed that for the past three years, I have had just one of these beautiful birds show up here at our place.

So why is it alone? No one will ever know, he’s not talking.

The world is full of beautiful little nature events like this; you just have to pay attention.

Remember who you garden for.

Summer Hummers

September 2, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Here we are at the close of summer and we still have 100-degree temperatures. I maintain my hummingbird feeders year-round. In this heat, I change out the sugar water every third day.

This morning I had a nice surprise! I looked outside on our front porch and saw about 8 Ruby-throats trying to run each other off the feeder. Hummingbirds do not share very easily. They must have to talk to each other first and come to an agreement before they all land and take a meal together. Always competitive.

Out in the yard there are not many plants with nectar that are still alive. This drought has been very hard on all our wild friends, not just on us.

We have air conditioning and grocery stores; they have whatever didn’t die or dry up. Somehow, they manage each year to survive another season in Texas. I hope they always will. Need will find a way.

Remember to clean the feeders, change the water often and put the feeder under shade if possible. If the water is not changed and is left out under the sun, it will become more like a hot toddy than a cool refreshing drink. Just a little care by humans will go a long way to helping out our tiny little winged friends.

I was lucky enough to attend a hummingbird banding years ago.

I paid the fee to adopt one at the event. So, when a hummer was being released after it received the tiny lightweight band it was placed in my open hand. It stayed in my hand for a few seconds and flew up and away.

I have to say, it was so moving that I actually cried from the experience.

Its heartbeat and it felt like a bond was forged at that moment. I am sure it was scared, so I hope it got over that quickly. I would never harm an animal. Its band will help scientists follow their journey through Mexico.

Remember who we garden for…

Hummingbirds: Feeders Aren’t Necessary to Attract Them

August 20, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

The only time that I find being outside tolerable during this long heat wave/drought is early morning or late evening. I think Hummingbirds agree with me. And I don’t feed them intentionally.

I stopped putting out bird food of any sort several years ago after I saw my sometimes-outside cat, with a Hummingbird then a Yellow Rumped Warbler in his mouth. I decided to limit his pickings as much as possible. However, I did plant a Mexican Honeysuckle bush from the El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist Wildscape, and I also have a Fiery Hummingbird Bush (also called a Fire Bush) that was here when I bought the house. They both are in full bloom now, and Hummingbirds and several types of butterflies are very fond of feeding on them. The multitude of wasps that I have nesting at my house like them, too.

These two bushes, my Crape Myrtle and a couple of Mexican Hats are all in bloom now. These plants are heat wave tolerant, feeding birds, butterflies, Western Honeybees, and three types of wasps. I only see the Hummingbirds in the very early morning and evening. They come in groups of three to four. I believe they are the Ruby Throated version. Three of them have white undersides and one, that I finally got a photo of this morning, looks to be Ruby Throated (according to iNaturalist). I’ve been trying to get photos of them for a few weeks, but I never have my camera ready at the right time. It seems that if they see that I have seen them, they head for the tallest trees.

*Hummingbird zooming in on Fiery Hummingbird Bush*

The Crape Myrtle, which bloomed late this year, attracts mostly wasps and honeybees. I normally have a Texas Purple Sage in bloom that the bees really like, but it has not put out more than 5 or 6 blooms a few times. The Mexican Hats are just about done for the year. Luckily for the feeders, the Mexican Honeysuckle Bush and Fiery Hummingbird Bush bloom until it freezes – which may not occur this year.

I must say, being able to watch the birds and butterflies eat without having to frequently clean out the feeder is nice. They really like my new bird bath, too. They, along with Robins, Blue Jays, Doves, Cardinals, and Mockingbirds have become very fond of it. They drink it and cool themselves off in it.

Mosquitoes in the Birdbaths

August 9, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall2 Comments

by Donna Lewis

Lately, I keep hearing on the news about West Nile Disease and that you should dump out any standing water. While there is some merit to this statement, it also makes people think they should not have bird baths out. Wrong…

*Bird baths also add beauty to the garden*

Many items that hold standing water like old tires or things laying around in junk yards that can hold water probably should be addressed.

Please do not include bird baths in this category! We are in a severe hot weather event and birds could use our help. Putting out as many containers that hold water as possible could save the life of a bird, a bunny, or any living creature. I am also including your pets if they must be outside.

I have many different types of bird baths on our property. Some sit directly on the ground for bunnies and the birds.

It is simple to keep the water safe for humans and the wild things. Note that it takes about 10 days or so for mosquitoes to hatch from a standing water source. Running water does not generally pose a threat, because the larvae or eggs are washed away if the water is running.

Of course, bird baths, which don’t have running water, CAN be a target for mosquitoes. BUT it is so easy to keep that from happening.

First, in this heat, shallow water will evaporate long before 10 days is up. But we probably don’t want to let our water for our friends dry up.

The easiest thing to do to stop mosquitoes is to just dump the water out every day and fill it with fresh water. Problem solved. How hard can that be? Fresh water is good for the birds and animals, anyway.

You also buy mosquito dunks at the hardware store. These work well but can cost a lot.

Other Birdbath Maintenance Recommendations

If you have a lot of algae, you can easily clean it with a plastic putty knife. No cleaners are needed. Or you can just rinse it out, the animals don’t care. if there’s algae in their water. Think of it from their perspective.

The water is safer for the smaller birds when it is no deeper than four inches.

If you can put the water container under a tree or have some shade over it, that will be better, and the water won’t get as hot.

Yes, cats can be a problem for the birds if the container is near a tree or bush. They love to hide and then pounce. It’s their nature. Cats need water also, and love to get a drink and a snack at the same time. So be cautious where you put your containers.

*A bird bath with plenty of space around it*

With just a small effort on your part, our wild things can be helped during this extreme weather. All things need water.

My National Moth Week 2023

August 6, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Linda Jo Conn

During the week of July 22-31 hundreds of Texas Master Naturalists visited parks, prairies and preserves or stayed at their private homes to observe and report moths (and other species of insects) attracted by light in the nighttime.

While many used the preferred black or mercury vapor lights powered by electric plugs or batteries, special gridded cloth sheets, and specially constructed PVC frames to set up a viewing stage, my personal mothing setup is quite simple and is ready year-round with the simple flip of a light switch.

Although an LED light is not a preferred light source for moths, it is what is screwed into my porch light fixture, and it does draw insects. Beneath it I have taped a couple of sheets of ¼” graph paper. The graph paper stays there year-round, with replacement as needed. I am surprised that no one has yet asked me why I have graph paper stuck on the side of my house.

The early night temperatures above 90° and extremely dry local conditions were worrisome, but I was able to report several moth species to National Moth Week 2023.

Among the moth species I observed were these: