Hummingbirds in Milam County

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

It is getting hot every day now, so it is important to remember a few tips for our smallest bird friends. They need  fresh water just like every living thing.

My hummers like to fly though a small sprinkler that I put out just for them every afternoon around 5:30 pm.  I place it under a tree for shade and a sense of security. They cool down and get a bath at the same time.  It’s fun to see them play.

Hummingbirds enjoy a little shower. Image by @murophoto via Twenty20.

We also need to remember that hot weather will make the sugar water ferment very fast. So,  clean and put out new nectar in the feeders at least every 3 to 4 days. Sugar water should be 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.

Hummingbirds like fresh nectar. Image from Creative Commons.

Native plants are actually the best food for them. They also like little bugs for protein. Their favorite plant here at my place is the Coral Honeysuckle I have on a fence. They spend more time drinking from its tubular flowers than drinking from the feeders.

Tubular flowers are the best! Photo by  @malisunshine via Twenty20

Its good to place the feeders under some shade if you can.  This keeps the sugar water from getting so hot.

Right now the males are doing their courtship dance.  A high deep dive in a U shape pattern in front of a potential bride..

Ladies… you get to pick.

Retrieving a Legacy

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

This afternoon, Phyllis Shuffield and I donned our masks and went over to where Katherine Budrich, one of the founders of our chapter, lived. Members had long hoped to retrieve some of the things she’d been storing for us, so we were very grateful to have been offered a chance to see what we wanted.

Beautiful catalpa flowers.

Neither Phyllis nor I had gone ANYWHERE since the shelter in place orders, so we both enjoyed the drive through the countryside outside of Cameron, just to get to see different scenery. Wearing masks in the heat is a pain, but worth it to get out and go somewhere. And the Budrich home is in a lovely part of Milam County.

All sorts of native trees are scattered around the property. There are lots of soapberry.

You will all be happy to learn that we got some supplies that will be useful for us in the future. There were a lot of beautiful nature posters, some of our Texas Master Naturalist signs, and a wooden sign that says El Camino Real Chapter. I hope we can use those at meetings!

Sorry the sign’s upside down. But that’s a LOT of nice posters we can use, behind there.

We also found a bunch of wonderful plant presses, the good kind, which will be great for future projects. There were also some amazing notebooks full of information and some books we will be able to share. And of course, Phyllis was thrilled to find a large labeled collection of native mussels, which were Katherine’s specialty.

Hiqh-quality plant presses for saving specimens.

I’m really glad that we were able to get these materials, which are a lovely way to remember Katherine and her contributions to our chapter. We have stored them temporarily in the Hermit Haus building, and I hope to find a permanent place to keep them and other chapter materials once our offices move across the street.

It was also nice to see the sweet memorial garden that’s behind the house in Katherine’s honor. It was a privilege to get to visit and see her plants, too. It feels like I sort of know her!

This is apparently a green rose. It’s interesting! And it’s not in iNaturalist.

The Master Naturalist community is really special. It’s touching how we care for each other, and how our contributions can last long after our lives. It was an honor to have my first trip anywhere other than my house and office since March be to help obtain these materials for us.

April Notes from Donna

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Hair, and a Bunny Story

Donna’s hair

Since I can’t get my hair cut, this is the new normal…

Anyway, the little cottontail in the picture below got separated from his mom. He was on my front porch for about three hours.

Now, our first impulse is to pick the baby up and try to give it food and water.

That is wrong of course. I checked and she/ he was not injured, so it did not need intervention.

I herded him out towards the pasture where he probably had a worried Mom waiting for him somewhere.  The rehab group All Things Wild calls it kidnapping when humans try to rescue an animal that is not hurt or starving. Most will be reunited with their mothers. We need to give them that chance to return to the wild.

Baby bunny

Now, if they are injured, we need to get them to the rehabbers.  But Mother Nature will normally do what is needed.  It was so cute, and I did want to hold it…

My Purple Martins

This is my Purple Martin Gourd rack. I normally would have about 20 to 24 adults in the house by now, laying eggs. I just welcomed a new pair on Earth Day ( that was neat) and now have only eight martins in this house.

The gourd rack

This is very late and very few. There are potentially several theories for this, but only time will tell me what has caused this to happen.

I watch my martins all day long every day, so lots of field observations are made. The one thing I know is that I am so happy to have any martins to brighten up the day with their beautiful song. Thank you Mother Nature for this gift.

Spring in Rose’s Garden

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

The Milam Wildscape Project is within the 100-acre prairie Bird and Bee Farm. Mr. Rek’s parents originally owned the land, and the garden is named after his Mom, Rose. 

Herbs and native plants

The garden is bursting with wildflowers, natives, bushes, trees, and vines. Milkweed will be planted soon. Many creatures call the garden home. 

Camouflaged garden kitty
Helping out with bug control

Two new additions are a large metal sculpture for photo ops and LED lighting that covers the entire Wildscape! 

Charming photo background for visitors
New lighting

A new garden room is under construction with donated tin from Donna Lewis.

Charming new gazebo from donated material

Before the shutdown, the Rek’s sold over 1,000 chickens in 21 days. Everyone wants to go back to nature😊.  

Easter eggs of many colors

They will reopen the end of May and are also incubating Rio Grande turkeys now. Available later this year will be custom chicken houses.

These utility poles that are being used for erosion control have also been donated.

Aside from future nature programs, we plan to have a Master Naturalist table on some weekends.  If any chapter members would like to earn Volunteer Hours for working in the Wildscape, email me. You will able to work ALONE.  

Cindy Rek found these huge buddleia plants for only three dollars!
Weeping lantana

Nature Goes about Her Business

Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

I hope we are all using this forced time at our home’s to look at the beautiful things that nature provides for us. I hope you enjoy these photos of the life in my garden as I share this story.

Earth Day, April 22nd, is coming up.  But every day should be Earth Day.

Last evening I had a concert put on by the frogs in my small pond.

In the morning the doves, phoebes, cardinals and purple martins sang to me.

In my garden the bumble bees and Hummingbirds busied themselves with the business of breakfast, paying little attention to my presence.

The breeze started to move the grasses and wildflowers around in the pasture.

Nothing short of magnificent! 

Nature goes about her business no matter what is going on with humanity.

We can learn a lot from her.