Donna Lewis – Page 11 – Nature Along the El Camino Real

The Martins Are Close Now

January 21, 2023January 20, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

It is now time to have your Martin Housing ready to open. If you noticed, I said ready, NOT open yet. You do not want to open the cavities till you hear the Martins at your site.

If you do, you will have a House Sparrow hotel. You cannot allow the House Sparrows to live in the Martin housing. They will kill the Martins for the nest.

So, when you see or most likely hear your first Martins arrive, roll down your gourds or apartments and open only a few of the entrances. Open more as more Martins arrive.

It’s a delicate dance for sure. The more you do it, the better you get.

Putting everything back after the Martins have been gone for six months is hard on us senior folk. So, I was lucky this year to have some wonderful volunteers from our Master Naturalist Chapter come over and install the gourds and the Owl Guards for me. Cindy and Gene Rek came last week and did this for me.

*The photo of my gourd rack shows the Reks installing the gourds.*

As of 1-20-2023 the updated scout report has Martins arriving in Louisiana and Florida. So, they could arrive here in three to four weeks.

*The rack is in its down position for now.*

I get asked why I would go to so much trouble for these birds. Once you hear their beautiful songs, you will know why. It’s truly a wonder you will not forget.

I will run the houses up the first week in February and I will let everyone know when my first Martin arrives. Martins depend on human-supplied housing now, almost exclusively.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world”
–Anne Frank

Soon the Purple Martins Will Arrive

January 9, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall2 Comments

by Donna Lewis

OK, very soon our beautiful Martins will be sending out scouts to look for their summer homes. They are in Brazil right now. The Martins in Central Texas will be showing up around Valentine’s Day (February 14th). Is it too cold then? Yes, it is.

The climate has moved our seasons a little, but our friends have not changed their timetables. Not a good thing for them.

This is one of the hazards of climate change. The weather is changing faster than many birds or animals can adapt. If you watch the birds or keep records of your vegetable gardens you will know what I mean.

Observations are especially important to know what is going on in our world.

This is the time when you need to get your housing ready for them. You do NOT want to open the houses, just get them installed, cleaned or however you prepare your houses. You will open the entrances after you see them arrive. You also want to have any housing you hope to attract Martins to up before they arrive. Their arrivals are different across the US.

Repairs or cleaning should be done now if you have not already done it. Old nesting material should be removed, and the house cleaned. You can add some pine-needles to the house (or gourd) if you like.

Plugging the entrances to any housing is critical to keep unwanted visitors out.

The Martins will let you know when they arrive. You will be able to hear them calling you. It is the song all Martin landlords cannot wait to hear again.

No matter how often I hear them sing the “dawn song” to call for mates I never mistake it. It is wonderful and reminds us why nature is so important to the world. It is unlike any other bird’s song.

Here are the pictures of both of my houses right now. Within the next couple of weeks, they will be open for business.

So, get ready for PURPLE to arrive.

Happy Winter Weather

December 9, 2022 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Is it December? Maybe I missed something somewhere. This warm weather is not only messing up my trying to figure out whether I wear sweatpants or shorts, but it has a real effect on the wildlife and plants.

I have hundreds of Gulf Coast Fritillaries coming awake when they should be over wintering snug in their chrysalis forms.

So… Why is this not good for them? Look outside, there are very few, if any, nectar plants for them. Hardly any wildflowers are in bloom and our own gardens have gone to sleep as they should. All we can do is watch, learn, and wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.

The birds that are here in Central Texas are also wondering, hello, what is going on?

While warm weather helps them have more insects to eat for this time of the year it also causes them to think about mating and producing a new family.

Bad idea. If they do that, the cold weather will finally arrive and kill the eggs.

Confusing for sure.

Now, let’s also not forget as we prepare for the winter to come, that we can do a few things to help our friends out.

Extra seeds, mealworms, water, and shelter like old limbs and falling leaves are some things that we can provide.

And of course, leaving some land natural, as it was originally, is what they need.

I have included some photos I just took this week showing some of the chrysalis on our front porch. I see them daily emerging into beautiful butterflies.

Remember the wildlife every day. Nature gives us her best every day.

You become what you believe.

And remember who you are gardening for.

Heads Up!

November 1, 2022 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall1 Comment

by Donna Lewis

Last evening, I was outside just looking at the multitude of migrating shippers.

Those are the tiny butterflies that have many species here in Texas.

I heard the sound of something that is familiar from as long as I can remember… Sandhill Cranes!! I looked up and there was a “V” flock of 95 birds going South.

How exciting. If you have ever heard them, you will never forget the sound they make.

It is something that makes your heart warm. I always hope that every year as long as I live I will hear that call.

So, pay attention because there will be more to come.

This is why we are naturalists, to help these birds and all wildlife continue on.

(Photos and video from Sue Ann Kendall, taken in October 2022)

Beautiful Things Still in the Garden

October 27, 2022 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

So here we are, summer has gone (except for the warm weather) and fall is trying to make its appearance. After a very dry summer, native plants can still be found in the garden. We do need some rain right now.

I am amazed that there is anything still putting out flowers at all.

The leaves are starting to fall. You will be tempted to rake it all up, so your garden looks neat. Don’t do it! Those leaves and pine needles are the blankets that Mother Nature puts on her children. She is saving plants for next spring and tons of butterfly larvae.

Remember neatness is in the eyes of the beholder.

Here are some things that I took photos of today (10-26-2022) in my garden here in Central Texas. You might be surprised at what I saw. There were many more, but I was not fast enough to catch them with my camera. I was still very happy that I got to see them.