Donna Lewis – Page 4 – Nature Along the El Camino Real

Getting the Purple Martin Apartment House Ready to Open

January 16, 2024January 15, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall5 Comments

by Donna Lewis

Hello all my Martin Friends in Central Texas.

I last showed you how I got my gourd rack ready for the return of the Martins.

Now let’s look at readying the apartment house for the Martins.

It has been cleaned, emptied of all nesting materials and covered last August when the Martins left this area. Then the house was lowered down and secured till the next season which usually starts in Central Texas in late January and on.

At my site, February 14th is the normal time for my friends to return.

Once again, the first scouts are normally males looking to get a nest they like. They will then start singing trying to attract females to the site. It is a beautiful song..

Right now I uncovered the house. I inspected it to make sure no wasps, spiders or anything else had taken up residence since I last closed the house.

I then slide in the nest box that I have put fresh dry pine needles in all of the 26 compartments. I also have an early arrival door that goes over the openings. It has only the door for the birds to enter. When the summer heat has arrived and there are babies in the house, I switch the doors to ones that are made with more ventilation.

It can be extremely hot inside the houses. That is why I have aluminum houses painted white to reflect the heat as much as possible. So now, I recover the house and keep it as low as it will go.

When I hear the Martins arriving, I remove the cover and roll it up. Then I only open a few holes at a time. That will keep some of the House Sparrows from taking over. It is absolutely a requirement to keep them out. They can ruin an entire colony by killing the Martins.

So right now is the time to get new or existing ready to open at a moment’s notice. It’s kinda like a fire drill. So naturally, the weather is going to be cold, windy and rainy. That is why you want to do what you can while your hands are warm.

So my timeshare is OPEN, come on in! I just love the Martins and all birds.

I am part of all that I have met.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Extra Help for Birds in Winter

January 14, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

So, we have some very cold weather upon us.

Some of you who are originally from the North may think it’s not cold. But those of us born in Central Texas think even barely freezing is terrible. I am one of those people.

I can hardly bear it to go below 50 degrees. I hate it. It makes me crazy to worry about our wildlife friends.

But, they are adapted more than we think.

The birds have a harder time finding food when it’s cold. That is because the insects they like are not moving around.

One way we can help during this time is to put out suet for them. You can make your own or purchase it. I found that making it is messy. So, I bought some. Now is the time to put it out.

It needs to go in suet holders and placed near feeders. You can make your own holders and make them suit your location. A suet holder can be as simple as a small cage made from hardware cloth. Anything that a bird can cling to. Many species will come to a suet feeder. Even woodpeckers like them.

The suet provides needed energy to help the birds keep warm.

Right now, I am waiting for a new product to arrive that keeps hummingbird feeders from freezing. As soon as I receive it, I will put that info out for everyone.

So don’t forget our feathered friends…

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do.
Jana Stanfield

Time to Think about the Purple Martins’ Return

January 2, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall1 Comment

by Donna Lewis

Happy New Year.

Just as our weather starts to turn cold and windy, for Martin landlords it is time to get ready for the return of our beloved Martins.

Right now they are still in Brazil. Very soon they will feel the time-long urge to migrate back to their breeding grounds. That would be across the border into the US and Canada. From my experience, the birds will arrive in Milam County around February.

Times vary a little from year to year.

The first to arrive are called scouts. They tend to be the adult males looking for nesting areas that will best attract females. Last year’s birds will arrive later, up to four to eight weeks.

Right now is the time to get your houses ready. It is harder to assemble an Owl guard when the weather is cold and windy. Putting your gourds or apartments up nowmakes sure you are ready as soon as they arrive. Do NOT open the cavities yet. You need to wait till you hear the bird’s arrival and open only a few cavities. This keeps unwanted birds (House Sparrows) from taking over. Block the entrances with foam or something you can easily take out. Duct tape is NOT a good option.

I have people ask me how I know I have a Martin? Their song is different from any other bird. Believe me, they will let you know they have come home.

So, I had help putting up my gourd rack, and all I will need to do is add the pine-needles in a few weeks.

I have both a Gourd house and an apartment house. I have noticed here at our site, the gourds are the most favored.

Also, it is best to add new housing, or make changes before the Martins arrive. They don’t like change.

So, happy Martin season.

A Little Sun and a Little Nectar

December 26, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

On Christmas Eve I walked around outside after we had three inches of rain during the night. I wanted to see what everything looked like. The sun was out.

I found a little Black Oil Sunflower blooming that had been dropped by a bird. It was right beside one of my bird feeders. Nothing else blooming but that little flower.

Of course, the warm weather and rain has made many Gulf Coast Fritillaries wake up from their winter nap too early. But this one little flower held the hope of a much-needed sip of nectar.