Winged Wednesday - May Arrivals

In Wisconsin April is coming to a cool, rainy end, and it's time to start thinking about warmer, sunny weather in May. Although it looks like May will get started off mirroring April's end, we eagerly await our last round of migrating visitors. Our species count for this year is already slightly behind last year, but perhaps the next couple of weeks will help us make up some ground. So who are the birds we are looking forward to seeing in May?

Two female Grosbeaks have a morning bath.

Rose Breasted Grosbeak: We welcome a handful of these birds every year. Typically we get a couple of pairs who will hang out in our backyard for about 2 weeks before moving on. These Cardinal cousins come up from Latin America to do some breeding in Wisconsin's forests; they are happy to stop off at feeders and eat black oil and striped sunflower seeds. Their call is almost Robin-ish, and we eagerly await their return.

Male Oriole goes for the jelly.

Baltimore Oriole: We had orioles come visit for the first time last year. They visited for a little over a week in mid-May before moving on. During that time our Oriole feeder contained nectar, held orange wedges, and had spoonfuls of grape jelly. They didn't seem to take much to the nectar, but they did seem to enjoy the grape jelly. They nearly polished off a jar of the cheap stuff purchased at our local grocery store. Last May, the weather was fairly warm, so I made sure to clean the feeder at least every other day to prevent mold growth in the nectar. Our feeder is also suspended from a large ant moat to prevent insects from accessing the sugary treats.

This House Wren snagged a spider in the garden.

House Wren: Our summer wouldn't be complete without the House Wrens starting a family in our yard. Since putting up the bird house 2 years ago, we've had Wrens nest in it each year. They spend a lot of time foraging for insects in our wildflowers and regularly chastise me when I go into the garden. In the morning, they sing from the telephone wire which passes over the bird house and garden. They are rather talkative, sort of funny looking little birds, but their presence really brings the yard to life.

Which birds are you still waiting for?

Five Native Plants Other than Flowers for Butterflies

Everyone knows that during the summer, butterflies flit from flower to flower in our gardens, parks, and yards. Some understand that butterflies are after nectar and then plant flowers full of nectar to attract these painted insects. It's important however to remember that butterflies need different types of plants at different stages in their lifecycle. Here are a five plants to consider if you are interested in attracting butterflies.

Black Cherry Tree: These Cherry Trees are native to much of the United States and are generally good plants for attracting wildlife. Their fruits are eaten by mammals and birds alike, and the flowers which precede the fruit are a good early source of nectar for butterflies. These tree is important for the Eastern Tiger Swallow Tail and the Red Spotted Purple butterflies who will lay their eggs on this tree. Larger than most other Cherry Trees, these tree may grow 50 - 80 feet high providing some protections for the attracted butterflies.

The Black Swallowtail may use garden variety plants like Dill or Parsley as a host.

Oaks: Oaks as discussed in a previous post play an important role in the ecology of the Midwest. These large trees provide shelter and food for a number animal species. When we reflect on these species we often think of Squirrels, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Blue Jays. Oaks also are hosts for a few species of Hairstreak and Duskywing butterflies. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars eat the foliage of the tree before becoming butterflies.

Birches: These attractive trees are often found in front yards of people's homes. River Birch and Paper Birch are two common native trees you can find at most nurseries. Birch trees play host to a number of a caterpillars including: Mourning Cloak and Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies which are two of the larger and more attractive species of the Midwest.

Common Nettle: Stinging Nettle can be a real pain in the garden or yard especially when trying to remove it. If it's found in an out of the way location, consider leaving it in place. The Red Admiral Butterfly uses this weed as a host plant for its caterpillars.

Bluestem Grasses: Both Little and Big Bluestem Grasses make attractive lawn or garden features, and both are easy to find at most nurseries. These plants are known for being attractive to birds, but these grasses are also host plants for a variety of Skipper species.

This Indian Skipper may have grown up in our Bluestem Grasses.

Even if you don't plant these particular plants in your butterfly garden, keep them in mind as you do other landscaping in your yard. There are also a whole bunch of other plants which can be used to attract butterflies. Remember when landscaping, that butterflies need more than just nectar, so the next time you are looking for a new tree, grass, or shrub take a look at this list to get started.

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - Leaving Trails Behind

There are two common types of backyard critters who leave some pretty obvious tracks behind even if we never actually saw our visitors. Both moles and voles leave telltale signs behind as they forage in our lawns.

Voles: There are a few different kinds of voles one may encounter including the: Prairie Vole, Pine Vole, and Meadow Vole. Voles make runaways along the ground which you are likely to encounter if you do any shoveling of snow in your yard or immediately after a thaw. We often find vole runaways which lead directly to the areas below our bird feeders. You may also notice damage to bark around your shrubs after the snow melts; this could be from hungry voles looking for a winter snack. Plantings thick with native plants, especially native grasses may attract these rodents to your yard. Voles play an important role in the food chain, as they are a staple in the diets of many raptors like hawks and owls.

Moles: These little miners are in fact quite different from voles. Moles of the Midwest include the Star Nosed Mole and the Eastern Mole. Lawns are generally ideal mole habitat as they burrow their way looking for worms and other soil dwellers to eat. This burrowing leaves a trail of pushed-up dirt and sod, mole hills, behind which helps with soil aeration. These can be easily pushed back in place by walking along the trail. Moles are one of the few native animals which will eat Japanese Beetles. While they may be annoying as they incidentally uproot some vegetation in their quest for insects, their endeavors are generally beneficial.

Your lawn has probably attracted both species at some point or another, so the next time you run across an odd path of grass in your lawn know that either the voles or moles have come to visit.

Plant by Habitat: Tall Grass Prairie

If you're interested in finding plants which grow naturally together, you've come to the right place. So far, we've touched on Oak Savannas and Pine Barrens; this post will cover plants you can find commercially available if you're interested in planting a prairie.

You too can grow a prairie. Here's a sample of ours including Purple Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, and Blue Lupine

Many retailers carry prairie mixes of native seed. These mixes are often tailored to some specific growing conditions. So make sure you've thought about where you intend lay the seed down. Here are some questions to consider: Is it dry or wet? Is it clay? How much sun or shade does the site receive? The mixes often also have themes like "best for butterflies" or "good for birds." This will impact the content of the mix. Most retailers provide details about the content of each mix detailing an expected percentage of seed per plant.

One quick aside, if the site isn't getting a good amount of sun, prairie plants probably aren't the best choice, many depend on a lot of sun, after all it is the prairie.

As such, I won't be focusing on trees this time, instead this post will focus in on some good varieties of plants you may wish to purchase for your prairie.

Tall Plants: The prairie was home to many plants as tall or taller than an adult. If you are interested in these kinds of plants, that's great, but they certainly aren't for everyone. They can make a really nice background for other prairie plants.

Big Blue Stem is an attractive, tall prairie grass which can readily grow to 7 feet. We have found that birds really enjoy it in the winter including: Dark Eyed Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, and Pine Siskins. During the summer, it's not unusual for us to find American Toads on the ground at the base of the plant which can be remarkably dense. Compass Plant is another attractive native which can grow to be remarkably tall. This isn't one we've attempted to grow ourselves, but we've seen the showy yellow flowers grown locally.

Purple Coneflower is also very easy to grow and it attracts both birds and butterflies.

Less Tall Plants: Other prairie plants may grow more lowly, but be aware that how tall they grow in year one may not represent how tall they will grow in year two. Our Purple Coneflowers, Cardinal Flowers, and Little Blue Stem have gotten remarkably tall, all easily exceeding 3 feet.

Little Blue Stem is an easy to find plant which will grow as a bunch grass. It's remarkably easy to grow and the Dark Eyed Juncos seem to particularly enjoy it in the winter and early spring. Cardinal Flower has little red flag-like flowers which attract Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. It flowers a little later than some of the other wildflowers in our garden, adding some flavor to the garden a little later in the summer. This plant has actually done a little better when it's able to get some shade, our row that is in full sun seems to struggle a little more than a nearby row which gets a few more hours of shade each day.

Legumes are handy plants to include in your planting. Legumes help put nitrogen back into the soil which is beneficial for other plants.

False Indigo is a native legume which can grow into a big bush-like plant. It can be found with white or purple flowers which open earlier than some other plants you may include in your prairie such as Conefloewr or Black Eyed Susan. Blue Lupine is another native legume. Its blue flowers should appear in May ahead of the other native wildflowers. This plant is host to the Blue Karner Butterfly which is endangered. I've found that rabbits find both of these plants delicious so you may want to include some fencing to protect them as they grow.

And one more important but miscellaneous plant...

Butterfly Milkweed is a must have prairie plant for those who love the Monarch Butterfly. Its orange flowers may appear a little later than some of the other wildflowers, but it's a pollinators' delight. It doesn't seem to grow as tall as our Coneflower, but it can pretty dense, almost bush-like. Monarch Butterflies are attracted to this plant both for the flowers as adults, but it is also host to Monarch caterpillars.

Butterfly Milkweed's orange flowers up close.

There are many other plants you want to consider. The ones above only represent a small sample of the plants you want to consider. A number of other plants like: Prairie Dropseed, Blazing Star, Joe Pye Weed, Ox Eye Sunflower, and Prairie Coneflower are pretty easy to find commercially. The combination of height and color is up to you, and the choices are almost limitless. Good luck and enjoy.

Winged Wednesday - The Thrush Rush

The spring brings a wave of migrants to our yards, gardens, and parks. The time period from mid-April through June can make or break a bird count. One group of these migratory visitors who can really help boost a bird count are the Thrushes.

The Thrushes have traveled from the south in search of food and mates in the north. Some of these birds will stop and nest in the Upper Midwest, while others will continue their journeys northwards.

The most common of these visitors is the state bird of Wisconsin and Michigan, the American Robin. This Thrush thrives in backyards looking for grubs and worms. They are considered the heralds of spring, and they are the Thrush we can all pretty much count on seeing.

This Gray Catbird dug around in our compost before paying the neighbors' bushes a visit.

Eastern Bluebirds are becoming an increasingly common Thrush after their numbers had dropped off. Efforts to install birdhouses and monitor them over time have helped bring back the Bluebird. Like most Thrushes, they'll need the right situation to come bounding into your yard. In their case, shelter is the right incentive. Bluebirds will look for houses where they have the appropriate surroundings to forage for food, where there aren't too many other Bluebirds around, and they may require protection from House Sparrows and Starlings. (See an earlier post about birdhouses)

This Swainson's Thrush spent a couple of rainy evenings foraging in the bushes.

Other Thrushes may visit your lawn looking for food especially during or immediately after transit. In the early part of spring, berries may be their best dietary option. Parts of Wisconsin are still seeing snow, which means insect foraging isn't exactly an option. Plants like Staghorn Sumac, Dogwood, Hawthorn, and American Holly have fruit which may persist over the winter and provide food for these birds. We have seen Hermit Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, and Swainson's Thrushes scoping out our compost as well.

A Hermit Thrush at the edge of the compost.(Note - He may be hard to see, he's right in the center.)

As the weather improves, expect that you may see these birds in your yard if an understory of relatively dense shrubs is available, and if there are other sources of fruit such as Serviceberry, Chokeberry, or Nannyberry. Come fall, they will make their exit, and the following spring the cycle and count will start again.

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - The Flying Kind

Just a few days ago, the Wisconsin State Journal reported about how Wisconsin's bats are struggling White Nose Syndrome, and given that we expect to start seeing bats more often as the weather warms, now seemed like an ideal time to do a post about bats.

The Upper Midwest is home to a number of bat species including:

• Little Brown Bat
• Big Brown Bat
• Northern Myotis
• Silver Haired Bat
• Hoary Bat
• Red Bat
• Eastern Pipistrelle
• Indiana Bat

Of these species, the Little Brown, Big Brown, Northern Myotis, and Indiana Bats are known to be affected by White Nose Syndrome. White Nose Syndrome is caused by fungus which can be passed by bat to bat contact and affects hibernating bats. It ultimately results in death; the mortality rate is above 90%. Solitary bats and migratory bats seem to be less affected.

Most bat species can be found hanging out in tree hollows, caves, or abandoned mines or buildings. The Little Brown Bat is the most abundant bat in much of the Midwest and is the species most likely to end up in your house.

Bats come out as the sun sets and feed on insects throughout the night. They begin their feeding as birds like Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, and Common Nighthawks finish their own. Some bat species are generalists, eating a variety of insects, while others like the Red Bat seem to be moth specialists.

Bats like birds need shelter and food. Bird houses are an everyday occurrence in people's yards, but bat houses can be as well. Bat houses simulate the roosting space found in dead trees, they operate very similarly to the bird houses which are occupied by cavity nesters like Chickadees and Bluebirds. Your yard itself can provide food as well if you aren't using chemicals to eradicate insects and if you leave your grass a little longer. Increasing the biodiversity of your plant life will also increase the diversity of the insect buffet served to these aerial mammals.

If you aren't sure if there are bats are in your neighborhood, wait for the warmer weather then wait for sunset. Watch the sky just above your lawn before it gets truly dark. You should be able to see the bats if they are present. You can also find a nearby street light which attracts insects and watch to see bats participate in this served-up meal.

Bats are interesting backyard mammals which are somewhat accustomed to living alongside humans, and if we think of them as the Swallows of the night, they don't seem quite as troubling.

Plant by Habitat: Pine Barrens

In the previous Plant by Habitat post, we identified some plant species to combine in a yard to create an Oak Savanna, in this edition, we'll describe some plants which are found in Pine Barrens.

Pine Barrens are habitat found in the Upper Midwest in parts Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Pine Barrens are home to coniferous trees like Jack or Red Pine which do well in acidic soils. Poor soil quality and highly acidic soil are characteristics of the barrens which impact what types of plants grow in these communities.

Sandy or acidic soils in your own yard may prompt you to consider planting species found in pine barrens together. The first step for creating your Pine Barren is to find the correct tree species. First you'll need Pines, and you'll start with Jack or Red Pine. You can also consider Oaks, which are commonly also featured in Pine Barrens.

Once the trees are selected, you'll want to move onto the shrubs and understory. A pine barren doesn't support much of an understory, hence the name, but certain shrubby plants are found amongst the pines. These plants include two which are commercially available and which strongly support wildlife: the American Hazelnut and the Low Bush Blueberry. Hazelnuts are eaten by a variety animals including small mammals, Wild Turkey, and Grouse. The sweet blueberries are enjoyed by people as well our animal neighbors.

Lupine is an attractive ground cover found in the Pine Barrens.

Much like the Oak Savanna, this habitat was filled with prairie grasses and wildflowers. Plants common to the Pine Barrens include June Grass, Little Blue Stem, Blazing Star, and Blue Lupine. The Lupine is of particular importance to the habitat. It is a legume and puts nitrogen back into the soil for use by other plant species. It is also the host for the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly whose caterpillars feed on the leaves.

Endangered butterflies may not be the only interesting visitors to your lawn if you successfully establish a Pine Barren. By planting Jack Pines and Blueberries in particular you may help the recovery of the endangered Kirkland's Warbler as your yard may become an attractive nesting site.

For More Information:

WI DNR - Pine Barrens
MI DNR - Pine Barrens

In the News - White Nose Syndrome Hits Wisconsin's Bats

This from the Wisconsin State Journal: Fungus Afflicts Wisconsin Bats

More Information on White Nose Syndrome

Interested in building a bat house? WI DNR has instructions.

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - Marsupial of the Midwest

Marsupials are a group of mammals typified by carrying their young in a pouch. People often associate marsupials with Australis as well known marsupials include Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wombats, and Koalas. People often don't realize that a wild marsupial may be foraging in their yard by night or digging in their garbage. What marsupial is this?

The Midwest's only native marsupial and the only one native to the United States is the Virginia Opossum The Virginia Opossum can be found in much of the United States and in Mexico as well as some parts of Canada. It's highly adaptable and tolerant of human neighbors similar to other familiar mammals like Raccoons.

This particular Opossum was larger than a domestic cat but slinked elegantly under our neighbor's deck at dawn.

While the Opossum may look like an oversized rat to some, the cat-sized marsupial is something quite different. It is most active at night and is often struck by motor vehicles. Opossums are omnivores and will eat fruits as well as insects and small animals including nesting birds and their eggs. If you have a compost, fruit trees, or leave your garbage or pet food out at night, your yard may become an attractive foraging ground.

Opossum's leave really interesting tracks because their paws are specially designed for climbing and grasping. The tracks feature four toes similarly positioned to fingers with a thumb to the side. It's key to remember that features like this and their pouch make them distinct from rodents. They are unique creatures in North America even if they are widespread.

Winged Wednesday - Composting is for the Birds

Having a backyard compost is useful for a number of reasons. It prevents yard waste from being landfilled. It can used to provide nutrition to the plants on the property. And it turns out that it can be a good way to attract birds.

Our compost pile is the back corner of the lawn.

Here's a short list of items you are likely to find in our compost:

• Dried out grasses and wildflowers
• Fruits and vegetables from our kitchen
• Leaves from the previous autumn
• Sod removed from the yard to make way for other plants.

This small combination of organic materials does a remarkable job attracting birds for various reasons. In the spring, birds stop by the compost in search of nesting materials. They are happy to eat fruit scraps from our kitchen especially blueberry and strawberry. They can forage for leftover seed from the wildflowers and grasses.

White Throated Sparrow forages in the compost.

The compost also supports other life. Insects live in the compost amongst the decomposing plant matter, dirt, and debris. The White Throated and White Crowned Sparrows which came to visit us last year spent a fair amount of time scratching away at the borders of the compost. Black Capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, and the occasional Gray Catbird have been know to land in the compost and pick away a little bit as well.

Of course the American Toads like the bugs in the compost too.

Our yard has many features which help attract birds including: feeders, houses, trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, and our man-made brush pile contributes to the success of our yard's biodiversity just as much as the decorative features of the yard.

Plant by Habitat: Oak Savanna

Recently I posted information about native Oaks and later realized it might be helpful to have some information not just about which plants are native vs invasive, but it may also be helpful to have some sense of which native plants actually grow together naturally. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll do some "Plant by Habitat" posts to hopefully help inform decisions about which native plants to purchase together.

The Oak Savanna is a type of habitat which features large Oaks with room to really spread their limbs. These savannas were once found throughout the Midwest and served as the boarder between the prairies and grasslands of the Great Plains and the forests of the Eastern United States. A variety of Oak species were found in the savannas including: Black Oak, Bur Oak, Northern Red Oak, and White Oak. These trees can be found commercially available, and if you are interested in planting your own Oak Savanna, an Oak is a good place to start.

That said other trees and plants could be found in the savannas. Shagbark Hickory and Black Cherry are also excellent savanna trees to consider. Black Cherry is particularly interesting as it is a host for a variety of caterpillars and its fruit is eaten by many birds.

Once you've selected your trees, you are on to deciding what will go in the understory. You will need to decide exactly how wide open your savanna will be. Some savannas would have had some shrubby understory if less frequented by fire, but those more frequented by fire would have had more prairie grasses and flowers.

Highbush Cranberry can be really attractive in the fall.

My favorite shrubs to consider are Viburnums. American Highbush Cranberry, Nannyberry, and Mapleleaf Viburnum are interesting choices. Viburnums tend to be pretty tolerant of most growing situations, have attractive foliage in the fall, and they tend to be pretty easy to find commercially. These are really great shrubs, we have 4 Highbush Cranberries and 2 Nannyberries in our yard. Pagoda Dogwood, Hazelnut, and Staghorn Sumac are also good choices. The Sumac and the Dogwood are fairly shade tolerant, so they may not be best suited to an open savanna habitat, they do however produce fruit which can be eaten by birds. The Hazelnut will produce nuts which fall to ground and are eaten by mammals like Gray, Red, or Fox Squirrels but also by Wild Turkey and Ruffed Grouse.

By this point, you have a tree or two selected; you've decided on a shrub or two, and now you need something to cover the ground. You are now looking for plants which do well when burned back semi-regularly. You are going to want some prairie grasses, some of the easiest species to acquire are Little Blue Stem, Big Blue Stem, and Prairie Dropseed. The flowers for an Oak Savanna can be more difficult to find but they include plants loved by butterflies such as Purple Milkweed and Common Milkweed. Shooting Star, Wild Indigo, and Wild Columbine are also reasonably easy to find as plugs or seeds.

We put in a few indigo plants last year which were not by the rabbits.

With these plants in place, a lawn would be replaced with a small Oak Savanna. It would be fairly biodiverse in terms of plants species and be able to support a number of bird and butterfly species. If you live in the Midwest (see map), there is a reasonable chance your yard was once in fact part of the Oak Savannas. The Oak Savannas were replaced with farmland and then the farmland with subdivisions, so why not give part of your yard back and return it to nature, after all the birds and the butterflies are the ones who have to live with it.

Winged Wednesday - Five Favorite Plants for Feeding the Birds

Although bird feeders, bird baths, and bird houses are all good ways to attract birds to your yard, the most effective way to attract birds is to turn your yard into a bird sanctuary through landscaping. Plants can provide shelter for roosting or nesting, and they can provide food. Here are some great native plants for you to consider when landscaping your yard for wildlife.

Cardinal Flower is an interesting wildflower with brilliant red flowers which display almost like flags. It's relatively easy to grow. We have two rows of it, one which is in partial shade, and the other is full sun. The row in partial shade does better than the role in full sun. Our Cardinal Flowers grew to be a little more than 3 feet tall last summer. The plant doesn't produce fruit or abundant seed, but it did have frequent visits from Ruby Throated Hummingbirds in July and August.

A couple of our Cardinal Flowers

Purple Coneflower is a familiar wildflower for many. It's an attractive pinkish flower which can grow to be fairly tall. We had some this last year which grew to be 4 feet tall. Our Coneflowers grow in full sun and are planted quite thickly. During the early spring when they are mostly leafy vegetation, they are frequented by rabbits for shelter and even Mourning Doves. During the summer when the flowers have bloomed, the local House Wrens do a fair amount of insect hunting amongst them. The Coneflowers produce abundant seed and attract American Goldfinches, Dark Eyed Juncos, Pine Siskins, and American Tree Sparrows in the fall and winter after the plant has become dry and brown.

Wren catches spider in the Purple Coneflower.

Black Eyed Susan is another familiar widflower. Our Black Eyed Susans grow mixed in with our Purple Coneflowers, our neighbor refers to it as "the jungle". The Black Eyed Susans don't grow as tall as the Coneflowers, but they do spread abundant seed around. They tend attract the same group of birds during the fall and winter as the Purple Conflower.

American Goldfinch finds a wildflower snack.

Allegheny Serviceberry is a shrub which produces a white flower in the spring. Ours is planted at the center and rear of the wildflower garden. We planted it last year, and it produced some fruit. After I had seen American Robins and Northern Cardinals eat some of the berries, I decided it might be something to try. I won't try them again; the birds can keep them. In the end, it's an attractive flowering shrub which produces berries eaten by birds (even if not eaten by humans); we're so happy with our one that we've decided to plant a couple more this year to replace the Coralberry bushes which were eaten by the rabbits.

Big Blue Stem is a tall native grass which grows to around 7 feet or so. It lines the back of our wildflower garden and is remarkably attractive both when green and fresh as well as later when dry and golden. Seed tassels form at the top, and each winter we enjoy watching the birds land on the stalks, attempting to attain the seed they seek. The bottom of Big Blue Stem is thick and full and provides some winter cover as well. We've seen American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, American Tree Sparrows, and Dark Eyed Juncos in the Big Blue Stem during the winter.

American Tree Sparrow enjoys the Big Blue Stem.

One key is planting a good variety of plants. Having a diverse set of plants will help provide food at different times of the year for different kinds of birds. We've also tried to plant in bunches, the Hummingbirds for example will have an easier time finding a cluster of a dozen or more Cardinal Flowers than if you just plant a couple. In the end, these plants are all attractive and showy while having the added effect of attracting wildlife; what more can you ask for?