Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat Journal

Hooray! A winter hummingbird has come to stay!

2009-12-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

On November 29th we were elated when we saw a hummingbird drinking from a feeder near our front porch. I knew it had been a couple of weeks since I changed the sugar water in the feeder, so I quickly made some fresh juice and filled up 3 feeders. The next day we saw the hummer again, but only for a second.
A few days later, I saw the hummingbird drinking from a patch of winter shrimp plant that was growing in a protected spot near the house. It looked like some kind of Selasphorus, probably a Rufous, but I couldn't be sure of more since I didn't have binoculars with me.

Today I finally was able to take some pictures of it. I sent some of the photos to our friend and local hummingbird bander, Linda Beall. She said that it looks like an immature female Rufous, but not to rule out an Allen's.

In Louisiana, any hummingbird observed after November 15th is considered a "winter hummingbird". Each sighting is reported to a local hummingbird bander and if the property owner wishes, the hummingbird is captured and a numbered band is placed on its leg. We are blessed with two expert licensed banders here in the New Orleans / North Shore area. Linda Beall handles most of the activity here on the northshore and Nancy Newfield (author of many publications) bands on the south shore and some places here on the north.

It has been at least 2 years since we hosted a winter hummingbird in our habitat here on the Tchefuncte River in South Louisiana. We look forward to this little western visitor brightening those dull winter days with its "ticks" and "whirs" as it makes its way around the garden.

For more information about winter hummingbirds, check out the following sites:
Banding a Hummingbird
Winged Jewels of Winter
Hummingbirds.net
Linda Beall's page
Winter Hummingbirds of Southwestern Louisiana
Cornell Project Feeder Watch - Hummingbirds in Winter

Beautiful St. Tammany Parish

2009-11-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Our nine acre National Wildlife certified backyard wildlife habitat is located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. When we bought our property before Hurricane Katrina, in 1995, we were surrounded by woods and fields of wildflowers. Today, we are still in a rural area, and we have been busy planting trees to replace the ones that were destroyed.

St. Tammany Parish is located within driving distance from many interesting and enjoyable places. Just across the Causeway Bridge, on the South Shore is the historic city of New Orleans. Al has recorded many of his happy memories of growing up there in Top 10 Best of New Orleans in the Fifties.

Top 10 Best of New Orleans in the Fifties
I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1950's and it was like a different world from the New Orleans of today. There was an almost magical quality to the city. Just think about it. We had Audubon Park, Pontchartrain Beach, Mardi Gras, Canal Street, the French Quarter and the Tulane Sugar Bowl Stadium. And you could get to all of them for only 7 cents and a transfer on the Streetcar. There were dances every Thursday through Saturday night and the music from the local artists was the best. If you wanted to breathe fresh air or do some fishing, the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi Gulf Coast were only a short drive away.

I can't think of a better place to live during that time. Here are some recollections about my top 10 most favorite places and events of New Orleans in the 1950's.

The North Shore has many nature oriented attractions. Not too far from us, near Folsom, Louisiana is the Global Wildlife Center where grazing animals from all over the world roam free.

Global Wildlife Center
Nestled among the back roads of the Florida Parishes, near Folsom, Louisiana, is a very unique wildlife preserve. Global Wildlife Center is the largest, totally free roaming preserve in the country. Animals of the grasslands from all over the world, some endangered or protected, make their home in the natural settings of the preserve. Safari tours are available which feature feeding the animals.

Global Wildlife is a great day trip for the whole family and is within easy driving distance from Baton Rouge, New Orleans or eastern Mississippi. It is open throughout the year, so a trip across the Lake to see the animals could be combined with the fun of Mardi Gras or any other celebration.

Covington is the parish seat of St. Tammany and is located where 3 rivers, the Tchefuncte, the Abita and the Bogue Falaya, intersect. It was once a thriving steamboat port where cotton planters sold their crop each year. Not far away is beautiful and peaceful St. Joseph's Abbey. We've written all about the interesting things to see and do in Covington, LA on New Orleans North Shore.

Covington, LA on New Orleans North Shore
Covington, LA is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, across the Causeway Bridge from New Orleans making it the perfect place to stay when visiting the Big Easy.

It is the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish and it's history is old, dating back to the early 1800's. It was a major cotton trading stop for the paddle wheel boats and many a wealthy planter stayed at the Southern Hotel.

Today the beauty and solitude of the surrounding native areas attract nature lovers and artists. Many artist colonies have become established in and near Covington. The old Columbia Street Landing area by the Bogue Falaya River is filled with art galleries and antique shops. Covington and St. Tammany Parish provide the quiet solitude of the country while still being only half an hours drive from the city of New Orleans.

Mushrooms Decorate the Forests in Fall

2009-10-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Amanita caesarea by tiger45

Mushrooms abound in the forests during Autumn and it seems that more colorful ones appear in October and through early winter. The damp, cool weather of south Louisiana provides just the right growing conditions for mushrooms so that we have a continuous "bloom" on through spring.

Red Russula Mushroom by tiger45

We're not experts and do not attempt to eat any of the ones that we find, but rather enjoy photographing the unusual forms and colors of this fruit of the fungi. Here are a few shots of some of our favorites. We have tentatively identified them. If you'd like to see more photographs, you may enjoy visiting Fall Fungi - A Witches Brew.

Toad Stools in a partial fairy ring

Possible Bolettes

Prothonotary Warblers are Back

2009-05-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

Prothonotary Box Postcard by naturegirl7

This is the first time that we have been able to monitor each of the boxes on our nest box trail since late April. Many Carolina Chickadees and some Carolina Wrens have fledged. Now the Prothonotary Warblers are back and have set up housekeeping in our Backyard Habitat along the Tchefuncte River. For more information about the lovely golden yellow Prothonotary Warblers, visit our Prothonotary Warblers are Golden lens. Here are the results of the monitoring that we did today:

Box # ----- Bird, Eggs, Young

2 ----- Carolina Wren - Nest fills the box
5 ----- Flying Squirrel nest with squirrel holding on to the door when I opened it. Should have hung a Do Not Disturb Sign.
6 ----- Prothonotary Warbler - 4 eggs with hen sitting
8 ----- Carolina Chickadee - 4 young fledged
9 ----- Carolina Wren? - moss with leaves on top, unfinished
11 ---- Carolina Wren - 4 young fledged
16 ---- 2 inches of green moss
21 ---- 1 inch of green moss with indentation
22 ---- Carolina Chickadee - 4 young fledged
24 ---- Carolina Chickadee - 4 young fledged
25 ---- Prothonotary Warbler - hen sitting on 4-5 eggs
26 ---- Prothonotary Warbler in old wren house that can't be monitored

Nest Box Trail Monitoring 4/21-22

2009-04-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Carolina Chickadee Postage by naturegirl7

We try to check the nest boxes on our Cavity Nesting Trail about once a week, but because of "life", we are lucky to check them every 2 weeks. For more information about Bluebirds and nest box trails, visit our Nest Box Trails for Bluebirds and Others page. This monitoring session, we observed:

Box Number ----- Bird, Eggs, Young

1 ----- Carolina Chickadee: 4 young fledged
6 ----- Nest of leaves and Cypress bark
8 ----- Carolina Chickadee: 4 young, fully feathered
11 ---- Carolina Wren: 4 young, few days old
18 ---- Carolina Chickadee: 2 young fledged
20 ---- Eastern Bluebird: 4 young fledged
22 ---- Carolina Chickadee: 4 young with feathers
24 ---- Carolina Chickadee: 4 young, some feathers

Nest Box Trail Monitoring Results

2009-04-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Bluebird Pair Postcard by naturegirl7

We checked all of the nest boxes on our trail this morning. Despite the abnormal weather fluctuations, most of the nests were successful and there are a few new nests. Here is a quick run down of what we found.

Box #
1... (4) Carolina Chickadee babies are fully feathered
4... (4) Carolina Chickadee babies fledged
6... A nest of leaves & Cypress bark that could belong to Great Crested Flycatchers
7... (1) dead Carolina Chickadee, probably weather related
8... (2) just hatched Carolina Chickadees & 5 unhatched egg w/ Mom sitting
11.. Carolina Wren nest with 5 eggs
12.. Flying Squirrel nest with Squirrel
16.. Some green moss, maybe Prothonotary Warbler
18.. (2) Carolina Chickadee, fully feathered babies
20.. (4) Eastern Bluebird, w/ feathers & pins on head & back
22.. Carolina Chickadee, 5 eggs, Mom sitting
24.. Carolina Chickadee, 5 eggs

As you can see, the Carolina Chickadees are the first to nest on our trail and the Eastern Bluebird is not far behind. Since most of our boxes are in wooded areas, there are fewer Bluebirds. Bluebirds like more open, field like areas. The Prothonotary Warblers just returned from their wintering grounds in the south and the males are showing the females all the available real estate. Spring is indeed here in our habitat on the Little Tchefuncte River.

Spring in Little Tchefuncte Habitat

2009-04-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Black and White Warbler

We've been so busy with many conservation efforts, that I haven't had time to write anything for months. So.... this will probably be a long post.

Our nest box trail is doing well this spring. There are 5 boxes occupied with Carolina Chickadees and 1 with Eastern Bluebirds. We plan to check the boxes again tomorrow, if it doesn't rain. All the eggs that were laid when we last checked, have hatched and we've observed the bluebirds feeding their young.

We've had an abundance of rain (all at one time) this year. Recently we received almost 7 inches in 2 days. We are no longer below the average rainfall, but the deluge was followed by several days of strong winds which dried everything out, so we really could use another rain.

The strong winds continue to break tree limbs that were damaged during the December snowstorm and the hurricanes. We are constantly clearing trails in the woods and in our yard.

We've seen some interesting and beautiful animals and birds recently. Yesterday, while we were down by the river, we observed a Black and White Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Pileated and other Woodpeckers, and several Wood Ducks. Indigo Buntings and some other migratory birds have been visiting the feeders near the house.

A few days ago, Al saw a mother Wood Duck and 15 ducklings in our pond by the house. Apparently they had hatched from the box that we put up there. By the time he had put the dogs inside and grabbed his camera, they were gone. Those mother Wood Ducks are like drill Sergeants. She lined them all up and led them far away to the other side of the pond from Al, then as soon as he left, she must have taken them into the bushes and told them to lie low.

Late yesterday afternoon, I was looking out of the French doors in the front of the house and was surprised and pleased to see a Wild Turkey cautiously stroll into the gravel part of the circular drive. She (I think) was looking straight at me so I couldn't move. I asked Al to get the camera, but by the time he found it, the turkey had stepped back behind some bushes. I went out and did see it walking toward the wetlands area by HWY 190, but couldn't get a photo. Even though we haven't been able to photograph the Wild Turkeys, it's great to know that there are still some around. With all the habitat destruction and urban sprawl, the large tracts of land that are needed for these large birds have been cut into small islands, which reduces the population that can be supported.

Tree Planting for FNPS

2009-01-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we hosted a tree planting meeting for the Folsom Native Plants Society. We potted 75 Crabapple, 50 Bald Cypress and 50 wild Plum trees. These trees will be given out to new members who sign up at the annual Spring Plant Show (March 21-22, 2009) which is sponsored by the St. Tammany Master Gardeners.

Late winter and early spring is the best time to plant trees and shrubs because the weather is cool and usually moist and the plants have time to become established before the weather becomes warm.

Christmas Bird Count 2008

2008-12-31T14:48:00.000-08:00

On December 30, 2008 The western part of St. Tammany Parish held its annual Christmas Bird Count. We always try to participate and with 8 hours of observation on our 9 acres and a little of the neighbors' property we did pretty well. We observed and counted 36 different species of birds. We did not see some of the ones that we know live here, but you must only report what you see on the day of the count.

For more information about the birds of winter in South Louisiana, take a look at our lens, The Wings of Winter.

Here is our CBC list:
2 Red-shouldered Hawk
6 Mourning Dove
8 Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 Downy Woodpecker
6 Blue Jay
3 American Crow
9 Carolina Chickadee
7 Tufted Titmouse
4 Brown-headed Nuthatch
7 Carolina Wren
9 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 Eastern Bluebird
19 American Robin
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Brown Thrasher
6 Cedar Waxwing
9 Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler
7 Pine Warbler
4 Eastern Towhee
5 Chipping Sparrow
9 White-throated Sparrow
11 Northern Cardinal
24 Red-winged Blackbird
8 Common Grackle
29 American Goldfinch
2 Wood Ducks
1 Cattle Egret
1 Great White Egret
7 Pine Siskin
2 Catbird
2 Eastern Phoebee
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
3 White eyed Vireos
4 Black Vulture
3 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Brown Creeper

Snow in Covington - 12-11-08

2008-12-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

December 11, 2008 will go down in weather history as the day that South Louisiana received several inches of snow. The snow began to fall before dawn at about 5:00 a.m. and it continued falling heavily throughout the morning. We received over 4 inches at our house in St. Tammany Parish and the yard looked like it belonged on a Christmas card. The log feeders had to be cleared of snow each hour so that the birds could eat. Soon the heavy snow began to take a toll on the Pine and Water Oak tree branches. They began to break and fall. One fell on the patio, just grazing the edge of the roof while others fell in our road to the river and all over the parish. The electricity went out at about 9:00 a.m. and the phone followed at around 10:00. Our pet cockatiels (that live on the back carport in our winter “greenhouse”) had to be moved into the house so that they wouldn’t get too cold. The fireplace really saved the day and we used the wood from some of the trees that went down during the hurricanes. The snow stayed on the ground for 3 days. We now understand how devastating snow storms can be, but we also are glad that we were able to experience the beautiful sight. The phones were back on in a few hours and our electricity was restored some time during the first night.

What is amazing is the fact that the lettuce, broccoli, turnips, radishes and carrots in our sustainable fall garden and the Satsuma (Citrus) trees, which were heavy with fruit, are relatively unharmed. The snow insulated both the vegetables and the fruit and since it only froze one night, all are still doing fine.

Today we saw Tree Swallows flying over the pond. In most parts of the country, Tree Swallows nest in bluebird boxes, but here in the south, we only see them in flocks during winter. In some places huge flocks will congregate and it’s quite a site to see them spiraling down to their roosting spots at dusk.

Wild Turkeys and Other Birds

2008-12-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

Our friend, John, saw a wild turkey beside our pond near the house. This is the first time we have seen one so close to the house. Maybe they are reproducing and need to spread out. We had seen a group of holes in the yard that looked like they could have been made by a turkey looking for grubs. It looks like we were right about that.

An Eastern Phoebe has also taken up residence around the pond. Each winter one or two of them perches on dead sticks and the bluebird nest box, flicking their tails and hunting for insects. The Birds of Winter are here in our habitat. Birds like the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Brown-headed Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers travel in small groups throughout our habitat. The Ruby-crowned Kinglets love to eat the Poison Oak berries. Yesterday, we saw a Brown Creeper with the mixed flock. This is the first time that we have seen one in our habitat. A small flock of American Goldfinches (like the ones in the photo above with the female Purple Finches and Cardinal) in their fall plumage has arrived. They can really fool the new bird watchers because the fall plumage is so dull compared to the bright yellow of the male’s feathers during breeding.

Fall Foliage and Birds

2008-11-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

We’ve had a couple of cold snaps and the fall leaves are beautiful this year, especially those of the Sourwood trees which range in color from deep red to bright gold. Other winners this year include Silverbell (the Chickadees love to sit in them), Muscadine grape, Sweet Gum, Black Gum, Huckleberry (wild Blueberry), Redbud, Ironwood, Red Maple and many more. The woods are ablaze with color. This is so unusual for south Louisiana, where we are usually lucky if we see two or three different trees in full color at the same time. We're offering many of the photographs on our Zazzle Gallery.

Many migrating birds have arrived and we are especially enjoying the Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Some other of the birds of fall include Northern Cardinals, Pine Warblers, Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Brown-headed Nuthatches and Eastern Bluebirds. We so enjoy watching the birds year round, but they especially brighten up the dreary days.

2008-10-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

October in South Louisiana means that the weather sometimes cools off and this year we were lucky to see some really pleasant weather. Some of the winter migrants are beginning to arrive and most of the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have left for their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. There are still a few stragglers, mostly immature birds that probably hatched late somewhere up north. Most of the leaves have yet to begin to turn their fall colors. Here in south Louisiana, unless we have an early cold spell, most of the deciduous trees retain their green leaves through the end of October. It looks like we’ll have a large crop of acorns this year, so the wildlife should have enough natural food to eat this winter. The Yaupon, Deciduous and American Hollies are full of berries and the birds and animals are finishing off the last of the American Beauty Berry fruit. For more information about other trees, shrubs, vines and perennials that provide wildlife food check out Planting for Birds and Wildlife. We provide lists and descriptions of easy to grow native plants that are eaten by a variety of wildlife.

Squidoo - Became a Giant Squid

2008-10-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

We joined Squidoo.com at the end of April and on October 6th, after months of hard work, became a Giant Squid. What in the world is a Giant Squid, some kind of strange underwater group? Well, not exactly, although there were about 20 others who also received the honor at the same time. On Squidoo, we lensmasters write and illustrate web pages called lenses. In order to become a Giant Squid, a lensmaster must have published at least 50 good, quality lenses. Anyone who enjoys writing can become a member by creating a lens. You don’t have to know much about html and there’s a whole community of lensmasters, greeters, angels and others who are ready and willing to help new lensmasters learn what it takes to excel at Squidoo. If you’d like to get started creating a lens right now click here: Join Squidoo and Create a Lens. It’s free and if you don’t like it, you can quit any time and just delete your account.

Of course, most of our lenses are about nature, plants, animals, our pets and the outdoors, but we also have some about Louisiana food, customs and celebrations. Maybe you’d like to check out our naturegirl7 lensmaster’s page to see all the lenses that we’ve written. Writing for Squidoo is fun and you earn money, too. But the thing I like most about Squidoo is that I can spread the word about all the things that I feel are important, like the environment, habitats, native plants and animals and just about anything else that I feel like writing about. Come join us and give it a try. I bet you’ll love it.

Hummingbird Migration & Banding

2008-08-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

This morning, Linda and I caught and banded 9 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. According to past years' study data for early August, numbers of migrating Ruby-throats are down this year. In past years (before Hurricane Katrina) we would capture from 25-30 hummingbirds during the 4 hour period. Most of the hummers we caught this morning were immature (first year) birds. We saw only one adult male and he would not go into the trap.

On Sept. 6, Linda will be banding hummingbirds at Mizell's Butterfly and Hummingbird Extravaganza in Folsom, LA. This festival is filled with lots of fun for the whole family. There will also be plenty of plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies available for sale. For more information about the festival, visit our Mizell's Butterfly and Hummingbird Extravaganza Squidoo page.

Bird Nesting Success Stories

2008-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Northern Cardinals and many of the other song birds have been prolific this year. We are beginning to see the female Cardinals feeding fledglings, so that means that this is the last brood. Some of the pairs have raised 3 broods this year. Other success stories include: Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, Eastern Towhees, Eastern Bluebirds and Prothonotary Warblers. To see photos and read more about Northern Cardinals visit our Squidoo lens, The Cardinal's Nest.

A pair of Carolina Wrens has been keeping us entertained with their nesting antics. Their first nest was in a Christmas Wreath that was not taken down in a timely manner. The second nest was in a hanging basket a few feet away from the wreath and the third nest is on the window ledge in the small space by our emergency a/c window unit. As I type, I can hear the babies cheeping as the parents feed them. Our Squidoo lens, Carolina Wren's Nest has information and recent photos of all of the nests.

Today we transferred the more recent blog posts from our Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill web site to here at Blogger. If you'd like to read some of the pre-Katrina posts, here's the link to our old Blog.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

2008-07-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Linda and I resumed our weekly Ruby-throated hummingbird banding sessions on July 8th. We had stopped banding during the month of June because numbers were so low this year, much below normal, and they always plummet while the Mimosa trees are in bloom. We caught 9 hummingbirds and only a couple were returnees (that had been banded in previous years). Most of the ones that we banded were immature birds that hatched this year. Numbers have been down ever since Katrina and the post Katrina debris removal fiasco which damaged the breeding habitat here.

The hummingbird garden is full of flowers and looks beautiful. We're waiting for the annual "gathering of the males" that usually occurs around July 4th, but we have yet to see many adult males or much of an increase in numbers. Something is definitely wrong. We wonder if, in addition to the habitat destruction, that all of the pesticides that are being sprayed to kill mosquitoes because of the West Nile disease are killing the the small flying insects that provide the hummingbirds with needed protein during the breeding season.

Northlake Nature Center Bird Fest

2008-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today we hosted a lovely group of birders for the Northlake Nature Center Bird Fest. Every year the nature center organizes tours to some of the best birding spots in St. Tammany parish and we were asked to allow them to bring a group to our habitat this year. We were a little hesitant because we are still trying to clean up and clear logs and debris from Hurricane Katrina, but we decided to do it because it is for such a worthy cause. The proceeds go to rebuild and maintain the structures and programs at the Nature Center, located near Fountainbleau State Park in Mandeville.

We were rather proud that the birders on the tour saw the most species in our habitat than they had on any of the other tours (so far). Some of the birds on the list include: Hooded Warbler, Blue-throated Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Baby Wood Ducks, Common Yellow-throat, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Red-shouldered Hawks and many more.

The Folsom Native Plant Society recently planted a wildflower garden at the Center. Many members volunteered for the project and spent several hours preparing the soil, planting, mulching and weeding. Visit our Squidoo lens to read more about Gardening with Native Plants.

Rain Barrels and Tree Frogs

2008-03-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

We use rain barrels to conserve water on-site. This "magic" water is used to water native cuttings and other plants. A trick that we learned the hard way is to always place a long stick in the water, so that frogs, lizards and etc. will not drown. We use a biological control for Mosquitoes called Mosquito dunks. They are safe and will not harm fish or wildlife.

Rain and storm water can also be conserved on-site by creating a rain garden. This is simply a swale that is dug so that the water is retained for a day or two. Native and other drought resistant plants that can tolerate drastic growing conditions are planted. Our rain garden is watered by the rain water that pours off of the house and onto the patio. It is fills up the swale, then filters through the crushed limestone parking area and flows down to another flower bed, then on to a low spot and finally goes into a creek. Hundreds of plants are watered during this process. Rain gardens also serve as mosquito death traps, because the water stays for only a day or so and the mosquito larvae dies when the puddle dries up. To read more about sustainable garden practices and techniques, visit our Sustainable Gardening a la Rabbit Hill lens at Squidoo.

Camellias

2008-01-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

The old-fashioned Camellia japonica shrubs are in full bloom. Most of them have been blooming since late December. The cold snap browned up a few of the buds that were about to open, but the ones that were still tightly closed were not injured at all. The ones that are planted around the circular drive are about 15-20 feet high. We don't know all of their names, but we have been able to identify Purple Dawn, Louisiana Peppermint and one that some people call tri-color because there are three different blossom colors (solid pink, white and variegated) on the same plant. We also have several red ones, some of which have double and single flowers on the same plant. The double rosy pink ones are just gorgeous this year.

When they stop blooming, we are going to have to move one of the dark pink ones that was crushed by a pine tree during Katrina. It is now in the middle of a what will become a driveway. We already have a spot picked out. There are several small plants in the clump so we feel sure that most of them will survive the move. We pruned the roots around the plant last fall so that small, feeder roots would grow before we move it. That way there will be less transplant shock.

LBBS, Bluebirds and Woodpeckers

2007-09-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

We have become active in the LA Bayou Bluebird Society and are now one of the board members. This is a wonderful association that is trying to preserve Louisiana's population of Eastern Bluebirds by promoting bluebird trails and providing information about bluebirds and also nest boxes. Bluebirds nest in natural cavities like old woodpecker holes, but will quickly use a man made bird house of the right size. Natural cavities are hard to find these days with contractors and over cautious homeowners removing both live and dead trees because of development and Hurricane Katrina.

We leave dead trees of all sizes up all over our property for woodpeckers and other cavity nesting birds and animals. We've never had trouble with woodpeckers bothering the other cavity nesters. Only 1 time did a young red-bellied use a bluebird box for a winter roost. Last year we had bluebirds nesting in a box located less than 50 feet from a dead tree with a red-bellied woodpecker's cavity and they coexisted just fine. There are also Pileated, Red-headed & Downy woodpeckers, Northern Flickers and Brown-headed Nuthatches nesting all through our woods along with Great Crested Flycatchers, Prothonotary Warblers, Carolina Chickadees, C. Wrens and Tufted Titmice. The wood ducks use the Pileated's cavities (as well as houses) and the other secondary nesters use all of the other woodpecker's cavities (along with houses). We've never observed any discourse between any of them.

The only altercations we have seen were between Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers who were fighting over the same tree. And another time when the Blue Jays were hassling a Red-headed woodpecker.

To read more about nest box trails and cavity nesting birds visit our Building a Bluebird Nest Box Trail at Squidoo and Our Nest Box Trail on our Little Tchefuncte Habitat Page.

Peace & Quiet Resumes

2007-05-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Our habitat is quiet again. The heavy equipment is gone and many of the animals have returned. A Red fox was caught on the Wildlife cam as he visited the log feeder in the clearing near the river one night. The wildlife cam also captured photos of 3 different sets of baby wood ducks that we think were raised in our 3 wood duck houses. The deer finally return after the devastation and are using our property as a safe haven. Five young Eastern Bluebirds fledged in early May and the parents begin building a new nest in mid May. By May 22 they have laid 4 beautiful blue eggs in the cypress box on the south end of the pond. At least 3 pairs of Great Crested flycatchers begin nesting in the area. One pair may be using the owl / kestrel house in the vegetable garden. The Carolina wrens and the flycatchers are keeping the vegetable garden almost insect free. The Carolina wren pair built a 2^nd nest on the potting bench shelf and fledged 4 more young. A pair of Prothonotary Warblers began building a nest in Evelyn Cooper’s bluebird house that hosted a family of Carolina Chickadees earlier in the season.

Katrina Debris Removal Continues

2007-04-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

For the past 3 weeks, since April 4th, we have been enduring another Katrina debris removal project on the Tchefuncte River. We have been cooperative by letting the sub-contractor use our little road through the woods, but we have still lost some healthy native trees and shrubs as well as some things that we planted. The Tchefuncte is protected under the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act as well as a Federal Clean Rivers Act, but the parish council has renewed an emergency order each month since it was enacted soon after Hurricane Katrina.

The NRCS representatives assure us that the project is completed on our property and will soon be completed on the rest of the Tchefuncte River. What concerns us is that all of this noise, disturbance of the vegetation and felling of dead trees during the spring nesting season will have an adverse effect on the wildlife which was already decimated by Katrina. The Prothonotary Warblers, whose numbers have been decreasing due to habitat loss, are beginning to nest in hollow trees and nest boxes all along the river. The 6 different species of woodpeckers that nest on our property have already hollowed out their nesting cavities and are raising young. We know that some damage must be done when heavy equipment is used, but the timing of this project is terrible. Why couldn't this have been done during the late winter?

Near the end of April, it all comes to a head. We find out that the contractor in charge of all of the crews wants to destroy our land like he did the neighbors, so we go into action and call the NRCS. The damage is revealed and a cease & desist order is given for the whole project, but first for our property. Penalties & criminal charges are being discussed. Click here to see photos of some of the damage that the riparian areas of the Tchefuncte River sustained.

Mean while in the habitat, Carolina chickadees fledge about 19 young in 5 successful nests. A pair of Eastern Bluebirds raised 5 young. A pair of Carolina Wrens fledges 4 young from the nest they built in the large flower pot near the front door. The male wren is very distinctive because of his white tail and wing feathers. One pair of Prothonotary warblers build a nest in a box near the river and lay 5 eggs.

Spring

2007-03-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

We purchased a couple of Wildlife Cams that take photos automatically day and night and we’ve been able to see the variety of animals that visit our property. So far we have photos of: Wood ducks, deer, raccoons, flying squirrels, banded hummingbirds and a variety of resident and migrant song birds.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds returned to their breeding grounds here in Southeastern Louisiana much later than normal. The returnees that have been caught are birds that are only 1 year old. No birds that bred in previous years have been caught yet. Carolina Chickadees are building nests in 5 of the nest boxes on our trail. Flying squirrels are using 3 others. Carolina Wrens hatched in the nest in flower pot by front door.

We discovered 2 mature Wild Olive (Osmanthus americana) trees by the river. Many native plants are in full bloom such as Silverbell, Parsley Hawthorne, Mississippi Wake-robinTrillium, Honeysuckle Azalea, etc. A seasonal list of St. Tammany’s blooming native plants can be viewed on the FNPS website. As representatives of the Folsom Native Plant Society, we donated and planted 2 trees, a Live Oak (Quercus viriginiana) and a Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), in the school yard at Folsom Elementary. We also gave a “Gardening to Attract Wildlife” presentation and helped man the FNPS (Folsom Native Plant Society) booth at the 2 day St. Tammany Master Gardener’s Plant Show. Our club has been invited back next year.

Suet & Native Trees

2007-02-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

Our homemade suet is a hit with a variety of birds including Ruby-crowned kinglets, Orange-crowned warblers, Pine warblers, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens. The recipe is simple. Just mix equal parts of the wet ingredients (animal fat (lard) & chunky peanut butter) with the same amount of dry ingredients (oatmeal, cornmeal and flour). For example: mix 2 cups of the wet with 2 cups of the dry mixture. I press it into a pan lined with wax paper & put it in the freezer to harden. Then I cut it into squares that will fit into the wire feeders. I keep the extra squares in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

We recently purchased some native Mayhaw (crataegus aestivalis) and Crabapple (Malus spp.) seedlings from the LA Forestry Department . Most of the seedlings were quite large this year and we were able to plant many of them out in the ground on our 9 acres. The others were planted in pots until next fall so they can grow a little. Both small trees have beautiful spring flowers and edible fruit that makes excellent jelly and that is also food for a variety of birds and mammals.

Black-chinned Hummingbird Recapture

2007-01-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Though we are still without a wintering hummingbird (except for the rufous that stayed a week in September), we can enjoy one vicariously. Linda Beall, our good friend and the local hummingbird bander has recaptured a female Black-chinned hummingbird in her yard that was first banded in our yard on January 14, 2005. We first observed the bird on January 12 of the same year. Linda first observed the bird in her yard on January 12, 2007, exactly 2 years to the day. In 2005 we saw the female off and on (more off than on) throughout the winter. She had a unique white primary covert wing feather in 2005 and a slight bump on her bill. She still has both the white feather and the bump in 2007. Apparently this female winters in the Covington area and keeps a regular schedule. Click here to see photographs of the 2005 banding session.

Flooding & Christmas Bird Count

2006-12-31T23:23:00.000-08:00

We received an early Christmas present when we got over 4 inches of much needed rain. The rain was so wide spread that the local rivers reached flood stage. The Tchefuncte crested at 21 feet on Christmas Eve. There was some flooding in the low areas on our land near the river.

The St. Tammany Christmas Bird count was conducted on Dec. 28. The morning was clear and cool, but the weather changed in the afternoon. We saw 37 species of birds during the 5 ½ hours that we observed. Here’s what we saw:

1 Red-shouldered Hawk
14 Mourning Dove
5 Red-bellied Woodpecker
4 Downy Woodpecker
6 Blue Jay
6 American Crow
11 Carolina Chickadee
9 Tufted Titmouse
4 Brown-headed Nuthatch
8 Carolina Wren
6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
35 American Robin
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Brown Thrasher
9 Pine Warbler
4 Eastern Towhee
1 Chipping Sparrow
34 White-throated Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco

17 Northern Cardinal
160 Red-winged Blackbird
10 Common Grackle
14 American Goldfinch
1 Golden Crowned Kinglet
2 Orange Crowned Warblers
1 Belted Kingfisher
4 Black Vultures
9 Wood ducks
2 Eastern Woods Phoebe
2 Yellow bellied sapsucker
4 Yellow-rumped warbler
2 Blue-Gray gnatcatcher
1 Hermit Thrush
3 Tree Swallow
1 Eastern Bluebird
1 American Woodcock
1 Great Blue Heron

Otter, Deer & Another Foundling, Oh My!

2006-10-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

The month of October has been a busy one for the wildlife of our habitat as they prepare for winter. In the middle of the month on one of our daily morning walks to the river we were rewarded by a most beautiful sight, the graceful movements of a river otter as it surfaced and then skimmed through the clear, shallow water. Other birds and animals make the woods and the river their home. On many mornings we see 10-12 wood ducks just up river from where we saw the otter. Five white tailed deer browse on strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), horse sugar (Symplocos tinctoria) and wild blueberry (Vaccinium spp.). The large great blue heron prowls in the shallows for fish. Up by our house the resident cotton tail rabbits hop about trying to avoid predators.

Now that the cool weather has arrived in Louisiana we are beginning to plant trees to replace the ones that were lost to Hurricane Katrina. We planted 2 Live Oak ( Quercus virginiana ) trees and 2 Native Mayhaw (Crataegus aestivalis). We also plan to plant some Red Mulberry ( Morus rubra ), Hackberry ( Celtis laevigata ) , Cow Oak (Quercus michauxii), Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus Occidentalis) and Crabapple (Malus angustifolia) trees. November is also a good time to plant Rye grass seeds which provides food for wildlife. All of the trees that we are planting provide food for a variety of wildlife, including song and game birds, butterflies and other insects and mammals. We also put out 4 bales of hay to give the wildlife extra food and shelter this winter.

We began seeing a beautiful, long-haired black cat in our neighborhood a few months ago, but it was afraid of us and always ran away or hid. But for some reason, on Oct. 11^th, she came out of hiding and meowed at my husband. He ran inside to get food and she ate it. Within an hour she was letting us pet her and even pick her up. We made a place for her in an out-building and started calling around to try to find her a good inside home. No one we contacted had room for her and as we got to know her, we realized what a gentle, special cat she is. She met our 2 dogs and 2 cats outside and was very nonchalant with all of them. After we heard her in a fight with another animal one night we decided to bring her in and take her to the Vet. Cats can do so much damage to the wildlife. It’s in their nature to hunt and kill so now Star is one of 3 inside cats that only go outside on supervised walks. If you want to attract wildlife to your yard you must take measures to protect them from your pets.

White Tailed Deer, Kingfisher and Plant Rescue

2006-10-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

This morning, when we were half way to the river, we saw the white tails of 3 deer as they made a hasty retreat towards the Tchefuncte. All the corn that we put out for the wood ducks was gone. I guess with all the habitat destruction that has been going on around us, our property must have most of the browse plants that they need to prepare for the winter months.

When we reached the river we heard the chattering of a Belted Kingfisher. This fellow will sit right across the river and chatter until our dog, Rio, barks at him. The kingfisher will fly up river & back down to us as if he wants Rio to chase him. We’ve also seen a Kingfisher up at our pond by the house. The last few days we’ve seen what looks like some mallard ducks and also the resident wood ducks.

When we got back to the house we hurriedly prepared for a native plant rescue mission. One of the other members of the FNPS had alerted us about some beautiful wildflowers (including unusual, possibly rare milkweed, unusual large lavender asters, mountain mint and 20+ other species of native plants) that would soon be destroyed when another strip mall is built. We were able to move about 50+ plants today despite the rock hard soil. We plan to go back after we get a good rain, when it’s easier to dig. We will probably have to go on many more of these missions because St. Tammany Parish is in a building frenzy.

The Destruction Continues, but the FNPS brings hope

2006-09-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Apparently we spoke too soon. What we thought was the culmination of the storm debris removal project from the creek was just a 3 day siesta. The heavy equipment, chain saws and machetes came back with a vengeance and went deeper into the woods. Countless more live trees were scarred and damaged when the ones that were broken by Hurricane Katrina were pulled out of the stream. The smell of diesel fuel permeates the once fresh air while our eardrums are pummeled with the sound of the giant chipper / shredder machine. The trail (more like road) that they carved through the forest by the creek is wider that the creek in most places. What is really being achieved by this project? The healthy trees & shrubs that they are damaging or destroying could have absorbed hundreds of gallons of rain water. The parish would be better served if restrictions for new building that included raised houses instead of red clay fill and cement slabs were enforced in low, wetland & flood zone areas.

Here are some statistics that were compiled by the LSU AgCenter that say a lot:

Tree Facts: The Benefits of Trees

In a forest area only 10% of rainwater leaves the site.

Just 10% impervious area (like concrete) doubles the amount of water leaving the site.

A 30% tree canopy can reduce city storm water by 14%.

American Forests estimates that the nation’s trees are worth $400 billion per year in storm water management alone.

On a lighter note, the Folsom Native Plant Society’s meeting at the Covington Public Library last night had excellent attendance and featured a wonderful presentation by native plant experts, Latimore Smith (Director of TNC Science & Stewardship) and Nelwyn McInnis, The Nature Conservancy Florida Parishes Director. We were treated to a history of the Longleaf Pine forests that once covered all of St. Tammany Parish. We also learned about the 19 species of rare native plants that are preserved within TNC St. Tammany Parish properties. The FNPS is growing in numbers and we are trying to reach the public, especially those that are new to the North Shore, to teach them about the value of our native flora.

Ruby Throat Hummingbird Migration, Kingfisher and Habitat Destruction

2006-09-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Linda and I banded ruby throated hummingbirds this morning. This is fall migration and a new wave came in ahead of the little cold front. This morning was our best in many months with 34 new captures. There were several females, adult males and many immature males. On our walk to the river we saw a Belted Kingfisher dive into the water after a fish.

The St. Tammany Parish / NRCS stream debris removal and destruction project seems to be coming to an end by our property. They agreed to stop before our property line thus saving a large area of important hummingbird breeding and nesting habitat.

We weren’t so lucky with the new neighbor who bought the land across the river and who just finished bulldozing hundreds of native shrubs and trees all along the Tchefuncte. Now bare dirt that will be susceptible to soil erosion is where wild blueberries / Huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.), native azaleas, strawberry bushes and arrow-wood viburnums full of fruit once stood. Over 30 different species of birds and many mammals could have used that fruit since Katrina had already destroyed so much of the food supply and habitat. We are also concerned about the hit that the fish and other organisms in the river will take when the rains and resulting yearly winter & spring floods wash the soil from the bare land into it.

Rufous Hummingbird

2006-08-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Linda came today and banded a very colorful, very young, female rufous hummingbird. She was so young that she had 100% corrugation (bumps that wear off with age) on her bill. This is the first rufous that Linda has banded of the 2006-07 winter season. This immature female rufous was first observed on 8-27-06 and was banded on 8-29-06.

A big wave of ruby-throats came to our habitat this weekend, too. Now this is more like it! I sure did miss those little guys & I'm glad they're back. I'm mixing sugar water by the half gallon.

Habitat Restoration

2006-07-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

Katrina caused the cancellation of some planting projects which had been scheduled last fall along the coast. The NRCS Plant Materials Center, located in Galliano, La., offered some potted trees that had survived Katrina and needed to be planted. So, we hooked up our trailer and headed down to the bayou. Along the way, we purchased some good old boudin and smoked sausage..."humm, but dat's good, yea". We also saw some beautiful native areas. Thanks to Mr. Michael Massimi, Invasive Species Coordinator and Dr. Richard Neill, the Center's Director, we were able to secure 20 live oaks (Quercus virginiana) and 20 red mulberry (Morus rubra) trees.

Mulberry trees provide food for over 30 species of birds as well as numerous ground animals and butterflies. Live oaks are long-lived, hurricane resistant trees and their acorns will provide food for a variety of birds and animals. They are slow growing, but years from now they will be greatly appreciated by others; for as we know, we don't plant trees for ourselves, but for others.

The trees we received will be used in various local restoration projects. Members of the Folsom Native Plant Society will also distribute some to individuals whose wildlife habitats were hard hit by the storms. Thousands of acres of natural habitat was destroyed by Katrina and more is being lost to the rapid home construction throughout St. Tammany Parish. Club members are involved in replanting both public and private areas of lost habitat with native trees.

Egrets, Rabbits & Black Racers

2006-07-14T10:54:00.001-07:00

One of the benefits of a forested area of downed trees is that it provides a more secure environment for nesting. We've noticed an abundance of rabbits as well as young birds this summer. Twice we have come across the largest black racer that we've ever seen here. It is approximately 6 ft. long and lightening fast. A baby, snowy egret has followed us along the river to each of four fish holes where we throw floating fish food.

Near the house, 14 hummingbirds were banded this week and most were young males that hatched this spring. The numbers of ruby-throated hummingbirds are still down from previous years.

In early May, we watched a slider turtle bury 18 eggs just outside our bedroom window. This month we are eagerly waiting for the turtle eggs to hatch. We're hoping that the drought we have been suffering through won't affect the developing eggs. We have gotten some relief from the drought, but our rain total is still more than 15" below normal for this year.

Nesting Birds, Multiplying Mammals & Irises

2006-06-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

It finally rained. We got a 2 day grand total of ½ inch. When you add the ½ inch that we got last week you get what we should have had each week this spring. The temperature has been in the 90’s and summer doesn’t officially start until tomorrow.

Our regular Tuesday morning hummingbird session was unproductive again with a total of zero captures. Hummingbird numbers seem to be down overall. We saw only 2 adult males and 2 immature birds all morning.

Our cavity nesting birds seem to be doing well and we also have a lot of different species of song birds nesting in the yard. For the first time in years we have at least 1 pair of orchard orioles that have raised a family. Besides the mature male and female and their fledglings we have seen a couple of 2^nd year males with the yellow coloring and black throat. Each time I go past the lemon bottlebrush plant I see one of the orioles. Orchard orioles were once very common in this area, but their numbers have decreased due to cowbird predation. We have also observed the young of several other species that nest on our property including hooded warblers, eastern towhees, wood thrushes, northern cardinals, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, mourning doves, pine warblers, Kentucky warblers, red-eyed vireos, white-eyed vireos and yellow-throated vireos.

This spring we’ve had a population of mammals, especially cottontail rabbits and cotton rats. We also saw what looked like a young coyote hanging around and coyote droppings were found by the pond. This is not one of the predators that we encourage since they have been known to kill small pets -- just another reason why we keep our pets inside. The drought has brought the armadillos out of the woods to search for grubs in our flower beds.

Many of the shallow parts of our creek have dried up as a result of the drought forcing reptiles to search for food upland. We saw one water moccasin along the trail in the woods yesterday morning and another on our front porch in the afternoon. But we feel that all creatures have their place in the habitat so both snakes were chased back to the creek where they belong.

I gathered the seeds of our native copper iris (iris fulva) and the giant blue iris (Iris giganticaerulea) while the pod was still greenish yellow and pliable and planted the seeds in good potting soil. I’m hoping to get a lot of these beautiful native flowers as they are good nectar plants for hummingbirds.

Prothonotary Warblers, Great Crested Flycatchers & Eastern Bluebirds

2006-06-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

This morning we attempted to band ruby-throated hummingbirds. This is a very inactive time for banders, when trapping is difficult due to the large number of flowers blooming - mimosa, Japanese honeysuckle, lemon bottlebrush and trumpet creeper, to name a few. The female ruby-throats have also been tending their first nests. A few juveniles have been sighted so in the next couple of weeks the hummingbirds will be plentiful again.

After a slow start, the nestboxes on our small trail had a high percentage of occupancy this year. This was probably due to the fact that most of the natural cavities were knocked down by H. Katrina. Five pairs of Carolina chickadees had successful nests, which was such good news because they haven't been doing well the last few years.

Three different pairs of Prothonotary warblers were successful: 1 in a bluebird box, 1 in a chickadee size box & 1 in an ornamental old barn wood box on our front porch. I have pictures of the pair on the front porch. It looks like they are starting a 2nd nest, too.

A pair of Great Crested Flycatchers built in a screech owl sized box in the vegetable garden and the last of their young are fledging as I write. We found what we think is a great crested flycatcher's nest in box #13. We are unable to check it regularly because you have to scale 4 fallen trees and balance on logs to reach it. It also has never had a nest in it until this year. We considered making it box 12b, but maybe it's not jinxed after all.

After a successful 2nd nesting attempt producing 4 fledglings (I saw them on the wire this a.m.) the eastern bluebirds have laid 4 eggs & the hen is beginning to set in one of the houses from the LA Bayou Bluebird Society.

Tomorrow we check the boxes down in the woods. We're hoping for 2nd nests for the 2 Prothonotary pairs. This a.m. we watched a family of brown headed nuthatches feed their young sunflower seeds. I guess they found a cavity in a dead limb somewhere for their nest. There was another family using the feeder down by the river.

Wildflowers Blooming Out of Season

2006-05-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

At a recent meeting of the Folsom Native Plant Society, several members reported that many varieties of fall blooming wildflowers were blooming now. Those early bloomers observed were: Goldenrod, Fall Asters, Mist Flower and the introduced, Crocosmia.

Spring this year has also had unusual weather with several cold snaps well into April and very dry weather. We are currently experiencing a drought and many of the plants that were damaged by Katrina are dying because of the lack of rain. This is the second driest Spring in weather history.

Eastern Box Turtle Rescue

2006-04-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

On the way to the Folsom Native Plant Society Meeting, we observed an eastern box turtle that was nearly hit while it was trying to cross a busy highway. We passed it up, but quickly backed up when no cars were coming and we were able to snatch it from the jaws of death. It is an especially colorful one, with beautiful patterns on its shell. We brought it home and released it on our land.

Another Katrina Victim

2006-03-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

This morning our 15 year old cat, Amphitrite', died. She was so traumitized during Hurricane Katrina and the horrible conditions that we had to live in for 3 weeks after the storm that her health started to decline. I wonder how many older people were affected in the same way that Amphi was. She's been with us so long, that it's hard to believe that she's really gone. She's one more thing that Katrina has taken from us that we can not replace.

Nest Box Trail Restoration

2006-02-11T10:16:00.000-08:00

Our trail is almost restored, we need to repair, replace or move only 3 more boxes. A pair of E. Bluebirds has already checked out Evelyn's hand painted box that we placed in our yard, near the house. Both male & female went in to look around. The Carolina Chickadees were also singing and calling as we replaced the damaged boxes with beautiful new ones.

We couldn't have gotten our trail ready so quickly without Evelyn, Kenny and the LA Bluebird Society. They came to the rescue with the offer of N.A. Bluebird Society approved nest boxes to replace the ones that were destroyed by H. Katrina.

On January 2, 2006 we saw a rufous hummingbird in our yard. It was banded by Linda Beall and identified as a female. She spent the entire winter with us and did not migrate until late March.

Christmas Bird Count 2005

2005-12-31T22:13:00.000-08:00

We participated in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count for St. Tammany Parish, even though our heart wasn’t in it. Despite the foggy weather we had a pretty good showing. We observed for 5 hours at the feeders and in the woods on and around our property. During the 5 hour period we counted 25 different species of birds.

Our list includes: 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 21 Mourning Doves, 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 4 Blue Jays, 6 American Crows, 7 Carolina Chickadees, 5 Tufted Titmice, 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch ,6 Carolina Wrens, 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 9 American Robins, 6 Pine Warblers, 3 Eastern Towhees, 1 Chipping Sparrow, 8 White-throated Sparrows, 10 Northern Cardinals, 26 Red-winged Blackbirds, 1 Common Grackle, 2 House Finches, 8 American Goldfinches, 1 Eastern Phoebe, 2 White eyed vireos, 3 Wood Ducks, and 1 Pileated woodpecker.

Nest Box Trail Update

2005-10-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

We've come up for air after a month of cutting and clearing fallen trees. We still haven't cut our way to check on all of the houses, but so far about 7 bluebird sized boxes were damaged and our new cypress wood duck box was knocked off the pole and the roof will need repair.

We are very concerned about the number of large black cherry trees that were up-rooted or broken. So many of the cavity nesters use these berries as a food source. We lost many oaks and have pine snags all over our property. To look on the bright side, it opened up the woods more so that more bluebirds may be attracted and the snags will provide places for woodpeckers to nest in the future, but the devastation is hard to believe.

We do have electricity now (ever since Sept. 18th) so we don't have to play generator tag with the water well pump and the refrigerator. It's so nice to be back in civilization, but we'll probably smell like chain saw smoke and wood chips for a couple of years! We were very lucky and our hearts go out to the people and the wildlife in the hard hit areas south of us. Our habitat will rebound. New growth is already sprouting up through the debris. We just need a little rain to clear things out. It was lucky that the storm hit at the end of the breeding season so that no nests were lost. Nestboxes can be repaired.

3 Weeks of Misery

2005-09-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Electricity was restored today. Tears came into my eyes when I saw those big orange trucks come to our house. We have been surviving on MRE's and the water and ice that we get from the relief station. There has been no rain since Katrina and it's extremely hot. With the help of our family and a church group, we've been able to clear the trees from around the house and have gotten them out of the pond, but not before there was a fish kill. We also cut a walking trail to the river where there was a massive fish kill. At least we can put food out to help the animals down in the woods. It's going to take years to get our habitat to normal, but it will never be like it was before.

During the storm, the migrating ruby-throated hummingbirds fed from the feeders that we had wired down. Cardinals, doves, chickadees and tufted titmice fed from the seed feeders. None of the feeders were damaged, but many of the nest boxes on our trail were torn apart or knocked down. Luckily, most of the cavity dwellers had finished nesting before the storm hit. Many of the dead pines that were used by woodpeckers were blown down. While we'll have plenty of trees to replace them in a few years, a nesting cavity shortage will occur next spring, because many need partially decayed wood to hollow out their cavities.

Another repercussion of the downed trees is a shortage of food for wildlife. Black cherries are one of the most widely used berries and are eaten by over 30 species of birds and many mammals. Oaks also provide food in the form of acorns for all kinds of animals. Many of the smaller food bearing trees like sassafras, black gum and yaupon were also destroyed. It will take years for the small trees that are left to grow enough to provide the same amount of food that the downed ones did.

Our pets have suffered a lot, especially our 14 year old cat. The generator would only run a small window a/c unit for part of the house where our 2 dogs are. She doesn't like the dogs, but finally couldn't take the heat anymore and came in with the rest of us.

Hurricane Katrina

2005-08-30T00:04:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Katrina tore through St. Tammany Parish, spawned tornadoes in it's wake. Our circular driveway is totally blocked by at least 8 trees, some are about 3 ft. in diameter. We counted 30 giant pines in our yard that were snapped off like match sticks. Dozens of large oaks, hickories, black cherry and other hardwoods were either uprooted or broken when the big pines fell. Our 9 acres lay in ruin and it looks like we were bombed. Our road to the river is gone, covered with piles of debris. The trees that are still standing have no leaves. Most of the nest boxes on our trail are damaged or destroyed. Luckily, nesting season is over. Our gardens are under piles of debris. The wildlife is dazed and is looking for food. We have no electricity because one of the trees that fell on the driveway also took down the electric wire, pulling the weatherhead from the roof of the house.

By late afternoon we were able to cut a swath wide enough for the car (the van is under 3 trees) to the main road so that we could get out to call our family and to look for ice and gasoline. From now on we are in survival mode. We will need another chainsaw and a generator. The whole area is without power. Poles and lines are down everywhere.

Baby Wood Ducks and Other Cavity Nesters

2005-03-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Success!! All the climbing & balancing in trees to get the big wood duck house down to repair it & mount it on a pole with predator baffle has paid off. Yesterday morning we were greeted by 12-14 wood duck ducklings in the river right by the box. We checked the box today and found the egg shells inside all stacked nicely like nester dolls. The other box that we made from cypress scraps has a wood duck hen sitting on about 10 eggs.

Everything is late down here in south LA. In the smaller houses we have 3 Chickadee nests, 2 with 6 eggs each and the Eastern Bluebirds have finally built a nest in one by the pond. We built 2 sizes of smaller (with 1 1/4" holes) than bluebird spec houses for the chickadees & prothonotary warblers this year. So far the chickadees are using one of the small houses, 1 that is shorter than a standard NABS house & one old one from Wal Mart. The Prothonotary males are back, darting around and staking out territory & houses.

A Carolina wren has forsaken all of the houses and is sitting on eggs in a nest in the top hole of a pair of cinder blocks that we stacked and used as a saw horse to make the nest boxes! We found another nest, without eggs, inside the upturned canoe that was stored on the bluff by the river. A friend found a nest in a fitted sheet that had been hanging on a line for a couple of days. They really do build in the strangest places.

Building as fast as we can

2005-01-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

On January 2, we surveyed our small nest box trail, making notes of houses needing repair, soaping ceilings and cleaning out debris. We also spruced up & moved a box that had no takers last year. Two of the wood duck boxes, that we foolishly mounted on trees, have been taken over by honey bees. We have opted to build new houses (one is already completed & up) and mount them on 2" pipes with baffles.

We have also finished & erected 3 Chickadee/Prothonotary size wooden houses to replace the cardboard milk carton ones. Two bluebird types are marked & ready for the saw. But, we still need to get the long ladder & climb up to rescue the one remaining bee-free tree mounted wood duck house. Whew!!

I just went to Home Depot and the 1" (10ft.) metal conduit that we used to get for under $5.00 is now $10.99!!! I had to downsize to the $5.99 3/4" ones. I'm going somewhere else next time. There must be a steel shortage or something.

On the CBC for St. Tammany we observed 8 wood ducks, 3 eastern bluebirds and 4 different kinds of woodpeckers. Male bluebirds have been singing for 3 weeks and in December a pair investigated the box that was used last year.

One of our Taiwan cherry trees is beginning to bloom. But in LA where the weather is concerned we always expect the unexpected - 80 degrees one day, 30 the next. It may feel like spring, but winter isn't over yet. There is still some wild food available for the birds. The Yaupon and deciduous holly still have berries, as do the dreaded Chinese privet and ligustrum and our oak trees had a bumper crop of acorns (wood duck favorite) this year.

Christmas Bird Count 2004

2004-12-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been months since we added an entry to our journal. One of our New Year's resolutions is to write at least one a week. We just finished the Christmas Bird Count feeder watch for St. Tammany Parish, LA. The count was good. We saw a lot of Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Carolina Wrens and 3 different kinds of woodpeckers. However, we didn't see several birds that we know are here, but for whatever reason just didn't show up today. Only 4 hawks (3 red-shouldered and 1 red-tailed) were observed. We were pleased with the number of pine warblers (8) ruby-crowned kinglets (9) and wood ducks (8). Unusual sightings included a pair of American woodcocks and a small flock of Canada geese. We also noted 3 eastern bluebirds. Last week, before our little cold spell, a male and female E. bluebird were checking out one of the nest boxes by the pond. It's a little early for that, even down here in South LA. Tomorrow, we are going to check each nest box to see if they are ready for the nesting season (which will start in early February for the Carolina Chickadees.) We'll make notes about the boxes that need repairing or replacing. We'll have to get those done within the next couple of weeks.