June’s feathered Bounty

Field notes by Jeff Cantrell, photos courtesy of the MO Dept. of Conservation

We are now settled into the season of warm months and hopefully have the spring thunderstorms behind us. Late spring and early summer usually generate a slower pace to our backyard and the countryside. Hopefully, we find more time to enjoy and genuinely experience our yards since we have placed significant work into them, or now we have that extra time to seek a city park or nature trail.

The birdlife has settled down as well. All the birds migrating north through our area are at their breeding destinations of the tundra, the boreal forest or Canada’s pothole region. Our local nesting birds are either year-round residents or southern migrants destined for the area via the habitats of our region.

We see the news and latest reports of the decline in wildlife in general. Many reports reveal bird populations need attention to habitat and conservation management. We might look at our local city park or our own backyard and think the area is too small to be effective. However, small areas can make an impact and our everyday habits have direct links to all wildlife, as well. So, here are the top seven things we can do or consider for local birdlife:

1. Share with neighbors and friends that we do not save baby birds. It is ok to put a nestling back in the nest if we can reach it. If we leave a baby bird on the ground and near suitable cover, the parents will feed and tend to it. Robins, cardinals, wrens, etc., are superior moms and dads!

2. Understand the pros and cons of bird feeding and keep hummingbird feeders clean and nectar free of red dyes.

3. Limit light pollution.

4. Research and foster native insects at your homestead. A yard that has a high biodiversity of moths and butterflies alone proves to be healthy for the environment and people.

5. Take an inventory of the native flowers, native vines, native shrubs and trees in local parks and neighborhoods. Now is an exciting time to see them in flower or fruit, plus landscape planning may be honed into beneficial projects for fall. We will have a native plant sale at the Shoal Creek Conservation Nature Center in late September, so mark your calendar to come, study and browse.

6. Keeping house cats indoors is healthy for the pets and the songbirds. They are a non-native predator if left outside to roam and have devasting effects on birds, lizards and small mammals. A simple website search on “keeping cats indoors” should provide solid helpful suggestions.

7. Lastly, let us all be more aware. If we have the interest in nature or specifically birds, deer, snakes … let us pick up a book and learn a little more. Have you been to our nature center lately? Drop by the Shoal Creek Nature Center’s front desk for free booklets on a variety of wildlife. Our Wildcat Glades Friends Group has a fantastic giftshop with bird field guides and bird feeding equipment. This season is an easier pace. Enjoy! I hope to see you on the trail or receive an email that you made your backyard more bird- and people-friendly. – Jeff