THE FLOCK NEWSLETTER

Summer Migrants:

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

These beautiful little birds are quite an impressive backyard visitor, and never cease to amaze! Most of their diet consists of nectar provided by flowers or nectar feeders we put out for them. The best recipe for nectar is 4 cups of water to 1 cup of regular table sugar (sucrose). Nectar should be replaced every couple of days in very warm weather (but if you add Nectar Defender®, a natural additive, it can last up to 2 weeks outside)! Ruby-throated hummingbirds will also eat spiders, flying insects, and insect eggs to receive protein and other essential nutrition. If you don’t have a hummingbird feeder, consider stopping by the store or click HERE to shop online.

What's been happening in our yards?

Wood Poppies!

Our store manager Summer has some native Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) growing in her yard, which is an herbaceous perennial that favors moist woodlands. They have a relatively long flowering cycle and begin blooming in mid- April. It grows to be about 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall and spreads out about 1 foot. Bees and butterflies will appreciate this addition to any garden, while deer and other critters will avoid this plant. This plant can tolerate moisture and shade very well.
Source: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/celandine-poppy-stylophorum- diphyllum/

Bird Nerd Corner:

Nesting Preparation

If your birds haven’t started nesting yet, they will be this month! Black-capped chickadees might be sparse at your feeders as they nurture young ones in the nest. Our customer T.M. was able to catch this beautiful shot of a chickadee collecting nesting material. Don’t be discouraged, because other birds might use the nest box throughout the season like the House Wrens, Carolina Wrens, or Tufted Titmice. Keep your feeders full too, since they will bring fledglings around, too. If you have any fun bird experiences, or pictures you want to share with us, please send them to our email at [email protected].

Save the Songbirds:

The Importance of Native Plants

When thinking of our feathered friends and how to attract them, many go right to feeding them or providing a house for them. Native plants can do both at the same time! These plants make up the ecosystem that many of our birds have depended on before we came around. So, adding these types of flora to our backyard is the best way to keep our favorite species around long-term.

Oak trees are one of the most beneficial trees that can be added to your landscaping because they provide tons of food and plenty of shelter options like cavities or branches. Acorns and bugs are some of the best natural food resources for common backyard birds like Blue Jays, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Black- capped Chickadees.

Planting wildflowers for all the seasons is a great thing to keep in mind, so there are seeds, nuts, and bugs available year-round. Many native plants bring in a myriad of butterflies, bees, moths, beetles, and fireflies, because they depend on them for laying eggs and providing nourishment for their larvae. Finding the best plants that work in your yard can take some research on sunlight, moisture levels, and soil composition of the area you are planning on landscaping.

Wildtype Native Plants is a local native plant nursery in Mason, Michigan that you can buy wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees from during their limited Public Sale Days. Another great resource we have partnered with is the Garden for Wildlife program created by the National Wildlife Federation and on their website, you can shop for native plants online. Or stop by our store in late May to check out what native plants we have in stock!

Resources: wildtypeplants.com, gardenforwildlife.com, nativeplantfinder.nwf.org, plantnative.org, and audubon.org/native-plants