Welcome to our blog!
It's all about our discoveries in our private Shady Oaks Sanctuary for birds, pollinators and wildlife. We gauge our success by the diversity of species we observe and document with our photography.
We hope you are inspired to create your own refuge!
Post-program Informational Links 8-18-16
Thank you, thank you to all who came on Tuesday night! It was such a great turnout that they had to set up extra chairs! You were a wonderful, receptive audience. I am most grateful to Scott Avetta and the MoNEP Board for inviting me to share this program which challenged me to dig deeper.
I know many of you are already familiar with Doug Tallamy's work and are doing much in your yards to help our native birds and wildlife, but I did want to post all of the links so they are available if you want to do more 'homework' or share with others. There was a lot of interest in the SONAB (State of North American Birds 2016) report so be sure to delve into that. This report gives the current ranking for all of our North American Birds in regard to their conservation status. Also, check out the species abundance maps. The one I put in the program was for the Magnolia Warbler and it is a visual treat to watch.
The Golden-winged Warbler Working Group website tells all about this beautiful warbler who will soon be listed as an endangered species and what researchers are doing to help its numbers increase again. (This bird was in our yard six days this past spring, photo below.) Last but not least, the article from the Missouri Conservationist on "Bringing Back the Birds" on Full Life-cycle Conservation is so informative and helped me with the initial idea for this program. My profound thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation and to Brad Jacobs, our State Bird Ecologist, Sarah Kendrick and Andrea Schumann for their expertise and assistance in the Bird ID and Conservation Biology Workshop which was an amazing and inspiring experience for me. "Birds are awesome!"
Resources on Sustainable Naturescaping and Our Native Birds
Bringing Nature Home - How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife In Our Gardens
by Douglas W. Tallamy
Read about Tallamy’s study and download Recommended Plant Lists:
bringingnaturehome.net/gardening-for-life.html
Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People
by Dave Tylka, Missouri Department of Conservation
On St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program and annual tours:
stlouisaudubon.org/BCH/index.php
On Missouri Native Plants: http://grownative.org
Wild Ones Native Landscapers, local chapter: http://stlwildones.org
Learn more about Native Landscaping:
missouribotanicalgarden.org/visit/family-of-attractions/shaw-nature-reserve/gardens-gardening-at-shaw-nature-reserve/native-landscaping-for-the-home-gardener.aspx
Learn more about Invasive Bush Honeysuckle:
missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/gardening-in-st.-louis/invasives/bush-honeysuckle.aspx
On Missouri Birds, checklists and more: http://www.mobirds.org
Read the SONAB report, look at different species rankings and how you can help our native birds:
http://www.stateofthebirds.org/2016/
Animated species abundance maps: stateofthebirds.org/2016/resources/species-abundance-maps/
Golden-winged Warbler working group: http://gwwa.org
MDC article “Bringing Back the Birds” on Full Life-cycle Conservation:
mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2014/09/bringing-back-birds-full-life-cycle-bird-conservation
Dripper for bird bath: http://birdschoice.com/our-products/field_pd_product_category/bird-baths-7/field_pd_products%253Afield_bath_type/dripper-237?noidx=true
Program on Our Native Birds - Tuesday, August 16
I'm giving a program tomorrow night on our native birds. Hope you can join me!
Margy
MoNEP - Missouri Nature and Environmental Photographers
https://www.facebook.com/MOnaturephoto/
Tuesday, August 16 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Meetings are held at The Ethical Society at 9001 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, 63117. Parking and the evening entry to The Ethical Society are at the rear of the building. Follow the driveway down the hill, along the side of the building to the large parking lot at the back. Enter through the door on the right side of the lower level.
Margy Terpstra will give her program entitled, Why Our Yards are So Important to the Full Life-cycle Conservation of Our Native Birds at the August meeting. She’ll address what native birds are, when they are here in Missouri, and what they need. The conservation status of many of our native songbirds has dramatically changed within our lifetimes. What can we do right in our own yards to help them? The Terpstras’ yard has been a veritable learning lab for suburban conservation with 147 species of birds recorded, including 36 species of warblers. Margy has taken all of the images in this presentation, which include birds listed as vulnerable, threatened and soon to be listed as endangered. She hopes you will be inspired to do at least one thing to help them.
Margy is an avid birder, nature photographer, and lifelong gardener with a degree in Horticulture. She is a member of MoNEP, Wild Ones and the Audubon Society, and has served as a Bring Conservation Home Habitat Advisor. Since 1996, Margy and her husband, Dan, have worked together to remove invasive plants and restore their half-acre Kirkwood property with beautiful Missouri natives. They have named their wildlife sanctuary “Shady Oaks” and Margy has been photographing the abundant flora and fauna there since 2003. Margy shares her images and experiences in a blog on their website at hummerhavenunltd.com.
A Monarch! 8-12-16
We had just gone into the front room to talk when I was distracted by a butterfly out by the pond. Yes, it was a Monarch, the first we had seen all year. We finished, and I hurried outside with the camera. It was a female and she was nectaring on Marsh Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).
She was also laying eggs!
The Monarch flew further into the garden out of sight. I was able to find one of the eggs, a tiny pearl.
She continued to sip nectar, flicking her wings to keep little bees and flies from bothering her. She would pause to lay another egg, sometimes deep within the flower clusters.
This photo best shows that the butterfly was a bit tattered and worn. It was good to see it still feeding late in the afternoon. It was a very good day!
The chase is on! Juvenile hummingbirds are here! 8-8-16
The Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been actively feeding from the feeders and from flowers all season long.
As soon as the calendar turned to August, we noticed a big increase in activity at the feeders and in the garden. The young birds were hitting the Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis).
They found the first blooms that were opening on the Blue Sage (Salvia azurea).
The same goes for the single bloom in the patch of Eastern Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa).
The Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia submentosa) has also been attracting them.
It has been a real blur of activity at times!
They find perches to rest on and protect their little patch, like this bird on the branch of a Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).
Then, they are back at any flower they can get to before another bird chases them away.
Like all youngsters, they need a little rest when they start to tire out. This bird clings to the leaf for support.
It takes a breather on a shady stem close by.
The lightly fragrant Marsh or Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) plants did very well last year and now there are a dozen groupings of them throughout the garden. They have become a favorite of the young birds.
The bright red spot on its throat identifies this bird as a juvenile male.
The Marsh Milkweed has constant visits by other pollinators, such as bumblebees.
This Red-spotted Purple butterfly has been sipping on them.
My first sighting this year of a Giant Swallowtail butterfly was also at Marsh Milkweed.
Tiger Swallowtails have been nectaring on the milkweeds, too.
And the other day, there was a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth finding a sweet meal.
Still no sighting here of a Monarch, but with all the food available in our garden, they surely will arrive soon!
8-4-16 Wild Bird Rehab birds released at Shady Oaks
Last fall, I received a request from Wild Bird Rehabilitation through my friend, Lynne Breakstone, to use one of my photos for their Holiday Card. They help so many birds, I said, "Of course! It would be an honor to help them." Last year they treated over 2,000 songbirds!
Read more about all that they do and how you can help them on their website:
Lynne had been to our yard several times and knew that we had a very bird-friendly environment. We had also collaborated with Lynne on other educational projects for WBR. Lynne was able to get the approval to have a rehabbed bird released here in our Shady Oaks habitat. Wow, I thought that would be quite an exciting win-win for all!
On 9-24-15, I got the call. Joan, an experienced volunteer who specializes in finding the right homes for the birds, would bring the bird about 9:30 in the morning. She arrived and brought the bird down near the woods in its covered cage. Gosh, as soon as she opened the wire door, the little Northern cardinal bolted out of the cage so fast that I didn't get a photo! I was somewhat disappointed. But, I did get a good look at it, saw Joan off and thought I would get back to my post behind the camera to see what might happen.
"Sweetie", as Joan called the bird, had been used to being fed by the volunteers at WBR and then had graduated to the aviary before its release here. However, as I watched it, it came in close and perched in a blackhaw viburnum, making loud chip calls that got my attention. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the bird with its bright red topknot/crest.
The cardinal spent the next few weeks getting acclimated. It found the bubbler and would get a drink or take a wee bath. Sometimes other cardinals chased it, but it soon held its own, finding small insects and seeds to eat.
By mid-October, it was one of the locals. The little bird also had given me a new idea for the Holiday Card. Why not make a composite of photos showing how this specific little bird has been saved, rehabbed and released? Lynne agreed and after approval of the idea, Donna Short, one of the Board members and a volunteer at WBR, gave me a photo from "Sweetie's" first day when it was brought in as an orphaned fledgling at WBR on 8-29-15. It weighed only 19 grams or 0.67 ounces.
Lynne wrote a beautiful synopsis of the bird's journey shown in the photographs, which were a tribute to the many people who played a part in the cardinal's successful rehabilitation. It was included and we were all excited about this card. The response was very positive. Donna shared one note with me that said, "Your card showing the bird's rehab was delightful and so satisfying." It was rewarding to help in this small way with Wild Bird Rehabilitation's mission in assisting our native Missouri birds.
Fast forward to last week, when we had the opportunity to accept two young blue jays from WBR. They were brought into WBR on 6-28-16 and hand-fed until able to feed themselves.
This photo was taken on 7/5/16. The birds were growing quickly.
By 7/12/16, the little one had almost caught up with the older sibling.
By 7/27/16, it was time to bring them to Shady Oaks. To add to the experience, our almost 4-year old grandson, Dean, was here to witness their release. Once again, Joan brought the birds in a covered cage and placed it on the deck.
After we took a few photos, Joan turned the cage around and opened the larger doors. We watched as the birds exercised their wings. Dean had the best view!
The older one took off like a shot, leaving the younger sibling to figure things out by himself. "It's okay, little blue jay! You can fly!" said Dean.
The younger bird flew out into some dense cover and called a few times to its sibling.
The older bird came back after a minute or so, and preened its feathers. All in all, it was a successful release.
We hope to get a few more photos as the birds adjust to life here at Shady Oaks!