The Hummers Are Here!

“  Everybody loves these ruby-throated hummingbirds, which are nicknamed “flying jewels.””

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

Few birds get quite as much notice when they migrate back into our area as the ruby-throated hummingbirds.  Everybody loves these little guys, which are nicknamed "flying jewels."

Right now we're seeing the early migrants coming through, but it shouldn't be more than a couple of weeks until our regulars come back.  The males come first, followed by the ladies shortly after.

How can you attract these tiny birds to your yard?  

There are two things you can do - hang feeders and plant native plants.

Let's start with the feeders.

If you already have a feeder, give it a good scrub (get those ports clean!), rinse well, and let it dry in the sun.  You can either purchase liquid nectar, a powder that you mix with water, or make your own with four parts water to one part sugar.  Refrigerate the unused portion.  A quick search recommended using the refrigerated nectar within 7-14 days.

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

There are three critical pieces of information about using feeders.  First, you have to keep them clean.  This means frequent scrubbing in hot weather.  Next, please DO NOT use red dye.  It's harmful to the hummers and totally unnecessary.  The feeders themselves are red, which will attract the birds.  Finally, nectar has to be kept fresh.  That means changing it out every couple of days during our hot weather.  The bottom line is, if you can't commit to these three requirements then a feeder isn't the best choice for you.

The next way to attract hummingbirds is native plants.  The bonus here is you get bright, beautiful plants and the birds - win, win!

In my yard the three most popular plants are our native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), bee balm (Monarda didyma) and our native scarlet hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus).

The honeysuckle is a vine that pretty much stays covered in blooms.  I've seen mine bloom year-round.  Right now It's got about 50 blossoms.  I'm including a picture so you can appreciate how beautiful this plant is, and how it looks nothing like that pesky invasive Japanese honeysuckle.

I  was surprised the first time I saw hummers on the bee balm.  But they did it so consistently that I've been able to get some fabulous pictures of them.

“The blooms are big enough to be used as a lawn chair for the birds!”

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

The final plant is our native hibiscus, not the kind you see for sale in the big box stores.  This spectacular plant grows on canes and produces dinner-plate sized vibrant red blooms.  At the end of the season there are seed pods that you can share with friends, or you can just dig up a cane. As you can see from the picture, the blooms are big enough to be used as a lawn chair for the birds!

Now that we have the time to hang out in our yards we can really appreciate Mother Nature as she morphs from winter to spring.  Go outside and watch for the hummers!

Fall Plant Sales for Native and Unusual Plants

Happy Fall! There are several ways to tell that we're into the fall season - a date on the calendar, the weather, and the fall plant sales. Ok, I admit we're only into fall by two out of three there, 'cause the weather sure isn't showing it.

We can't control the weather, but we can sure add to our yards by hitting up some of the sales. Here's a list of them.

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

Wing Haven Fall Plant Sale

• Members only 10/2 from 9-5

• !0/3 from 9-5

• Here's a link to the list of plants that will be available: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/575b2f93859fd0ac8b82b10e/t/5d8d1ed6824b1c61e60ceae2/1569529558723/2019+FALL+plant+list.pdf

• Park only in clearly marked areas.

UNCC Fall Plant Sale

• Members-only 10/3. from 12-3. Definitely worth joining to get first dibs!

• Sale - 10/4, 10/5 - 9-3

• CAB building, UNC Charlotte. 220 CAB Lane, Charlotte, NC 28262

• Plants are clearly marked: native plants, rare or choice plants, growing conditions.

• Lots of people available to answer questions.

• Parking on-site

• All proceeds go towards the gardens and greenhouse

CPCC - Cato Campus Annual Fall Plant Sale

• Sale - 10/4 - 9-6; 10/5 - 9-noon

• Follow this link for more information and a 10% off coupon: https://www.cpcc.edu/news/cato-campus-host-annual-fall-plant-sale-oct-4-5?fbclid=IwAR3pbHhkzypQxmo33eJTLGqvWhuGXIsXMi4V1Lgz1eDnZaPYA0oTMu9dics

• Parking on-site.

Grab lots of native plants that benefit our pollinators and wildlife!

Get your fall on, y'all!

Spring Plant Sales: Creating your native garden

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

If you're a gardener this time of the year is like Christmas all over again!  Lots and lots of native plant sales where you can get your fix.

Two of my very favorite sale are at Wing Haven and UNCC at the McMillan Greenhouse.  Both have excellent selections of plants and, great for beginners, knowledgeable people to answer your questions. Both have a Membership Day the day before the sale opens to the public.  Believe me, it's worth it to join!  Just show up the day before and pay the membership fee.

Wing Haven's sale started Thursday, April 4th and runs through Saturday, April 6th.  Hours are 9-5.

UNCC is next week, from Thursday, April 11th (12-3) through Saturday, April 13th (9-3). 

You'll see perennials, groundcovers, vines, shrubs and trees, along with annuals.  And there will be plants for sun and plants for shade.

Get there early and follow signs for parking at each location.

See ya there!

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

Morning Minute: Friday, March 29, 2019

News About Town: The Town of Matthews is seeking applicants for two-year terms on the Matthews Committee on Education. Submit your application to the town by April 10. The committee of nine members was formed in October 2018, with the purpose of advising the Town Council and working with CMS, home schools, charter schools, and private schools to ensure equal opportunities for all students in Matthews.

News Around Town: On April 5 more than 300 realtors will volunteer around the Charlotte area for the 11th Annual Realtors® Care Day. The purpose of the event is to provide and repair homes for safe, affordable housing for those in need. A portion of the time will be spent in Matthews when the group partners with Habitat for Humanity Greater Matthews onsite for a new build.

One Good Thing: There’s a lot going on this weekend (PANCAKES!! Property reval!) but if you need something a little less people-social, get some kitty time in. Greater Charlotte SPCA holds cat adoption events at the Matthews PetSmart (9905 E Independence Blvd.) every Saturday from 10 a.m until 1 p.m. Go forth and find a new friend.

Morning Minute: Thursday, March 28, 2019

News About Town:  At Monday’s meeting the Town Council discussed ways to increase tree canopy despite short-term loss through development. Suggestions for future consideration include: • Consider increasing required canopy percentage in certain districts. • Commit to using allocated landscape funds to plant/maintain a set amount of trees on town-owned properties and rights-of-way.

News Around Town:  Join District 6 County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez McDowell, District 5 County Commissioner Susan Harden, and Charlotte City Council Member Dimple Ajmera this Saturday, March 30, for a Mecklenburg County Community Tax Relief Workshop. The event will be held at the Matthews Sportsplex (2425 Sports Parkway) from 10 a.m. until noon. Bring all your questions about the property reval, and they, and reps from the County Tax Assessors office, will do their best to answer them.

One Fun Thing:  If you’re itching for some dirt under your nails, but the Farmer’s Market ends a little too early (until next week!), Carolina Heritage Nursery will be at Backyard Birds with an assortment of native plants for your #birdfriendlygarden and #wildlifehabitat. Stop by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and get your native garden growing.

Creating a Wildlife Habitat, Part V: Sustainable Practices and Certification

Image courtesy National Wildlife Federation

Hope you've enjoyed this series on how to create wildlife habitats in your yard, school, place of worship and business.

Let's add one more requirement - sustainable gardening practices. This means being aware of what you're using and under what conditions. Some people will choose to go the all organic route, while others may have a problem that may need to be addressed strategically with a chemical.

Choose the most environmentally-friendly tool for the job and follow directions carefully. Avoid spraying on a windy day because you might contaminate your food and water sources.

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Now we’ve covered the essentials.

Food, water, cover, places to raise young, sustainable gardening practices? Check!

There's just one thing left to discuss: how to certify your wildlife habitat; it's incredibly easy. Visit the National Wildlife Federation Certify page and fill out the simple application form. There is a one-time fee of $20 which goes to National Wildlife Federation. You'll receive a personalized certificate with a number for your site, a subscription to the Garden for Wildlife e-newsletter, a one-year membership to NWF, a subscription to National Wildlife magazine, 10% off NWF catalog merchandise (great for items for your yard and gifts for nature lovers), and an option to purchase a sign designating your yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with National Wildlife Federation.

Speaking of the signs, I highly recommend purchasing one. It's a great way to help educate your neighbors, clients, and anyone else who happens to pass by on how easy it is to provide habitat for wildlife. Prices range from $30 to $99. Check out the joint NC Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation sign below with Ranger Rick! I also added a picture of the higher-end sign.

Here's hoping that I see lots more of these signs sprouting up all over Matthews as more people jump on board!

Image courtesy National Wildlife Federation

“Signs are a great way to help educate your neighbors, clients, and anyone else who happens to pass by on how easy it is to provide habitat for wildlife. ”

Creating a Wildlife Habitat, Part IV: Safe Places

Image courtesy Unsplash

In recent weeks we’ve discussed how to provide food and water. In this article we’ll look at providing cover and places to raise young.

Just as with food and water, these elements can be natural or man-made.

Cover gives an animal a place to escape predators. Trees, shrubs, rock piles and brush piles are great examples of places to dart into cover. Think about proving cover at different levels, from the ground up. Using native plants can give you cover as well as food, so you get a double benefit. They can also provide nesting sites for those animals who use trees and shrubs.

Man-made cover and places to raise young are the many boxes available. Examples include houses for bats, owls, birds and bees, just to name a few. Do your research to find out how to provide appropriate housing for whatever you’re trying to attract. Bat houses have to be at a certain height and face a certain direction. Particular species of birds require boxes of a certain size and the hole must be a specific diameter. Birds generally prefer to have cover behind (but not touching) the box, with open area to the front. You can even make a toad abode by turning a terra cotta flower pot on its side so that the toads have easy access to a cool place.

A common design for a bat house

In short, think like the wildlife you’re trying to attract. Location and protection is very important to wildlife.

Next time you’ll find out how to certify your wildlife habitat and how you can order a sign.

Creating a Wildlife Habitat, Part II: Food for Thought

In the last article we looked at sites for wildlife habitats (homes, businesses, places of worship, and public sites such as parks). We also looked at the requirements: food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable gardening practices.

In the next few installments we’ll examine each requirement separately to see how easy they are to provide.

Let’s kick off with food. This can be natural (like acorns, seeds, nuts) or something that you provide (like bird seed, suet or corn).

If you’re feeding birds, natural sources of food include plants that provide berries (like blueberries), seeds (echinacea or Black-eyed Susan), nuts (pecan or hazelnut), or nectar (for hummingbirds). Notice that these can all feed people, too!

To provide food in a fast and efficient manner think about using bird feeders. It’s important to do your research and know what foods your favorite birds prefer, what type of feeder to use, and where to hang it for the best result. Keeping feeders filled and cleaned is important. And make sure to buy quality seed instead of a giant bag of mostly millet, which most of our birds don't eat!

If squirrels eat a lot of your seed, add a baffle to prevent them from shimmying up a pole to help themselves to the bird food.  Remember that squirrels can jump quite a long ways from any direction, so take that into account when hanging feeders.

Winter months and cold weather can be hard on our birds.  I like to provide suet for a high energy food for birds.  It's easy to make your own and a great project for kids.  

Who doesn't love seeing hummingbirds?  Put out feeders in more than one location (out of the line-of-sight) and keep them clean by a weekly scrubbing.  The nectar will ferment quickly in very hot weather, so you'll need to change it regularly.

If you’re trying to attract pollinators, focus on providing a variety of native plants of different colors and shapes.  Use native plants to get the biggest environmental bang for your buck.

So there you have it - a quick and easy way to provide food for critters in your yard.  And the best thing is that you get the joy of seeing nature up close!

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The Many Faces of Buzzing Bugs

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

Bees, wasps, and hornets are amazing creatures!  They are hard workers, often pollinating our flowers and food crops.  We have more than 4,000 species in the US! Did you know that North Carolina is home to more than 500 species of native bees? That’s the good news.  The bad news is that many of our pollinators are at risk, with populations declining by more than 30%, according to Our State magazine.

Let’s look at a few of these buzzing bugs with interesting names,  and how you can make a pollinator-friendly habitat in your yard.

Ever seen a Bald-faced Hornet? How about a Blue-winged Wasp?  A Cow Killer? All of these can be found in NC.

Image via Creative Commons photographer Piccolo Namek

The Bald-faced Hornet builds a bulbous nest that hangs  from a tree or shrub. Stay away from this one! These are aggressive hornets that can sting repeatedly.  Hire a professional to deal with a nest.

Image via Wikimedia Creative Commons

The Blue-winged Wasp is aptly named, with dark metallic blue wings that glint in the sunlight. It is a natural predator of the Japanese beetle, and its larva feed on the beetle grubs. What’s not to love about that!

Image via Wikimedia Creative Commons

Last we’ve got the Cow Killer, AKA the Red Velvet Ant.  These are not ants at all, but members of the wasp family.  The females are wingless and pack a powerful punch with their sting, reputedly enough to kill a cow!

Image via Wikimedia Creative Commons

Want to make your yard pollinator-friendly?  There are lots of ways!

• First, cut the chemicals.  Everything that lives in your yard,  from insects to birds, will thank you for it.

• Next, plant pollinator plants, like zinnias, echinacea, bee balm, coreopsis and goldenrod.  Wasps, hornets, and bees benefit, and you get to enjoy a color yard.

• Finally, be a little messy.  Don’t be so fast to deadhead and clean up plant litter around your yard.  These areas can provide over-wintering places.

These buzzing pollinators provide valuable services to us humans.  Embrace them in your yard!

Photo by Debbie LeBlanc Foster

HAWK: A Partnership Built on Cross-Pollination

For Habitat and Wildlife Keepers, the Matthews chapter of the NC Wildlife Federation, education and awareness go hand-in-hand – something the group strives for in increasing their membership, working closely with the town and finding community and commonality in all their endeavors.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Five years ago HAWK worked with the Town of Matthews to register and certify the town itself as a Wildlife Habitat through the North Carolina Wildlife Federation – the 64th such community to do so in the nation and the first chapter in North Carolina. To date, there are 13 such communities in NC and approximately 200 across the country. To add, “tens of thousands of supporters and activists are currently members in the statewide organization,” said Tim Gestwicki, CEO of the NCWF.

According to Daniel Jakobovits, avid “tree hugger, wildlife/naturalist,” former vice-present, now new -president of HAWK, education and awareness go hand-in-hand – something the group strives for in increasing their membership, working closely with the town (government) and finding community and commonality in all their endeavors.

“Part of our mission is to continue to educate the public,” said Jakobovits. “You can’t care about something unless you understand it……and there is the intersection of what we do. We (intend to) continue down our mission to educate folks,” he said, adding that people don’t necessarily need to kill the spider or bee or snake they see. “All of these (are) wonderful things - to have folks understand this and have that sense of wonder and engagement for things that are all around us, but (that) we don’t know about.”

There are 4 elements required for a backyard habitat:

• food

• water

• shelter

• a place to raise young.

On the first Tuesday of each month (during the body of the school year), HAWK holds meetings on topics ranging from deer and coexistence in the community to native plants and wildlife. From moss workshops, owl and frog walks to worm composting classes and foraging. They’re often attended by up to 100 interested audience-members. In addition, the group hosts annual events such as Earth Day and Kids in Nature Day (KIND) with the Town of Matthews, and hosts a table at the Farmer’s Market twice a year.

Annually, HAWK follows through on their mission to help increase awareness and membership and help homeowners and businesses certify their properties.  Said Gestwicki, “The community wildlife certification would never have occurred without the full involvement of HAWK – they came up with the game plan, the objects, the goals and followed through to inform the constituents of Matthews, and implement a plan. This could not have happened without HAWKS’ past, present and future dedication to all local wildlife and its habitat.”

Jordon Vardon, showing one aspect of his backyard habitat. Photo by Cyma Shapiro

At the heart of this work is the commitment made by individuals. “The value of becoming a member of our group as well as the value of certifying their property doesn’t take an act of great magnitude,” said Jakobovits. “Certifying your yard – the idea is that you are making some level of commitment for a habitat – food, water and shelter, and a place to raise their young. It doesn’t need to be for larger creatures – bear or deer. But, if we can connect all these habitats, we now have a corridor for wildlife.

People who have a birdhouse or bird feeder are already two steps down that path. All they need is a birdbath or source of water and they can get their property certified.”  In effect, he said, “you are doing this with purpose – how can I do this better?”

It is a message not lost on Jordan Vardon, who recently certified his property on Willow Brook Road – 1/3 acres in the middle of a subdivision.  According to Vardon, the father of two young children, this is not only a way to learn about birds, which he is clearly passionate about, but also teach his two young children how to identify and enjoy them, as well.

“This is a way to bring more birds into the back yard,” he said, “while creating an oasis for (some) of the birds in decline. (We’re) giving birds the space to come back.” To date, he’s seen 30 different species in his yard - a few of which have chosen to nest in two carefully hidden bird houses  - “hidden by design to give them cover – the birds want to feel safe,” Vardon said. He likens his pursuit of bird-watching to a treasure hunt.

In his case, despite a small yard surrounded by nearby houses, his surroundings have created a joyful space for his family to enjoy - his poured concrete antique birdbath was purchased after a six-month hunt; his bird feeders are hoisted in the trees nearest the bedroom to allow the family to watch the various species more closely. This is a shared experience - “the kids love it,” he said.

In the end, it is that same experience which brings many Matthews individuals together. “We’re for all wildlife – small and big and everything that is part of that web,” said Jakobovits. “Part of the crossover involves people interested and passionate about bees. We’re a….cross pollination of people (whose interest) extends from bees to wildlife to humans,” he said. “We work very well together; we don’t compete with (other organizations) – we want people to enjoy and connect with nature at whatever level they want to.”

“ We’re a….cross pollination of people (whose interest) extends from bees to wildlife to humans.”

— Daniel Jakobovits

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

For more information or to join HAWK, visit their website Habitat and Wildlife Keepers.

Matthews Morning Minute: September 28, 2018

News About Town: If you’ve driven down Fullwood Lane recently you might have seen the message board about the town lowering the speed limit. On October 1, 2018 the speed limit will be reduced from 45 to 35. This change came about based on the Public Works Department’s recommendation to the Town Council, who then voted to lower the speed limit.

Don’t say they didn’t warn you.

News Above Town: Afternoon showers and temps in the mid-80s. Speaking of mid-eighties, the high humidity puts Motley Crue #hairgoals well within reach.

News Around Town: Early voting begins October 17, 2018. Polls will be open at the Matthews Library for early voting, but the Matthews location is currently short-staffed. The Mecklenburg Board of Elections pays $12 per hour and the application can be found here. Please contact Marti Duncan (mduncan36@carolina.rr.com) for more information.

Native plants attract all types of pollinators.

One Good Thing: Backyard Birds in Matthews Festival has a busy Saturday planned. First they’re hosting Lisa Tompkins, owner of Carolina Heritage Nursery, with a native plant sale. Lisa will be on- hand to answer your questions about plants appropriate for your particular yard. Then Debbie Foster, Habitat Steward, Central Carolinas Master Naturalist, Audubon Ambassador, and contributing Beacon writer will be explaining the simple steps toward creating a wildlife habitats. Saturday, September 29, 2018, 11 AM til 1 PM; full details here.