We owe a real debt of gratitude to Margaret Sloan for her dedication to Quail Valley and for cataloging and photographing the many birds --give or take 120 -- that live year round or visit Quail Valley during the year.
She introduced us and provided forms for Project Feeder Watch, which is a way to keep up with birds visiting your garden as well as other resources about birds complete with some great hand outs. As Margaret told us, birds need food, water, and shelter that works with their habits and dietary needs. For example, hummingbirds come for red or orange flowers, but eventually they learn that the yellow, pink and other colored flowers work as well.
Food and shelter
A key factor is food and shelter variety. Margaret even plants Goldenrod because the birds like it so well. Remember, it's not a weed if you put it there. A variety of plants will also provide shelter and food as well as insects for birds that don't come to feeders.
Some birds come to feeders, others do not . . .besides insects they may like fruit such as the Loquat below or various berries like Mulberries. This Loquat tree was full of flowers that will make fruit winter to spring. The thick foliage is also good shelter. Many birds avoid bird houses, where Purple Martins "expect them."
A simple twig and brush pile is another good form of shelter. Margaret has one in the garden and another outside her garden on the creek.
Chile pequin peppers are another "fruit" that birds like. While some humans like it spiciness, Margaret leaves hers for the birds.
Water and a bird bath -- Margaret has a simple hose system hanging from a tree over the bird bath. She has a twig on the hose for those birds that prefer to hold onto a branch to drink rather than go to a bird bath. It makes the drip beautiful and natural-looking, while it keeps the bird bath water fresher. Can you guess where it is in the picture below? The bird bath is behind the ginger, which even the hummingbirds like now. The forked looking twig conceals the hose.
Birds need a rock to stand on in the bird bath and like them with ponds or water falls as well. They will also stand in shallow bog plants in ponds. And butterflies and birds like many of the same plants. We had a butterfly "drying" who emerged and flew while we were visiting and enjoying the delicious muffins and goodies Margaret so graciously provided.
We all just relaxed, visited and sat and watched the birds and butterflies. It was such a nice meeting.
If you would like to know more about specific habits of birds that visit Quail Valley and more about how to bring each one to your garden, we post one species or types of species each month when they are prevalent in the area. We are celebrating our one year anniversary. For specifics, visit Birds of Fort Bend by pressing this link.
To enjoy just pictures of the wide variety of birds that live in Quail Valley, view Margaret's full photo album, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.
To honor Margaret's work, the Quail Valley Garden Club intends that one of our Arbor Day trees this year is a Mulberry, which provides a wonderful source of food for migrating birds, in particular, the Baltimore Oriole.