Each time I enter a home count in eBird, I include a note that the location is a “Suburban Wooded Back Yard.” The many mature trees in our yard are after all a part of the attraction for the birds that come here. Unfortunately over the past year or two, this description is starting to fray. Our lovely large trees keep falling in unusual numbers and each time this happens, it not only affects the yard’s human owners but also the birds and other creatures that live here. Over this past weekend another very large tree fell. This one in particular is going to have real repercussions for bird life in our back yard.
Here in Maryland, we’ve had that little March taste of spring that tries to trick you into going to the local nursery to buy plants. Although local nurseries start gearing up in March, it is really a month too early to start planting most things around here. So to feed my spring fever and keep myself from impulse purchases, I am instead working on my plans to landscape my yard to create more habitat for birds (as well as look really cool.) Planning such a project is a little intimidating but is also interesting and a lot of fun.
