Hello Nancy, Not to put words in Meena and Marie's mouths, but I think their comments were more directed to people who may be considering planting new shrubs and in that context, a gentle reminder that there may be better choices for birds. Some people on the list may not alradhy know about the resources they referenced.
You know, and so do we all, that your forsythia are doing a valuable service for your birds. We need to stop and think before we plant something but also before we remove something. The very old and healthy apple tree my neighbors just cut down is obviously not native but the craggy bark provided much good foraging for woodpeckers, the blooms provided food for pollinators and nectar feeders but most importantly, it was a safe staging area for birds coming to my feeder. They also tore out a whole row of hedge which had grown up like crazy over many years,mostly privet and there was barberry in it, but it was also a protective nursery for a black cherry, a crabapple and a red oak, all of who grew to a deer safe size within this tangle. I managed to save the cherry and the crabapple but got home just as they were tearing out the oak. The birds loved this whole hedge right along the edge of my yard. It was torn out and nothing was put there to replace it. i planted a gray dogwood, a black birch and those spicebush I mentioned, but how long will it be before they provide any habitat at all for safety? So enjoy your forsythia and your birds and your wonderful other 19 acres. I am envious. Best Linda Orkin Muriel Street, Ithaca, NY On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 8:27 AM, Nancy W Dickinson <n...@cornell.edu> wrote: > I will try to remember who I'm talking to next time I post anything! ;) > I am all for natural native plants, and have 19 acres of them, and a shelf > full of books about them. But I do love my garden and the birds really love > my forsythia (and the deer do not). Happy Spring! > > Nancy > > On Apr 1, 2012, at 10:19 PM, Linda Orkin wrote: > > How about Native Plants for Native Birds put out by the Cayuga Bird > Club? > > For two years I have been planting Spicebush as a native alternative to > forsythia. Little yellow flowers. Not that showy but great for habitat. > Especially when they get their lovely ovoid red shiny fruits. > > Linda. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Apr 1, 2012, at 10:12 PM, "Terry P. Mingle" <tmin...@twcny.rr.com> > wrote: > > Two great book titles for bird gardeners: > > > > http://www.amazon.com/Audubon-Society-Guide-Attracting-Birds/dp/0801488648/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2 > > > and > > > > http://www.amazon.com/The-Bird-Garden-Stephen-Kress/dp/0789401398/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3 > > > --Terry > > > ======================== > > > On Apr 1, 2012 , at 9:12 PM, Marie P Read wrote: > > > I heartily second Meena's encouragement to plant native > plants—especially those that provide food in the form of fruit, seeds, or > insects— and create native habitats for birds! > > Marie > > > > Marie Read Wildlife Photography > > 452 Ringwood Road > > Freeville NY 13068 USA > > > Phone 607-539-6608 > > e-mail m...@cornell.edu > > > http://www.marieread.com > > > Now on FaceBook > > > https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Read-Wildlife-Photography/104356136271727 > > ________________________________________ > > From: bounce-44814036-5851...@list.cornell.edu [ > bounce-44814036-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Meena Haribal [ > m...@cornell.edu] > > Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 9:05 PM > > To: Ann Mitchell; M Kardon > > Cc: Nancy W Dickinson; CAYUGABIRDS-L > > Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] forsythia for birds > > > Hi all, > > > > > I am a little bit concerned about promoting Forsythia for birds. They > are just good for landing and hiding for birds near bird feeders. But they > really are not such healthy food for birds. > http://www.ehow.com/list_6019009_pests-forsythia-bush.html Forsythia is > promoted as the plant with no pests at all. > > > > > If you want birds and habitats for them why not plant some native > plants. There is "Native plants for native birds" published by our on bird > club for guidance. You should look up some local plants that are good for > birds and their food - insects that feed on them. > > > > > For example all kinds of dogwoods - Red Dozier, and Gray Dogwood are > excellent plants, they produce fruits which are eaten by birds during fall > migration, that is when the fruits are ready. But they host at least some > known thirty species of moths and these moths as adults and as larvae are > excellent food for birds and their young. Some of these moths include > beautiful Polyphemus moth, Dogwood Thyatirid, Prominents, many geometrids, > which are found in spring and summer. Of course some of these moths/larvae > may not be directly useful to all birds but are of indirect use. Their > caterpillars are beautiful with variety of shapes and structures and some > of the adults are just awesome if you are looking for beauty. > > > > > I feel pained that native habitats are being destroyed and artificial > habitats are being created. So why not create real habitat, I know it is > very hard to create and maintain, but at least one can give a try. > > > > > Meena > > > > > > > > > Meena Haribal > > > Ithaca NY 14850 > > http://haribal.org/ > > http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ > > > ________________________________ > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > > Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > > Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave< > http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > > > Archives: > > The Mail Archive< > http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > > BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > > Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > >! > > -- > > > -- > > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > > ARCHIVES: > > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > > -- > > > > > -- > > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > > ARCHIVES: > > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > > -- > > > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > > > > Nancy Dickinson > Mecklenburg > > *Make a little birdhouse in your soul.* > > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail > Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> > !* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
