Category Archives: Birding

Plant Berry Bushes for the Birds

Cardinal bird in snowy winterberry bush

As a family with an active child, our most successful place to watch birds is through windows. Birds tolerate us that way and we see amazing things while munching granola in our PJs. By Scott Woodbury [This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener September 2017 issue.] As a family with an active child, our most successful place to

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Native Plants to Attract Hummingbirds

An image of a hummingbird visiting royal catchfly

When the red buckeye and columbine bloom in April, it signals the time to start looking for the ruby-throated hummingbirds. By Scott Woodbury [This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener April 2016 issue.] When the red buckeye and columbine bloom in April, it signals the time to start looking for the ruby-throated hummingbirds. It pays to look in

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The Blue Jay

a photo of a blue jay

By Connie Alwood (This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2009 issue) “Shoot all of the Blue Jays that you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.”–Atticus Finch to Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird “Handsome Devil” was an expression used to describe bad boys who had

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The American Crow

By Connie Alwood (This article first appeared in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2008 issue.) Just about everyone can identify a crow. Even its voice caw, caw, caw is unmistakable.  People’s estimation of  this large, all black bird runs the gamut. We either vilify him for pilfering our garbage bags and eating small birds or we admire his cunning. The American

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The Winter Songster-Carolina Wren

By Connie Alwood (This article first appeared in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2007 issue.) On a January morning we can’t expect much birdsong.  Except for the occasional mockingbird and the partial song of the white-throated sparrow, plus a few chips from other birds coming to the feeder, it’s usually a silent winter. However, one songster still bursts forth with much

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Snowbirds

By Connie Alwood (this article first appeared in The Gateway Gardener in Jan/Feb. 2006) Look for these winter visitors in your garden! In Florida, southern Texas and southeastern Arizona, “snowbirds” mean one thing: migrating retirees returning for the winter. They come from Canada and Minnesota, Iowa and the Dakotas, looking to avoid the harsh winter months. Of course the original

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