Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Spring Home & Garden
East Oregonian
Page 5C
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
A northern flicker eats seeds from a backyard bird feeder in Pendleton.
Attracting birds to your yard
Simple strategies can create a backyard bird refuge
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
Interested in transforming
your yard into an oasis for
birds and birdwatchers?
There are plenty of things
you can do to make your yard
attractive to our feathered
friends.
“There are simple things
people can do to attract
birds,” said Jack Simons.
“One of the simplest is
providing a lot of perches.”
Simons, a member of the
Pendleton Bird Club, lives
on 12 acres east of Pendleton.
As a bird lover, he has been
working to attract birds to his
property. He planted native
plant species to offer berries,
seeds and nectar to the birds.
The native plants, already
adapted to the climate and
soil, need no fertilizers or
pesticides. Birds feast on
local insects which evolved
“There are simple things people can do
to attract birds. One of the simplest is
providing a lot of perches.”
Jack Simons
Pendleton Bird Club member
to feed on native plants.
Some local native vari-
eties include shrubs and
trees such as dogwoods,
elderberry,
serviceberry,
Oregon grape, milkweed,
chokecherry, currant, honey-
suckle, hawthorn, ninebark,
snowberry and mock orange.
He placed handy perches
all around his property.
“Put them in a secure
setting so they can bail out
when a hawk comes in,”
Simon said. “They need
bushes and trees to escape
to.”
Other
strategies
for
attracting birds include:
Providing water. Birds
need water and are attracted
by birdbaths, fountains,
bubblers, water features
and small ponds. Edges of
the structure should slope
gradually. Sitting water
should be changed every
few days so it is fresh and
clean.
Feeders: Tempt avian
life during times of scarcity
with a variety of foods such
as seed mixes, suet, peanut
butter, cracked corn, fruit
and millet. Hummingbird
feeders filled with nectar
are a magnet for the speedy,
bright-colored birds.
Create havens: To feel
secure and have a way to
escape predators, birds need
cover such as shrubs, trees or
a brush pile.
Putting out nesting
boxes: The National Wildlife
Federation says the addition
of a nesting box will benefit
native bird species and give
you a front row seat to their
nesting activities. Be sure to
research the correct design
for the species you wish to
attract.
Keeping standing dead
trees: Snags provide cavi-
ty-dwelling birds a place to
raise young and escape from
weather.
Reducing lawn area:
Except for the occasional
robin eating a worm, lawns
don’t offer much to birds
in the way of nutrition or
cover.
Cutting the use of insec-
ticides: Insects are the power
RECYCLE
food for birds and their
growing young.
Keeping the cat indoors:
Birds and cats don’t mix.
A few simple changes
can transform your yard into
a bird-friendly oasis, so sit
back and enjoy the sights and
sounds.
———
Contact Kathy Aney at
kaney@eastoregonian.com
or call 541-966-0810.
1. Hermiston:
220 W. Harper Rd.
2. Stanfield:
W. Wood (by Grange Hall)
3. Echo:
Across from park (at City Hall)
4. Umatilla:
Hwy. 730 (next to Columbia Harvest Foods)
5. Umatilla County
We encourage all area residents to take
their glass, bottles, jars, tin, aluminum,
newspapers, magazines and cardboard
to these depots for recycling.
SANITARY DISPOSAL
N. Hwy 395 (next to Transfer Station)
81144 N. Hwy. 395
6. Irrigon:
198 W. Columbia Lane
7. Boardman:
S.E. Front Street
Hermiston/McNary Highway, Hermiston
541-567-8842
When every dollar counts these days, stop by
Elmer’s. We have local familiar faces ready to
help you with your irrigation projects.
Proudly serving Eastern Oregon & Southeast Washington since 1978
FEATURIN G:
Pipe: PVC, galvanized & black fittings;
Filters: Clemons, CTC, Gheen;
Pumps: Small centricial pumps, Pressure Tanks;
Lawn & garden supplies: K-Rain sprinklers & valves;
Hand line, Main line, wheel line: gaskets & fittings, pipe cutting & threading
Pivot parts; Pivot sprinkler packages: Nelson & Senninger
Motors: UMC and US; Wheel Boxes: UMC & Valley
Valves: Butterfly, ball, gate, check
Automatic control valves: Nelson, Netafim
“Proudly serving and investing in the future of our com m unities.”
ELM ER’S IRRIGATION, INC.
80527 Hw y 395 N . • Herm iston • 541-567-5572