outmybackdoor

By Terry W. Johnson

For the past several weeks, hummingbird fanciers have enjoyed watching squadrons of ruby-throated hummingbirds displaying their aeronautical skills in backyards across the state. These tiny dynamos have been flying between feeders and flowers, gorging themselves on sugar water and nectar. When they haven't been feeding, they seem to have been trying to keep others from enjoying the sweet bounty.

While we find their activities entertaining, to hummingbirds it is a matter of life and death.

By Terry W. Johnson

I learned a long time ago that when it comes to wildlife, never say never. Over the years I have answered a lot of calls from folks reporting unusual things going on in their backyards. Now, I'm not talking about the behavior of their neighbors or little green men. What I am referring to are the sightings of rare animals or wildlife engaging in seemingly bizarre behavior.

By Terry W. Johnson

When we watch the nesting activities of the eastern bluebird, it appears that these beautiful birds live a pretty uncomplicated life style. However, researchers are finding that the private lives of these popular backyard birds often seem to be taken from the script of a daytime soap opera.

By Terry W. Johnson

I have a question for you: What is the state bird of Georgia? Is it: a) northern bobwhite; b) cardinal; c) northern mockingbird; or, d) brown thrasher?

Times up. If you guessed the brown thrasher, you are right. On March 20, 1970, after a 35-year campaign waged by The Garden Club of Georgia Inc., the Georgia General Assembly designated the brown thrasher as Georgia's official state bird.

By Terry W. Johnson

In the real estate business it is often said the value of a property is determined by three things location, location, location. The same holds true for nesting boxes. Where you erect a bird house will determine what bird will nest there since all cavity-nesting birds prefer to nest in certain
habitats and will rarely nest anywhere else.

For that reason, try as we might, it is difficult to get an eastern bluebird to nest in a heavily wooded backyard or a screech owl to use a box in the middle of a large open yard.

By Terry W. Johnson

If you are thinking about buying or building a nesting box, here are a few tips that will help you get the most for your time and money, and provide a safe place for birds to nest for years to come.

By Terry W. Johnson

When you enter a restaurant and spot a health inspection notice posted on the wall indicating that the restaurant has received a rating of 70 or below, would you eat there? Probably not. By the same token, I am sure that you don't want to expose birds to often-fatal diseases while eating at your backyard bird diner.

By Terry W. Johnson

Bird feeding is big -- really big. Roughly one-third of all North Americans older than 16 feed birds. Americans alone feed their feathered neighbors more than a billion pounds of wild bird seed annually.

By Terry W. Johnson

Nothing makes a youngster’s eyes sparkle on Christmas morning more than presents wrapped in brightly colored paper. I’d venture to say that most of the presents underneath your tree this year will be lovingly wrapped with paper adorned with at least some red. No, I’m not a mind reader. Red is simply the most popular color used at Christmas.

By Terry W. Johnson

Now that November is here, more than likely you haven’t seen a ruby-throated hummingbird in your backyard for quite some time. My wife and I were fortunate to see one as late as Halloween eve. However, because we haven’t spotted one since, I guess it is safe to say that it, too, has departed on its epic flight to its wintering grounds across the Gulf of Mexico.