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by Jessie Banaszak  Why would we want to feed the birds that winter over in Wisconsin? What are the benefits? What are some of the different birds that winter over in Wisconsin? How can I help the birds?
First of all, not only do birds provide beauty and pleasant sounds, but a lot of birds also help to control insects in your yard. For example, Bluebirds eat beetles (which feed on leaves, including Japanese beetles which feed on plants, flowers and grass), moth larvae (which feed on certain plants) and also grasshoppers and crickets. Cardinals feed on beetles, stink bugs, and snails. Chickadees eat aphids (which eat a lot of vegetables in your garden and flowering plants) and whiteflys. Some of the birds that stay in Wisconsin over the winter include: 1. The Northern Cardinal; 2. The Downy Woodpecker; 3. The Dark-eyed Junco; 4. The Pine Siskin; 5. The Snowy Owl; 6. The White-breasted Nuthatch; 7. The New World Warbler; 8. The Brown Thrasher; 9. The American Tree Sparrow; 10. Finches; 11. Song birds; and 12. Bluebirds. While being indoors a lot over the winter months, it's nice to see the birds hopping and chirping in your yard. With little effort, we can help the birds that winter over in Wisconsin. Many birds struggle to find enough food over the winter months. We can help the birds by feeding them good quality seed. There are many different types of seeds to purchase that will attract birds. When buying bird seed look for good quality seed, such as black sunflower seed, white proso millet or cracked corn. Fillers like red millet or flax are not considered good ingredients in bird seed. Try using white proso millet for Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows. Birds like Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays prefer peanuts. It is helpful to keep a journal of the birds you are feeding to help you determine the best seed to buy. Another way we can help the birds is to provide shelter over the winter months. For example, bird houses made of both wood and plastic are a good shelter (remember to periodically clean them with a mild soap and rise thoroughly). Also, a Christmas tree laid on its side or branches can help provide shelter for the birds. Native plants and trees are also an excellent source of protection for birds. The shelters not only keep birds warm in winter months, but also protect them from predators because they can hide in plants, trees and shrubs. Some of the trees that are protective for birds are: native evergreens, Red Cedar and White Cedar. Birds are wonderful animals that deserve our help to continue to thrive. With more and more people becoming educated and taking an interest in the nature around us, we can provide a better world not just for us but for future generations. Some other sources to look at for information on birds are: www.whatbirdsareinmybackyard.com. Feeder Watch The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Bird Watcher’s Digest. *works cited : 1. Mattson, Craig. Helping Birds in Winter. Wisconsin Nature. January 7, 2019. https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/2019/01/07/helping-birds-in-winter/ 2. Engberg, Gary. Winter bird-feeding season has arrived in Wisconsin. Wisconsin State Journal. December 23, 2016. https://madison.com/wsj/sports/recreation/outdoors/gary-engberg-winter-bird-feeding-season-has-arrived-in-wisconsin/article_6adb9801-a21d-5c51-a34f-8f5b1e92fea9.html
This spring we all are looking for activities to do at home in your own house or yard. Pollinators are struggling with sharply declining numbers and they are vital to our food production. Here are some ways you can create activities at home and help attract and support native pollinators. You can provide food and nesting habitats by planting flowering plants in your landscape or in containers on your patio, and DON’T USE PESTICIDES. Try to use a variety of plants that bloom from early spring to late fall. You can start from seed a variety of herbs, native pollinator plants, and annuals beneficial to bees, butterflies, and birds. Here are some herbs you can plant in pots: spearmint (but only in a pot because mint is invasive), oregano, sweet marjoram, basil, borage, lavender, and catnip/catmint. Some native flowering plants you can include in your garden are: violets, prairie smoke, pasque flowers, purple prairie clover, pale purple coneflower, wild bergamot, butterfly milkweed, woodland and prairie sunflower, prairie blazing star, and great blue lobelia.
You can find natives at: Johnson’s Nursery Inc. https://www.kb.jniplants.com/tag/native/ Mileager’s Gardens www.milaegerslandscape.com Monches’ Farm www.monchesfarm.com Prairie Nursery www.prairienursery.com and seeds at: Prairie Seed Source www.prairiebob.com, or Pheasants Forever www.pfhabitatstore.com/store/items/WI/ These sites can also help you choose plants that bloom at different times of the season. So please join the Whitefish Bay Garden Club in supporting pollinator insects and birds! Written by Jill Griffee Ross, Co-President of the Whitefish Bay Garden Club.  Want a great lawn next summer? NOW is the time to start. Cooler temperatures will kickstart both the top growth and root growth. Fall is the ideal time to both pamper your grass and feed those roots. The easiest first step in optimal lawn care is to begin mulching your grass clippings and leaves back into the lawn. That is the single simplest change you can make in your routine that will have a big impact on the health of your lawn for next year. This step alone recycles nutrient-rich materials back into your lawn rather than contributing to landscape waste on the curb. If you are already mulching your grass clippings back into your lawn, then take the next step — assess your lawn. Get to know your lawn a bit better. Establish a good baseline on where you are at now and where you want to be next year. Here are some simple ways to do that:
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