Gardening Is for the Birds!

Article by Peg Smith - 

For the first time in forty-plus years, our Hachiya persimmon has produced very little fruit. This appears to be anecdotally common this year. The persimmon’s annual seasonal changes are easy to identify: dormant, spring/early summer fruit drop (also called ‘barefoot danger season’), fruit development, and mature fruit (also called ‘splat season’ as the uppermost fruit cannot be reached, so it ripens and falls; it is wise to wear a hat when walking underneath). The ‘splat season’ is my favorite as on wintery days we have a naturally decorated tree with orange-golden orbs. Visually beautiful when illuminated by the morning sun or the evening light, mysterious when the morning fog drifts through. But the main pleasure comes from the bird life that visits the tree. It appears to have a daily hierarchical pattern of large birds to smaller birds. Northern flickers first, then flocks of starlings, followed by cedar waxwings hanging upside down to feed, the smaller birds then follow, and scrub jays push in whenever they like. 

For years, there have been hours of pleasure from observing this natural feeding station. Without the fruit this year, what other food sources will there be for our winter birds? There is Nandina planted close by, surely that will be helpful? While researching plants that provide nourishment for overwintering birds and that do well in Yolo County, I kept coming across dramatic headlines proclaiming that Nandina should be removed from gardens as cedar waxwings in Georgia had suffered significant die off after consuming Nandina berries. Further research showed that the Georgia situation was unique, Nandina had become invasive in the area, there were few other food sources, and cedar waxwings have a habit of intensely feeding on one food source. There are documented similar negative effects from their gorging on blueberries, hawthorn flowers, and other plants. The suspected cause of the Georgia die off were cyanide compounds, present in underripe berries. These cyanide compounds are also present in several plants, including the underripe berries of the California native Toyon, a recommended shrub as an overwintering bird food source.

To find what birds are present in Yolo County through the winter months, the Cornell Lab eBird website provides bar charts that show when the birds listed are at maximum, minimum, or year-round in Yolo County. 

Yolo Bird Alliance publishes a Checklist of the Birds of Yolo County, California. To receive a free copy send your name and mailing address to info@yolobirdalliance.org. 

The City of Davis Public Works, Utilities, and Operations Urban Wildlife Division has lists of the most common birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles on their Local Wildlife page. 

Many birds in the garden are heard but not seen. To help you identify them, there are a number of apps available. Although UC ANR does not recommend any specific ones, I have had good results with one developed by Cornell Lab - Merlin Bird ID that can identify birds from their calls. The app will show how many bird species and which birds are enjoying the garden as much as you do.

Plants for Winter Bird Forage

California Natives 

Non-Native Plants with Winter Fruit

Easily grown annual ornamentals that support bird populations by providing seed in the fall and winter are amaranth and sunflowers. Bird feeders should be cleaned and refilled regularly. Enjoy discovering the garden birds and perhaps add a few plants this season to keep them visiting. Photos by Peg Smith unless noted.