Some of the newer or more casual members of the birding community may think of summer as the ‘slow’ time for birding. And in many ways it is. Spring migration is a done deal. If you so choose, you can hang up the binoculars, put the scope away after a good cleaning, and use your photography gear to capture more land-dwelling forms of life, such as your family, whom you may have neglected during the spring migration! So at the risk of being a spoiler for the summertime you thought you had “off”, I offer a few comments of interest about our summer avifauna in the Atlanta metro area. Migration and Nesting One point in this article will be the following: it is erroneous to think that “summer” is the time “after” spring migration and “before” fall migration. It is true that spring migration moves along at a pretty good…
Category: Newsletters and Member Articles
A Bit of Dirt – Winter 2010
The full pdf copy of this edition is available here. PRESIDENT’S CORNER – By Jackie Kujawa I’m writing this, as we are just ending spring and a very busy time with volunteer service. We have just finished a successful Plant Sale making approximately $4000.00. I want to thank everyone involved in the effort. The Garden Tour will have been completed by the time you read this. I know it will be successful as well. Everyone gets ideas for our gardens from other Master Gardeners homes. We also will have gotten together at our June picnic at McDaniel Farm to celebrate these successes. I know the plant swap will have been exciting as we exchange plants at the picnic. July, August and September are usually slower months for us, but I would encourage you to keep working at ongoing projects, such as Bethesda Senior Center, McDaniel Farm Park, Vines Gardens, and…
Fish Ponds: Spring Time Maintenance
Now is the time to start cleaning the koi, goldfish, and other ponds. Ponds need to be cleaned at least annually. If the pond has any debris on the bottom, the water in your pond will have trouble staying clear for your enjoyment. Algae feed on the organic decaying matter in the pond. As the weather and water warms up, the algae begin to feed on the organic matter and a “bloom” will occur that will turn the water cloudy. Another reason to clean the ponds is to get rid of disease carrying parasites that live in the decaying matter. These parasites seek out the koi and other fish and can cause them to become sick. Several methods are available to clean your pond. If the pond isn’t too large and/or dirty, it can be cleaned using a net to muck the stuff on the bottom. I have my ponds…