Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes some confused killdeer, sure signs of spring, tips on feeding backyard birds and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> Killdeer Sound the Alarm
> It's Gold Rush Time
> The Ol' Shell Game
> Spring Arrives Early in Garage
> Church Visitor Takes Wing
> Starting Seeds? Get Creative!

Killdeer Sound the Alarm

WATCHING killdeer scurry around her yard and listening to their distinctive call ("kill-dee, kill-dee") is something Carol W. of Harbor Creek, Pennsylvania looks forward to every spring.

"After returning home from vacation one March, I was pleased to see that several of the birds had returned to nest in my yard," Carol relates. "Besides the killdeer, I was greeted by the chirping of my smoke detector, reminding me that it was time to change the battery.

"That night, I was awakened by an unusual chorus of killdeer calls. The following night, the same thing happened. Finally, I figured out that the birds were calling out to a missing 'relative' that had stopped answering--my chirping smoke detector!"

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It's Gold Rush Time

THE GOLD RUSH may be history, but there's still some gold to be discovered in the Golden State. Each spring, the blooms of California poppies cover roadsides, fields and open country from the state's northern boundary to the Mexican border.

According to Lloyd W. of Rancho Palos Verdes, the best display is found near Lancaster, north of Los Angeles, at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. "The hills there are blanketed with a blaze of California poppies and other wildflowers," he says.

The 1,745-acre state reserve has 7 miles of walking paths and a paved area that's wheelchair accessible. Admission is $5 per vehicle ($4 per vehicle for seniors 62 and older).

"The blooming period for poppies varies from year to year, depending on winter rains, but the reserve is generally open from mid-March through mid-May," Lloyd informs. For details, call California State Parks at 1-805/942-0662 or visit www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex and look up Antelope Valley.
 

The Ol' Shell Game

CALCIUM is an important nutrient for birds, and here are some "shell" ways to make sure they get their fill.

In Reading, Pennsylvania , Sally L. puts dried eggshells and leftover cereal to good use in homemade suet. "Unsweetened cereals are best, and those with nuts and raisins give my backyard birds an extra treat," she says. Melt 1 cup of crunchy peanut butter and 1 cup of lard in a pan. Add 2 cups cornmeal, 3 cups crushed cereal and 1/2 cup ground eggshells. (A food processor makes short work of crumbling the cereal and eggshells.) Pour a 1-1/2-inch layer into a pan; cool. Cut into squares and store in your refrigerator or freezer.

When she boils eggs, Barbara C. of Clyde, North Carolina saves the water to make hummingbird nectar. "It gives my hummers an extra boost of calcium that's helpful during nesting season. I add 1/4 cup sugar to each cup of 'egg water', let it cool and then pour it into a clean hummingbird feeder."

Edna L. of Longview, Texas saves the shells whenever cooking with eggs. "I rinse them well and put them in the oven set at a low temperature. When they're dry, I crumble them with a rolling pin and add them to my birdseed. I am amazed at how quickly they're eaten!"

Spring Arrives Early in Garage

ABOUT this time of year, Janie C. of Roanoke, Virginia gets eager for spring to arrive. When she needs encouragement that the darkness of winter will soon give way to the brightness of the growing season, she heads for her garage. An unusual place to escape the winter blues? Not really, Janie explains. "Sitting under my folded lawn chairs and beside an empty planter is a touch of spring--delicate yellow daffodils in full bloom!"

She didn't plan on having the beauties in her garage. It happened by accident. "Last fall, I planted some bulbs in my yard and added a few to a concrete urn just outside the garage door. During the Christmas season, I moved the urn into the garage to make room for a rustic reindeer made of logs. Rather than risking back strain a second time, I decided to leave the container inside until spring.

"I forgot about the daffodil bulbs until I noticed tiny green shoots coming up from the urn. Luckily, there are several windows across my garage door, which let in plenty of sunlight. I began to water the shoots, and soon more sprouted.

"One morning a lone blossom sprang to life. I was ecstatic! Several more followed, and now I have a gorgeous bouquet of daffodils brightening my garage. Old Man Winter is lurking outside, but he doesn't bother me quite as much because my hopes of spring are already blooming--in my garage."

Church Visitor Takes Wing

THERE'S an "open-door policy" at the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, North Carolina...and recently a most unusual visitor took advantage of it.

"One Sunday a starling found itself an active participant in our worship," explains Claudia M. "The bird flew from back to front looking for a place to escape, but it finally settled on a ledge near the organ pipes just as our pastor began to deliver a wonderful sermon. The bird appeared to listen patiently.

"After the sermon, the congregation sang Amazing Grace. One verse of the hymn seemed especially fitting for this bird--it goes, 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. Shortly after that, the bird found its way back to a more familiar world outdoors."
 

Starting Seeds? Get Creative!

PLASTIC cake and cookie containers from the bakery or grocery store make great places to start plants and flowers from seed--the clear covers help the seeds stay moist. Seeds can also be started in yogurt cups with clear lids. Cut a slit in the bottom for drainage, fill with soil to within 1/2 inch of the top, water and put on the lid. Remove the lid when the seedlings sprout.

Lots of folks start seeds in plastic soft drink bottles. Cut off the hard bottoms (or the lower 3 inches of the bottles if they do not have hard bottoms). Fill the bottom portion with good potting soil, plant seeds and water. Replace the top and tape in place. Be sure to leave the bottle cap off. You now have a mini-greenhouse!

Paper egg cartons work well for starting seeds. Cut the top off and place it under the egg compartments, then add seed starting mix and your seeds. When watered, the paper carton holds moisture for a long time and adds support for handling. Break each section apart when transplanting. You can plant the biodegradable carton with the seedling to reduce transplanting shock.

Used foam drinking cups make ideal pots for starting seedlings. Just punch a few drainage holes in the bottoms of the cups and write plant names on the sides. At planting time, seedlings slip out easily so you can reuse the cups many times before discarding them.

Even empty toilet paper tubes can be filled with soil to start seeds indoors. When it's time to transplant them outdoors, just pop the containers into the ground.

Birds & Blooms 10th Anniversary Bird Feeder

CELEBRATE the first 10 years of Birds & Blooms magazine with this eye-catching wire mesh bird feeder. The copper-coated roof, adds even more "beauty in your own backyard"!

It's made of 100% squirrel-damage-resistant steel and holds over 2-1/2 pounds of sunflower seeds. Mesh design keeps feeder clean and protects birds from disease.

To order the Birds & Blooms 10th Anniversary Bird Feeder
from Country Store On-line, click here.

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Birds & Blooms magazine brings beautiful backyards from across America into your living room--through vivid, full-color photos. It's like a friendly "chat" over the back fence with your bird-and flower-loving neighbors. 

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