Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat

[Unkle_John]

My father was passionate about wildlife and the preservation of it that he created a backyard habitat. I plan on doing such a thing to my yard also. Dad was never vocal on his beliefs about the environment, he only brought it up if asked. He was the type that would tell his friends and just go about his business and hope that they followed his lead in his lead.

But dad would have been proud to know that some of you did the same. He would talk about the birds that came to visit. in fact, every time we go to visit, he has cardinals flying around like crazy. They are beautiful to see in the whiteness of a snow blanket on the earth in the winter. I know dad was proud to know of the type of people I associate with online and real life.

So please, consider this project.

Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat (http://www.nwf.org/backyard/)

Tips on attracting birds, butterflies, and more. (http://www.nwf.org/backyard/tipsheets.cfm)

[LIBRA]

Thank you for that site, how awesome!! I never realized you could certify your property as a wild life habitat! So cool!!! Im gonna do it!!!

I have a swamp out back with lots of big brush and cover a big ol rock wall too they used to use rock walls as fencing or to tell where your land boundries where. Ive got lots of food sources, elder berry trees, oak trees, lots of native plants, lots of milkweed for the monarchs too. A couple apple trees, they dont produce a whole lot though I need to prune them, they get infested with bugs too.

Thanks so much for sharing this!!!! I will place my sign in my yard, in honor of your dad!!!!

[LIBRA]

Its a done deal I officially have a certified wildlife habitat!!! #111122!!

It was so easy, just fill out the application and done!!

[Unkle_John]

I'm still constructing the habitat so I'm going to wait... did I ever show pics of the backyard in the spring time?

Here's a slide show (if it works) These pics are from this spring (http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/?albumview=slideshow)

[LIBRA]

Nope it says I need your password.

Ive got birdboxes, feeders, hummingbird and butterfly food. Rabbits, woodchucks, deer. Theres a 16 point buck thats been eating from the apple tree, Ive spotted him once and my brother did too, my sons dad saw him a few times. My neighbors wanna shoot him, I pray they dont. Im ok with hunting to feed your family, but trophy hunting makes me ill. Swamp is full of frogs, toads, peepers. Spring time around here is nuts, its so loud I cant hear when Im on the phone, in the house!!!! There all pretty safe here, the cats do kill a few birds and my dog used to kill woodchucks, hes old now, just kinda runs after em now.

So thanks for sharing that site I would have never thought about doing that, its pretty cool! And I plan on making my yard less and less of a yard every year. More flower beds, and fruit trees. Need more time, money and man power..

[Shydog]

I'm with Libra. Had to use cattle panels to fence off about 2 acres, in order to keep out coyotes. The coyotes come through a few times a year eating up the rabbits and baby deer. You'll never see a Coyote, but can hear them singing at sundown, and whooping with a kill. How about a series of small gardens and strips of lawn in beetween. More garden - less lawn.

[Unkle_John]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0047.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0048.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0049.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0050.jpg

[Unkle_John]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0051.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0052.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0010.jpg

[LIBRA]

Beautiful Iris's!!!

And love all the monarchs! Do you always get that many all together? Id love to see one of there stops on there migration, to see thousands of them. How cool!!!!

[LIBRA]

http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/certify.html

You can also help out the Monarch Butterflies and create a habitat just for them!!!

[Unkle_John]

SWEET!!!!

Well there is a long and short story to those Monarchs.
They were migrating... but b/c of the flowers they stopped by to visit. They also stopped by b/c the kiddos at the school 2 blocks from here released them.

[Unkle_John]

Look who I caught getting ready for the cold weather.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/unklejohn/Spring/DSCF0003.jpg

When I build the bottle wall, I plan on having a few ground level holes so that they can come and go. I don't mind bunnies in the yard.

[Savon]

We use to have deer wonder through our yard before we moved closer to the city and to an apartment.