Bringing Song And Color To Your Backyard With Birds

Below are some additionalcost-saving tips for feeding birdsWant to know how to “bringsong and color to your backyard”for your enjoyment? Just find outwhat bird seed and bird feedersare needed to attract the type ofbirds that live or migrate throughyour area. The National BirdFeeding Society has updatedtheir web-site athttp://www.birdfeeding.org/ withnew information guides such as: Bird Food Preference Chart Bird Feeder Preference Chart Top Ten Bird Feeding Tips Plants to Attract Wild Birds Bird Identification Sheet Backyard Bird Field Guide Prevent Disease at BirdFeeders Prevent Bird-Window CollisionsThe National Bird-FeedingSociety (NBFS) helps to sponsorand promote National BirdFeeding each year. The theme for2013 is “Bringing Song and Colorto Your Backyard”. NationalBird–Feeding events werecreated in 1994 to advance andpublicize wild bird feeding andwatching. Activities during theseevents highlight the joys of birdfeeding by providing tips andtechniques to create a successfulbird feeding and watchingexperience.To attract a variety of birds towatch use a wide variety offeeders and bird food, such as:from my own experiences: Best bang for the buck if youare only going to put out onefeed with one feeder: Black oilsunflower seed (BOSS) on amedium size platform or a tubefeeder. Stretch your money by plantingnatural foods in your yard. Planttrees and shrubs with berriesand fruit. Plant flowers such asconeflowers and sunflowers.The butterflies, bees and youwill enjoy them in the summer,and if left standing after theflowers mature, the birds willeat the seed heads in the falland winter. Flowers such as redbuckeye and nativehoneysuckle provide earlynectar sources forhummingbirds. Now is the timeto plant trees and shrubs andplan those flower gardens. Not all bird species areattracted to feeders, but themajority of bird species areattracted to water. For evenmore variety in your birdwatching set up a bird bath, ashallow fountain (birds are veryattracted to dripping or runningwater), or a water feature suchas a shallow pond.Have fun year round bringingsong and color to your backyardby feeding and watching wildbirds.Laura Anderson, NRCS Earth Team Coordinator, presents Nancy Lau, HindsEarth Team Volunteer with the Individual State Volunteer Award.Congratulations Nancy!! Hinds County had several other state winnersrecognized at the MACD (MS Association of Conservation Districts) AnnualMeeting. See page 7 for additional winners.More information on feedingbirds can be found at thefollowing web-sites: http://www.audubon.org/bird/at home/bird feeding/index.html http://www.enature.com/Articles/detail.asp?storyID 607 http://www.birdstars.org/ andhttp://www.birdzilla.com/.and last but not least, Nectar feeders (there havebeen several documentedwinter sightings ofhummingbirds and orioles thisyear). Slightly elevated (about 2 feethigh) platform and/or groundplatform feeders and/orHanging tubular feeders withwire around them filled withBOSS alone or a mixture ofBOSS with some safflowerseed, hulled peanuts and/ordried fruit; Hanging socks with thistle(nyjer); Hanging square baskets withsuet; Decorative bowls or cups withmeal worms for insect lovers,such as bluebirds;By Glynda Clardy, Wildlife BiologistBringing Song and Color to Your Backyard with BirdsEarth Team Volunteers grabbed their hats and read to students incelebration of “Read Across America.” For more information on the eventsee page 7.Congratulations Rogerick! Rogerick Thompson has been promoted toResource Conservationist, USDA, NRCS for Area 2 (21 counties) in CentralMississippi. Reginald Spears, Chairman of Hinds County SWCD, left, andCindy Ayers, Commissioner SWCD present Rogerick with an appreciationplaque.Brad Mitchell, NRCS, Phillip Mikell, Hinds SWCD and Don Lackey, NRCSprepare seedlings for Tree Day 2013. For more information on Tree Day seepage 4.See “ EQIP-Ruminant” on page 3A new initiative in Mississippiaims to encourage ranchers ofruminant animals like sheep andgoats to make conservationimprovements to their operations.USDA’s Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS) isoffering financial and technicalassistance through the SmallRuminant Farmer Initiative to helpthese ranchers enhance theirlands while cleaning andAssistance through thisThis initiative was created tohelp meet the need of a growingcommodity in Mississippi. Part ofNRCS’ Environmental QualityIncentives Program (EQIP), thisinitiative offers about 500,000 toMississippi landowners. April 19is the deadline for applications.conserving water and improvingsoil.Ruminants are characterizedby their “four” stomachs and“cud-chewing” behavior. Thereare about 150 different domesticinitiative will help ranchers installa variety of conservationpractices that aim to boost waterquality and quantity and increasesoil health. Practices includefencing, ponds and heavy useprotection areas.New Conservation Initiative Assists Ranchers ofRuminant Animalslynn.porter@ms.nacdnet.netVOLUME 38, NUMBER 1Hinds County Soil and WaterConservation District322 New Market DriveJackson, Mississippi 39209Tel.: 601·965·5682, x3Fax: 601·965·4199SPRING 2013Jackson, MSPermit No. 80PAIDNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePublic Land Offer Youth HuntingOpportunitiesBy Brad Mitchell, USDA NRCS, Soil ConservationistConservation NotesLynn PorterDon LackeyDistrict ClerkConservation PartnershipVisits with the MississippiSchool for the BlindBy: Jason Keenan, Wildlife Biologist, USDA NRCSPUBLISHED BYThe Hinds County Soil & WaterConservation District322 New Market DriveJackson, Mississippi 39209Telephone 601·965·5682, x3EDITORLynn PorterPublished quarterly byThe Hinds County Soil & WaterConservation District 15.00 per year membershipincludes a subscription to newsletter.STAFF ASSISTING DISTRICTBrad MitchellSoil Conservationist (NRCS)Phillip MikellSoil Conservation TechnicianDistrict AdministratorSoil Conservation Technician (NRCS)Willie TaylorSoil Conservation Technician (NRCS)Wyvette RobinsonCOMMISSIONERS ANDDEPUTY COMMISSIONERSCindy AyersJoseph Brown, Jr.David BartonJean NormanDon Kazery, Jr.Joe WilcotsReginald SpearsRichard MellonThe United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programson the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,religion, age, disability, political beliefs andmarital or familial status. (Not all prohibitedbases apply to all programs.) Persons withdisabilities who require alternative means forcommunication of program information (Braille,large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact theUSDA’s TARGET Center at 202·720·2600 (voiceand TDD).To file a complaint, write the Secretary ofAgriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture,Washington, D.C. 20250 or call 1·800·245·6340(voice) or 202·720·1127 (TDD). USDA is anequal employment opportunity employer.Conservation NotesYouth duck hunts provide an opportunity to pass the sport on to the next generation. In the abovepicture Peyton Wilkerson and Peyton Long show their limit for the day.I grew up in TallahatchieCounty in the Delta, my dad and Iwould drive the back roads onFriday afternoons looking forfields and flooded timber full ofducks to hunt for the weekend.Back then (25 years ago) all youhad to do was call the landownerand ask for permission. Moretimes than not, he wouldn’t mindyou going at all as long as youshut the gate behind you anddidn’t rut up his turn roads. I canremember many mornings beingback at the house by 8 a.m.eating breakfast with a limit ofducks in the back of the truckwaiting for us to clean. Thosewere some of the mostmemorable times that I’ve hadhunting and can remember themlike they were yesterday. There isno better way to spend somequality time with a young personthan sitting together in a duckblind and waiting for the birds tocome in. In between the flights ofducks and geese there is plentyof time to talk about any subjecton your mind and you can enjoy amemorable outdoor experience atthe same time.Nowadays it seems those daysare few and far between for mostof us. More hunters, high leasecosts, and decreased numbers ofbirds making their way down theflyway are some reasons peopleno longer take part inwaterfowling in the south.However, the MississippiDepartment of Wildlife Fisheriesand Parks (MDWFP) and localNational Wildlife Refuges (NWR)in Mississippi are responding tothe need of getting youth backinvolved in wing shooting. Youthhunt days are now being setaside both before and after theregular hunting seasons on bothstate WMA’s and Federal NWR’s.These hunts are available fordoves in September and ducks inNovember and late January.Some NWR’s that havn’t beenduck hunted in 50 years areopening their doors and allowingseveral youth weekends. Most ofthese areas have been set asideand not bothered so the birdswon’t be as wary when the youthhunters arrive. These hunts canbe excellent opportunities tointroduce novice hunters to thewing shooting experience andhopefully make them hunters forlife. Always remember, when youtake your kids hunting and fishingyou don’t have to hunt your kids.Sometimes as employees ofNRCS and the ConservationDistrict we are asked to assistwith educational opportunities atvarious schools. These normallylast less than an hour long,consist of show and tell usingvarious wildlife skulls and pelts.Conservation programs helpsupport our local schools andstudents. In early January, LynnPorter and I were asked to helpwith a unique endeavor: assistingthe MS School for the Blind withconservation education. This wasa new and exciting experience!The afternoon started with thestudents providing a mock newsreport on local conservationefforts and wildlife facts. Theability of those students toJason Keenon, NRCS wildlife biologist, letsstudents and teachers at the MS School for theBlind feel the pelt of a bobact. Jason discussedwith the students native wildlife species inMississippi, the importance of good habitat andother topics concerning wildlife.Vivian Smith, MS School for the Deaf and BryanGueltig, MS School for the Blind are long timefriends of Lynn Porter’s. Both teach science intheir respective schools and share everything even a live mouse that a student caught.perform in front of their peers andteachers really amazed us. Next,it was our turn to teach, although Ifeel like they taught me more thanI taught them. Each time I had askull or pelt to show, their handswent to flying! Even with a lack ofvision, these students proved thatthough vision is an asset, nothaving it was not a disabilityeither! They could describe thesharp canines of the black bear,the flat molars of the beaver andcould describe why a bobcat hasits spots! After almost an hourwith those students, we just didn’thave the time available that wecould have spent discussingmore wildlife facts and tidbits. Wecan only hope that we were ableto leave half the impression onthem that they left on us!EQIP-Ruminantcontinued from page 1and wild ruminant species,including sheep, goat and reddeer.Eligible land includespastureland, cutover, abandonedagricultural areas and convertedcropland. Incidental woodedareas are eligible when existingvegetation will support grazingand browsing animals. To beeligible, small ruminants mustalready be present.“We want to engageMississippi’s ranchers andencourage them to useconservation to boost productionand improve the quality of ourwaterways and soil,” NRCS StateConservationist Homer Wilkessaid. “We are seeing moreranchers of ruminant animals inMississippi, and we created thisinitiative to ensure conservationpractices are available for theseoperations.”All participants must meetconservation program eligibilityrequirements to receive financialassistance. This initiative placesspecial emphasis on historicallyunderserved producers duringthe ranking of applications.For more information, contactthe Jackson Field Office at 601965-5682 Ext. 3 or visitwww.nrcs.usda.gov.GADDIS &McLAURIN, INC.Serving agriculture in Alabam a,Louisiana,M ississippiand partofTennessee(800) 955-1722w w w .firstsouthfarm credit.comWe now offer real estate loans for:601-955-0905 cell 601-857-8889 home2116 North Chapel Hill Rd.Raymond, MS 39154dclaymason@aol.com· Land and realestate im provem ents· Purchasing sm alland large tracts of land· Tim ber tracts and tim ber im provem ent· Construction of ponds,lakes,barns,country cabins· D ebtRefinancingComplete line of Hardware,Building Supplies,Feed and SeedBolton, MS601-866-2279

Below are some additionalcost-saving tips for feeding birdsWant to know how to “bringsong and color to your backyard”for your enjoyment? Just find outwhat bird seed and bird feedersare needed to attract the type ofbirds that live or migrate throughyour area. The National BirdFeeding Society has updatedtheir web-site athttp://www.birdfeeding.org/ withnew information guides such as: Bird Food Preference Chart Bird Feeder Preference Chart Top Ten Bird Feeding Tips Plants to Attract Wild Birds Bird Identification Sheet Backyard Bird Field Guide Prevent Disease at BirdFeeders Prevent Bird-Window CollisionsThe National Bird-FeedingSociety (NBFS) helps to sponsorand promote National BirdFeeding each year. The theme for2013 is “Bringing Song and Colorto Your Backyard”. NationalBird–Feeding events werecreated in 1994 to advance andpublicize wild bird feeding andwatching. Activities during theseevents highlight the joys of birdfeeding by providing tips andtechniques to create a successfulbird feeding and watchingexperience.To attract a variety of birds towatch use a wide variety offeeders and bird food, such as:from my own experiences: Best bang for the buck if youare only going to put out onefeed with one feeder: Black oilsunflower seed (BOSS) on amedium size platform or a tubefeeder. Stretch your money by plantingnatural foods in your yard. Planttrees and shrubs with berriesand fruit. Plant flowers such asconeflowers and sunflowers.The butterflies, bees and youwill enjoy them in the summer,and if left standing after theflowers mature, the birds willeat the seed heads in the falland winter. Flowers such as redbuckeye and nativehoneysuckle provide earlynectar sources forhummingbirds. Now is the timeto plant trees and shrubs andplan those flower gardens. Not all bird species areattracted to feeders, but themajority of bird species areattracted to water. For evenmore variety in your birdwatching set up a bird bath, ashallow fountain (birds are veryattracted to dripping or runningwater), or a water feature suchas a shallow pond.Have fun year round bringingsong and color to your backyardby feeding and watching wildbirds.Laura Anderson, NRCS Earth Team Coordinator, presents Nancy Lau, HindsEarth Team Volunteer with the Individual State Volunteer Award.Congratulations Nancy!! Hinds County had several other state winnersrecognized at the MACD (MS Association of Conservation Districts) AnnualMeeting. See page 7 for additional winners.More information on feedingbirds can be found at thefollowing web-sites: http://www.audubon.org/bird/at home/bird feeding/index.html http://www.enature.com/Articles/detail.asp?storyID 607 http://www.birdstars.org/ andhttp://www.birdzilla.com/.and last but not least, Nectar feeders (there havebeen several documentedwinter sightings ofhummingbirds and orioles thisyear). Slightly elevated (about 2 feethigh) platform and/or groundplatform feeders and/orHanging tubular feeders withwire around them filled withBOSS alone or a mixture ofBOSS with some safflowerseed, hulled peanuts and/ordried fruit;Hanging socks with thistle(nyjer);Hanging square baskets withsuet;Decorative bowls or cups withmeal worms for insect lovers,such as bluebirds;By Glynda Clardy, Wildlife BiologistBringing Song and Color to Your Backyard with BirdsEarth Team Volunteers grabbed their hats and read to students incelebration of “Read Across America.” For more information on the eventsee page 7.Congratulations Rogerick! Rogerick Thompson has been promoted toResource Conservationist, USDA, NRCS for Area 2 (21 counties) in CentralMississippi. Reginald Spears, Chairman of Hinds County SWCD, left, andCindy Ayers, Commissioner SWCD present Rogerick with an appreciationplaque.Brad Mitchell, NRCS, Phillip Mikell, Hinds SWCD and Don Lackey, NRCSprepare seedlings for Tree Day 2013. For more information on Tree Day seepage 4.See “ EQIP-Ruminant” on page 3A new initiative in Mississippiaims to encourage ranchers ofruminant animals like sheep andgoats to make conservationimprovements to their operations.USDA’s Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS) isoffering financial and technicalassistance through the SmallRuminant Farmer Initiative to helpthese ranchers enhance theirlands while cleaning andAssistance through thisThis initiative was created tohelp meet the need of a growingcommodity in Mississippi. Part ofNRCS’ Environmental QualityIncentives Program (EQIP), thisinitiative offers about 500,000 toMississippi landowners. April 19is the deadline for applications.conserving water and improvingsoil.Ruminants are characterizedby their “four” stomachs and“cud-chewing” behavior. Thereare about 150 different domesticinitiative will help ranchers installa variety of conservationpractices that aim to boost waterquality and quantity and increasesoil health. Practices includefencing, ponds and heavy useprotection areas.New Conservation Initiative Assists Ranchers ofRuminant Animalslynn.porter@ms.nacdnet.netVOLUME 38, NUMBER 1Hinds County Soil and WaterConservation District322 New Market DriveJackson, Mississippi 39209Tel.: 601·965·5682, x3Fax: 601·965·4199SPRING 2013Jackson, MSPermit No. 80PAIDNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostageBy Brad Mitchell, USDA NRCS, Soil ConservationistConservation NotesPUBLISHED BY322 New Market DriveJackson, Mississippi 39209Telephone 601·965·5682, x3EDITORLynn Porter 15.00 per year membershipincludes a subscription to newsletter.STAFF ASSISTING DISTRICTBrad MitchellSoil Conservationist (NRCS)Phillip MikellSoil Conservation TechnicianLynn PorterDistrict AdministratorDon LackeySoil Conservation Technician (NRCS)Willie TaylorSoil Conservation Technician (NRCS)Wyvette RobinsonDistrict ClerkCOMMISSIONERS ANDDEPUTY COMMISSIONERSCindy AyersJoseph Brown, Jr.David BartonJean NormanDon Kazery, Jr.Joe WilcotsReginald SpearsRichard MellonThe United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programson the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,religion, age, disability, political beliefs andmarital or familial status. (Not all prohibitedbases apply to all programs.) Persons withdisabilities who require alternative means forcommunication of program information (Braille,large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact theUSDA’s TARGET Center at 202·720·2600 (voiceand TDD).To file a complaint, write the Secretary ofAgriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture,Washington, D.C. 20250 or call 1·800·245·6340(voice) or 202·720·1127 (TDD). USDA is anequal employment opportunity employer.Conservation PartnershipVisits with the MississippiSchool for the BlindBy: Jason Keenan, Wildlife Biologist, USDA NRCSThe Hinds County Soil & WaterConservation DistrictPublished quarterly byThe Hinds County Soil & WaterConservation DistrictConservation NotesPublic Land Offer Youth HuntingOpportunitiesYouth duck hunts provide an opportunity to pass the sport on to the next generation. In the abovepicture Peyton Wilkerson and Peyton Long show their limit for the day.I grew up in TallahatchieCounty in the Delta, my dad and Iwould drive the back roads onFriday afternoons looking forfields and flooded timber full ofducks to hunt for the weekend.Back then (25 years ago) all youhad to do was call the landownerand ask for permission. Moretimes than not, he wouldn’t mindyou going at all as long as youshut the gate behind you anddidn’t rut up his turn roads. I canremember many mornings beingback at the house by 8 a.m.eating breakfast with a limit ofducks in the back of the truckwaiting for us to clean. Thosewere some of the mostmemorable times that I’ve had

601-955-0905 cell 601-857-8889 home 2116 North Chapel Hill Rd. Raymond, MS 39154 dclaymason@aol.com Bringing Song and Color to Your Backyard with Birds By Glynda Clardy, Wildlife Biologist The National Bird-Feeding Society (NBFS) helps to sponsor and promote National Bird-Feeding each year. The theme for 2013 is “Bringing Song and Color