Naturally Native Creations

Welcome to the Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat & Naturally Native Creations

Naturally Native is all about our love of nature, animals and the great outdoors. We enjoy Louisiana's scenic rivers and the abundant native flora and fauna and we want to share it with the world. Most of the photographs featured here were taken in Southeastern Louisiana both pre and post Katrina. The dog and cat subjects in our photos and art work are our very own, beloved rescued pets.

The proceeds from our lenses and products are used for our Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat to purchase feed for the wildlife and native trees and shrubs to replace the hundreds that were lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Come in and See What's Here

Welcome Wildlife into Your Backyard

For over 30 years we have been maintaining a National Wildlife Backyard Habitat. Our first one was in our 1/2 acre suburban lot and our current one occupies 9 acres along the Tchefuncte River. Through the years we have had many delightful encounters with several different species of wildlife, everything from tiny native Bees to White-tailed Deer and many other creatures in between. Our habitat provides food for humans and animals alike and by using many native and naturalized plants, our gardens are sustainable and ecologically healthy.

Biodiversity in plant and animal life is the key to a healthy habitat and a healthy environment. We have replaced the mono-culture of exotic lawn grass with low maintenance native and food producing plants. We still have some areas with St. Augustine and Carpet grass that we use as walkways and roads through the property, but we have placed them so that they are easy to mow with the riding lawnmower. These areas are getting smaller everyday as the mulch and leaves cover the edges. The result has been the revitalization of pollinators and other beneficial insects. The cycle of life (producer, prey, predator) remains intact to perform as nature intended.

Habitats should maintain a balance of nature. The never ending cycle of producer, predator and prey keeps this balance. In our habitat, all native species: insect, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals are allowed to live as they would in the wild. By providing "wild" areas for the animals we are able to keep the "management" of our habitat to a minimum so have been rewarded with a variety of beautiful and colorful creatures.

To attract and sustain wildlife in your garden or yard the 3 major requirements for the survival of any creature must be provided:

Food - in the form of plants (nectar, berry, and nut producing) and/or feeders.

Shelter/Cover/Nesting Sites - Evergreens are especially important for wintering Hummingbirds and natives are preferred nesting sites. Nest boxes can also be a pleasing addition to the garden or dead trees and limbs can be left standing.

Water -

from a large pond to a birdbath, but dripping or moving water is most appealing.

Water is the most important element for survival of any species, whether it be plant or animal. Bird baths, ponds and water gardens come in all shapes and sizes and will attract all kinds of beneficial creatures to your habitat. Soon you'll find tadpoles and dragonfly larvae swimming around, that when mature, will devour many mosquitoes and other harmful insects. It is best to have circulation to keep the water fresh and if you have a pond, small fish will keep the mosquito larvae population down. We are on a well and use an old mister tube which now slowly drips so the water is always fresh and the moisture loving plants around it are always moist. If your water use is restricted and you don't want to use electricity, then there are many solar powered circulating pumps and some have batteries that store the energy for night time use.

Birds and other animals will also flock to a water source (especially on hot days and during periods of drought). We've been able to photograph a variety of different birds enjoying a cool dip or a drink from our bird bath.

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. - John Muir

A Day on Hummingbird Hill

A typical day begins with the feeding of the birds and animals. Sunflower seeds and cracked corn are distributed among a dozen different feeding stations near the house and the suet feeders are also filled. We use about 75 pounds of black oil sunflower seed and cracked corn each week. Our 15+ hummingbird feeders are also checked and observed. We use from 2 to 5 pounds of sugar each week for these. A walk to the river with the dogs is next on the agenda, where a dozen more feeding stations are checked and filled and the wildlife camera memory card is changed. Scroll down to see photos of how the animals handled the May 3, 2008 flood on the Tchefuncte River.

Also visit Creatures of the Night to learn more about the nocturnal animals that live in and around the river.

To see more of the photos that we get each night, go to our Wildlife Page and look under Night Visitors.

Beavers and Raccoons White Tailed Deer

In addition to our regular activities, a typical Post-Katrina day may include cutting up and moving some of the 100 mature pine, black cherry, oak and hickory trees that were downed by the hurricane force winds and tornadoes. We chose to clear by hand instead of with a bulldozer so that as much of the existing under story trees and plants would remain intact. Most of the trails and feeding stations and nest boxes have been repaired or replaced, but limbs and dead trees are constantly falling, so we are still doing some repairs.

I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.

Elwyn Brooks White, Essays of E.B. White, 1977

Tchefuncte River Flood - Photo Journal

Pictures from the Moultrie Wildlife Camera

The Tchefuncte River is ever changing. On May 3, 2008, the water began to rise on our sleepy little river. We knew that there had been torrential rainfall north of us, so we were expecting the water to rise a little. But, we didn't expect it to rise to 25.25 feet (flood stage is 20 feet). Here's the story as taken by the Moultrie Game Camera as the water began to rise during the night. The camera remained high and dry, about 2 feet above the water when the Tchefuncte crested. Notice the date, time, temperature and moon phase on each photo.

The Beavers and Raccoons are eating peacefully together, unaware that the water is steadily rising in the nearby Tchefuncte River.

One lone beaver eats as the water inches nearer.

The river has left its banks and is beginning to surround the feeding area as the Raccoons and Beavers try to eat as much as they can.

Since Raccoons will gather food from the water and often appear to "wash" their food, they are not bothered by the shallow water.

However as the water deepens, they give up and head for the safety of the trees.

The water crested at around 11:30 on May 4th and Wood Ducks swim where the feeding spot once was.

The next day, the water recedes and Rio and 2nd Chance investigate the new smells.

Photographs and Art from Nature

About Our Work and Interests:

We have been drawing, painting and/or photographing the natural world for most of our lives. Our products on Zazzle and Cafepress reflect our connection with the outdoors. Our property provides a haven for the wild creatures that live in and around the Tchefuncte River. This is especially important in this post-Katrina world as we watch acres of native habitat being bulldozed each day to make way for development while hundreds of brand new houses sit empty.

Be sure to visit our Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat web page to see more of our photographs and to learn more about the wildlife and native plants of Southeastern Louisiana and how to landscape with native and naturalized plants that will attract wildlife like hummingbirds, butterflies, pollinators and beneficial insects.

If you are interested in the native plants of Louisiana, you will enjoy our Folsom Native Plant Society website, where you will find galleries of photographs of our beautiful native plants, newsletters filled with useful information and pages about gardening with and propagating native plants.

Recommended Nature Books

Here are some of our favorite books that we know you'll like, too.

Bringing Nature Home: How...

Hummingbird Gardens

Forest Plants Of The Sout...

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to...

Attracting Birds to South...

More Recommended Books about Attracting Wildlife

Some wildlife can actually help the garden by acting as pest controllers. These books will aid you in creating a habitat that will be a joy to you and to the wonderful wildlife.

The Wildlife Gardener's G...

Bird-by-Bird Gardening: T...

Wildlife in the Garden: H...

Noah's Garden: Restoring...

Planting Noah's Garden: F...

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays

Nature and Habitats Link List

Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat: All about the native plants and animals of Southeastern Louisiana with resources including lists of plants that will attract and sustain butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife.
Folsom Louisiana Native Plant Society: Photographs (4 Photo Galleries) and information about the native plants of Southeastern Louisiana and how to use them in landscaping.
eNature: FieldGuides: eNature Field Guides -- Comprehensive guide to America's wildlife with species pictures, field descriptions, sounds, range and habitat information and more.
Garden for Wildlife - National Wildlife Federation: Gardening for wildlife means you'll get to see beautiful butterflies and birds, as well as have a vibrant yard filled with native plants, so start your own wildlife habitat today with our help.
Backyard Nature with Jim Conrad: Backyard nature study
Bird Photos - Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center - National Zoo| FONZ: Gallery of bird pictures submitted by Gerhard Hofmann and others. Brought to you by the National Zoo| FONZ.

Wildlife Cameras Like Ours

We have a Moultrie M40 camera that automatically takes photographs day and night. It will also take video clips. Below are some similar models available at Amazon. To see some of the nightly photos go to our Wildlife Page and look under Night Visitors.

Moultrie® Game Spy M - 6...

GameSpy 6.0 Digitl Camera...

Moultrie® Game Spy I - 4...

Aldo Leopold, Sand County Almanac

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.

Naturally Native Gifts for the Nature Lover

The designs of the products that we offer on Zazzle were created from our original art work and photographs. We try to capture and convey the beauty and wonder of nature and the outdoors.

Red-spotted Purple Mug at Zazzle Hummer Kiss Mousepad at Zazzle

Mother Dove Poster at Zazzle Raccoon Rascals Poster at Zazzle

Teach Your Children Well

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of your grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.

Native American Wisdom