Naturally Native Habitat

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.

...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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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
        

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

We have to shift our emphasis from economic efficiency and materialism towards a sustainable quality of life and to healing of our society, of our people and our ecological systems.

Janet Holmes à Court

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