How to attract screech owls to your woodland wildlife gardens
Screech owls are popular visitors to suburban woodland gardens and are beginning to increase their numbers in Canada, in part, because more homeowners are installing nesting boxes on their properties. Screech owls are among the smallest in North America but they eat more than their share of mice and rats making them a favourite for woodland gardeners.
Native Goldenrod: Fall’s golden gift to wildlife gardeners and photographers
Goldenrod blooming in our gardens and along roadsides is a sure sign that fall is not far off. These are important native plants for a host of bees and butterflies that depend on the plants for late summer, early fall food sources.
Pentax F* 300mm f4.5 ED IF: My favourite wildlife lens
Capturing memorable backyard wildlife and birds often depends on getting close. The Pentax F*300mmF4.5 has long been the lens I reach for to achieve my best results when it comes to wildlife photography.
Why do foxes scream?
Have you ever heard a terrifying scream at night in the garden or in a nearby woodlands? Chances are the bone-chilling sound was simply a red fox calling out for a mate. The piercing sound of a fox scream can shatter the peace of the woodland garden, but it is just one of the many vocalizations foxes make.
Living with and attracting friendly little red squirrels
The American Red squirrel is a year-round resident in our woodland garden. An entertaining little tree squirrel that prefers coniferous forests, especially pine trees which are both a source of food and habitat. American red squirrels, unlike their Eurasian red squirrel are territorial and hold their own against the American grey squirrels and fox squirrels.
White pine: Native evergreen that helps birds and wildlife
Our native Eastern White Pine is an elegant, open evergreen that deserves a place in more gardens. The tree’s beauty is evident in its early stages. The fast-growing tree eventually becomes a stately, flat-topped tree that has captured artists for years. It is also an important tree to attract wildlife to our backyards.
Seven Viburnums: Top shrubs to attract birds to your garden
Building up the number of viburnums in your garden design is a great way to not only beautify your backyard but create a garden that is attractive to a wide variety of birds. Viburnums provide an abundance of flowers in spring, attract pollinators, insects and caterpillars throughout the summer, outstanding leaf colour in fall and an abundance of berries in fall lasting well into the winter.
Tips for using water to attract birds and other wildlife
Bringing water into the garden provides so much enjoyment not just for gardeners, but for the birds, mammals and reptiles that depend on it for their survival. It does not have to be a large complicated pond. Here are a host of alternatives to garden ponds that are easy, inexpensive and rewarding.