Sustainable Maintenance Practices Attract and Protect Birds
February 15, 2021. By Oscar Ortega: Has birdwatching become your thing in 2020? You are not alone! Many Angelenos took up birdwatching in 2020 as pandemic quieted our streets to reveal the sounds of birdsong.
We aim to keep the music playing! A designer’s choice to select from a palette of native love nests sparks a twitterstorm – the good kind. Building-in smart irrigation further builds the magic. Maintenance keeps the romance alive. To ensure you are surrounded with birds in love, we:
Support Your Love Nests
LA’s nesting season extends from early February to early fall. Truly professional arborists and hedge care professionals avoid trimming during this time. Birds build their nests to hide from predators, and even close inspection can miss a home. When matters… so does how.
Topping can endanger tree health. Structural pruning, where specific cuts support the shape and growth of a tree or hedge, benefits the birds in a few ways. It supports the long term viability of their habitat. It also keeps the garden quiet, lush, leafy, and disease-free.
Protect the Peace
If the racket and fumes of gas-powered mowers, blowers and chainsaws rattles us, can you imagine what it does to our feathered friends? Maintaining gardens with muscle makes for a much more peaceful environment. As a bonus, not only does sweeping and structural pruning keep birds singing, it keeps the garden quiet enough for you to enjoy their songs!
Believe it or not, visual peace also plays a role. Smartly timing and directing lights can help birds navigate and nest.
Serve Hor d’oeuvres and Libations
Native gardens serve a perpetual buffet of nectars, seeds, worms and beneficial insects – delicious and needed! There are a few ways we can make them even more enticing. First, as basic as it may seem, we introduce no toxic poisons, aka chemical fertilizers and pesticides. That is key. Next, we deadhead to encourage ongoing blooms. Finally, we are strategic with the deadheading. We restructure foliage while leaving nectar and seeds to enjoy.
We also like to keep bird baths clean and shaded… one can work up quiet a thirst feasting on worms!