The Backyard Birds of Berks

The warm weather of the summer months begs to be enjoyed in many ways by many walks of life – humans, dogs, birds, butterflies…you name it. If you enjoy watching birds and butterflies fluttering around your property, we have some tips for you. Bonus: we take a look back at a recent Habitat for Humanity of Berks County event that celebrated birds and building homes for those in need right here in our county.

The Birdhouse Challenge

While Habitat for Humanity of Berks County aims to position itself among major housing leaders in the community for neighborhood revitalization by providing affordable housing and home ownership opportunities for its client families in need, it took its mission to the birds on April 30 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading with the first-ever Birdhouse Challenge.

The birdhouse-constructing challenge saw Berks artists, residents and business owners from various backgrounds build homes for birds, then have those homes listed for “sale/auction” by local realtors, so bird enthusiasts could bid on them at the event’s live auction, with funds benefitting Habitat in Berks.

Even Habitat for Humanity of Berks County Director of Development Mark Ratcliffe got in on the building project, explaining, “The best way to turn our city around is with boots on the ground to improve our city block by block. Habitat is doing that. Habitat also provides strength, stability and self-reliance through home ownership. Repairing our homes block by block and putting good people in these homes improves everyone’s quality of life and helps reduce crime in those neighborhoods. It is also tremendously beneficial for the children of our families. Grades go up, teen pregnancy goes down and all of these things add up to making the heart of our city healthier. The healthier our heart is, the healthier we are as a community.”

Plus, it was just plain fun. 

GoggleWorks Center for the Arts Glass Studio Manager Scott Krenitsky says he enjoyed giving back to the cause in a unique way through creating his glass piece. Krenitsky is known for his glass birdhouses, explaining, “My inspiration for them comes from the simple beauty of glass as a material and how the colors interact with the colors of a flower garden; they look amazing hanging outside.”

Another one of the truly unique pieces was created by Bernville area artist Peter Jon Snyder and listed by Patrice Bentz with Re/Max of Reading. Explained Bentz in the listing, “Picture yourself on the top of a mountain on 15 lush acres overlooking the Caribbean Sea in your 'POST MODERN CONE-DOMINIUM.' Totally maintenance free with heavy metal and plastic exterior, this home is designed to sustain any storm you may encounter. The first floor features two bedrooms, a kitchen and two full baths. After a quiet candlelight dinner, proceed up the elevator up to the roof top family room which has been designed with port hole windows so you have a 360-degree view of paradise. You will be the envy of all your friends living in this 'one-of-a-kind' home.”

Says Snyder of the experience, “My main business is landscaping, and I am very ‘natural world’ conscious. Anything to do with saving the planet in a respectful, organic way appeals to my philosophy. This was a great project and I loved being part of it.”

Morgantown area resident Bill Haney, a retired Reading School District technology education teacher and vocational supervisor, came to craft his Habitat birdhouse through his weekly volunteer time at the Habitat for Humanity of Berks County Wood Shop. He and other volunteers help Habitat in Berks by refurbishing items to be used in home renovation projects in the county. His two birdhouses were crafted with materials from Habitat’s Home and Wood shops.

When all the bids were tallied, the birdhouse creations helped to raise $15,000 for the nonprofit.

Ratcliffe says next up for Habitat will be the 4th Annual Reading Pretzel Fest — planned for Sept. 24, 11am, at FirstEnergy Stadium, Reading — when all proceeds from the event will benefit the organization. To learn more visit readingpretzelfest.com.

Attracting Birds to your Yard

Just how do you get those would-be feathered friends to find a home around your home? Try one of these strategies:

Feed them well.

Wildlife biologist Carrol Henderson swears by black oil sunflower seed, saying blue jays, cardinals and chickadees love it. Woodpeckers are big fans of suet, a form of animal fat often molded into a cake form. Bread is a no-no, though. It can actually become moldy and make birds sick, and  it offers little nutritional value.

Keep pests away.

Just as birds enjoy seed, so do squirrels, raccoons and the like. Henderson recommends safflower seed, as cardinals enjoy it, while squirrels don’t. You may also want to consider adding a dome on top of the feeder and baffles, which discourage pests.

Set up stations.

The most successful wild bird enthusiasts don’t set up just one bird feeder and call it a day. Most often, they find spots for five or six of various shapes and sizes, offering different seed options. Just filling with seed isn’t enough, though. You’ll need to clean your feeder every couple of weeks to reduce the chance of spreading disease and to remove moldy or spoiled seed.

Add a bird bath.

Did you know birds love the sound of trickling water? It’s true! A birdbath can even attract birds that won’t stop at your feeder, including tropical migratory varieties.

Planting Seed

Aside from hanging birdhouses and feeders, you can also attract birds by simply planting seeded plants to which they’re attracted. Consider these varieties appropriate for the Berks County climate:

Allium.

A good choice if you’re looking to add color and bounce to your garden. The perennial is easy to grow and blooms from late spring to fall. Birds love it because the dried flowers are like huge balls of seed.

Black-eyed Susan.

A delight for birds from late summer through winter, these flowers multiply fast, so you’ll want to start with just a few.

Bee Balm.

Hummingbirds love it in the summertime, and butterflies do, too. Bonus!

Aster.

The small flowers are a big attraction for birds, who view them as a food source. This one’s good for fall garden blooms, coming in hundreds of varieties and colors.

Oh, the Birds you may See!

You might be surprised how many bird varieties you can attract to your yard here in Berks. Here are the top 30 you might expect to see:

1. Black-capped Chickadee

2. Dark-eyed Junco

3. Northern Cardinal

4. Blue Jay

5. Mourning Dove

6. Tufted Titmouse

7. Downy Woodpecker

8. Hairy Woodpecker

9. Red-bellied Woodpecker

10. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

11. House Finch

12. European Starling

13. American Goldfinch

14. White-breasted Nuthatch

15. House Sparrow

16. Carolina Wren

17. White-throated Sparrow

18. Song Sparrow

19. American Robin

20. Common Grackle

21. Cooper’s Hawk

22. American Crow

23. Red-winged Blackbird

24. Brown-headed Cowbird

25. Carolina Chickadee

26. Pine Siskin

27. Purple Finch

28. Eastern Bluebird

29. Eastern Phoebe

30. Cray Catbird

Butterflies are Beautiful, too!

Looking to plant a butterfly garden? Some must-have flowers include: Aster, Daylily, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Lavender, Lilac, Lupine, Milkweed, Pansies and Snapdragons.

Favorite Birds

Ours here at Berks County Living, is, of course, the Robin, being that Robyn Jones is our fantastic publisher. We asked some others to tell us what bird was their favorite. Here’s what they had to say:

Mark Ratcliffe, Director of Development, Habitat for Humanity of Berks: Robin (or should I say Robyn?)

Don H. Moll, Jr.,  President, B&G Glass & Birdhouse Challenge Sponsor: Cardinal & Goldfinch

Paul Barrett, owner & Builder of The Wood Shed & Birdhouse Challenge Sponsor: Woodpecker

Scott Krenitsky, GoggleWorks Glass Studio Manager: Any other than those invasive Starlings

Ed Stauffer, realtor with RE/MAX of Reading & Birdhouse Challenge Sponsor: Hummingbird (My mom and dad loved looking at them outside their kitchen window.)