Little Green Places for Birds contest, page 1

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1. Paerki, Baltimore, Maryland

It was hard for me to choose a single photo, video or story about one specific place as a good little green place for birds. You see, I am the type of person that goes for walks in the evening and takes nuts with me to feed the squirrels, I take germinating birdseed, dropping it around trees, paths and by flowers, and I also take wildflower seeds with me and throw them in the dirt along some of the public wooded green paths in my neighborhood, so that I may add a little color and beauty against a lush green landscape. I could be writing about everywhere.

In addition, when my spring and summer plants die, I leave the pots outside so that birds can use the branches and twigs for their nests and the seeds for nourishment. A little green place for birds is whereever you want it to be. I am choosing the planet to be my entire green space for birds. I have created a collage to represent my personal gardens and the places in my community where I frequently feed our clever, entertaining, silly, interesting, intelligent, beautiful, happy, singing creatures we call birds. – paerki :)

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 2. Anita V. Bauer, Garden Grove, California

These doves came to my patio located in Garden Grove , California this Spring.  I had 3 generations of babies born in my “bird’s eye view” area where I could see them behind the glass (outside).

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3. Brigitte Peck Ki Laou, Canada

 My little green place is my backyard where I have planted plenty of bird friendly shrubs and flowers such as sunflowers, monarda didyma, a family of viburnum etc. Besides, bird houses and water are nearby. My birds are also offered different kind of seeds. I am sure my backyard is a great place for birds and I have the most happiest birds in my backyard.(Notice the volunteer sunflowers growing up through the bricks near the birdfeeders!)

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4. Matthew Malina, New York City

This picture was taken from my window, 21rst floor on East 6th street in Manhattan. This Red-tailed Hawk likes to hunt pigeons who live in a coop on a tenement across the street.

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5. G. Mikel, Fort Worth, Texas

My little green place is a shrub in my front flower bed.
I’ve fed the cardinals that nested there for quite some time and they graced me with a perfect “bird’s eye” view when they started their family. Aren’t their babies beautiful?
All three survived and I’ve recently seen them on a feeder I have in another location in my yard.  What a joy!

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6. V. Clark, Sutton, Ontario, Canada

My little green place is in my backyard. It is perfect for birds because there is food , shelter and shade as well as water for them. In addition there are nesting boxes in the trees. We love our birds. Not seen in the picture is our hot tub on our fenced back porch. We sit there every morning year round to watch the birds that come to their oasis. 

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7. C & Z Witten	Fountaintown, IN

In our Little Green Space the sunflowers offer seeds for the birds to munch on, nectar provides food and nourishment for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.  Sunflowers provide shade for toads and crickets, which also provides food for birds.

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8. K. Farrar, Phoenix, Arizona 

 Rock Pigeon

My backyard is my green place. I place fresh water at varied depths in different places as well as feeders. I had 10 huge ficus trees that drew in many birds. I lost those trees in a 3 day freeze last year but the birds come anyways. I get approx 2 to 3 flocks of pigeons (80 birds) daily plus, mockingbirds, wild lovebirds, hummingbirds, warblers, cowbirds, woodpeckers, grackles, doves, cactus wren, quail, finch and hawks!

I have tons of photos and video. I love to rehabilitate wounded birds and release the ones who make full recovery. I truly enjoy the birds about 2 to 3 hours per day!

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9. Derinda Lesher, Campbell, CA

I live in a townhouse and for years my patio was bare and uninteresting.  I had two wooden lawn chairs and a small table between them and nothing else sitting in the 11 x 16 foot space.  After reading, and becoming inspired by, the book "The Secret Garden," I decided to create my own "secret garden" in my small townhouse patio.  I started with a hummingbird feeder and a finch feeder.  When the birds began to arrive, I was excited and encouraged, and I added two more bird feeders and a bird bath.  I began purchasing small trees and plants and put them into clay pots.  My once very bare patio started to come alive with birds feeding and trees and plants growing.  My patio garden has now grown into a lush bird sanctuary.  Over time I added two Butterfly Bushes that have grown tall and provide lovely purple flowers for the hummingbirds and perching branches for the finches.  The Pineapple Sage I planted provides red flowers that attract and feed the hummingbirds.  I planted several trees in pots:  avocado, fig, orange, lemon and lime, and they are all thriving nicely and giving the birds additional places to perch.  It's pure joy to look out each morning and see my once barren patio very much alive and interesting with birds, trees and plants.

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10. Matt Milless, Schenectady NY

     Green Heron

 My little Green place is on the Hudson River

It is a neat place for birds because you get the best of water birds as well as general urban birds. 

In my photo is a marsh off the Mohawk from a park on River Road in Schenectady.  Lions Park, I believe.

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