By Melissa Fellows, Arizona

            Birds never caught my attention until I moved to Arizona six years ago.  The heat was a shock to me after having lived in San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle throughout my life.  My husband reveled in it after being depressed from our decade of overcast skies and drizzle, but our cats and I didn’t find it as easy to acclimate.  I was working at a sanctuary for cats and dogs where I spent half the time outdoors.  The sunrises and sunsets were beautiful, but the weighty discomfort of the daytime heat and dehydration took a toll on me.  It also took a toll on the birds.

            My husband and I were out on a stroll as the sun was setting one evening in June (a month of daily 105-112 degree temperatures) when we saw a pigeon literally drop dead from the branch of a palo verde tree.  It was shocking – we’d never seen a bird die before.  The next evening, we saw another pigeon having trouble walking on the rocks and then tumble over dead.  It was so sorrowful!  This type of sighting happened several more times and I was heartbroken.  I had to do something.  These pigeons were absolutely beautiful and they were obviously tormented by the excessive heat like I was.

            The next day, I put up a bird feeder.  Sparrows and finches flocked to it and pigeons came to gobble up the seeds that fell beneath it.  One feeder turned into many.  One birdbath turned into several.  I developed a new passion for gardening in order to create the backyard oasis for the birds that we have today.  We’ve gone through many changes as the initial zeal to feed as many birds as possible brought cats, a kestrel, a merlin, a red-tailed hawk, and a Harris’s hawk. But we refined it over time and now have a safe and serene sanctuary.

            No matter how many interesting migrants and unusual visitors come through, the pigeons are our favorites.  We have a small flock now (we’ve named them all) that come in and out throughout the day, a few who roost here at night, a couple nests being built, and several pigeons that have come every day for years. 

We nursed my favorite pigeon, Droopy, back to health last summer and he’s my dear friend.  He even visits with the cats through the locked screen door – they adore each other!  My husband and I have built such a strong relationship with the pigeons that they climb all over us for food and follow me around or perch on my shoulder when I’m doing my gardening. 

Our respect for life and for nature have increased tenfold, and my pleasure in living in the desert is all due to the companionship of our friendly pigeons.

            Gardening has become one of my favorite activities not only because a beautiful garden is a sensuous art form, but the birds and wildlife love it!  I fell in love with wild birds before I ever thought it would be fun to get my hands dirty enjoying communion with nature.  I’d still consider myself an amateur but I’m learning fast because I observe the birds, butterflies, plants, and trees and try to give them all things that will help them thrive. 

            We feed hummingbirds, finches, woodpeckers, and flickers from a nectar feeder and some suet in the front yard.  Great-tailed grackles bathe in the birdbath and soak hard pieces of food in there to soften them up.  The hibiscuses, sage, morning glories, and rosemary are visited by verdins, warblers, sparrows, and quails in the mornings.  Cactus wrens and a mockingbird use the saguaro as a site to claim their territories.  I planted a palo verde because I see so many nests in them, so here’s hoping!  A large oleander on the side of the driveway (not pictured) has been the roosting spot of the same pair of Abert’s towhees for two years. 

           Coming to Scottsdale from Seattle made me miss my favorite ferns and I created a potted fern garden in the only reliable shade by the front door; little did I know that lizards and moths would take up residence there.  The lizards lounge in the plant trays under the pots during the day and climb up to the porch light with the moths at night.

            Our back yard is fairly small but dozens upon dozens of birds flock to the feeders at 4 p.m. when I fill them and by sunset, they are empty!  A dome feeder filled with a mix of seeds and dried fruit pieces is for the littler birds.  A blue dish feeder has suet and peanut butter in it for the medium-sized birds and woodpeckers.  Different birds eat the oranges I pick straight off my tree throughout the year, and I always stuff a few extra raisins in the center of them for the mockingbird and thrashers that will come to the sliding glass door and beg if I forget.  Since we have so many ground feeders in Arizona, I like to keep the rocks free from plants under the feeders so the birds can scout for spilled seed more easily.  The fruit trees that flank the feeders and birdbaths give the perfect shelter when the birds get nervous and flee for cover.  After getting fancy with artful birdbaths, I observed that the backyard birds always preferred the birdbaths on the ground:  trays that you would normally put under potted plants to collect water.  I put a few rocks in the bottom and leave a shallow one for the small birds and a fuller, big one more for the big birds who like to wade.

            A corner of the yard by the pool is full of palm trees that the gila woodpeckers and cactus wrens visit over and over throughout the day.  Though not in full bloom yet, the yellow bells, lantana, and spotted emu bushes are a great treat for hummingbirds and butterflies.  I have three different nectar feeders:  one for the bees (yes, they picked one for themselves), one with a bee guard, and third that the bees don’t seem to be interested in because it’s hidden on the patio in the shade.

            In a small area around a separate palm, I scatter garden debris that I think would be good nesting material and I’ve had great joy watching birds peck through it and fly away with their beaks full.

            Anyone who wants to attract birds can put out virtually any food and have success.  Here in the desert, water is a precious resource so any sort of birdbath will draw birds, especially if the bath is in the shade and near a place they hide.  There are so many different types of feeders and food out there that experimenting to see what you draw in is great fun.  And as for gardening for birds and wildlife, I can honestly say that you don’t have to stick to the traditional list of “best plants for birds” – observe nature, even what you see up and down your streets, and you’ll notice that birds and other types of wildlife are all over different plants and trees.  Try anything, have fun, and enjoy the companionship!