Softcover, 128 pages, Published 2004
Customer Reviews:
The Best Book on Attracting Wildlife.......2007-06-07
When you read this book you know you are receiving good, high quality and accurate advice. David Mizejewski, the author, has sound knowledge and experience which he shares with us. After reading this book and following it's instructions, I was able to have my backyard certified a Wildlife Habitat.
Unlike some other books, this one doesn't give outdated information. Invasive or harm plants are identified and cautioned against. If a plant is invasive, beneficial native alternatives are suggested.
The book is full projects that are actually do-able. And not ones that require several power tools. So, read this book and learn about attracting birds, butterflies, mammals, reptiles and amphibians to your garden. And go on safari by steeping out the back door.
Wow alot in a small book.......2007-05-08
This book is WONDERFUL!! I took this to the local nursery so I could buy the right flowers, I noticed folks were looking over my shoulder. It's a great book for ALL your birds, butterflies and just remodeling your yard.
Each topic is condensed on one page, just the facts and photos. Each topic has a photo of some sort to help you understand the reading. There were topics that I would not have even looked up, but now I am glad I know more about it!!! The book is in A-Z format and doesn't used alot of
"tech. terms" I don't understand, and that's great!!! It has receipes on making birds treats and some really great ideas on how to even tame a few wildlife birds and such! A MUST FOR ALL NATURE LOVERS!!! JT
Nice overview, but not helpful otherwise.......2005-09-22
This book outlines several topics, one or two pages per topic, such as birdbaths, artificial ponds, etc., various topics that are all relevant, interesting, and just what you want... but it doesn't treat any one topic thoroughly or well enough. Well before I bought this book, I already knew a bit about how to provide habitats to encourage bees (for example). This book only gave a very rough overview of how to create one type of bee environment (how to make tubes to attract mason bees) but didn't even indicate that there are other types of bees (such as bumble bees... honey bees... various other bee species, each of which need their own particular type of home built for them), let alone give guidelines how to attract them. The most important thing, choosing plants that are bird-friendly or bee-friendly or animal-friends, it handles in a very superficial manner. True, it may list a few species of plants, but it hardly gives a comprehensive list. It doesn't say anything about the plants, such as zones, light/shade preference, etc. In summary, if there's anything you want to do, such as choose plants carefully, you'll need to buy another book. Beehouses? Buy another book or scour the internet. Yes, this book will motivate you, will make you feel, how nice it will be to build a butterfly-friendly garden. But it doesn't really give you what you need to do it, besides make you feel good about it. Do you want to build a birdhouse? Scoure the internet or buy another book. The only thing this book is good for, is to tell you the few topics you should start to think about. And that, you can get just by reading the Table of Contents. Oddly, it spends many pages describing home recipes for making bird cakes and patties, out of animal fat and seeds, that you can hang up in your garden -- a sort of Martha Stewart section slipped in the middle of the book there, as though this was the only "specific" information the author had at hand. I would suggest that instead of this, you buy a book that is positively overloaded with info like Degraaf's "Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Attracting Birds" which lists a page per specie various plants -- start there. Then look up bee boxes on the internet. Etc.
Lots of great projects you can do with your kids.............2005-04-25
So you want to turn your big back yard into a wildlife refuge? The place to begin is with the NWF `ATTRACTING BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER BACKYARD WILDLIFE.' This book, part of the `Creative Homeowner Series includes all kinds of nifty ideas for making your yard creature-friendly. You will become interested in ridding yourself of noxious grass the upkeep of which is frustrating, a lot of work, and expensive, and probably a source of pollution in your watershed. The book explains the reason why you also want to rid yourself of invasive exotic plants and add native plantings to your yard. Many `exotics carry disease and many fail to nourish the local fauna that grew up with the native stuff. Birds, for example, find the berries from the native Dogwood much more nutritious than the fruit of the Kousa Dogwood. You want to strive for balance in your yard if you want more bird sightings. If you live far enough out in the hinterland, you may also find other creatures visit your yard (though I live in Arlington VA and my neighbor reports a raccoon is having a fish dinner every night from her pond, and I know I have smelled a skunk on many mornings).
The beautiful photos in this publication will inspire you to plan and plant as well as spread peanut butter on your homemade `energy muffins' filled with cornmeal, peanuts and suet or vegetable shortening. You can decorate a Yule tree for the birds the kids might enjoy and/or build a pond with decorative plants. Or if you don't have room for a pond, try making a puddle or a muddy area (the kids will love this) or a container garden for small spaces. You will need to provide cover, which can also be beautiful (we have Cardinals nesting in a Pyracantha bush out front -- my Conure loves to watch them from his window vantage point). We planted Clematis for the butterflies and trumpet flowers for the hummingbirds, and Echinacea for the Finches. The Chickadee loves seeds on the Crepe Myrtle Bush and the Mockingbird loves the Holly.
This is a great book for learning how to attract wildlife (the kind you want) and grow native flora for your fauna, as well as engage in fun activities with your kids or grandkids.
Featuring 17 great projects along with a wealth of tips.......2004-04-03
Illustrated throughout with enticing color photographs, Attracting Birds, Butterflies, And Other Backyard Wildlife by David Mizejewski (Manager, Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program) is an exceptional and highly recommended homeowner's guide featuring 17 great projects along with a wealth of tips, tricks, and techniques to create gardens filled with wildlife sights, sounds, and natural wonders. Featuring advice for obtaining certification for a backyard habitat in the NWF's Backard Wildlife Habitat program, as well as more general suggestions from building amphibian and bee nesting houses, to finding native plants, avoiding West Nile Virus in the water provided for wildlife, butterfly feeders, and so much more, Attracting Birds, Butterflies, And Other Backyard Wildlife is a first-rate informational guide and a welcome addition to personal and community library Wildlife and Gardening reference collections.
Book Description
Create your own private nature preserve-with dozens of ingenious ideas to turn a typical backyard into a beautiful natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Experience the gratification of watching birds gobble seeds and other treats from your homemade bird feeder. Look on with delight as a mother bird tends to her babies in the protective hideaway of a birdhouse you have lovingly constructed from a dried gourd. Create a sunflower plantation, a bird teepee, a tent-style twig feeder, a pedestal birdbath. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this book, and your yard will quickly become an enticing playground, breeding ground, and feeding ground for colorful songbirds. And that's not all-there are also projects specially designed to attract beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden.
Among the book's special features:
- Projects require only a few simple tools and supplies and most can be easily and inexpensively assembled using only scrap materials found around the house
- Information-packed sidebars include tips for identifying the nests and eggs of songbirds and unusual facts and figures about birds and bird behavior
- Instructions show how to create baffles and barriers to keep squirrels, raccoons, and other unwanted guess away from the birdseed-along with projects for tending to these feeder-raiding marauders too!
The simple pleasure of viewing birds in your backyard is something to treasure every day of the year. Whether you are a seasoned bird watcher or are new to the hobby, you will find a wealth of inspirational ideas here to attract more birds than ever before to your backyard. And you'll increase your enjoyment of this soul-satisfying pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for birders.......2007-02-21
This is a great book for anyone interested in backyard birding, no matter what size your backyard may be. There are articles on how to attract, feed, and house different birds.
Fun.......2007-02-16
I like this book. I'm a new bird watcher. I've made some of the projects mentioned in this book and they work quite well.
Excellent book for bird-loving gardeners!.......2007-01-12
Numerous, easy to follow instructions on how to create wide variety of projects! Includes illustrations also. Must have for those that want to attract birds to their gardens without spending a fortune buying items ready-made. Would be a good resource for those wanting to learn how to make garden produces to sell also.
Projects for the Birder's Garden.......2006-11-28
The book arrived promptly and was a good bargain price. It had very good information on attracting and taking care of birds.
GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR LIBRARY - RECOMMEND HIGHLY.......2005-09-07
I have been a "birder" for over 45 years and a gardener (in a very sloppy, haphazard way) for just about as long. This is a wonderul work that fits well into my hobbies. It is simple, practical and a joy to work with. As another reviewer pointed out, the ideas put forth in this book actually work! I was also thrilled that most of these projects were ones that my four grandsons were more than able to help with and in doing so, actually taught them something. I happen to live in a rural area, infact, I live in the middle of the woods. Most of the projects in this book were non-intrusive and blended in well with the natural look that my wife and I strive for. Recommend you add this one to your library. Now if I can just train my nine barn cats......
Amazon.com
A guide full of sensible and easy to follow advice for gardeners in all parts of the country who want to experience the magic of hummingbirds in their garden.
Hummingbird Gardens provides specific recommendations for the best varieties of flowers to plant in order to attract the elusive creatures, while integrating gardening ideas and designs with an informative introduction to the general habits, including migrating and nesting patterns, of hummingbirds.
Book Description
Of all the beuty a gardener can cultivate, nothing equals that of the hummingbird. Little wonder that millions of North Americans attempt to attract these spunky birds to their gardens. Hummingbird Gardens provides how-to information on feeders, plant combinations, and garden design. It showcases the continent's 20-plus hummingbird species. By breaking North American into six regions, the authors give tips that are tailored for gardeners in all parts of the United States and Canada.
Customer Reviews:
A wealth of informative text and spectacular photos........1999-10-26
Long, long ago - experience taught me the smoothest way through life is to "never make recommendations to anybody about anything." Sam and I have learned to qualify those don't-miss-it things encompassing: great places to eat, visit, read, watch, etc. For example, we now say, "The food was great the night we were there," or "You would love the movie if you enjoy such-and-such."
With all of those lessons in mind, I'm unequivocally saying, "Get your hands on Hummingbird Gardens as soon as possible." I don't think the co-authors, Nancy Newfield and Barbara Nielsen, have yet realized the true scope of what they have accomplished.
I knew Nancy was working on a book with somebody, but thought it was strictly for the southern Louisiana area. When Sam brought home my unexpected copy, it took only a few minutes of browsing for me to tell him something like, "Good lord, this thing is really, really good - and I mean good!" That's saying a lot for a person who is not easily impressed, and the more I read, the better it got.
Somehow, Nancy and Barbara truly did it all in Hummingbird Gardens by combining a wealth of well written, informative text with spectacular photographs of both the hummingbirds and the flowering plants so loved by these creatures. The beautiful birds and blossoming plants are well covered in their own separate chapters.
At the same time though, the content flows smoothly into pertinent regional information for those in: California, The Pacific Northwest, The Southwest, The Western Mountains, The Southeast and The East and Midwest. They so skillfully blend bird and bloom with helpful tips and enthusiasts' experiences that you will want to read on and on about other hummers in other gardens!
As far as I can determine, they left no stone unturned. All who open its covers will soon learn to appreciate the inclusion of subjects often left out of other publications. This one did not forget such things as: References and Further Reading (great bibliography), Resources (supermarkets for the hummers' favorite natural foods), and an excellent Index.
One last thing. Although Hummingbird Gardens was primarily done for the millions of us who simply love and enjoy these particular bounties of nature - I sincerely believe ornithology, as a whole, will gain as well. The professionals cannot be out in the field all of the time, thus what we see "our" hummers doing in our yards can contribute a great deal to the science. Meanwhile, we are very lucky, indeed, that Barbara and Nancy decided to share their knowledge and discoveries with the rest of us!
An excellent resource.......1999-10-10
Including information from real-life hummingbird gardeners around the U.S., this book will be useful to virtually anyone in North America who's trying to create backyard habitat for these fascinating birds. The main shortcoming of this book is in the depth of coverage of the plants, particularly photos. There were not enough showing an entire plant (though more than enough of the birds themselves), and the one feeder illustrated contained dyed sugar water (a no-no and contradictory to the text). Novice hummingbird gardeners should cross-reference the plant names with national and regional gardening guides for photos and cultural information such as size and temperature tolerance.
Beautiful and Informative.......1999-08-06
This book has incredible photographs and gobs of information about these amazing creatures. It's an unabashed sales-job to get you to become a hummingbird gardener. (That's not a bad idea!)
Book Description
Garden Insects of North America is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the common insects and mites affecting yard and garden plants in North America. In a manner no previous book has come close to achieving, through full-color photos and concise, clear, scientifically accurate text, it describes the vast majority of species associated with shade trees and shrubs, turfgrass, flowers and ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruits--1,420 of them, including crickets, katydids, fruit flies, mealybugs, moths, maggots, borers, aphids, ants, bees, and many, many more. For particularly abundant bugs adept at damaging garden plants, management tips are also included. Covering all of the continental United States and Canada, this is the definitive one-volume resource for amateur gardeners, insect lovers, and professional entomologists alike.
To ease identification, the book is organized by plant area affected (e.g., foliage, flowers, stems) and within that, by taxa. Close to a third of the species are primarily leaf chewers, with about the same number of sap suckers. Multiple photos of various life stages and typical plant symptoms are included for key species. The text, on the facing page, provides basic information on host plants, characteristic damage caused to plants, distribution, life history, habits, and, where necessary, how to keep "pests" in check--in short, the essentials to better understanding, appreciating, and tolerating these creatures.
Whether managing, studying, or simply observing insects, identification is the first step--and this book is the key. With it in hand, the marvelous microcosm right outside the house finally comes fully into view.
- Describes more than 1,400 species--twice as many as in any other field guide
- Full-color photos for most species--more than five times the number in most comparable guides
- Up-to-date pest management tips
- Organized by plant area affected and by taxa for easy identification
- Covers the continental United States and Canada
- Provides species level treatment of all insects and mites important to gardens
- Illustrates all life stages of key garden insects and commonly associated plant injuries
- Concise, clear, scientifically accurate text
- Comprehensive and user-friendly
Customer Reviews:
Very Helpful.......2007-10-03
one shouldn't take this book lightly, it is a large and heavy tome with lots of great information and photos. i think that the author, whitney cranshaw, did a great job in how he presents the information. one bit that i would have liked to have is distribution map. information is given about distribution, but i like to have maps too.
i would have enjoyed even more information on each insect he covers, but that would make the book at least twice it's size. that probably wouldn't work at it is already 656 pages long.
it would also be neat if this author could do books on different regions of our country in this format.
Garden Insects of North America.......2007-07-30
Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (Princeton Field Guides)
Excellent reference guide. I'm a Master Gardener and it is frequently used when we either have a question of our own or from a Help Line caller. I liked it enough that I felt I needed my own personal copy for home and consulting use.
Wonderful Book for Any Gardener!.......2007-07-01
This book is truly amazing, and seems to be a very comprenehsive reference. I am still a 'budding' gardener, and all-too-often, I find myself in need of identifying a garden pest so that I can eradicate it properly.
What I love most about this book is that it has pictures of so many different types of the same bug, as well as the different life stages of the bus (for example, it has over 68 different pictures of numerous types of aphids, the different stages, and what the infected plant's symptoms may show). Additionally, the pictures are clearly labeled!
I'm thrilled with this book, and I'm sure I will use it for many, many years to come!
YOU GET YOUR MONIES WORTH WITH THIS ONE!.......2007-04-13
They really don't make one volume books on a given subject much better than this one. Now do keep in mind that one book simply cannot cover every single insect, bug or critter that plague a garden or orchard, but this one comes pretty close. The photographs are wonderful and not only give clear pictures of the adult insect, but also in it's various stages of growth, from egg on up. I am constantly turning to this work for the help I need. Other than using it for my garden and orchard, I also photograph insects and other small creatures and plants for a hobby. Many of these insects are quite difficult to identify and I find myself turning to this volume more and more for initial identification before I grab a more detailed text type book. The written descriptions are quite accurate as is the other information, such as living conditions, geographical locations, life cycle, etc. If you must purchase only one book covering the subject, then this is the one you want. Recommend this one highly.
Best book out there for IDing insects.......2007-01-11
Being a Master Gardener I'm often called upon to identify a garden invader. There are many book available but none have proven adequate. This book does the job well. The photos of the insects in all stages is of great value. This book is divided into sections so that you can research by type of damage or plant being effected. It gives a brief biology lesson and also has a chapter on the "good guys." I'd say this is a must for any gardener. All my friends who have seen it are ordering one for themselves.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-02-19
Certainly a great book. Well designed. I am a hobby painter. Self taught and this book has certainly inspired me into painting some of the pictures in the book. If you love nature and painting this is simple step by step book has a wealth of information. Would certainly recommend it.
Painting Garden Birds with Sherry Nelson.......2006-08-10
The author provides step by step instructions and photos for painting a variety of birds with oils. This is a great book for the beginner decorative oil painter.
Painting Garden Birds with Sherry C. Nelson.......2005-08-25
I've enjoyed having this book as a reference. The step by step instructions work just as well with other mediums instead of the recommended oils, so far I've painted the Wren in watercolors and the Cardinals in Acrylics.
would give this 6 stars if I could!.......2005-04-25
This is an absolutely wonderful book that any beginning artist must have. Ms. Nelson's instructions are so clear and easy to follow that anyone can produce beautiful paintings. Not only does Ms. Nelson tell you what colors to use, but what direction to make your painting strokes, how to hold the brush, what brushes to use..how much easier can you get?! I am currently working on my first bird from the book. My family can't get over how life-like my painting is. I am even surprised at the results! I am definately going to purchase more of her books and I have no doubts that eventually I'll be able to do paintings on my own once I've mastered the techniques in the book.
Great for Beginners.......2003-01-08
For new enthusiasts, this book is a must get for painting realistic birds of many varieties. The instructions are easy to follow and the illustrations are top notch. The author even gives the exact colors that are used in each painting.
Product Description
Barb Adams and Alma Allen are back with their new block of the month project, published in The Kansas City Star throughout 2006. Called "Birds of a Feather," the book celebrates our favorite feathered friends with 12 blocks, finishing instructions, plus an assortment of related projects including needlepunch, purses and a hooked rug. Both Barb and Alma offer their own concept quilts.
Customer Reviews:
Birds of a Feather.......2007-07-21
This is a GREAT quilt book, as always Barb Adams & Alma Allen have out did themselves.
Very happy buyer.......2007-01-03
This is simply beautiful!!! The blocks are exceptional. I can't wait to start. Adams and Allen ALWAYS produce excellent products. Thanks A & A.
Book Description
Increasingly, homeowners are recognizing the need to provide natural abode for those fluttering jewels of naturebutterflies and hummingbirds. Sally Roth offers a menu of irresistible plants plus organic garden design strategies to create backyard habitat.Discover tried-and-true techniques for selecting, using, and maintaining nectar feeders and attracting a broad range of butterflies by offering foods other than nectar. Easy-to-follow instructions detail fun projects like creating mud puddles for butterflies or setting up a mister so hummingbirds can bathe in flight. Youll find out how you can provide nesting sites and nest materials for hummingbirds.Readers from 5 to 75 will be thrilled by the sight of hummingbirds or butterflies enjoying the habitat theyve created for them. The book includes a field guide to the 16 hummingbird species found in North America and 75 of the most popular butterfly species, along with Roths entertaining and insightful guide to butterfly and hummingbird behavior.
Customer Reviews:
Great Resource!.......2007-05-15
This book was just what I needed to learn about attracting humming birds and
butterflies. This has been very useful for figuring out how to start my garden.
I am very visual, so the beautiful pictures in the book and the general text design layout
makes it easy to read.
Helpful and beautiful.......2007-02-08
This book is wonderful for anyone who wants to garden in nature's best interest.
Blends gardening and wild animal management and observation.......2003-01-06
Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds To Your Backyard deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding survey of how gardens can attract desired wild birds and butterflies. From determining how native plants interact in the environment and help attract native visitors to understanding how to maintain a healthy environment, Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds To Your Backyard comes packed with tips which blend gardening and wild animal management and observation.
Book Description
Turn your garden into a glorious haven for hummingbirds. Here are the basics on planning, planting, and maintaining a beautiful outdoor space that will lure these tiny creatures and give you hours of gardening pleasure. This charmingly illustrated volume provides a variety of garden plans, including essential information on hardiness zones, soil conditions, and sun and shade preferences, and is packed with facts on the lives and habits of hummingbirds. When your winged guests linger in your garden, you'll delight in consulting the hummingbird identifier in Creating a Hummingbird Garden. Here is everything you need to know to attract hummingbirds, from their favorite flowers to instructions for making hummingbird feeders.
Customer Reviews:
Good, not great.......2007-05-18
I will preface this by saying that this is the first book I purchased on this subject, so I don't have a large pool of measurables to compare it to.
That said, there was some good basic information in this book, and it's a good jumping off point. I liked that it gave some general overviews of plants the birds like, and when they bloom, etc.
I would have liked a bit more on the specifics of the birds themselves... but perhaps that's best found in a book specific about birds, as opposed to the gardens that attract them. For some reason, I thought there might be a little more of that included though.
Overall, I'll recommed it. As stated, it's a good place to start, and using this information along with information you get from your local nursery professional should give a place to begin bringing the bird to your yard.
Everything You Need To Know for Under $10!.......2001-09-28
This beautiful little volume is a treasure of information. A concise 80 pages, it's packed with valuable information and 58 photos and illustrations. Including 17 of the most common hummingbirds in the United States and their regions. It provides illustrated landscaping and plant guides for each season and region, with a variety of colors. Red being designated as the color generally drawing hummingbirds first and strongest. This book taught me that hummers prefer the birdbath even more shallow then regular birds. Such a simple thing to correct! I've read several books on hummingbird gardening, but this is the first to encourage "island" planting and "layering" to attract hummingbirds. This book taught me that "island" planting increases the flower-surface area available for hummingbird use. Not only is this beneficial to attracting hummers, but is so beautiful. They encourage gardners to "layer", which is also so pleasing to the eye, not just the birds. The taller plants, in the "layering" technique, provide places for the hummingbirds to hide. Recipes for necter are included, along with instructions for taming! I enjoyed the bit of history the author included too: for ex., thousands of these little birds were exported to England in the 1800's to be added to collections and to be used on ladies hats! This book has taught me more about the hummingbird, it's habits, preferences, etc. then any other I've purchased. Also, it was one of least expensive! This book was so helpful I purchased it's "sister" on attracting butterflies. I highly recommend!
a very basic book.......2001-08-06
This is a very basic book but a good intro to hummingbird gardening. It recommends non-native plants in addition to native ones but you have to do your own research to determine which are which. By the time I bought this book I already knew what they hadto say and was well past it. Its very very basic - has lists of plants and drawings of gardens but doesn't tell much more. Common sense tells you that hummingbirds like flowers that are trumpt shaped and red. Other books can tell you more about the plants and its better to plant native plants anyway since they are "designed" to grow in your area and their blossoms are timed with the hummingbird migration (its the whole interdependency/web of life thing).
Excellent!.......2000-06-08
This is a wonderful book to guide you in planting a garden that will attract hummingbirds. I highly recommend it.
Books:
- The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
- The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping: Home Landscaping with Food-Bearing Plants and Resource-Saving Techniques
- The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Essential Gardening Know-How for Keeping (Not Killing) More Than 160 Indoor Plants
- The Complete Taj Mahal
- The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
- The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)
- The Great Chile Book
- The Lorax (Classic Seuss)
- The New Garden Paradise: Great Private Gardens of the World
- The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)
Books Index
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Gardening
| Home & Garden
| Bargain Books
| Stores
| Books
Backyard Bird Identification Guide (T.F.H. Wild Birds Series)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th Edition
National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)
