At a good friend’s suggestion, I applied for certification as a Kentucky Backyard Wildlife Habitat. It was an interesting learning experience.
The application process included listing plants in the backyard and how they are used by wildlife, other food sources like our bird feeders, wildlife cover, and water resources. It helped me see what we’ve already done for wildlife and how we can do more.
I included some photographs in the application. This one shows a few of our backyard insects.
Here are some of our 2010 backyard butterflies.
And here’s a sampling of our birds and mammals.
When we first re-worked the backyard, I focused primarily on the plants. Applying for the certification has helped me realize how the changes have affected the wildlife we see, and how much that adds to my enjoyment of the backyard. I’m interested in exploring how we can encourage wildlife even more.
I now realize we have only one nesting box, a wren house. I want to add one or two chickadee houses and possibly a bat house. I also want to identify more of the insects in the garden, and I’m hoping some of the neighborhood kids will help.
I’m pleased to report that a panel reviewed my application, and our backyard is now an officially certified Kentucky Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
Job of love well done! Congratulations on your certification.
Betty, Congratulations on your certification! It is well deserved. I love your photographs of insects, birds & butterflies. Thanks for sharing them. I think you would like the book “Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People” by Dave Tylka. It is published by the Missouri Department of Conservation and is about how to use native plants to beautify your property and benefit wildlife, a good reference book. I took ecology and naturalist courses from Dave. Jane
Congratulations, Betty. That’s really cool.
The pictures you included with this post are worthy of National Geographic. Your blog is fast becoming one of my favorite learning tools.
You contemplating a do-over for the blog’s name, something to reflect the backyard’s now regal status? 🙂
Cheers,
Betty, your efforts have effects far and wide, including inspiring me to go native in my backyard. I am most grateful!
Congratulations – I love the pictures, especially the birds!
love your backyard betty…………………i like the same things u like, i have a backyard, i have just started on, few bird feeders , bird bath, etc. i have taken pics of the plants in my backyard……….and a few birds to…….took some of a squirrel , hanging upside down on the bird feeder. also got one of a chipmunk . few days ago, even got a pic of a housemice………i missed out tho, two days ago, i had a redtailed hawk , land on my birdhouse feeder, the roof of it …………..by the time i got my camera, he flew off, second time, i have seen a hawk, in the backyard. i love your plants and esp yur insect pics………..did u shoot that on macro shot…………well, its all interesting ……….smiles…….
I appreciate your comments, Michael. Sounds like we do have a lot of common interests, especially our backyards and photography.
I use two lenses – a 70-270 zoom, and a borrowed 100mm macro. I use first one and then the other and have gotten good and absolutely-awful images with each of them. So much depends on the light, wind, movement of subject, etc.
The more I learn about insects the more I appreciate them. I find them to be challenging and fun photography subjects, and want to learn ways to get better images.