Welcome to “Bird Beat,” the quarterly eNewsletter of Bird Town Pennsylvania. Bird Beat is a seasonal communication (summer, fall, winter and spring) for individuals working to use native plants in their properties for the birds, pollinators, and other beneficial creatures that enhance the ecosystems in which we all live. Many of you have received one or more forms of habitat recognition or certification from Audubon, the National Wildlife Federation, or other organizations.

“Bird Beat” offers timely tips for native plant enthusiasts like you, along with links to resources, events, and ideas to engage your families, friends, and neighbors with the wonders that your native gardens, from container gardening, to full blown meadows, evoke. The theme for this edition of “Bird Beat” is "From Winter to Spring." We hope you find “Bird Beat” informative and valuable. Please share this newsletter with any folks you think would like to subscribe to future editions of “Bird Beat.” Note that you can unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. We invite your comments and suggestions for future topics at pabirdtown@gmail.com.

We live in a world where we can research anything with the simple click of a button. This is a wonderful thing to be able to do, but we must also realize that not everything we find is fact, or current. This holds true when you do a search of the web for bird-window collisions. You can find a wide range of facts, half-truths, urban legends, and just outright wrong information. It can be difficult to sort through all this, and to know what is correct, or not.

Click here to get expert information.

As you’re snuggled warm in your bed…   do you ever wonder what happens to our bugs in the winter? Okay, so it isn’t the most burning question on your mind. But come spring, birds rely on bugs “reappearing”, especially migrants. So how do they survive and where do they go?

Click here to learn fascinating facts!

It’s never too soon to start thinking about spring, is it? To make your dreams come true sooner rather than later, consider the earliest native spring flowers. Aside from having something to look forward to on dreary winter days, there are two good reasons to think about native bloomers early. First, flowering plants tend to fly out of nurseries when they're in bloom, and stocks may be depleted until next year. So if you want to get hold of native bloomers, you have to be ready to act fast. Second, it is usually best to plant flowering plants when they don’t have a lot of leaves and flowers to support. Planting early lets the roots settle in before the plant’s energy and water needs increase.

Click here to get more great tips.

The National Wildlife Federation’s “Certified Wildlife Habitat Program” is one of 10 programs that Bird Town Pennsylvania encourages homeowners to consider as they improve their backyard habitats to support birds and wildlife. Our goal is to engage and encourage all property owners and managers who care about providing good habitat for ecological diversity and a sustainable future. It’s our vision to build and expand green highways of sustenance and safety to counterbalance the tremendous loss of living space for birds, plants, and all native species.

Click here to learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s program.