The meteorological summer has ended, but the Autumnal Equinox remains weeks away and our drought has deepened. Considering how difficult it is for newly planted trees and shrubs to survive increasingly extreme weather, it makes good sense to preserve already established native and adapted vegetation. Now that we have lost a watering day, it is worth exploring simple tools to sustain the precious tree canopy that offsets our urban heat island.
You can help birds right now by turning off all non-essential outdoor lighting between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. because fall migration began last month and is expected to continue through November 30, with peak night migration from September 6 through October 29. At our last neighborhood association meeting, we learned about the importance of dark skies for the health of so many creatures, including people! DarkSky International’s website can be searched for products that meet their standards to combat light pollution.
Migrating birds that have survived flying through the entire night face yet another hazard in our neighborhoods: colliding with glass. American Bird Conservancy explains that: “migratory birds that have flown all night are usually in a state of exhaustion as the sun comes up and as they look for a place to land and refuel. Those that land in and near cities find themselves in a maze of deadly glass…Fall is worse than spring due to the larger number of birds in flight. This is because fall migration includes both adult birds and juveniles that were born over the summer.” There are, however, inexpensive and unobtrusive products that compassionate owners and renters can use to protect exhausted birds that are unfamiliar with our area.
North Loop Neighborhood Association 