By Terry W. Johnson

Recently, on a cool April morning I stepped out onto my deck and was greeted with a chorus of bird songs. I heard the songs of some of the birds that are familiar year-round residents in my neighborhood –the northern cardinal, Carolina wren, chipping sparrow, northern mockingbird, pine warbler and eastern towhee. Then suddenly I heard a call that I had not heard this year. From the back of my 3-acre lot came a loud wheep. I knew immediately the great crested flycatcher was back.

By Terry W. Johnson

A quick glance at the calendar tells us that the official first day of spring is March 20. However, I have found that Georgians don’t always agree with that.

If you are a turkey hunter, for example, you might feel that spring commences on March 24, opening day of the 2012 turkey hunting season. However, if you are a dedicated backyard wildlife watcher, the big day can’t be found printed on a calendar or in a hunting regulation guide. This is because it varies from county to county and backyard to backyard.

By Terry W. Johnson

We Americans don’t ever seem satisfied. Take bluebird boxes, for example. While the basic design has remained relatively unchanged for years, we are constantly seeking the perfect bluebird box.

Although such a structure may be a pipe dream, wildlife biologists are inching closer to that goal. Let’s take peek at some of the innovations researchers have come up with.

By Terry W. Johnson

In spite of the fact that I have been watching wildlife in my yard for decades, I probably enjoy it more today than when I was a young boy. One reason for this is that the more I watch the creatures that live 
just outside my backdoor, the more I encounter nature’s mysteries that beg to be solved.

By Terry W. Johnson

While most of us are trying to reduce the amount of fat in our diets, many of our backyard bird neighbors relish bird-feeder offerings laden with animal fats. Birds will eat the fat of cattle, hogs and other animals. However, the fatty food most commonly fed backyard birds is beef fat also known as suet.

By Terry  W. Johnson

By Terry W. Johnson

By the time autumn officially arrives, the fall migration of many migratory birds such as warblers, flycatchers and vireos has passed us by. However, during the ebb between when the last waves of early fall migrants bid Georgia ado and Jack Frost has transformed our countryside into a multihued tapestry of vibrant autumn colors, we have the opportunity to witness another migration: the migration of the cloudless sulphur butterfly.

By Terry W. Johnson

In recent years, a native shrub named the American beautyberry has been making a transition from Georgia's woodlands to backyards throughout the state. It is remarkable that it has taken Georgians so long to realize that this native shrub is both an attractive addition to our home landscapes and a valuable wildlife food plant.

By Terry W. Johnson

One of my favorite backyard plants is the native strawberry bush. I like it because it offers wildlife food, and in autumn it is one of the most beautiful plants in my yard. Also, to top it all off, I don’t have to pamper it. It literally takes care of itself.

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?

By Terry W. Johnson

As I write this column, the leaves of the flowering dogwoods growing in my backyard are bathed with a blush of red. Soon, however, they will turn scarlet and, together with their already bright red berries, light up the autumn landscape. If the flowering dogwood's breathtaking beauty is not enough to endear this small native tree to us, perhaps the fact that it is also one of our most valuable wildlife food plants will.