February 2015 Activity

Week 5 Steady routine of reduced corn and sweet feed, plus vegetable scraps to the deer yard.  Those attending range from 3 does to 6 does.  Added to the brush pile no. 2 in the back field, placing brush and cactus cleanup such that there is a lot of internal space for habitat. 
No reply from TP &W on the question of whether to mow last years dead grass or let it stand for the quail.  Disappointed in no response.
Week 6  Cleaned and erected the purple martin house this week.  Recall that no purple martins have taken up residence since this house was put up two years ago.
Decided to limit the barn swallows to one nest---if this is possible--due to their aggressive nature regarding the smaller birds, such as the wrens.  Moved the wrenhouse away from the barnswallow nest on the house wall.
Usual routine of feed at the deer yard.  Point to note, saw two bucks with the antlers still intact.  Must be getting close to antlers falling off. 
Added more brush to brush pile no.2.  We will put a few more cactus on this pile, then move to another site for adding another brush pile.
Week 7  Good news:  We encountered a state game warden at the SMCISD STEM fair and asked the question about quail habitat for our land, asking him the question of mowing.  He did not know the answer but buttonholed a biology professor from TSU who happened to be nearby.  He was knowledgeable and gave us all we need to know about quail on this land.  Four key points:  (1) Don't mow if there is room for the birds to run along the ground without mowing (yes there is).  (2) Provide brush piles with loose structure for nesting (yes there are, and will build more) (3) Don't knock down old, loose structure prickly pear cactus as they provide nesting sites. (good advice as we were about to take many of them down). (4) Don't bother to feed the quail purchased seed or commercial feed as studies have shown no effect on quail nesting success or population growth.
Week 8  Feed to the deer yard pulled in 10 does tonight.  Most ever.  I guess that is because all the hunters have stopped feeding for the season and this is now the only welfare feeding spot.  One buck with antlers.
Getting dry again, need some rain.
Built a level platform for the phoebe to see if that helps them build a nest in their favorite spot by the garage.
Planted a huge number of acorns (half shumardi and other have liveoak) in various protected places.  We did this last year with no noticable results, but maybe with the right rainfall, it will be successful this spring.