Tasks for November
Birds aplenty!
Do your bit for this worthy event by recording all the bird species you see or hear in your garden, local park, school grounds, suburb or, if you feel energetic, within a 50km radius of your home during the 24-hour period.
Encourage birds to visit your garden by growing a variety of bird-friendly plants:
For nectar-loving birds Aloe, Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis), coral tree (Erythrina spp.), white olive (Halleria lucida), wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus), weeping boer-bean (Schotia brachypetala), erica and protea will all attract sunbirds.
For fruit-eating birds Plant big num-num (Carissa macrocarpa), white pear (Apodytes dimidiata), water berry (Syzygium cordatum), wild peach (Kiggelaria africana) and Mickey Mouse bush (Ochna serrulata) to attract birds such as loeries and mousebirds.
For insect-eating birds Mulching with leaves and garden clippings not only conserves moisture in the soil and discourages weeds, it also provides a pantry for robins, thrushes and white-eyes.
A thicket of shrubs such as pride of De Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii) and plumbago gives birds protection from predators and weather, as well as a place to build nests. Include some grasses and palms to provide material for nesting, and thorny shrubs and trees to provide shelter and protection.