outmybackdoor

By Terry W. Johnson

There are many reasons why we are so fond of the eastern redbud tree. I suspect our affection for this small, native tree is largely based on its beauty and not what I consider to be one of its most endearing features.

By Terry W. Johnson

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the one piece of equipment that can have the greatest impact on your enjoyment of your backyard neighbors is a fine pair of binoculars.

Since all binoculars look pretty much the same, it is easy to assume that they all perform in a similar manner. The truth of the matter is that such is not the case.

By Terry W. Johnson

Chances are, if you are reading this column, one of your favorite winter pastimes is feeding birds. As such, each year you spend hundreds of dollars on feeders and foods in hopes of attracting birds within easy viewing distance of your home.

So far, much of winter 2015-2016 has been disappointing for those of us who enjoy seeing white-throated sparrows, cardinals, dark-eyed juncos and a host of others dining at our backyard bird cafes.

By Terry W. Johnson

Chances are if you made a health-related New Year's resolution, it probably involved vowing to eat less salt. The harmful effects of a high-salt diet on humans are well documented. But is the same true for the birds that visit our backyard feeders?

By Terry W. Johnson

Along about this time of year I find myself yearning for signs of spring. Not too long ago, while walking about my yard I came across the season's first crocus and daffodils blooming. Seeing these hardy plants in full bloom convinced me that Mother Nature had opened the door to a change in the seasons, just a crack, and spring was looking in.

By Terry W. Johnson

When I walked outside to retrieve the newspaper on New Year's morning the sky was gray and the temperature hovered around the freezing mark. This was definitely not the weather I had hoped experience on the first day of the year. However, before my spirits had a chance to sag, I was greeted with the loud call of a Carolina wren.

As soon as I heard the bird's cheery song, I said to myself, "What a great way to start the new year!"

By Terry W. Johnson

Each spring, a parade of flowering plants marches across the Georgia countryside. As I write this column, when I pause and look out across my yard, I am regaled with the beauty of the blossoms adorning Chickasaw plums, redbuds, yellow Jessamine, daffodils, jonquils, forsythias and pear trees. Around this neck of the woods, they are always at the head of Mother Nature’s spring parade of flowers.