At our recent meeting, Horticulture Chair Nancy Percivall shared exciting news about our new project, creating a Bluebird Trail at the Crofton Community Library. One active nesting box is already in place in the Native Garden, and the trail will expand from there with additional boxes to give these beautiful native songbirds safe places to raise their young. Club members will help care for the boxes, watch for nesting activity, and keep track of the bluebirds’ progress throughout the season. Beyond providing homes for the birds, the project will also give the community a chance to enjoy and learn about bluebirds up close. Visitors to the library will be able to follow along with the trail, making it not only a gift to nature but also a special way to connect people with the wonder of wildlife right here in Crofton — a perfect reflection of our club’s mission of conservation, education, and community service.

In 2021, Crofton Village Garden Club supported the Crofton High School Green Team with funding to help establish a pollinator garden on the school grounds. 

Planted with native flowers and grasses, the garden attracts bees, butterflies, and other local pollinators while giving students hands-on experience in caring for the environment. A fun feature of the garden is the Bug Hotel, which offers shelter for beneficial insects like solitary bees and ladybugs. It's both a creative addition and a learning tool for students.

By helping to fund this project, the Crofton Village Garden Club continues its mission to encourage conservation and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Feeding Behavior and Tree Management

The Yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), a migratory woodpecker found in the eastern United States and Canada, is known for its unique feeding behavior, which sets it apart from other woodpeckers. Rather than drilling holes to find insects, sapsuckers drill into living trees to access sap and phloem tissues. During early spring, they test various trees to find those with high sugar content, preferring thin-barked species like birch and maple. While a few scattered rows of sap wells typically don’t harm trees, excessive holes—especially if they girdle the tree—can severely damage it. Girdling prevents the tree from transporting fluid through its phloem and xylem, which ultimately affects the tree’s health. Additionally, sap oozing from the holes can attract insects like bees and hornets, as well as wood-decaying fungi, which can further stress or even kill the tree. To manage this damage, several strategies can be employed. One effective method is to protect vulnerable trees by installing tree wraps or netting around the trunks to prevent the sapsuckers from reaching the bark. Visual deterrents, such as shiny objects like aluminum foil or reflective tape, or motion-activated noise devices can also discourage the birds. Applying tree-friendly adhesives or pastes to the trunk can make it harder for sapsuckers to drill holes, though it's important to ensure the substance is safe for the tree. Offering alternative food sources, such as sugar water feeders, can divert the sapsuckers from more vulnerable trees. Maintaining overall tree health through proper care, watering, and fertilization helps trees recover from minor damage. In cases of severe girdling, pruning or applying wound dressings can assist in healing. For extensive damage, consulting an arborist for tailored solutions may be necessary.

PROGRAM: For the Love of Birds

Kate Neall, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited located in Gambrills, led an engaging and informative program celebrating our backyard feathered friends. Kate gave us "a bird's eye view" into the habits of common local bird species and shared what draws different birds to specific types of feeders and habitats. She explained the importance of suet—especially during colder months—and the various blends available to support birds through the chill of the season. The program concluded with a fun, Julia Child–inspired workshop where members created a homemade suet treat to take home for their own backyard visitors.

At our May meeting, member Paulette Heward shared an interesting story about a cowbird that laid an egg in her bluebird house, offering a firsthand look at this bird’s unusual behavior. Cowbirds earned their name from their habit of following herds of buffalo and cattle, feeding on the insects stirred up by the moving animals. Because their food source is always on the move, cowbirds don’t have time to build nests of their own. Instead, they lay their eggs in the nests of other songbirds—a behavior known as brood parasitism. In the spring, a female cowbird will perch in a tree and watch for other birds carrying nesting materials. Once she spots a potential host, she quietly sneaks in and lays a single egg, usually after the host bird has already laid its first egg. Her job done, she moves on to find another nest, potentially laying up to forty eggs in different nests over a single season. While cowbirds are often seen as parasitic, their fascinating reproductive strategy is a unique adaptation to their nomadic lifestyle.