Chatham Chatlist Highlights

Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2011 05:05:42 -0400
From: Sara Kane
Subject: Check out Better World Club for a road service company

Subject:  AAA alternative

Check out Better World Club for a road service company that supports environmental and social responsibility to an extent.  Prices are about the same as AAA.  I have used Better World and found them just as good as AAA in their services, at least for road service which is all I used.

Sara Kane

[Read more →]

Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:21:18 -0400
From: Haw River Assembly
Subject: Re: dead fish at Jordan Lake

In response to the sighting of dead fish at Jordan Lake (said to be between Ebenezer Beach and Poplar Point)

In general, it is not a good idea to swim where there are many dead fish. If they died from a toxin you don’t want to also be exposed to it . If, as is most likely in this case,  they died from lack of oxygen, associated with high temperatures and algae blooms,  you don’t want to be swimming with bacteria and other microbes associated with rotting fish.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:37:58 -0400
From: Anne Flannery
Subject: Hummingbirds vs yellow jackets

Thank you Thank you Thank you to all of you Chatlisters who wrote me with your wonderful ideas to keep the yellow jackets away from the hummingbird feeder. What a great resource this Chatlist is! 

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:00:14 -0400
From: Kira Dirlik
Subject: Another swift note

I am finally taking the time to read all the many websites that folks  here recommended.  This paragraph below was quite upsetting.

 From  http://www.chimneyswifts.org/page22.html

“…… Chimney Swifts are protected by Federal Law under the  Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Unfortunately, some chimney cleaning  companies will still illegally remove active nests with young and discard them to die slowly in trash receptacles.  When hiring a professional chimney cleaning company, be careful to select one that is reputable.   There are many companies that now actively promote Chimney Swift conservation.  Always keep in mind that “Bird Removal” is a blatant violation of the state and federal laws that protect Chimney Swifts and other migratory birds.  Homeowners should inquire about a company’s policy regarding Chimney Swifts.  Any company that offers or advertises such a service should be avoided.”

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 04:54:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: deborah bair
Subject: Re: swarms on hummer feeders

Anne: I had a terrible problem with swarming on my hummingbird feeders this year, and finally googled “swarms” & “hummingbird feeders”.  This was the main suggestion:  spray with PAM!
 
Spray around the feeding spout or tube.  It does not affect the hummers, as they actually insert their bills for feeding, but the bees, wasps, jackets, etc., cannot stay on and will slide right off.  You will have to repeat the spraying periodically, especially if you wash your feeders alot, but it’s worth the time and effort. It will take a little time for them to get the idea, but the feeders will soon be accessable once again. 

[Read more →]

Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:52:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason Strickland
Subject: “cow killer ants”

These are wingless wasp and they do indeed sting. They have a very powerful venom and the pain factor gets worse instead of better. Last time I was stung by one I stepped on it barefoot and my leg was useless for about 4 hrs. They are solitary as far as I know but it isn’t unusual to see several around. They have one of the toughest exoskeletons I have ever encountered. This is what Wiki had to say about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutillidae

[Read more →]

Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 22:18:50 -0400
From: Aaron Honeycutt
Subject: Bird Problem

For Kira

I read your post about the young birds in your chimney. Sitting here I, of course ,can’t say if the parent birds are coming down to feed their young which have fallen down below the nest. My guess is probably not. While seeing young wildlife die is disturbing to most of us, it is so common in nature.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:13:22 -0400
From: Whitney Schmidt
Subject: Purple Crepe (or Crape) Myrtles

I think what you may want is the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Catawba.’  Cooper Payne Tree Farm in Hillsborough sells them, and probably many other folks around here.  Cooper Payne spells it “Crape.”

Generally wholesale nurseries won’t sell to the public (I was a grower for many years), but they’ll be happy to direct you to retail establishments that do carry what you need.  Crepes are super easy to plant and keep, but don’t do it now, it’s way too hot – wait until fall.  You can buy them now and keep them shaded and watered until it cools just a little.  Heat stresses plants and trees and transplants sometimes (or often) don’t go well.

[Read more →]

Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:30:38 -0400
From: Tom Glendinning
Subject: Subject: Dark purple crape myrtles wanted

Use a landscape professional.  They can obtain the plants, plant them and guarantee them.

BTW, it’s crepe myrtle.

The market strategy imposed by the big box stores in the last five years has changed the marketplace.  In an effort to dominate the market and convince homeowners that they can “do it all,” they have monopolized the wholesale market purchasing large stocks of popular plants, increased the price by two hundred percent and attempted to put dependable professionals out of business. The whole strategy is a market monopoly ploy with an unsound basis.

[Read more →]

Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2011 12:17:15 -0400
From: Aaron Honeycutt
Subject: Turkey Vulture problems

For Bonnie, Vultures are sometimes encouraged to leave an area by hanging black plastic trash bags from tree limbs or porch railings in the area of congregation.

The theory is of course that they might perceive this as dead vultures. I should think that if the bags had just a little stuffing in them such as crumpled newspaper this might work better. It seems a contradiction since these birds are drawn to death and have been seen eating their own but I have heard that it sometimes works.

[Read more →]