[Pollinator] National Pollinator Week observed at wildlife refuge in Vernon

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from NorthJersy.com
National Pollinator Week observed at wildlife refuge in  Vernon

Friday, July 8, 2011 
BY JANET REDYKE
CORRESPONDENT
Aim Vernon
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June 20 through 26 has been designated as National Pollinator Week by the 
US  Department of Agriculture. Five years ago, the US Senate unanimously 
approved  and designated the final week in June for addressing and educating the 
public on  the necessity of pollinators and their declining numbers. The 
Wallkill River  National Wildlife Refuge celebrated our native pollinators: 
bees, birds,  butterflies, bats and beetles, with various talks, exhibits, 
walks and garden  tours during June’s last week. 
 
 (http://media.northjersey.com/images/janet043_070811_ai_tif_.jpg)   
PHOTOS/JANET REDYKE 
Refuge volunteer Giselle Smisko discusses the life and  times of the 
ruby-throated hummingbird. 


 
 (http://media.northjersey.com/images/janet045_070811_ai_tif_.jpg)   
Smisko shows an actual ruby-throated hummingbird's  nest to her audience at 
the Wallkill River Refuge. 


On Monday June 20, refuge volunteer Giselle Smisko presented a slide show 
and  discussion on the "Jewels of the Garden" or ruby-throated hummingbirds. 
"The ruby-throated hummingbird is the species of hummingbird prevalent in 
New  Jersey and the only one that breeds here," said Smisko. 
There are in total 18 species in North America, most in the western states. 
 Smisko, also a volunteer at the Avian Rehabilitation Center in Wantage, 
has  taken care of injured and disabled birds, including hummingbirds. 
"I know birds through binoculars and also in hand," Smisko grinned. 
Hummingbirds are extremely difficult to care for because of their size and  
their need to constantly feed. Caring for an injured hummingbird requires 
Smisko  to feed it every 20 minutes. 
Hummingbirds are commonly named because of the humming sounds made by their 
 wings, which beat 53 times per second. The ruby-throated hummingbird can 
fly an  average of 27 mph, with reported speeds up to 60mph. Their wings, 
unlike regular  birds, rotate from the shoulder, making for varied flight and 
hovering. Their  species’ name Apodiformes, which means "no feet," is not 
exactly accurate.  Hummingbirds do have super tiny feet, used for perching, 
they technically can  not walk. 
Zooming from flower to flower, hummingbirds are truly a native pollinator 
in  New Jersey, at least during our warm spring and summer months. Smisko 
encouraged  the group to try to attract hummingbirds to their backyards by 
planting native  flowers like jewelweed, lilacs and tubular flowers like 
petunias and  impatiens. 
"They are attracted to the color red," she explained. "However, they look 
for  the flowers with the sweetest nectar which are not always red." 
An extreme pollinator, the ruby-throated hummingbird can carry 10 times 
more  pollen than an average bee. Smisko also discussed the use of very popular 
 hummingbird feeders, suggesting glass feeders are best and cleanest. 
Preparation  of the feeders’ sugar water solution is one part sugar for four 
parts water,  heated but not boiled. 
"The solution must be changed every other day to avoid the growth of mold," 
 Smisko stated. 
Hummingbirds can easily be poisoned by moldy solution, causing neurological 
 problems to the birds. Smisko suggested use of hummingbird feeders only 
toward  the end of a rough, dry summer, when flowers become  scarce.
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