Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon: Beware of plastic Easter "grass"
It seems that the grass can be picked up by Bluebirds and other cavity nesters such as Tree
Swallows that build their nests out of grass. They weave it into their nests, but the material can be dangerous to adults and chicks alike. Birds get tangled in the strong plastic grass and get trapped, unable to leave the nest to feed or fly away.
If you want to help spread the word about this little-known danger, here's how you can help:
Now in its third year, the Bluebird Nest Box Project has first-hand experience with this danger, especially in the spring. Our nest box monitors have continually removed strands that have been woven into the nests, as well as picked up and disposed of in clusters found on the ground.You can help by either passing the word to family and friends or by joining the group at Harbor Park to hand out fliers. Go to the website for contact information.
This year, in an attempt to educate the public about this danger, we're working with the staff at Harbor (Ken Malloy - Regional) Park to get the word out. We've created an informational flier on poles and picnic tables, and the nest box monitors will be giving them to park visitors during our weekly nest box checks.
The flier is available on our website at:
http://pvsb-audubon.org/bluebirdproject.html or click here.
And if you see the plastic grass lying in a park or your yard, pick it up!
Here's another article on the topic.
Bluebirds are pictured below.
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About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
Thanks, Elle! And please spread the word. We want to educate the public, and also the manufacturers and retailers of this stuff. There is inexpensive biodegradable Easter Grass available, which would be the ideal replacement for the plastic kind.
This is so good to know!! I have some around the house still. I 'll get rid of it properly.