I was beginning to wonder if spring would ever come but it’s here now and I’m excited to get into the garden.  Gardening for birds is always rewarding because different plants will attract different birds, and a greater variety of plants, trees and shrubs means a greater variety of birds.  Red Flowering Currant attracts hummingbirds, towhees, thrushes, waxwings and woodpeckers.  Red Huckleberry attracts doves and orioles.  Grosbeaks, towhees, waxwings and woodpeckers are attracted by Pacific Crabapple.   The conifers that are staples of our landscapes provide shelter, nesting places and food for a variety of birds for different reasons; and, bonus they come in many shapes and sizes.  National Audubon maintains a searchable native plant database (www.audubon.org/native-plants) as does the Wash. Native Plant Society Salal Chapter (https://www.wnps.org/salal).  Happy Gardening!