Review it Wednesday: Create Your Own Backyard Wildlife Habitat

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received product and/or compensation in exchange for this review.

As I sit on my patio, I revel in the entertainment in front of me courtesy of the wildlife in my backyard. The variety of birds is sometimes astounding and some of the squirrels seem to be part of the family. Even my cat, Theo, ignores them when they approach the porch hoping for nut or two.

Concerned about how the neonicotinoids were killing off bees and butterflies at alarming rates, we planted a pollinator garden last summer in the middle of our yard. All the flowers are free of neonics and other bee-killing toxins. While we can't control what our neighbors do when it comes to RoundUp and Scott's Lawn Service, we keep all that crap off of our lawns and gardens.

Obviously, we care about the environment and wildlife. But we have selfish reasons for doing some of the things we do as well. Sometimes we do things simply because we want to enjoy our backyard wildlife habitat. From cardinals to goldfinches to pileated woodpeckers, we delight in the sights and sounds as we sit on the porch and take it all in.

Cedar waxwing eating serviceberry

When photographer and writer, Doris Dumrauf, released her book, Create Your Own Backyard Wildlife Habitat, I was thrilled! I've long admired Dumrauf's photography. So I contacted her and asked her if I could review the book for her here on the blog. She graciously accepted and sent me a book.

Excitedly, I opened the package and I was not disappointed. The photographs are stunning! While the book can be used by adults to start their own wildlife habitat, it is geared toward young readers. I love that children can get a glimpse into the wonderful world of birds, butterflies, and the backyard's furry creatures through Dumrauf's superb photos. The book is simply enchanting as much as it's educational. 

The text gives each creature its own point of view, as each page is written in first person, whether it's the great horned owl "talking" or a painted skimmer. Featuring 19 different species, Dumrauf gives the reader reason to fall in love with each one.

Concerned you just don't have the room for a backyard wildlife habitat? Dumrauf addresses that concern:

"A back yard does not have to be big to provide habitat for wildlife. To attract wildlife to your yard, all you need to offer are food, water, shelter, and a place to raise the next generation."

Excellent! If you have have a back yard, or a front yard for that matter, you have what you need to start attracting wildlife. Let Doris Dumrauf's book, Create Your Own Backyard Wildlife Habitat, get you started on the right foot. Click here to buy this beautiful paperback.

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Doris Dumrauf grew up in the West German state of Rheinland-Pfalz, a region with a huge concentration of U.S. military bases. Her childhood experiences, combined with her long employment on a U.S. air base and a love of history, became the inspiration for her novel, Oktober Heat. After moving to the United States in 1995, Doris published numerous articles in magazines and newspapers. She is an award-winning nature photographer and public speaker.