L.A. LOOKS Wildlife Corner Photo & Article By Barbara Ann Comer The ruby throated hummingbird is a gem flying on wings and a year-round resident in Lake Ashton. The male sports the iridescent ruby-red gorget. The hummingbird family, found only in the Americas, includes the smallest birds in the world. Their iridescent colors shine brilliantly depending on the light. These highlyterritorial acrobats fly up, down, backwards, sideways and hover in one spot on wing beats as fast as up to 80 times per second. What's the best way to attract them? Hummingbird feeders are a lot of work to keep clean and safe for the birds. Those who use feeders should not use dye since it may harm the birds. Instead, a red ribbon tied to the feeder can get their attention. Landscaping with a small tree surrounded by Firebush or Firecracker is the safest and most effective way to provide perches and the highenergy nectar they need and love. Keep your eyes open — they are really fast! LA (LW) HOA & ARC HOA Board Members • Marti Schmidt, President/Treasurer president@lakeashtonhoa.org • John Donahue, VP & ARC Director vp@lakeashtonhoa.org • Glen Hart, VP2 & Compliance Director vp2@lakeashtonhoa.org • Tim Doyle, Secretary secretary@lakeashtonhoa.org • Deanne Mayne, Secretary 2 & Compliance Director, sec2@lakeashtonhoa.org The Lake Ashton Compliance and Architectural Review Committees hold regular office hours on the third Wednesday of each month at 3:30 pm in the Clubhouse Card Room. This is a great opportunity for residents to come and discuss any questions or concerns you might have related to ARC requests or Compliance issues. Whether you have general questions or simply want to meet our teams, we are here to help. Both Committees are in need of additional members. Please consider volunteering to assist your community and fellow residents. ARC: ARC@LakeAshtonHOA.org Compliance Committee: compliance@LakeAshtonHOA.org PROTECT LAKE ASHTON’ S PONDS Summer is on its way, which means scorching days with lots of sunlight. Algae development occurs most frequently during the summer months, when rainfall and pond water temperatures rise. There are numerous ways residents may help keep Lake Ashton's Ponds attractive right now. • Avoid overfertilization and careless application. • Remove pet waste from your yard. • Ensure that landscape providers mow lawns with the chute pointing away from the pond bank. These actions will help to reduce nutrient runoff from summer rainfall. When the nutrients in the water get too high, the chance of an algae bloom increases. If an algae bloom occurs in a Lake Ashton CDD pond, the CDD contracts with an aquatics provider to treat the algae biweekly. Email Matt Fisher with any questions or concerns at mfisher@lakeashtoncdd.com. PLEASE REMEMBER TO CLOSE UMBRELLAS AT THE POOL & PET PLAY PARKS ! It costs the District approximately $70 per umbrella to replace.
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