The Zen Birdfeeder

Be Prepared - Not Just for Scouts

I added a new yard bird yesterday, an exciting sighting of a flock of Snow Geese flying over my yard.

We've been in this location for nearly 19 years now so new yard birds are quite infrequent (but greatly appreciated and enjoyed!)  This year, we had 3 new birds visit the yard (or the skies above):  the Snow Geese, a migrating Swainson's Thrush in October, and a Red-bellied Woodpecker welcomed in the new year on January 1.

Red-bellied Woodpecker - January 1, 2009

The geese were a real treat.  The Hudson-Mohawk Birdline had numerous sightings of flocks of these birds on the move.  I had wondered whether I would be able to differentiate a flock of Snow Geese overhead from the more common Canada Geese, who are also being widely seen moving in flocks.  But I knew they were being seen, so I was keeping an eye out for them.

I had just read a post on the Stokes Birding Blog about the sighting of a White-winged Dove in Massachusetts. I love the reminders in their post to be observant and prepared as a bird watcher.  "You never know what might show up. In birding, that's a good thing to frequently remind yourself of."  It's easy to pass off a bird as that species you see all the time.  But the Stokes post is a perfect example of looking closely at even the most common of birds for what it might bring: "So, next time...you're looking at a Mourning Dove, check it carefully. Who knows, it could be a White-winged Dove."

Mourning Dove

As observers of birds, we should try to know all we can about the most common birds in our own area (not only how they look, but how they behave, their sounds, etc.)  Then we should always keep an open eye and open mind for differences from what we know.  And we should try to learn at least a little bit about birds that are similar to our common birds.  It helps also to keep an ear out for news of the migratory or unusual birds that are being seen in the area.  Then be ready to see the unusual!  For as Don & Lillian Stokes remind us in their post, "Chance favors the prepared mind, (or birder)."

Project FeederWatch Week 3

I completed week 3 of Project FeederWatch back at the end of November.  Temperatures were warm and we still had no snow cover at the time. 

Blue Jays (taken mid-November)

My Blue Jay flocks just continue to grow; from 20 in week 1, to 29 in week 2, to 31 jays this count.  That's a lot of jays!

Besides the jays, I also had Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Mourning Doves in fairly large numbers (double digit counts).  The chickadee flock keeps getting bigger too; from 6, to 10, to 17 chickadees in this count! 

Black-capped Chickadee

Here's my recap for week 3:

November 30 - December 1, 2009

Blue Jay                          31
Hairy Woodpecker           2
Black capped Chickadee   17
Dark-eyed Junco              15
Red-breasted Nuthatch    1
Mourning Dove                11
Downy Woodpecker         2
Tufted Titmouse             3
White-breasted Nuthatch   1
American Goldfinch           1
Sharp-shinned Hawk         1

SPECIES         11
INDIVIDUALS    85

Hairy Woodpecker

HIGH COUNT BIRD

My high count bird was the 31 Blue Jays, which means a lot of noise, a lot of seed, and a lot of BLUE!

BONUS BIRD
My first goldfinch of the count season showed up, earning Bonus Bird status.  I just wish there was more than just one (greedy, aren't I?)

MIA
My male cardinal who was around for week 1 and 2 was absent this week. :(

THE FIRST 15 MINUTES
It just amazes me how much I see in the first 15 minutes of my first count day each week.  7 of the 11 species were there in the first 15 minutes!  18 individuals were there early.

Tufted Titmouse

BEHAVIOR TIDBIT

Winter flocks are continuing to form.  When larger numbers of chickadees hit the feeders, I almost always see titmice, nuthatches and downy woodpeckers out there too.

They're a noisy flock too, with the dee-dee-dees of the chickadees, the hank-hank of the nuthatches, and the zhee-zhee of the titmice.  You gotta love 'em!

Doves at the Birdbath

What are the three most common words uttered upon seeing doves at the birdbath?

DON'T TURN AROUND!

Image taken with Wingscapes Birdcam 1.0 July 2007

Wordless Wednesday

Frosted chickadee

First Light at the Feeders

It was still so dark out that I needed binoculars to brighten the scene.  That ball of feathers on the feeder perch was a goldfinch, fluffed up for warmth and grabbing a black oil seed - its first calories of the new day.

Daybreak

It was the morning following our first measurable snowfall of the year.  Not much, just 2 or 3 inches, but enough to blanket the ground and coat the trees with a layer of white, dusty snow.  And it was cold - just 21 degrees at first light.  Cold enough to send small birds like the goldfinch into replenishment mode at the first hints of day.

Early morning junco

The juncos were next.  At least a dozen of them searching about, knowing their search for food turned more difficult overnight.  Even under the thick tangle of branches of the rosa rugosa bush, snow covered their favorite feeding areas.  Nature has just upped the ante.

Feeder Watching in Peoria

After an abbreviated Project FeederWatch at home last week, I did get to watch birds in my dad's backyard in Peoria, Illinois.  They have a beautiful backyard, maybe a little too neat for me, but  outfitted with all the right feeders.  Their birdfeeding stations were designed with the assistance of Jim and Deb Parrott of the Wild Birds Unlimited shop in Peoria.  My thanks go out to Jim and Deb for helping bring so much nature into my dad's and Ginger's life.

Downy Woodpecker on WBU Seed Wreath

Being neat-niks, they like to put their feeders in their garden beds and totally avoid the lawn.  So sometimes the feeders get a little close to squirrel jump-off points like trees, shrubs, and garden furniture.  As a result, besides the baffles, they've chosen caged tube feeders to keep squirrels off, and also serve seed that squirrels don't like safflower and niger.

Their squirrels are HUGE!  They have Fox Squirrels in their neck of the woods, critters so big, their thighs rub together when they walk!  I even thought I saw a double chin on one!  This one looks like he's been over-inflated.

Cardinals are regular visitors in their suburban yard.  And not just the one cardinal I see occasionally, but up to a half dozen at a time!  Their finch feeders were filled with goldfinches almost the entire time I was there.  A male Red-bellied Woodpecker feasted on suet and shelled peanuts.  And I was really pleased to see a Carolina Wren at their feeders too. I wish these two birds were regular visitors in my yard!

 
A mixed flock of House Finches and House Sparrows frequent the tube feeders.  My dad says he doesn't mind feeding the house sparrows and that the only birds he doesn't like are "those grackles", though he does admit that his tolerance for them is increasing because they only stay for a short time and then move on after a week or two.  Even I have to admit that during my stay, the house sparrow presence didn't bother me too much.  The numbers were manageable, and they just seemed at home within the mixed flock of small birds.

I gave them one of our WBU Seed Wreaths, which the birds found in no time at all.

The other feeders filled with sunflower chips had a steady stream of activity created by goldfinches, chickadees, and Tufted Titmice.  My dad has a lot of success with the tube-feeder-in-a-cage  approach that lets all the little birds in and keeps the squirrels out.  And watching the level of activity at his feeders, it's obvious that little birds have no problem passing through the 1-1/2" square openings to get to the food inside.

The shelled peanuts are the favorite of the titmouse and they're joined there by both male and female Downy Woodpeckers, house sparrows (looking chubby from all the high fat foods at this restaurant), Blue Jays, and a White-breasted Nuthatch. Mourning Doves cleaned up underneath all the feeders.

I was pleased to see a few Dark-eyed Juncos in their yard and to be able to point out the bird to them.  They had never noticed one before (not saying they haven't visited before!)  I am making the assumption that they are just winter visitors in Peoria.

During my 2 day stay, I saw 13 species including my first of the year Carolina Wren.  I had a nice, relaxing Thanksgiving that included a couple days of central Illinois feeder watching.  And Lizzie liked watching the birds too!   

Wordless Wednesday Feline Edition

Lizzie

Wild Birds Unlimited Birds of the Month Dark-eyed Junco

Fun Facts About Juncos

• The Dark-eyed Junco is currently divided into six distinct populations that include the following: Oregon, Pink-sided, White-winged, Slate-colored, Gray-headed, and Red-backed Juncos. There are an additional 12 subspecies divided among these populations.
• The Dark-eyed Junco has been documented to produce hybrids with White-throated Sparrows.
• Dark-eyed Juncos are often called “Snowbirds,” possibly due to the fact that many people believe their return from their northern breeding grounds foretells the return of cold and snowy weather. Another possible source of the nickname may be the white belly plumage and slate-colored back of the junco which has been described as “leaden skies above, snow below.”
• Juncos spend the entire winter in flocks averaging in size from six to thirty or more birds.
• Dark-eyed Juncos tend to return to the same area each winter. Chances are that you have many of the same birds at your feeder this winter that you had in previous years.
• Visiting flocks of juncos will usually stay within an area of about ten acres during their entire winter stay.
• To avoid the competition, many female juncos migrate earlier and go farther south than most of the males. In Michigan only 20% of the wintering juncos are females, whereas in Alabama 72% were found to be female.
• Male juncos tend to spend the winter farther north in order to shorten their spring migration and thus gain the advantage of arriving first at prime breeding territories.
• When migrating, female juncos move south before the males do, and adult females leave before the young females.
• Juncos migrate at night at very low altitudes and are susceptible to collisions with communication towers and other structures.
• Each winter flock of juncos has a dominance hierarchy with adult males at the top, then juvenile males, adult females and young females at the bottom. You can observe the pecking order with birds lunging at subordinates or even pumping the tail or flashing the white outer tail feathers..
• While almost all Slate-colored Juncos in the eastern portion of North America migrate, a population of juncos in the Appalachian Mountains is residential, remaining in the same area year-round.
• While the southward migration of Slate-colored Juncos is complete by early December, there is some evidence that indicates that harsh winter weather may spur some juncos to move further south at anytime during the winter.
• Juncos have over 30% more feathers (by weight) in the winter than they do in summer.
• Juncos prefer to roost in evergreens at night but will also use tall grasses and brush piles. They return to the same roost location repeatedly and will share it with other flock mates, but they do not huddle together.
• The name junco is derived from the Latin word for the “rush” plant found in wetlands.
• Partners in Flight currently estimates the North American population of Dark-eyed Juncos at approximately 260 million, second only to the American Robin in overall population size in North America. A separate research paper estimates that the junco population could actually be as high as 630 million.
• According to Project FeederWatch, juncos are sighted at more feeding areas across North America than any other bird. Over 80% of those responding report juncos at their feeders.
• A study in New Hampshire on the foraging habitats of the Slate-colored Juncos found that they spent over 65% their time on the ground, 20% in shrubs, 16% in saplings or low trees. They were never observed in the canopy of large trees.
• Juncos, along with some other members of the sparrow family, practice an interesting foraging method called “riding.”  They fly up to a seed cluster on the top of a grass stem and “ride” it to the ground where they pick off the seeds while standing on it.
• Juncos are known to burrow through snow in search of seeds that have been covered over.
• On an annual basis, a junco’s diet is made up of approximately three parts seeds to one part insects. During the nesting period, the percent of insects can increase up to 50-60% of their diet.
• You may not like these weeds in your yard, but the seeds of chickweed, ragweed, knotweed, pigweed, lamb’s quarters and crabgrass are some of the main natural seed sources used by juncos.
• You can attract juncos to your yard by feeding a seed blend containing millet and hulled sunflower seeds.
• Male juncos return and reclaim the same breeding territory year after year.
• Juncos typically have two broods per year with the female building her nest on or near the ground and laying three to five eggs. The male does not incubate the eggs but does deliver food to the young and helps the female to defend against predators. The young leave the nest in 9-12 days.
• Studies have shown that Dark-eyed Junco’s nests are the victim of predators between 20-80% of the time.  Rodents such as chipmunks and deer mice are probably the major predators on the eggs of juncos.
• The longevity records for juncos are:

    - White-winged – 7 ½ years
    - Slate-colored - 11 years, 4 months
    - Oregon - 9 years, 9 months
    - Gray-headed - 10 years, 8 months

Check out Wild Birds Unlimited rightbird Online Field Guide to read more about Dark-eyed Juncos.  Hear their voice, read about their behavior, view their ranges and more.

Solve the Bird of the Month Jigsaw Puzzle

KIDS LOVE FACTOIDS!
Share these cool fun facts with the children in your life. Broadcast a blend with lots of millet for juncos. And when there's 1 junco, there's usually more!

Identify It.
Learn About It.
Care About It.

Plentiful Berries for the Birds

Since mid-September, birdfeeder activity in the northeast has absolutely tanked.  I wrote about the abundance of natural food sources when I did a post on pine cones called A Look Inside a Pine Cone.  

Fruits and berries are amongst the other natural food sources that are still widely available to the birds and other wildlife.  I walked around the yard a couple weeks ago documenting all the berries still out there.

Barberry

Burning Bush - I've never noticed berries on this bush before!

Rosehips

Holly

Bittersweet

Still lots of pine cones!

About the only fruit-bearing trees in the yard that has been depleted are sumac trees.  Everything else still has fruit on it.  And as long as there's still lots of fruit and seeds out there, and as long as the temperatures remain mild and we have no snow, we can expect that birds and other wildlife will continue to feast on these natural food sources instead of visiting our feeders.

Birds have been using the feeders first thing in the morning and late in the day so enjoy the activity during those peak times.  And hope for snow!!

Franklin in Defense of the Turkey

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country.  He is a Bird of bad moral Character.  He does not get his Living honestly.  You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him...

The Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America.  He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a Red Coat on."

Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to his daughter

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

FROM THE THANKSGIVING DAY ARCHIVES:  Thanksgiving Dinner Advice from our Feathered Friends