The Zen Birdfeeder

Busy Birdbath

Some days the bird bath is such a busy place!  These guys all visited within a 2 hour period last Wednesday.

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-capped Chickadee

White crowned Sparrow

Another junco

White throated Sparrow

How's your bird bath?

Digiscoped Evening Grosbeaks

I had three Evening Grosbeaks at the feeder on Wednesday and wanted to share these digiscoped images.  Click on any image to enlarge.

 

A Night Time Visitor at the Feeders

Its first visit was a week ago Wednesday morning when we awoke to find three feeders in the back yard fallen over like matchsticks.  We suspected deer.  Deer aren't numerous around our area, but I had sighted one in our yard recently.  I figured that a good size deer eating from the feeders would have no trouble knocking them over in our loose, sandy "soil".

I left those feeders down, yet the next morning awoke to this in the front yard:

This feeder setup just came up from the sand soil with no damage to the pole or feeders.

This feeder station had the 16 gauge steel pole of the WBU Advanced Pole System bent, the feeder intact with no damage, but empty.   We thought bear, but found no tracks, no scat, no major damage from teeth or claw. 

The feeders on the other setup were also intact. In fact, the peanut butter suet feeder was left on the ground uneaten, the mesh peanut feeder was left filled and undamaged, and the seed cylinder was only half-eaten. These seemed like significant clues as to who our bandit wasn't - we couldn't see a bear leaving all that food uneaten. And we figured a deer, standing on its hind legs, might very well have the weight and leverage to bend steel.  Male whitetails can weigh up to 400 pounds, females up to 250 pounds.

We cleaned up the mess, but still had two other feeding stations standing.  And they were intact Friday and Saturday mornings.  That changed last Saturday night.

I was half-asleep at about 10:30pm when I heard the sound of knocks on wood.  My old cat Jess tries to climb the stairs occasionally and when she does, her old bones and joints make clunking noises on the bare wood stairs.  I thought she was venturing upstairs and whenever I hear her attempting the climb, I usually get up to give her a lift.

I was at the top of the stairs, didn't see Jess, and the noise continued.  Through the casement window at the base of the stairs I saw the source - a small Black Bear pawing at the window trying to reach the suction cup window feeder!

He saw me and ran off into the night.  Looking out through the windows with a flashlight to illuminate things, I saw that he had ripped a mounting flange out of a 4"x4" pole to access three feeders on this feeding station.

He hadn't bothered the feeder out front, but at 10:30pm at night with a bear on the prowl, I decided to leave it be.

In the morning, I saw he had returned.  Since his visit at 10:30pm, he had snapped this pole to get at the large feeder on top, then walked off with the feeder.  He also took off with two feeders from his earlier vandalism.

We found all the feeders in the woods, empty but no worse for the wear. Through it all, though seven feeding stations were toppled holding 13 feeders, only 2 feeders had minor damage (I have to put in a plug that these were all Wild Birds Unlimited quality feeders!) and 2 base poles need to be replaced.

The window he had been pawing at had two foot prints below it - the only tracks we really found. And the window is smeared from his fur swiping at the window trying to reach the window feeder. One paw print is visible on the window. This was not a large bear: Black Bears (Ursus americanus) stand 5-6 feet tall - this guy was unable to reach the window feeder that was mounted six feet off the ground.

Black Bear Facts

• An average adult male weighs about 300 pounds while females average about 170 pounds.
• Black bears are omnivorous, eating grasses, berries, fruit, nuts, seeds, insects, grubs, and carrion, as well as human sources of food like corn, honey, bird seed, trash, and pet food when available.
• The Adirondacks are home to a population of almost 4,000 bears, which is the largest black bear population in New York State and the 3rd largest population in the US.
• Bears are Curious - They spend a great deal of time exploring for food, and this can bring them close to humans.
• Bears are Intelligent - Bears learn from experience. If an activity results in food, they will repeat that activity. If an encounter with a human is negative, they learn to avoid humans. Also if an encounter with a human doesn't result in a reward (food), they will not have any reason to have contact with humans.
• Feeding Bears is Bad for Bears - Bear's natural foraging habits and behavior can be changed.

Never deliberately feed bears and avoid unintentionally feeding bears. If you avoid attracting and rewarding bears, you, your property and the bears will all benefit.

If you have bears in your area and like to feed the birds, here are some suggestions:

• Bring all of your feeders in at night.
• Don't leave spilled birdseed lying on the ground.
• Keep your birdseed supply indoors.
• Don't hang your bird feeder from your front porch.
• In areas where bears are very prevalent, don't feed birds during the months when bears are most active (late March through November).
• If you do have a bear in your yard, don't approach it.

Read more at New York State Department of Environmental Education's site, "Discouraging Black Bears Around Home and Camp".

Back on the home front, we have been diligent in bringing in ALL of our feeders every night right before dusk. We leave them out as long as possible before nightfall for the night-migrating birds before they take flight.  And we put them back out first thing in the morning, though not early enough for some of the earliest risers.

Sure, it's a pain.  And we have fewer feeders out right now than usual.  But I don't want to see bears pawing at my windows again.  So we're hoping Mr. Bear moves on so we can resume our feeding stations as usual, and soon!

Need Help with Warbler Song

My mystery warbler is back, singing away. I recorded the song last year, and have attached the file that has 4 good repetitions. Always 6-7 notes, zoo-zoo-zoo-zoo-zoo-zoo-zee.

My guess is Black-throated Blue, which we do have in our area, and does nest here we believe (1300 ft elevation, Adirondack foothills). I hear the call all summer long.

Habitat: Coniferous 2nd growth forest, hemlock, white pine, norway spruce.  Some deciduous: black cherry, yellow birch.

I would appreciate the opinions of readers. Thanks in advance.

Crown Point NY Bird Banding Station Opens May 10th

This spring, master bird banders Mike Peterson and Gordon Howard will again lead their team mist netting and banding migrating birds that pass through the Crown Point area on the shore of Lake Champlain.

Mike Peterson 

Bird banding is a well-established and indispensable technique for studying the movement, survival and behavior of birds.  The Crown Point banding station has been operated since 1976 and since its opening, a total of 14,625 birds of 98 species have been banded.

Lincoln's Sparrow

We made our first visit to the station last year.  Read about Crown Point bird banding and Crown Point Birding at The Zen Birdfeeder blog.

VISITOR HOURS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Master banders Mike Peterson & Gordon Howard and the banding team welcome visitors on any days between May 10-25.  The station is open from dawn until late afternoon when the gate closes (hours vary).  Banding is often best on still, cloudy, or even rainy days, and birds are most active in the early morning hours-- generally until about 9 am -- although birds are netted throughout the day. 

Please sign the Visitor Log on arrival at the station-- a shelter, tables, and tents west of the British fort.  Feel free to bring food & drink, as well as cameras, but the banders ask that cell phones be turned off.  Waterproof footwear is recommended, since trails and net lanes are often muddy.  Even when banding is slow, the birding is generally good on the grounds of the Historic Site during May.

DIRECTIONS

From Rte 22 south of Port Henry, take the road to the Crown Point Bridge (County Rte 903) and look for the Crown Point State Historic Site sign and entrance on the left just before the bridge.  If the gate is locked, park across the highway and walk in the access road; otherwise, drive in.  Stop and consult the interpretive birding panels on the left for a map that shows the location of the banding station.  Vehicles should then be parked in the main lot in front of the museum.

CROWN POINT BIRD CONSERVATION AREA

The Bird Conservation Area is located on the grounds of the Crown Point State Historic Site, at the tip of Crown Point peninsula, just south of the bridge to Vermont.  Jutting northward into Lake Champlain, the peninsula serves as a migrant trap in spring, concentrating waves of northbound birds in thickets west of the British fort. The State Historic Site has also been designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the National Audubon Society.

Over 200 bird species have been observed at the Crown Point BCA, with as many as 27 different species of colorful warblers possible during May. Stop at the BCA interpretive panels on the left side of the entry road to view a map showing the location of the bird banding station, proceed to the main parking lot, then continue on foot.

This is a great activity for the family and for school or youth groups.  You may even get a chance to release a banded bird!

Nashville Warbler about to be released

Wordless Wednesday

Are Purple Finches more colorful this year or am I appreciating them even more than I had before?

Spring Arrivals and Departures (2008 #4)

Here's my fourth report of arrivals and departures this spring.

STILL AROUND
White throated Sparrows (numerous)

Tree Swallows (though we don't have the right habitat for them, we do have lots of Black Flies and other flying insects around)

 

NEW SPRING ARRIVALS
Rose breasted Grosbeak (two females on May 4, males the next day; in 2007, both male and female arrived 5/11). Digiscoped image below; notice the reflection off the feeder.

Savannah Sparrow (May 4; a new yard bird!  One day visit only)  Digiscoped image below.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (a female on May 4; in 2007, both male and female arrived on 4/27)
Northern Flicker (May 5)

DEPARTURES
Fox Sparrows (last seen 4/20)
Song sparrows (last seen 4/17)

OTHER VISITORS
Grape Hyacinth

Creeping Myrtle

Immature Sharp-shinned Hawk

Black Flies  :(
Black Bear (more on that in another post)

STILL TO COME
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Grey Catbird
Eastern wood Pewee
White crowned Sparrow
Indigo Bunting
Yellow-rumped Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler (both nest in our area)
Other warblers

Here's links to 2008 Spring Arrivals and Departures Report 1 from April 3rd, Report 2 from April 13, and Report 3 from April 21

Zen Nature Lessons

This monthly feature highlights 3 blog posts from the last month that exemplify the Zen nature lessons of Attention, Acceptance, and Responsibility. I encourage you to take a moment to enjoy these thoughtful posts.

Attention
Kudos to both the Field Sparrow and to Corey of 10,000 Birds for demonstrating great zen attention.  What a great image in the "Field Sparrow and Prey" post!

Acceptance
I and the Bird is a great way to find new blogs, like finding this post in IATB #74.  In the post "A Bitter-Sweet Tale of an Owl Family", Pam of Tortoise Trail follows the progress of a Great Horned Owl nest and shares a hard lesson in zen acceptance in nature.

Responsibility
Here's an excerpt from the "No Child Left Inside" post on the Bill of the Birds blog:
"Furthermore, if today's young people don't know and love nature, whom can we rely upon to be interested in the protection of the natural world in the future? To know something is to value it. And if you value it, you are more likely to want to protect it."
Read the rest of this important post that supports zen responsibility to nature. 

  Namaste

I and the Bird #74

Check out I and the Bird #74 on the Consworld blog.  Her theme is Songfest, and my Fox Sparrows Migrating Through post is included.  Check it out - there are some cool posts out there!

Wild Birds Unlimited Bird of the Month - Grosbeaks

Fun Facts about Rose-breasted and Evening Grosbeaks

• The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak shares incubation duties with the female and is known to even sing while sitting on the nest.
• The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is beneficial to farmers, consuming many potato beetles and weed seeds.
• The Rose-breasted Grosbeak will breed with the Black-headed Grosbeak in areas where their ranges overlap.
• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are known for singing on moonlit nights, sometimes all night, but never very loudly.
• The nests of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are commonly parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird, possibly due to the singing done by both the male and female as they construct the nest.
• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks’ preferred feeder items are sunflower, safflower and peanuts.
• The nests of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are so thinly constructed that eggs often can be seen from below through the nest.
• The males of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak share equally in incubating eggs and feeding young, despite having a much showier plumage than their respective females.
• The Rose-breasted Grosbeak has unusual diets for birds with such a big seed eating beak. Throughout most of the year, over half of their diet is made up of insects. Their huge beaks allows them to eat large grasshoppers, crickets and other insects that have tough exoskeletons.
• Evening Grosbeaks like to eat wild cherries, but unlike other birds, they only eat the pits. After removing the fleshy fruit, they crush the slippery seeds with special pads in their “gross beak.”
• So favored are cherry pits that Evening Grosbeaks sometimes seek out the pits voided by American Robins.
• Evening Grosbeaks can break open seeds that require up to 125 pounds of pressure to crush.
• As with many finches whose diet is primarily vegetarian, Evening Grosbeaks are attracted to natural salt and mineral sources.
• The Evening Grosbeak is an irruptive migrant that makes irregular appearances at winter feeding stations throughout much of United States.
• The Evening Grosbeak was not commonly found east of the Rocky Mountains before the 1850’s. Winter irruptions now occur in all of the 48 contiguous states. This expansion may be attributed to widespread planting of box elder trees in landscapes across the east. Its seeds persist on the tree throughout the winter and provided flocks with a reliable source of food.
• The Evening Grosbeak was named in 1825 based on erroneous accounts that they became vocal and active only “at the approach of night.” This erroneous belief persisted for years, and the name is still a misnomer.
• Evening Grosbeaks seem to delight in snipping off the twigs of Sugar Maple trees and sipping the sweet sap.

Check out Wild Birds Unlimited rightbird Online Field Guide to read more about Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Evening Grosbeaks.  Hear their songs, see their ranges, and more.

Kids love factoids!  Why not share these cool grosbeak fun facts with the children in your life?