The Zen Birdfeeder

Does Your Yard Have the Blues?

Here's a fun and quick bird exercise to do: make a list of the (primarily) blue-colored birds that are most likely to visit your yard.  If you're like me, the list is pretty short!

Most Likely
1.  Blue Jay

Possible but not for sure
    2.  Eastern Bluebird
    3.  Indigo Bunting
    4.  Tree Swallow
    5.  Black-throated Blue Warbler

Unlikely
    6.  Northern Parula

That's only six birds!  But I'm lucky to have actually had all six visit my yard over the years. 

And just within the last week, my yard has been a little bluer with visits from the jay (of course!) and surprise visits from an Eastern Bluebird (not too common on my wooded road) and a second of the spring visit from an Indigo Bunting.  Half the blues, present and accounted for!

Indigo Bunting

Blue Jay

Eastern Bluebird

What blue-colored birds have been in your yard lately?

A Little Spring in my Yard

I don't do a whole lot to fancy up my yard, it's really a mish-mash of stuff I did years ago plus volunteers that have stepped in during my 9-year absence.  (Everything in my life is categorized pre-store or post-store; my yard, gardens and greenhouse are a pre-store casualty).  But I still enjoy a little walk around the yard now and then, especially on a beautiful spring day.

Candytuft in myrtle with a little wild strawberry and hardy geranium on the side.

 

Blue Flax - one of my favorites. Flowers bloom each day and are gone by the end of the day.

 

Winged visitor on the candytuft

 

Early in a Blue Lupine's bloom

 

My "lawn" is about 60% Creeping Thyme. My goal is eventually 100%. Great to walk on and smell the thyme!

 

I love the look and feel of the new growth on conifers like this Blue Spruce

 

New growth shoots on White Pines are called "candles"

 

This pine's new growth wears a cap until it grows to big to wear it

 

Fritillary on last season's leaf

 

I always see smiley faces in my Johnny Jump-ups!

 

Wordless Wednesday - Blue Flax and Bee

The Hummingbird's Fickle Red Throat

The stunning throat feathers of the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird is what earned the bird its name.  When glowing a bright red, it's a sight to behold.  But one turn of the head can click off the color, like switching the lights off in a room. 

Why is his gorget an iridescent red at times, and at other times, just a patch of dark feathers?

You see, the little individual feathers that make up the Ruby-throated Hummingbird's gorget are not red at all.  They have no pigment or coloration within them.

So why do the throat feathers (sometimes) look red?  Well, the color comes from the shape and microscopic structure of the feathers and how light interacts with those microscopic structures. 

I don't want to get in over my head with something I struggle to fully comprehend myself, but the easiest way for me to understand it is when I think of these particular types of feathers like a prism.  A prism is clear but when light hits the prism at the right angle, it refracts color. 

So depending on the lighting and the angle at which you see the hummingbird's throat, the feathers will either appear an iridescent red or a flat black.

Here's a series of pictures of the same bird on the same branch, all taken in a 2-minute time frame.  It's interesting to watch the throat color turn on and off almost with each turn of his head.

Fortunately, not all birds' feathers are so fickle.  For no matter what light we see a male Northern Cardinal in, he remains his beautiful red.

Feeding Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are easy to attract to your birdfeeders because they like a wide variety of seed and are comfortable at many types of birdfeeders.

FOODS TO OFFER
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks prefer black-oil sunflower, safflower, and striped sunflower.  A perfect blend for them is Wild Birds Unlimited Supreme Blend.  Grosbeaks in our yard also love seed cylinders and stackables.

Three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the WBU Supreme Fare Cylinder

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak enjoying safflower at a window tray feeder

You seldom see grosbeaks at suet feeders but we have seen them take a nip of Bark Butter now and then.  Lately, I've seen them enjoying peanuts too!

FEEDERS TO USE

Grosbeaks eat from a variety of elevated feeders including hopper feeders, tray feeders, and tube feeders.  They'll visit feeders that hold our seed cylinders and we've had them visit window feeders as well.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak on Catch-a-Seed Tray

The feeder should have a perch since grosbeaks are not clinging birds.  They seldom eat on the ground.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP GROSBEAKS

Put out a source of fresh water for your birds and you might enjoy seeing grosbeaks drinking or bathing in the water you provide.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are here only during the breeding season.  The other months of the year, they thrive in the habitat provided by shade-grown coffee farms.  Sun-grown coffee plantations lack the habitat for these gorgeous birds so the type of coffee you drink can made a difference to the grosbeaks.

Drink certified Bird-friendly® shade-grown coffee like Birds & Beans® to help ensure that these beauties return to your yard year after year.

Look for this certification to know you're getting real shade-grown coffee

The certified Bird-friendly coffee we carry at WBU-Saratoga

Fruit for the Catbirds

Gray Catbirds returned to my yard on May 4th from their winter homes in the southern states.

Gray Catbird on our catch-a-seed tray

They aren't typically feeder birds, but you can possibly bring them in by offering fruit.  So besides the orange halves I had out for the orioles, I also put out a softening pear, hoping they'd take me up on my offer.

It wasn't long before not only one, but two catbirds enjoyed my fruit offering.

In case you missed it, check out this video post of my fruit-eating (and meewing) catbird.

Catbirds might also eat softened raisins as well as the fruit in our WBU Fruit Cakes Suet Dough.

Catbird eating Fruit Cakes Suet Dough

Why not try offering more fruit at your birdfeeders and see what birds take you up on your offer!

 

FAQ - Why Do My Woodpecker's White Feathers Look Brown?

Q.  The feathers of my Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers that are typically white look brownish and stained and kind of roughed up.  What's happening to them?

Click on image to see light brown staining of eyebrow stripe and light staining on the sides and belly

A.  At this time of year (late April through June), both Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are busy raising families inside a tree cavity.  While excavating the cavity, laying and incubating the eggs. and then feeding the nestlings, these hard-working woodpecker parents are in and out of the cavity hundreds of times for more than a month.  This inevitably takes a toll on their feathers.

The feathers that are typically white may get stained by tannins in the tree.  Their feathers will also get worn from friction against the tree. But don't worry, all their feathers will be replaced during a complete molt after all the hard work of breeding is complete.

The good news for you is that when you see this, there's a chance of seeing young woodpeckers in your yard! 

Wednesday at the Watering Hole

I have five birdbaths out this spring for the birds!  Here's just some of the activity I've had at them.

Couples bath

Hey, no arguing in the bath!!

Gettin' clean

 

Black-capped Chickadee

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 
Migrating White-crowned Sparrow

 

Looks like water fireworks (click on to enlarge)

 

Black-capped Chickadee

Rain Rain Go Away, Don't Dilute My Nectar Today

On a rainy day like today, we can really appreciate some of the lesser known benefits of our new WBU High-Perch Hummingbird Feeder.

We make nectar with a sugar and water mix that most closely approximates the nectar in flowers.  But if a day-long rain dilutes the nectar, the birds may stop visiting the feeder.

Our newest hummingbird feeder has two perhaps little-known design elements that help prevent that from happening:

1. The raised embossed flowers (that are red versus yellow since yellow is more attractive to bees) help divert water from flowing into the port holes.  This keeps the nectar bowl from being filled with rain water.
2. The built-in ant moat in the middle (which stops ants from getting to the sweet nectar) has overflow holes.  If it rains enough to fill the moat, the water will drain out and not dilute the nectar.

Well designed birdfeeders of any type are better for you and better for the birds.  Here are some other features of our new High Perch Hummingbird feeder:

• new higher perch gives you unobstructed views of birds
• bowl design mean no dripping
• clear base lets you view hummingbird tongues lapping up nectar
• accepts optional Nectar Guards tips to keep flying insects out
• easy to clean, top rack dishwater safe
• never forget the recipe for nectar!  It's embossed right on the feeder
• available in 8oz. and 12oz. sizes
• lifetime guarantee

Wildlife Wednesday - Chatterbox Squirrel

 

TAKE A BREATH, WILL YA??

Turn your speakers up for maximum chatter enjoyment!