The Zen Birdfeeder

WBU Year in Review 2009

2009 turned out to be a great year for Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY!  Here's a look back on some of the highlights of 2009:

~ Our area experienced an unprecedented high level of bird activity in January and February.  Feeders were amazingly busy with all the usual suspects, and we were part of the major irruption of Pine Siskins that impacted a good portion of the country.

Pine Siskin reports during Great Backyard Bird Count February 2009 - Alleghany Region

Pine Siskin reports during Great Backyard Bird Count February 2009 - North America

~  We were the first Wild Birds Unlimited store and the first retailer in New York state to  introduce Birds & Beans® shade-grown coffee.  Birds & Beans is a great-tasting coffee that we know is good for our migratory birds, having been certified Bird-Friendly™ by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.  Since its introduction, we have sold over 150 bags of shade-grown coffee and introduced countless others to the concept of certified shade-grown coffee.

~  In March, we were thrilled to host nationally recognized author, conservationist, educator, and birder Kenn Kaufman to speak about the merits of shade grown coffee and the impact of sun coffee on our migratory birds.  Following his visit, Kenn honored us with a wonderful post on his blog, Meeting Kindred Spirits over Coffee.

~  Almost in counterpoint to the increase in bird activity earlier in the year, we experienced an  unprecedented drop in bird activity in September, October, and November.  Everyone was asking, "where are my birds?"  Summer conditions produced a bounty of berries, insects, pine cones, tree nuts and more, providing widely available and plentiful natural food sources for the birds and other wildlife.  Mild temperatures and lack of snow cover kept these natural foods widely available well into December. 

~  We were featured on the cover of the September issue of Birding Business, a trade publication for the birdfeeding hobby.  The issue included a 4 page spread about our store and our ground-breaking use (at least within our industry) of the internet and social media such as our website, blog, Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook.

~  Despite the economy, 2009 was our best year ever at WBU-Saratoga Springs!  For this, we owe a debt of gratitude to our loyal customers, who have recognized the value of including birds in their lives and have turned to us to help enhance their enjoyment of the birds in their yards.

Thank you for a fantastic 2009!  It was quite a ride! 

Swainson's Thrush is our Newest Yard Bird

A migratory visit by a Swainson's Thrush gave us our 86th species to be viewed in or from our yard.  It's our first new yard bird since a Red-bellied Woodpecker visited the feeders on New Years Day this year.

I saw it first yesterday tucked in the rosa rugosa bush, but I had only a front view of it.  Based on what I saw yesterday, I thought it was a Hermit Thrush, but was reluctant to consider it identified.

But today, I got a better look at it and saw that it lacked any warm reddish coloration, and especially that it lacked a reddish tail.  There was also no tail pumping, a characteristic of the Hermit Thrush.  I thought perhaps it was a Swainson's Thrush, and with the help of fellow bird enthusiasts on Facebook and Twitter, we confirmed it.

The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State describes the Swainson's Thrush as "New York's second-rarest breeding thrush, ranking behind only Bicknell's Thrush."  Breeding within the state occurs more in coniferous, high elevation habitats such as the  Adirondacks and Catskills.  It even looks like there has been "Probable" breeding in our area of Saratoga County. 

Between the first atlas (1980-85) and the second atlas (2000-05), the "total number of blocks in which Swainson's Thrush was recorded dropped 16 percent".  Species Account Authors James D. Lowe and Ralf S. Hames posit that one might look at air pollution and acid deposition as contributing to the decline in breeding in New York state.

Swainson's are common breeders in the boreal forest, with an estimated 60% of the species breeding in the North American boreal, according to The Boreal Songbird Initiative (BSI) site.  They note that fall migration of eastern populations is mostly along the Atlantic coast.  The Swainson's winter range includes Mexico, central America, and northern South America.  BSI states that the Swainson's Thrush "is vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation in its winter range as well as significant mortality from collisions with towers on migration." 

The Swainson's has been identified as a bird species that overwinters in or migrates through shade-grown coffee plantations in Latin America.  Take a moment to read more about how your choice of morning coffee can impact birds like the Swainson's Thrush.

Fall and spring migration are ideal times to add to a yard list.  And even though bird activity is slow and fall migration is nearing its end, I still got to see a great bird and add it to our yard list! 

Citation: New York State Breeding Bird Atlas 2000 [Internet]. 2000 - 2005. Release 1.0. Albany (New York): New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. [updated 2007 Jun 11; cited 2009 Oct 13].

Ch-ch-ch-Changes in My Yard

Just 2 weeks ago the pace of hummingbird activity was frenetic...today, it's negligible.  The 3 tubes of nectar that were being refreshed 3 times during the day now last the entire day.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Such it is the lives of our backyard birds.  Temperatures are cooler and days are noticeably shorter.  With the coming fall, there are plenty of comings and goings to be seen in the yard.

My first brood of titmice arrived with much vocal fanfare in late August.  We always think of goldfinches as late nesters, but in my yard, the titmice and goldfinches consistently fledge their first young around the same time each year - during the 3rd week in August.

Tufted Titmouse fledglings

Red-breasted Nuthatches are back to being plentiful after tending to the nest and young during mid-summer.  Their youngsters joined the flock in early August.

Red-breasted Nuthatch immature

Downy Woodpeckers had a good nesting year, with many young at the feeders, including this inquisitive young male.  So much to see, so much to learn!

Downy Woodpecker immature male

I have another brood of Dark-eyed Juncos that arrived within the last week; juncos will have 1-2 broods and fledglings were seen in the yard in June.

Immature Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch and their young seem to have left the area recently.  They fledged in late July, and some of them had pretty entertaining looks to their plumage.  They may be replaced by other Purple Finches that migrate here for the winter.

Immature Purple Finches in all stages of molt

Female Northern Flicker

The flicker family of 4 has dispersed as well; I'm seeing only 1 female flicker in the yard recently.  And the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have also departed to their winter home in central or South America.  They have been known to winter in the lush habitat provided by shade-grown coffee plantations.

Immature Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The Blue Jays are getting their head feathers back, though this guy still looks a bit self-conscious.

Blue Jay

Chipping Sparrows are still around, loving the new suet stackables.  They too will head south soon but their spot will be filled by the "winter chippy", the American Tree Sparrow.

Immature Chipping Sparrow

Fall warbler migration has started and we've seen a Black & White Warbler with its nuthatch-like behavior.  An Ovenbird or two are regular visitors in the deep shade on the west side of the house.

Ovenbird

And we've had multiple Black-throated Green Warblers pass through.  They're not shy - they forage for insects on the leaves of the plum that is not more than 8-10 feet from the Adirondack chairs on the deck.

First fall Black-throated Green Warber

Changes happen - nature happens.  We'll miss what leaves us, but we also appreciate what comes in their place.  And the anticipation of the return of our summer birds carries us through the long months without them.

Mystery Bird is a Rose-breasted Grosbeak

We had a number of good guesses at our August 19th Wordless Wednesday Mystery Bird: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Purple Finch, even Baltimore Oriole (a guess submitted by a duck named Laylah.)  Thanks to those who commented.

Those who posted "Rose-breasted Grosbeak" were correct.  Here's another view of the grosbeak, enjoying birdseed at a WBU Eliminator feeder.  Isn't he beautiful?  (Click on image to enlarge)

What could've posed a challenge with the view I gave you of this bird is the combination of black and brown feathers on his back.  This bird, photographed in late July, is an immature bird, not yet an adult, and not old enough to breed.  Referring to Cornell's All About Birds, it is a "First-summer male (Alternate I) similar to adult, but with more brownish wing and tail, and usually some brown body feathers."  A "first-summer" bird means it was hatched the previous year, in this case the summer of 2008.

Last fall, this bird made the long migration trip to Central or northern South America.  He may have spent his first winter in the tree canopy of a shade-grown coffee plantation.  Then in spring, he made the long trip back to upstate New York.  He'll be departing soon, and hopefully he'll survive two more long migration trips to return again next April to breed.

How to Know You're Getting REAL"Shade Grown" Coffee

Have you ever bought a loaf of bread labeled "whole wheat" and found in looking further that whole wheat was way down the ingredient list?  So how do we know what we're getting when we buy a bag of "shade grown" coffee?

With no regulations for what can be labeled "shade grown", coffee companies and well-intentioned conservation organizations are at liberty to use the label on coffee that may have been grown in conditions that don't quite achieve the shade-grown goal of protecting the habitat of neotropical birds and other wildlife.

Fortunately, a trusted organization - the Smithsonian Institute, through their Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) - has developed a "Bird Friendly®" certification.  Coffee farms seeking certification are subject to an independent, third-party inspection, so when you see the Bird Friendly certification, you can be sure you are buying coffee that is 100% USDA ORGANIC and 100% SHADE-GROWN.

According to SMBC's website, "Bird Friendly® (BF) refers to organic certified coffee grown on farms with a shade cover that provides substantial habitat for migratory and resident birds in tropical landscapes."

The Bird Friendly criteria places many requirements on the grower, including height of the tree canopy, foliage cover, tree & shrub diversity, as well as numerous other criteria.  Follow this link to a Quick Reference Guide to all of Smithsonian's Bird Friendly Certification Criteria.

You'll find that Bird Friendly coffee tastes better too.  Shade-grown coffee takes longer to grow, producing what many feel (me included) is a richer, true coffee taste.   

Beside benefiting the birds, coffee plantations that produce shade-grown organic coffee are also healthier environments for workers and their communities.  Many Bird Friendly certified coffees are certified Fair Trade.

Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY carries Birds & Beans™ brand coffee that is certified Bird Friendly.  We are proud to have been the first retailer in the entire state of New York state to carry it.  We were also the first WBU store to carry the Birds & Beans brand and have been recently joined by Wild Birds Unlimited - Ft. Collins CO, which now carries Birds & Beans as well. 

Here's what you'll find in WBU-Saratoga's Coffee Corner.  We have brewed coffee for sampling every weekend.  If you can't stop in to see us in Saratoga, here's how to find Bird Friendly coffee in your area. 

Companies that sell and distribute coffee with the "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval contribute 25 cents per pound to support the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC)'s research and conservation programs.

Be sure you're getting REAL shade-grown coffee by looking for and insisting on shade-grown coffee with Smithsonian's Bird Friendly certification.  You'll find that certification proudly displayed on Birds & Beans brand coffee. 

Ask for it - create a demand for it!

Birds by the Numbers

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are known to winter in
shade-grown coffee plantations (digiscoped image)

300    million cups of coffee consumed
by Americans every day

69    percent of coffee grown in Columbia is
now grown in full sun

94    percent FEWER bird species are supported in
sun-grown coffee farms vs. shade-grown farms

71    million Americans consider themselves birdwatchers

What an impact we could make
if all 71 million of us
chose or helped a friend choose
Bird-Friendly coffee every day!

Spring Migration First of the Year Report 2009-8

This is the eighth(!) of my 2009 First of the Year (FOY) posts, reporting spring migrants as they return to or pass through my yard.  There's lots more color and song in my yard now!

Ovenbird (Summer 2008)

Ovenbird
2009 return:    May 7
2008 return:    May 12
2007 return:    Not recorded

Nest in New York?    Yes
I didn't see the Ovenbird, but I heard its unmistakable call: "Teacher-teacher-teacher-TEACHER!" The Ovenbird is one of our migratory birds that is known to over-winter in, or migrate through, shade-grown coffee plantations in Latin America.  Find out more about how you can help our grosbeaks through the coffee you choose.



Grey Catbird (Spring 2007) - Digiscoped image

Grey Catbird
2009 return:    May 9
2008 return:    Not recorded
2007 return:    Not recorded

Nest in New York?  Yes
Catbirds are a common breeder throughout New York except at the higher elevations of the Adirondacks.
 

    
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Summer 2008)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird
2009 return:    May 10 (male & female)
2008 return:    May 9 (male) and May 18 (female)
2007 return:    May 6 (male) and May 14 (female)
2006 return:    May 9 (male)

Nest in New York?  Yes
The hummingbird species that calls New York home from May through September utilizes shade-grown coffee plantations the rest of the year.  Those coffee plantations are being threatened.  Read more about what you can do to preserve the winter habitat of our hummingbirds.
   

    
Baltimore Oriole (Spring 2009) Digiscoped image

Baltimore Oriole
2009 return:    May 11
2008 return:    May 13
2007 return:    Not recorded

Nest in New York?  Yes
The oriole is yet another of our favorite summer residents that winter in shade-grown coffee plantations.  Are you drinking the right coffee for the colorful orioles?

Great Adirondack Birding CelebrationJune 5-7, 2009

The seventh annual Great Adirondack Birding Celebration (GABC) is scheduled for June 5-7 at the Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths.  Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs is proud to be a sponsor of this birding event.

Ovenbird

The 2009 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration will feature birding trips, lectures, workshops and the popular Teddy Roosevelt Birding Challenge. Lois and I will be there in the WBU booth with a nice selection of Eagle Optics and Vortex binoculars and spotting scopes, including digiscoping set-ups, as well as a supply of Birds&Beans™ Bird-Friendly® coffee.

2009 Schedule
The keynote speaker Saturday evening will be Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, author of "Silence of the Songbirds" (she also is one of The Voices for the Birds for Birds & Beans Bird Friendly Coffee.)
Download the 2009 Schedule of Events

2009 Field Trips
Download the Schedule of Events

Registration
Registration is now open.  Download the registration form here.

What birds might you see?
Great birds like the Bicknell's Thrush, Gray Jay, and Black-backed Woodpecker.  Download a checklist of birds from last year's celebration.

For more information about the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration, contact Martha Van der Voort at (518) 327-3000. 
We hope to see you there - make sure to stop and introduce yourself!

Spring Migration First of the Year Report 2009-6

This is the sixth of my 2009 First of the Year (FOY) posts, reporting spring migrants as they return to or pass through my yard.  And there's still more to come!

Rose-breasted Grosbeak pair on WBU Seed Cylinder Feeder

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2009 return:    April 27 (male)
2008 return:    May 4
2007 return:    May 11

Nest in New York?    Yes

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are amongst the migratory birds that are known to over-winter in, or migrate through, shade-grown coffee plantations in Latin America.
Find out more about how your can help our grosbeaks through the coffee you choose.

Yellow-rumped Warbler male

Yellow-rumped Warbler
2009 return:    April 28
2008 return:    Not recorded
2007 return:    April 30

Nest in New York?  Yes
Yellow-rumped Warblers can migrate to wintering grounds as far south as Mexico and Central America.

Pledges for Earth Day

I've always considered my activities pretty earth-friendly overall.  But I know there's always more I can do.  So what did I do NEW this month to mark today's Earth Day?

• I installed 5 new triple-pane energy-efficient windows at home
• I started vermi-composting again (I'll share pictures of that in a future post)
• I'm starting a vegetable garden (first time in years!)
• Late last month we made the switch to Bird-Friendly shade grown coffee, we carry it in our Wild Birds Unlimited shop, and we have been active advocates for the cause.
• I've really become conscious of turning off or unplugging as many devices as possible that have a indicator light on them.

I also took the following earth-friendly pledges:

• Birdfreak's One Million Birder Project - show the world that we are serious about improving the environment for the animals we love so dearly.  I KNOW there's more than 140 of us out there who care for the birds!
• Audubon's Healthy Yard Pledge - Create and maintain a healthy environment for you, your family, and local wildlife.
• Took the Good Neighbor Pledge at National Wildlife Federation to help reduce global warming.
• Get kids involved saving the earth too!  Have them pledge at Nickelodeon's The Big Green Help.
• The Million Garden Pledge at Gardener's Supply Company - plant a vegetable garden this year and Grow What You Eat.  I was number 14,533 so there's a way to go.  Every garden helps!

Please join me by taking one or more of these pledges too!  Let me know if you do.