The Zen Birdfeeder

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

While in Texas earlier this month, we took a day trip to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.  We were primed for the visit by the wonderful array of wildflowers that line Texas highways.

Bluebonnet
Lupinus texensis

Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and actress Helen Hayes founded the organization in 1982 with the goal to introduce people to the beauty and versatility of wildflowers and other native plants.  Native plants are those that occur naturally in the place where it evolved. 

But the center is so much more than just plants - it is a celebration of wildlife, art, and Texas architecture as well.  Here's a photo tour of our visit to The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Giant dragonfly and giant ant sculptures welcome you to the center

Claret cup in the Theme Gardens

Bluebonnet line the path to the Butterfly Garden

Prickly pear cactus are numerous...and beautiful!

 
Giant spiderwort

I hope readers can help me with the name of the butterfly and plant

Lots of turtles in the Wetland Pond

My favorite sculptures at the center

Wings on Wednesday

Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center April 8, 2010
Still waiting on ours here....

Mr. Bird: The Making of WBU Seed Cylinders

Woodpeckers are some of the most welcome visitors in my yard.  Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers frequently feed at a suet log or at the Bark Butter slab feeder.

Hairy Woodpecker eating Bark Butter

When they aren't eating those high-fat suet offerings, they are at one of the seed cylinders I have out.  Seed cylinders are a compressed mixture of seed, nuts, and/or fruit and are a great addition to a birdfeeding station.  Seed cylinders are long-lasting, so they are especially helpful when you're going on vacation or will be unable to fill your feeders for a few days.  They are also a great summer food for the woodpeckers if you're in a hot climate that makes suet feeding a challenge.

Hairy Woodpecker on seed cylinder feeder

The seed cylinders sold at Wild Birds Unlimited are made especially for us by Mr.Bird of New Braunfels Texas.  Mr.Bird provides the Wild Birds Unlimited system with the exclusive WBU Supreme Fare (our best seller and favorite of MY birds!), Cranberry Fare, Cardinal Cuisine, Safflower Sensation, and Wildlife Fare.  They also make three Stackables, No-Mess, Nut & Suet, and Fruit & Nut.

Downy eating a Stackable Sandwich (Stackable w/Bark Butter)

At Christmastime, they also make the WBU Supreme Fare and Cranberry Fare Seed wreaths as well as a wide selection of seed shapes like snowmen, trees, gingerbread people, and ornament balls.  The wreaths are a best seller in our store, always selling out before Christmas week.

Downy on WBU Supreme Fare Wreath

Downy on Seed Snowman

While we were in Texas, we had the pleasure of visiting the facility where all these great products are made.  Birch and Velma Smith were our hosts and they are the owners of Mr.Bird. 

Birch & Velma Smith

Birch had previously owned his own birdfeeding hobby store in the early 1990s, and it's nice to know he's walked a mile in our shoes!  Birch and Velma started Mr.Bird in 1996 in this modest building. 

First Mr.Bird Facility

Within a few years, they had outgrown the space and moved into their current facility.  And in the next couple months, they'll be expanding again to this larger, climate-controlled building.

Future home of Mr.Bird

What amazed us about the Mr.Bird operation is that all their products are mixed and formed BY HAND!  Seed, nuts, and fruit arrive at the Mr.Bird facility by the truckload.  The ingredients are measured and combined in a machine similar to a concrete mixer.  Gelatin is added and will serve to hold the ingredients together.

Ingredients waiting to be made into seed cylinders

A whole lotta peanuts!

Mixing the ingredients with a smile!

The seed mixture is then pressed into the appropriate mold.  While we were there, they were making seed bells (available in our store at Christmas).  The mixture sets in the mold, and after it is removed, it is given time to set further.  When ready, they are then individually wrapped, labeled, sealed, and boxed up, all ready to be shipped to Wild Birds Unlimited stores from Saratoga Springs to Santa Fe.

Seed cylinder molds

Safflower Sensation cylinders drying

No-Mess Stackables

Wrapping seed bells

 

It was amazing to watch the product being made by hand and it gave us a real appreciation for the quality of the product.  We saw that there's a lot of love put into every WBU seed cylinder!

Thanks to Velma, Birch, and all their employees for providing Wild Birds Unlimited with such unique and quality birdfood products!

Mr. Bird products are available at your local Wild Birds Unlimited or online.

Final Four BBQ Quest - The Salt Lick, Driftwood TX

You can't write a week's worth of posts about a trip to Texas without writing about the food in Texas, even if your blog is about the birds!  Beginning with last year's women's Final Four trip to St. Louis, we decided that we will look for outstanding BBQ at our Final Four location.  We took it to the next level this year, developing a rating system for BBQ with categories that include Meat, Sauce, Sides, Intangibles (Atmosphere/Service/Location), and an Overall Rating.

Diane and Sue have been meeting us at women's Final Four locations since 2004's tournament in New Orleans.  They like food as much as we do and are the other judges in our new Final Four BBQ Quest.

The judges:  Lois, Diane, and Sue

After entering the words "best barbecue in Texas" in a Google search, the 10Best - Trusted Advice for Travelers website came up with the "Barbeque, Texas Style" article about the "best BBQ joints in the Lone Star State".

That's were we found out about the Salt Lick, outside of Austin in Driftwood TX, and just about 30 miles north of where we were staying in Canyon Lake.

We went on a Monday evening and had a wait of about 30 minutes.  You could order soft drinks and have them in the picnic area outside to help the time pass.

While waiting, I also checked out their round BBQ pit, which is out in the open for all to see.  When I asked permission to take photos, I was graciously invited into the pit area to take as many photographs as I wished.  The open pit, and watching the food being prepared just added to the great atmosphere of the Salt Lick.

Stone pit BBQ stoked with oak wood, not mesquite

You can almost smell it, can't you?

Getting your meal ready

We were seated on bench seats at a big slab table, our order taken, and our food arrived very promptly.  We all ordered the $11.95 Plate with beef brisket, sausage, and pork ribs.  The sides included potato salad, cole slaw, and beans as well as shared bread, pickles and onions.  A bowl of their habenero sauce was also served on the side.  We got down to work (and tough work it is!) and here's our reviews:

---

SUE
Meat:            A+    Smoked well, good flavor and great pork rib
Sauce:           B
Side:             C+    I prefer mayo-based cole slaw
Intangibles:   A      Nice feel, the wait was reasonable, good service
OVERALL:      B+    I really enjoyed the meats, the location and the atmosphere

---

DIANE
Meat:            A    Tender and not real fatty
Sauce:           B+   On the sweet side which was good but could have used more
Sides:            B-    I'm not a German potato salad fan.  Beans and slaw above average
Intangibles:    A    Rustic, big, good service
OVERALL:       B+   Would go again and would recommend highly

---

LOIS
Meat:            A+    Great smoking
Sauce:           A      I like vinegar BBQ sauces more than ketchupy ones
Side:             B      Who cares, its not the sides, its the meat
Intangibles:   A+    Great atmosphere, fast service
OVERALL:      A

---

NANCY
Meat:            A    Beef amazingly tender, nicely done. Pork rib and sausage excellent.
Sauce:           B+   Could've used more on meat and on table.  Love the habenero sauce (bought some to   take home!)
Sides:            C    Potato salad dry and clumpy.  Cole slaw average.  Beans good.  Bread very good.
Intangibles:    A    Open pit amazing.  Loved seeing the cooking process!  Wait staff helpful.  Location fitting.
OVERALL:        B+    Reasonable wait. Portion (Plate) was ok - not great.  BYOB but didn't know.  No credit cards! - locals may know but visitors could find themselves short of cash!

---

So it looks like the OVERALL rating of the Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood TX was a STRONG B+. 

We'd ALL go back again so if you're ever in Austin, Canyon Lake or New Braunfels, drive over to Driftwood and check it out yourself!  Next year: Indianapolis BBQ - is there such a thing?

Salt Lick Menu
Other Testimonials
Salt Lick Online Store

Wings on Wednesday

 

 

Black Vultures - Houston TX

How to Tell a Black Vulture from a Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture

As long as I was going to be seeing so many vultures in Texas, I realized I had a great opportunity to learn the differences between Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures.  Turkey Vultures are common in upstate New York, but Black Vultures are expanding into our area, so learning to tell them apart may very well come in handy at home too.

Turkey Vulture

With their huge 6 foot wingspan, Turkey Vultures are easy to pick out as they catch thermals high in the sky. They soar with their wings in a dihedral shape (a shallow V) and often teeter from side-to-side.  The ends of the wings (their primaries) look like long fingers.  The front edge of the wings to just past the wrist is black; the trailing edge and primaries are greyish white.

Turkey Vulture 

As they come closer to earth, perhaps zeroing in on the carrion they eat almost exclusively, we can pick out other features like their bald red head.

Black Vulture

One of the first things you notice different about the Black Vulture is that the white on the underside of their wings is only at the wingtips.  They also hold their wings level while soaring (vs. the TV's shallow V) and you don't see them tipping from side-to-side.  Their tail is stubbier, in fact the tips of their toes may extend beyond the end of the tail.

Black Vulture

When you see the black and turkey vultures soaring together, the difference in their wingspan is especially noticeable; the Black Vulture's wingspan is under 5 feet, at least a foot shorter.

 

On closer views, you'll see the Black Vulture has a black bald head and white legs.  I think they look like they have tube socks on.

Interesting Facts

• Neither of these vultures build nests with nest material.  They just lay eggs on a flat surface of the nest site.
• Black Vultures don't have as keen a sense of smell as Turkey Vultures.  They'll find their food by site, or by hanging around with Turkey Vultures and letting them sniff out a meal.
• Black Vultures are more aggressive than Turkey Vultures and will drive Turkey Vultures off carrion.
• Black Vultures have a more diverse diet and are common scavengers at garbage dumps, or at open trash bins like in this suburban park.

Turkey Vultures were once rare in New York, but now have a wide distribution across most of the state.  Could the Black Vulture experience a similar expansion?

Birding by Car - Houston to San Antonio

We had a nice vacation earlier this month, spending 10 days in Texas.  We flew into Houston and headed over to San Antonio for women's Final Four basketball.  The trip to San Antonio is an easy three hour drive on Interstate 10 - even easier when you're the passenger and can keep an eye out for birds!

Turkey Vulture

I soon discovered that Texas has LOTS of vultures.  LOTS.  Both Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures.  There were times along the drive that the sky seemed filled with 30-40 vultures and hawks circling, catching thermals, or vultures gathering to scavenge.  The ride set the stage for the hundreds of vultures we'd see throughout our stay, whether in the country near Canyon Lake, circling office buildings in the suburbs of Houston, or above the city of San Antonio.

Great-tailed Grackle

We were also introduced to the Great-tailed Grackle along the ride.  These images were taken at a rest area, where we saw male grackles displaying to establish dominance over other males, and strutting and posturing in front of the browner females.  Great-tailed Grackles are also very abundant in Texas, perching in just about every tree in the San Marcos outlets' parking lot to joining us for dinner along the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Males posturing (click on image to enlarge)

Males (right) strutting for browner females (left)

Along San Antonio's Riverwalk

Another exciting bird we saw along the way was a Crested Caracara.  We actually saw a couple of them - one perched on a fence post and one soaring with the vultures and other hawks.  In both instances, the bird just looked...well, different. 

When perched, it was very long legged which made it look very tall.  In flight, its black and white pattern on the wings, tail, and breast made it stand out from the vultures and other hawks.  Caracaras are commonly seen in east-central Texas.  I didn't get an image of the caracara but you can read more about it on Cornell's All About Birds site.

Cliff Swallow

Most numerous along the drive, however, were Cliff Swallows.  At just about every overpass as we headed out of Houston, we saw hundreds of swallows catching insects on the wing and flying in and out of their mud nests that were tucked up under the lip of the overpass.  They were seen more during the first half of our drive; as we got closer to San Antonio, they were still present but not in as great of numbers.

Cliff Swallows build pocket-like nests; it looked like there were young in them!

Hundreds of swallows filled the sky!

These swallows were drinking from a puddle near a gas station.

Cliff Swallows   

Even though birding was not the main focus of our visit, we did see many birds, including some life birds.  Watch for posts throughout this week recapping our Texas vacation, including more on vultures, Texas BBQ, the Mr. Bird plant, basketball, and of course, more birds.

Crown Point NY Bird Banding Station Open May 8 - 22

Saturday May 8th marks the opening of the 35th season of bird banding at Crown Point on the shores of Lake Champlain.  Master bander Mike Peterson will be absent while he continues to recover from a stroke, with Gary Lee and Gordon Howard carrying on in Mike's absence.

Gordon Howard

Last year, 57 species and 457 individual birds were banded, which was a bit below expectations.  Most notable for their absence last year were Yellow-rumped Warblers with just 20 individuals banded.  Since 1976, a total of 15,439 birds of 99 species (plus five subspecies or other forms) have been banded on the grounds of Crown Point State Historic Site.

Follow this link to read Mike's report on the 2009 banding season.  Last year I got up there one day to help out and was able to release a male hummingbird.

Gary Lee

VISITOR HOURS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Gary and Gordon and the banding team welcome visitors on any days between Saturday May 8 through Saturday May 22.  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.

Crown Point is included in the book "Adirondack Birding - 60 Great Places to Find Birds", co-written by Mike Peterson and Gary Lee.  The book gives you more information about this Important Bird Area, the birds you might see there, along with a map of the area.  Adirondack Birding is available at Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY.

DIRECTIONS

From Rte 22 south of Port Henry, take the road to the (now demolished) Crown Point Bridge (County Rte 903) and look for the Crown Point State Historic Site sign.  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.  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.

Blue Jays - The Bird We Love to Hate

TOP 5 REASONS WE HATE BLUE JAYS

1.  They're loud
Blue Jays are one of the most vocal and loudest birds in the yard.  But it works to their advantage and to the advantage of the other birds as well.  Hey, you know they're there!
 
2.  They're big and "scare" away the little birds
They are big and littler birds may leave when the jays come, but the little guys always come back, don't they?

3.  They scatter seeds all over the place
They're looking for their favorite seed or nut, or the one that weighs the most.  Put a tray under your feeder to catch their mess!

4.  They come in a gang
Members of the jay family will flock together.  Several adults may tend to the young jays, helping their survival.  It's an advantage to work together to find food sources.

5.  They're piggy and eat all the seed
They can eat a lot of seed and especially love peanuts.  I put out peanuts-in-the-shell only occasionally since they can clean out a Peanut Pantry in less than an hour!

YES, BUT...READ ON!

TOP 5 REASONS WE SHOULD LOVE BLUE JAYS

1.  They're a beautiful bird
From their blue and white-jeweled wing feathers to the soft gray underparts, their jaunty crest and black necklace, the Blue Jay is a gorgeous bird to see!

2.  They're fun to watch and listen to
They have a variety of calls and behaviors that are interesting to hear and observe.  They do a great hawk imitation or can sound like a rusty gate! 

3.  They plant trees
Jays store food like acorns by caching them.  The ones they don't recover can grow to be a mighty oak!

4.  They're smart
Members of the corvid family (which also includes crows) are known as being among the most intelligent of birds.

5.  They protect other birds by being the flock "watch dog"
Jays serve as yard sentries, calling loudly if a predator is in the area.  Watch all the other birds flee the area or freeze in place when jays let out a warning call.

Bird Feeders for Pileated Woodpeckers? Think BIG!!

Pileated Woodpeckers are amazing birds.  In comparison to our little 5" chickadees or even our 12" Blue Jays, pileateds are huge, coming in at 16-19" tall with a wingspan of 29"!  They weigh 10 ounces, or as much as 10 Downy Woodpeckers or 22 goldfinches!

Pileated Woodpeckers are primarily insect eaters, preferring carpenter ants and other insects.  Big holes gouged in dead wood are a sign of pileateds probing in search of delectable insects.

Photo Courtesy of Sandra M., Corinth NY

Pileateds can be attracted to suet feeders, but to accommodate these big birds, you've got to think BIG!  Here are some feeder options that our customers have had pileated success with.  All these pictures were taken by our customers!

The feeder that has the most reports of pileated feeding is our suet log feeder.  These feeders are long enough for these huge birds to comfortably perch on.  Fill it with peanut suet plugs if hung on a baffled  Advanced Pole System® set-up; fill it with hot pepper suet plugs if hung in a tree.

Photos Courtesy of Sandra M., Corinth NY 

Other customers have had good success with a Suet Sandwich feeder when hung flush to a tree.  The birds can perch on the tree trunk while probing into the sandwich feeder to access the suet inside. 

This feeder is somewhat squirrel resistent in design; thin suet slabs are pressed between the two hard-plastic faux tree trunk side, allowing only a 1/4" opening to access the suet.  This is plenty for woodpeckers (and other suet-loving birds) but it limits access to squirrels.

Photos Courtesy of Jeffrey L., Gansevoort, NY

The WBU Double Tail Prop Suet Feeder is designed with the Pileated Woodpecker in mind.  It holds two cakes of suet, which is needed for this big-billed bird and has a prop on the bottom for the bird to use as a "kick-stand".

Photo Courtesy of Regina T., Ballston Spa, NY

So if you're lucky enough to have Pileated Woodpeckers in your area, think about putting out one of these accommodating feeders and see if you can attract them to some suet!

Photo Courtesy of Sandra M., Corinth, NY