The Zen Birdfeeder

Un-red Cardinal

Image by Andy Todzia

I just spent a moment taking in the beauty of this female Northern Cardinal.

I took in and studied her feather patterns, how her feathers lay this way and that, but with purpose in every turn. I caught little hints of red above her eye and the tiny feather tufts circling her eye. I imagined the different feel of the stiff feathers around the edge of her garish orange beak, and followed the transition of her tan feathers into a dusky, duller brown as they cross her shoulder. Her scarlet crest, instead of standing tall and alert is barely raised.

The female cardinal is not just the un-red cardinal. She is a treasure herself, each feature of her subtle beauty waiting to be discovered, enjoyed, and then heralded with the same passion afforded her brilliantly colored mate.

Thanks to Andy Todzia for providing permission to use his gorgeous image.

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And We're Off! First Week of Project FeederWatch is In the Books

Project FeederWatch starts each year at the beginning of November, while a few leaves still linger on trees and temperatures have yet to merit the adjective "extreme". It's Goldilocks time - not too hot, not too cold. Natural foods are still in supply and have yet to be sealed off by a winter coat of snow or ice. And we're still enjoying nearly 9-1/2 hours of daylight for the birds to forage.

Starting a bird count now lets you ease into the bird counting process for the season. The number of birds that appear during my first counts are never high, once as low as only 32 individual birds and on average, only 48 individuals. That's quite a bit lower than the 70 birds seen on average during the length of a season.

These early counts sometimes include a migrant or two, like Fox Sparrows or Red-winged Blackbirds.  But this year, my blackbirds and native sparrows are long gone, well on their way to their winter homes. I did have a couple Purple Finches pass through to be counted. Purplies nest in my area, but the resident birds left long ago. These two were sure to have been migrating birds, heading perhaps just a little bit further south and to a lower elevation.

My hopes for the day were to have a Red-bellied Woodpecker show up to be counted. One returned to the yard earlier in the month; now she just needed to show up on a count day. And late on day one, she did and she also returned the second count day as well. This is the first time a red-bellied has shown up this early in the fall. Years ago, I didn't see them at all, and now they seem to be establishing themselves as a fall and winter visitor.

My count ended up being a little better than typical, with 13 species and 62 individual birds seen, not counting the 2 overhead Common Ravens.

Have I found that the first count foretells what the whole season will bring? No, I don't think so. The big unknown is the unpredictability of the winter finches. Word has it that huge flocks of Common Redpolls are on the move in Quebec along the St. Lawrence River, about 500 miles northeast of me. If they show up, all bets are off and bird numbers and counts can soar.

It also seems to me that we had a very good chickadee/nuthatch/tuftie breeding year and that our winter flocks should be large and busy this season. My most desired bird for the count? A return of some Evening Grosbeaks. It's been a couple years since they visited and I'd sure love to have them stop through. I'll let you know if they do.

If you participate in Project FeederWatch, I'd love to hear what you experienced during your first count. If you don't participate, I hope you'll consider joining and help add to the data about some of our most common birds. Find out more at feederwatch.org

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I think it's kind of funny how I was inspired to create this meme. The idea came to me a couple weeks after visiting a high school and seeing a poster on the walls that said, "I'm so glad I didn't get a yearbook. Said no one ever."

I thought it was clever and obviously it stuck with me until out of the blue, I thought of how to apply it to my favorite bird. Who'd think that a trip to a high school would help create a bird meme? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Pushy Goldfinch Kids

You thought you had it bad with your kids, just be glad you're not this American Goldfinch dad, hounded by a couple young ones until he just had to leave the branch!

Sorry for the quality of the images. I just thought that the behavior was just too good to not share!

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Top 5 Benefits of a Mini Hummingbird Feeder

Wild Birds Unlimited introduced a "mini" hummingbird feeder a year or so ago, holding just 4 ounces of nectar but still sporting most of the outstanding features of a full sized WBU High Perch Hummingbird Feeder. It has the high perch that allows better and longer views of the hummingbirds, 2-piece non-drip design, super easy to clean, and clear bottom to view the hummingbird's lapping tongue.

Some of you (especially those who host dozens of hummingbirds at a time) may scoff at the idea of a feeder with only a 4 ounce capacity, but I think the small capacity is a benefit, not a weakness. Here's why:

1. Fresher nectar for the birds.
   Because it holds only 4 ounces, it empties more frequently so you are refilling it with fresh nectar more frequently. Which leads to....
2. More hummingbird visits.
   Because you are filling a mini with fresh nectar more often, hummingbirds are more attracted to it. Hummingbirds seek out the highest quality nectar they can find, and you are now providing refreshed, high quality nectar more often.
3. Better for the hummingbirds.
   Because the fresh nectar in a mini is consumed quickly, it is less likely the nectar will sit for days or weeks only to become moldy and bad for the birds.
4. A great way to provide multiple feeders to deter bully hummingbirds.
   A mini hummingbird feeder is a cost effective and efficient way to hang 3, 4 or even more feeders around your yard to reduce the chances that a bully hummingbird will drive other hummingbirds off all the feeders.
5. A great way to provide nectar late in the season.
   In late summer when hummingbird activity declines, a mini feeder is the ideal feeder to hang for late migrating birds. Put 3-4 ounces of nectar in the mini and replace it with fresh nectar every 4-5 days. You'll waste less nectar but still be providing a source of quality nectar for any hummingbird that comes through your yard late in the season.

As you can tell, I've really grown to love this sweet little feeder and throughout the summer, I keep 3 of them around my yard. And now that we are in the days when the very last of the hummingbirds are passing through, I have a single mini in my yard and will keep it there well into October. One of these years, I may just be rewarded for my diligence!

Get a Wild Birds Unlimited Mini High Perch Hummingbird feeder at Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY, or at your local WBU or online.

 

What to Watch for in Your Yard - Disappearing Birds

It's the beginning of September and the departure of some of our migratory birds is sadly well underway.  I haven't seen male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks since the middle of August, and the females and young grosbeaks went missing around the end of August.

 

Also departed are our Chipping Sparrows. I had boisterous little families of "chippies" visiting my yard until about late August as well.

 

The last adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird I saw was on August 13. Migrating females and first year birds, though infrequent, are still in the yard (at least as far of September 7). We're into the range of dates now when the last one will pass through, but I will keep a hummingbird feeder up and filled with fresh nectar until early October or so. This is when a our Mini Hummingbird Feeder really becomes valuable, so I'll only be filling with 3-4 oz. of nectar at a time.

It's admittedly harder to track a "last seen" date than an arrival date, but try to jot down when you see your last of these birds for the season. It'll become a running count, where you change the date if another bird shows up. It's fun to track "last seen" dates and refer to them from year to year. I'd love to hear your "last seen" dates for any of the birds in your yard.

What to Watch for in Your Yard - Molting Birds

Once the nesting season is over for birds, many promptly start a molt of some or all of their feathers.  Birds will lose feathers, many of which are worn and tattered from the rigors of raising young, and those feathers will be replaced with new feathers.

 

Male Northern Cardinal molting - late summer

While birds are molting, they take on a disheveled look, while old feathers drop and new ones push their way out. But this process is necessary for birds as a well-functioning coat of feathers is critical to a bird's survival.

Purple Finch molting head feathers - late summer

 

Dark-eyed Junco molt - early fall

You may see birds in varying degrees of molt for the next couple months. But don't look for the American Goldfinch molt just yet - they're still busy breeding and all their energies are directed towards that. They'll begin their molt after child-rearing is done and they have energy to put into growing a new coat of feathers.

 

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What to Watch for in Your Yard - More Young Birds

Nesting season amongst our common backyard birds is definitely nearing the end, but there are still plenty of young birds to be seen in our yards.

A buzzy "zhee-zhee-zhee" call may alert you to fledgling Tufted Titmice begging for their parents' attention.

 

Young Common Grackles lack the iridescence of the adults and will appear in your yard as dull brown birds. Very young grackles have a dark eye; this one has already transitioned to that characteristic grackle beady yellow eye.

 

Many yards in upstate New York host Dark-eyed Juncos during the winter, but never get to see them during the summer. We're at some elevation and lucky enough to have juncos year-round. That means we get to see the young ones! 

All those streaks will molt into the solid gray and white plumage we're all so familiar with. This young bird most likely will not winter in my yard though; it will head to lower elevations and more northerly-breeding birds will be the ones that fill my yard this winter.

Time is running out for observing young birds in area yards. Before we know, many will be indistinguishable from their parents while others will start the long flight south to their winter homes. So take time now to enjoy the young birds in your yard!!!

 

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FAQ: Will the Birds Go Hungry When I Go on Vacation?

Q: Will the birds go hungry if my feeders go empty while I'm on vacation or away from home?

A. When we leave home for a few days, besides watering the plants and stopping the mail, we often wonder what's going to happen with our birds. Will they go hungry if the feeders go empty? And will they come back?

The good news is that the birds won't go hungry - they'll just fly to another source of food.

And when you return and start filling the feeders again with your high-quality birdfoods, they WILL return. Birds remember where they have found quality food sources and will check them periodically. Be patient if it takes a few days for them to find that their favorite food is available again and only refill the feeders halfway until the birds are back visiting in full force again.

Be sure to read our post about the Top 4 Ways to Feed the Birds When You Go on Vacation.

Top 4 Ways to Feed Your Birds When You Go on Vacation

It's natural for us humans to worry about "our" birds when we're going to be gone for a few days. "What are the birds going to do???", we ask.

I assure you, they'll do just fine, but if you want to provide some foods that will last for the longest period of time after you leave, I do have a few suggestions.

WBU Birdfood Cylinders

When we're leaving home for a few days, our #1 go-to birdfood is large birdfood cylinders. Cylinders are made of a variety of seed and nuts, and some even have suet or fruit in them (with absolutely no fillers). The ingredients are compressed and held together with gelatin to form a round cylinder.

Large cylinders weigh over 4 pounds each, and they last longer than a comparable four pounds of loose seed in a hopper feeder.

When placed on a cylinder feeder with both a cover and a tray (to keep the cylinder dry and catch pieces as they break off) and on your squirrel-proof Advanced Pole System set-up, a group of cylinders will often last for many days into your absence. The Cylinder Cafe feeder with its large cover and ventilated tray is ideal for large cylinders.

To add even more cylinders to a vacation buffet, I take the hopper feeder off the top of one of my Advanced Pole System set-ups, replace it with a double crook, and hang two more cylinders feeders. When I return home, I switch back to the hopper feeder. This flexibility is one of the many advantages to the WBU Advanced Pole System!

Suet Cylinders

To provide suet while you're gone, a suet cylinder works well and lasts longer than a small suet cake. Below is a suet cylinder being enjoyed by a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. You can also put a suet cylinder in a WBU Dinner Bell feeder (pictured below with a small cylinder) that lets you lower the cover to exclude larger birds.

WBU Eliminator Feeder

Our Eliminator Squirrel-proof birdfeeder holds a lot of seed (3 quarts) to last many days into your time away. Squirrels are not eating away at the seed, so all of it is for your birds. It has weight-sensitive perches, so if you want to exclude larger birds, you can make the adjustment and the seed will last even longer.

Absolute Birdfeeder

This squirrel-resistent birdfeeder holds a LOT of seed - 10 pounds of it! Birds that tend to "sweep" at birdseed in search of the heaviest seed or nut will have a harder time doing that through the square feeder ports, so less seed is sent flying to the ground. (We say "squirrel-resistent" vs. "squirrel-proof" because we have had Red Squirrels and chipmunks figure it out.)

We fill ours with safflower seed, which the Purple Finches and grosbeaks love, but the Blue Jays don't prefer. That helps the seed last longer!

Now depending on how long you're gone and the availability of natural food sources, your results may vary, but these are the strategies I use to feed the birds as long as I can while I'm away from home. Now you can enjoy your vacation and not worry about your birds!!!