A September Morning

Today was my birthday. I woke before my alarm at 6:10 or so. It was dark. Thunder rolled in the distance. Rain poured down and out of the gutters. It was too noisy and too dark for 6 o'clock in the morning.

Staring out the back window, eating breakfast.

There were visitors today. A surprise. The feeders and shrubs aren't typically busy in poor weather.

Sitting up on a cable line above the Staghorn Sumac, a gray bird with blue tail feathers. One of the Eastern Bluebirds juveniles from this summer.

No. Not one. Something flies out of the Sumac and into the grass then back up. Another two exit the Pagoda Dogwood. Then diving Bluebird activity begins between the Sumac and Dogwood.

I didn't inspect the Dogwood. I suspect that had I, I would have found no berries left. There had been many.

And other visitors this morning. A pair of Northern Cardinals, a Downy Woodpecker, a White Breasted Nuthatch, dozens of House Finches. Two Blue Jays interrupt the feast at the feeder. The peanut feeder is empty before 6:30.

In my need to connect with nature and seemingly to anthropomorphize my backyard companions, I tell myself the Bluebirds came back this morning to wish me a happy birthday perhaps as a thank you for providing them a good nursery. In reality, this morning's weather probably made foraging difficult so they returned to the place where they could count on a healthy cache of berries.

While I am very conscious of their comings and goings and feel an affinity toward them as though they are somehow my Bluebirds; the truth of the matter is that the wild things of my yard are relatively unaware of me so long as I leave them in peace. The same is true of yours of course. There are some exceptions, the Blue Jays seem to recognize me as the peanut provider, but as I watch the birds while eating my breakfast, I am confident that while they ate theirs, they never saw me lift my spoon.

Feeding Hummingbirds the Natural Way in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin the only hummingbird one is likely to encounter is the Ruby Throated. In order to foster encounters with these tiny birds people often opt for hanging a hummingbird feeder, perhaps not realizing that their own lawn can be an effective all natural food source.

Amongst our variety of native plants, three plants grow which were explicitly planted for the hummingbirds.

Columbine

Bee Balm

Cardinal Flower

The tiny birds show interest in other flowers, but they focus on these for a few reasons. Firstly each of these flowers (in our yard) is red (Note: We have red and pink Bee Balm). Just like the feeders and feed are red, hummingbirds really key in on the color red. Each of these flowers bloom at a different times of the year as well, in this order:

Columbine will open in May; they are one of the first to open in our yard every year.

Bee Balm blooms through most of the summer. It gets going around the time the Columbine is slowing down.

Cardinal flower blooms later in summer and with some luck will still have flowers in September.

By planting this combination of plants, the yard is pretty well set to provide a meal for hummingbirds for most of the duration of their stay. These flowers are all pretty easy to grow, and both Columbine and Cardinal flower will do well with some shade. In fact, my Columbines just get morning sun light, they spend much of their time in the shade. My Cardinal Flowers which are exposed to truly full sun seem to struggle a bit more than their neighbors which get some some shade.

Bee Balm can be found in a few different colors. We have red and a pink color which is similar to the color of Wild Bergamont another member of the Monarda genus which is also good for attracting hummingbirds.

Throughout the summer we have regular hummingbird visitors in the yard. We've even had some aerial combat this year. Planting for hummingbirds is pretty easy and adds splashes of vibrant colors to your lawn.

Winged Wednesday: Two Orioles for the Price of One

It's May, and during May we watch for a host of birds which visit our yard for only a short period of time. Generally we are on the look out for Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Thrushes, Flycatchers, and Orioles. At the end of April, I hang our Oriole feeder which contains nectar, grape jelly and orange wedges. This year to our surprise we attracted two Orioles for the price of one.

This year the Grosbeaks arrived about the same time as the Baltimore Orioles, I think they were greeting each other and talking shop.

The feeder drew in the usual suspects first. The Baltimore Orioles arrived at the feeder on May 2 and have visited the yard everyday since. We've seen both male and female birds. The males are dark black with a neon orange underside. They often whistle for awhile up in the trees or on the phone line before coming down for a treat. The female birds seem to arrive later and come to the feeder less often; they are a yellowish orange with a grayish back and wings.

The male Orchard Oriole was squabbling with a female Baltimore.

This year, we also managed to attract a pair of Orchard Orioles. They arrived on May 12. They seem to be little smaller than the Baltimore Orioles and a bit more skittish. The male is primarily black with a bold chestnut red underside. The female looks a lot like the Baltimore females but is more yellow, almost softer in color.

Both species seem particularly interested in the jelly, which we bought on the cheap. It's generic grape from a squeeze bottle. Having used a jar and spoon in the past, I'd strongly recommend squeeze bottle, it's so much easier to fill the hanging feeder. They have also really gone through the orange wedges, but neither species seems particular interested in the nectar unless both the oranges and the jelly are gone.

Are you seeing Orioles in your neck of the woods?

Winged Wednesday - Invasive Birds

Just like our yards succumb to invasive plant species, they can also be inviting invasive birds species. Three common invasive include the: House Sparrow, Rock Pigeon, and the Starling.

These birds are all actually pretty different from one another, but they also share some remarkable traits.

The Rock Pigeon is very common in urban and suburban communities, in rural areas you can find these birds as well, sometimes living under interstate overpasses. Rock Pigeons are highly adaptable birds who do well in areas with a good amount of human traffic. If there are human hand outs they are happy to take them. They are the overseas cousins of the Mourning Dove and are more widely spread. They can be found pretty much everywhere around the world. Wherever humanity thrives, pigeons thrive as well.

The House Sparrow is another bird very commonly found around human habitation. This sparrow is an old world sparrow (Click here for a list of American Sparrows). They are fairly large for sparrows and not shy around feeders. They prefer to nest in cavities will displace native birds such as Black Capped Chickadees, Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows or House Wrens from bird houses. They are known to feed in large groups and can clean out bird feeders rapidly.

Starlings are fairly intelligent, problem solving birds. In many ways they remind me of our native blackbirds. During the cold winter months, when my yard is without Common Grackles, Brown Headed Cowbirds, and Red Winged Blackbirds, it is also Starling free. Starlings like House Sparrows are not shy around feeders, and they compete with native cavity nesting birds for nest sites.

In short each of these species have developed the ability, skills, and diets to succeed around people. They often enjoy food like bread, and in urban areas they may constitute much of the visible wildlife.

Here are some steps you can take to control invasive bird species.

Don't feed them.

1. Make sure they don't have access to food garbage.

2. Don't feed them in the park or in your yard.

3. Don't use cheap seed mixes. Purchase individual seeds instead like Striped Sunflower or Safflower.

4. Consider investing in specialized feeders, for example there are suet feeders which only expose the cake on the underside.

Don't house them.

1. Be mindful of what birds are nesting your nest boxes. While it's illegal to disturb the nest of a native bird, invasive species are not given the same federal protections. (Note you should check any local ordinances as well.)

2. Like the point above, check also on or around your house, in your gutters, etc. These birds tend to be content enough to nest near human activity. This should not be tolerated. (Like the point above, you will need to mindful of native bird and local ordinances.)

3. Non lethal repellent systems can be constructed or purchased, as well as lethal options such as poison or trapping. There are even businesses which may offer pest control services for large problems like roosting starlings.(One more warning about checking local ordinances.)

Go native

Exclude invasive species by promoting native species. Try planting native plants which the native birds can feed from, nest in, etc. Make your yard a little less "human-y" and little more wild. You may find that you don't even need bird feeders anymore to attract birds.

Ice Cream and Turkey

Last May we went for a short stroll down to the local ice cream shop. When we returned home, we planned to let the dog out, but when I looked in the backyard I found a very large bird examining our feeders.

He strolled through our yard and then through our neighbors' yards. We lost track of him pretty quickly. I'm not sure why he chose to visit our yard, but we'd certainly be happy to see again this spring.

I'll post some of the other highlights from my hiatus as well over the next few weeks.

Winged Wednesday - Spotlight on Sunflower Seeds

So in the past weeks, I've touched on Nyjer Seed and on Safflower Seed. Today, I'll provide some information on Sunflower Seeds. These are pretty common feeder seeds that many people use. These even make appearances in the general wild bird seed mixes which I do not recommend.

Sunflower Seed comes in two varieties: Striped and Black-Oil. The Striped are larger than the Black-Oil and have a thicker shell. The Black-Oil seeds are the more common seeds which many people use.

Sunflowers are native to the Americas and are plants that many people put in their gardens. They are cultivated for human consumption as seed and as sunflower oil.

A host of bird species are attracted to the seed because it contains vital oils. Many birds may also readily eat it because like them, it's native to the Americas. They would eat it even if you didn't offer it in a feeder. Some birds that you find eating your Black-Oil Sunflower seeds include: Northern Cardinals, American Goldfinches, Black Capped Chickadees, White Breasted Nuthatches, and Purple Finches, but really they are very good general all purpose seeds. A small list of birds seem interested in the Striped Seeds: Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Blue Jays, and Black Capped Chickadees.

These seeds can be easily dispensed in hopper feeders, tray feeders, or feeders made of wire mesh. One thing to note is that the shells of seeds can make a mess. They are totally worth the mess, and very easy to buy since they can be found anywhere from grocery stores to Farm & Fleet to Wild Birds Unlimited.

Winged Wednesday - Spotlight on Nyjer Seed

Last week, I posted some useful information about Safflower Seed, which has become my favorite bird feeder foods. This Wednesday, I'd like to share some information about my second favorite seed, Nyjer (also called Thistle or Nyger seed).

While often called "Thistle", Nyjer is in fact not Thistle. Thistle is in the genus, Cirsium, while Nyjer is part of the genus Guizotia. Guizotia are only native to Africa.The Nyjer seeds are very small and hard. The seed is black and fairly potent.

Because of its small size, there are special feeders with smaller mesh or holes so that the seed doesn't come spilling out. Tube feeders are generally recommended for this type of seed. The tube keeps the seed from blowing away or getting wet and typically allows multiple birds to feed. You may also find mesh bags sold as sock feeders. The only problem with tube and sock feeders is that some birds won't cling or perch to them even though they'd like to dine on the Nyjer.

Nyjer is typically associated with American Goldfinches, which is how it came to be called "Thistle", but other birds will also eat it. Dark-Eyed Juncos, Pine Siskins, and Mourning Doves will readily eat Nyjer. The problem for the Dark-Eyed Juncos and Mourning Doves is that they don't usually do well with sock or tube feeders. You can however spread some seed along the ground. Be aware that laying seed on the ground may attract English House Sparrows who will readily eat this seed from the ground.

We originally used a sock feeder which got a lot of attention, but eventually the draw-string broke. We now use a yellow tube feeder which has gotten even more attention. If you are looking for a good way to attract American Goldfinches, I'd recommend placing one of these near some flowering Black-Eyed Susans and native grasses like Little Blue Stem.

Winged Wednesday - Spotlight on Safflower Seed

There are a good number of choices out there when it comes to bird seed. Over the next few Wednesdays, I'll cover some of the seed options, the pro's and con's of, what birds they attract, and what feeders I'd recommend using with them. This week's featured seed is Safflower.

Safflower is a distaff thistle which hails from the Mediterranean, particularly northern Africa. Its seeds are small, white, and hard like rocks. It's not typically found in your generic wild bird seed mixes, but can be found by itself or in specialty mixes.

Safflower's biggest pro is that feeder pests are generally not interested in it. House Sparrows, Starlings, and Squirrels will generally not eat Safflower seeds.

The biggest problem with Safflower seed is that it can make a really big mess. Assuming the birds are eating all of the seeds, the hulls or outer casing of the seed will be discarded on the ground. The pile builds up quick and isn't easy to rake up. It's also been my experience that certain birds, particularly House Finches, will discard a good amount of whole seeds. These seeds may also germinate.

Safflower seed is pretty good for attracting birds. We've found that if you have Safflower seed the arrival of House Finches and Morning Doves is guaranteed. We have also found that Cardinals, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Dark Eyed Juncos, and Black Capped Chickadees will dine on this seed.

Initially we had this seed in a hopper feeder which had little to no tray. The volume of seed being tossed to the ground was enormous. We quickly learned that this will not work for Safflower seeds. Hopper feeders are fine so long as they have a good-sized tray. We are also now using a tray feeder which helped prevent a lot of waste. The sides of the tray feed have made it more difficult for the birds to simply discard seed. I'd highly recommend trying to use something like a tray feeder or a hopper feeder that has some edging to help prevent messes under your feeders.

Winged Wednesday - Feeder Pests

Many people add bird feeders to their lawn or garden in hopes of attracting a splash of bright color, some wildlife, and perhaps in hopes of hearing a spring tune as sung by a Northern Cardinal or American Goldfinch. However people often find, as we did, that getting the birds you want is not always easy. Feeder pests may include anything which frightens song birds away or anything which takes over the feeder preventing the desired birds from eating.

Common Feeder Pests include:

1. English House Sparrows
2. European Starlings and other Blackbirds
3. Squirrels
4. Hawks
5. Neighborhood Cats

House Sparrows pose two problems for native song birds attempting to feed. First they descend in large numbers, and second they are bullies. They will attack native birds both at feeders and in nests or nest boxes. They do very well in areas of human habitation and will eat human leftovers or use them as nesting material. If you want to attract native birds to your feeders, you need to prevent a House Sparrow invasion. Avoid wild bird feed seed mixes. Most of these seed mixes are filled with cracked corn, millet, and other fillers; excellent sparrow food, not so good song bird food. Be mindful of the feeders you use, House Sparrows often need somewhere to sit or perch while feeding. They are generally not clingers. For example, they enjoy peanuts but are more likely to eat them from a tray feeder than from a metallic mesh tube with no perches. You can also disturb or remove House Sparrow nests as they are not protected because they are invasive.

Starlings are also an invasive species which may take over feeders in large numbers. If given the chance, they can eat you out of house and home. Follow the plan above for preventing House Sparrows, and you're feeders should remain relatively Starling free. These birds can also be disturbed as they are invasive. Other blackbirds such as Brown Headed Cowbirds or Red Winged Blackbirds are native and should not be disturbed. Generally if you do not have millet or cracked corn, they will avoid your feeders. They also require some perching space.

Squirrels and other mammals like raccoons may take interest in bird feeders. The best means to protect feeders from mammals is with careful placement and the use of baffles. Be mindful of power lines, fences, and tree limbs; if the critters think they can make the jump, they will certainly try. Baffles are often made of metal. They come in many shapes and can be mounted above or below a feeder. They are designed to block a mammal's path. Note they can be used in conjunction with birdhouses as well.

Hawks are a particularly tricky matter. Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned Hawks will target feeders as hunting grounds. You have two choices. Take your feeders down long enough for the raptors to find other hunting grounds, or let nature take its course. You can also help even the odds by providing good shelter for birds. Dense grasses and wildflowers, shrubs, evergreens, and trees all help give the song birds a fighting chance.

Just like hawks, cats may come to your yard looking for a meal. Keep your feeders high, baffled, and provide some cover for the birds. Keep the ground area near your feeder well mowed and open so that the cats can be spotted.

Keep in mind that many of these animals are quite adaptable and surprisingly clever, so be vigilant and adaptable yourself, and happy birding.

Squirrel Coming to our Feeder

Blackbirds on our Feeders - Clever Grackle

Winged Wednesday - Attracting Birds: The Basics

Over the past couple of years, I've gone through a number of different feeders, types of seeds, and done a lot of experimenting trying to discover the secrets of attracting a good variety of birds to our yard. This Winged Wednesday, I'll share with you some of the lessons learned and little tricks that seemed to make a real difference.

Step: 1 is identifying what type of birds you want to attract. This will determine what types of seed you will need to purchase and what types of feeders you'll need to hang. Here are some common birds which you may want attract.

1. Northern Cardinal
2. American Goldfinch
3. Blue Jay
4. House Finch
5. Purple Finch
6. Dark-eyed Junco
7. Chipping Sparrow
8. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
9. White-breasted Nuthatch
10. Downy Woodpecker
11. Red-bellied Woodpecker

Step: 2 is identifying what kinds of food they eat. Here are some common types of seed, listed with the birds which are generally interested in them.

1. Safflower Seed - House Finch, Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch
2. Sunflower Seed - Black-capped Chickadees, Carinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Purple Finch
3. Peanuts - Blue Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker
4. Nyjer - American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Mourning Dove
5. Suet - Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees

Step: 3 find the correct feeder for the seed and the birds. Some birds cling to the tops of flowers to eat seed like Goldfinches. Other birds feed off the ground like Dark-eyed Juncos, and others dig into the bark looking for grubs and stashing nuts.

1. Tube and sock feeders work great for birds that like to cling. We've had a lot of success with these feeders and Nyjer seed for feeding Goldfinches.
2. Tray and hopper feeders work great for birds who want to land while they feed. We use both of these kinds of feeders for both Safflower and Sunflower seeds. The Mourning Doves, Cardinals, and House Finches seems to appreciate this.
3. Wire mesh is often present on tube and some hopper feeders, this allows birds to cling and take some larger seeds like peanuts or sunflower. Our Nuthatches, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and Jays all seem to enjoy this setup.

Step: 4 Identify pests which may include Starlings, House Sparrows, or Squirrels. There are easy steps you can take to prevent pests from driving away the birds or from damaging feeders, but I'll explain these in a separate post.

White-breasted Nuthatch on a Peanut Feeder

Cardinal on a Sunflower Hopper Feeder

Goldfinch on a Nyjer Sock

Feathered Friends in the Winter

Come winter in the Upper Midwest many of our backyard friends leave for warmer weather. We won't see the Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, Indigo Buntings, Baltimore Orioles or Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Even the Wisconsin state bird, the Robin, is all but gone (Note that some sightings will show up on ebird from time to time).

While many birds have left for better weather, a number of our friends remain despite the cold and snow. Now they need foods which are high in calories and oils. Being sure that you have suet, sunflower seed, peanuts, and safflower seed to support them will not only help the birds survive but help attract them to your yard or garden.

If you are wondering which of our backyard friends have stuck around; here's a short list:

1. American Goldfinch
2. Northern Cardinal
3. House Finch
4. Mourning Dove
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Red Bellied Woodpecker

While many of our usual visitors leave during the cold, others should visit your feeders during the winter. Here are some visitors you may notice during the colder months:

1. Purple Finch
2. Dark-eyed Junco
3. Evening Grosbeak
4. Red Crossbill
5. Red-breasted Nuthatch

Here are some pictures of our winter friends.

Purple Finch

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Bellied Woodpecker