How to Participate in NestWatch

NestWatch is a nest-monitoring project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, and funded by the National Science Foundation.

NestWatch is a “Citizen scientists” project where people across the country can monitor nests in their area and report their findings via the internet. Participants submit data about which kinds of birds are nesting, the number and dates eggs were laid, and the numbers of chicks hatched and fledged.

Collecting this information across the continent over long periods of time is one of the best ways researchers have to detect widespread changes in breeding bird biology. In addition to its scientific value, NestWatch is fun, free, and open to all. Participation is a great way for you to connect with nature.

There are also live cameras set up for Eastern Bluebirds, Barn Owls, Barred Owls, Wood Ducks, and other species at http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/camera/index.

Everything you need to take part in NestWatch is available online at http://www.nestwatch.org/, including directions on how you find nests, how to build and put up nest boxes, and how you monitor nests without disturbing the birds.

You can also help support and expand the program with a tax-deductible donation. This would help support breakthrough technology development, scientific discoveries, and far-reaching educational programs to improve the understanding and protection of birds.

Category › Family Fun

What birds drink nectar?

It's a Sweet Month to Feed the Birds

Spring migration is underway, and a countless number of birds are heading north to their nesting territories.

Fortunately, two of the hobby's favorite birds, hummingbirds and orioles, can be immediately attracted to feeders with nectar (and fruit and jelly for orioles), making it a sweet month to feed the birds.

Only 5% of all avian families include nectar as an important part of their diet, making hummingbirds and orioles part of a very exclusive dining club.

It only takes between 30 to 50 minutes for nectar to be digested, so hummingbirds must eat a lot and often. In fact, hummingbirds eat about every ten minutes and can drink up to twice their body weight in nectar every day.

However, no bird's diet is made up entirely of nectar. Nectar-eaters must also include other foods, usually insects, to obtain essential amino acids and other nutrients.

When orioles are not feeding on nectar or fruit, they forage for spiders, caterpillars and other insects. Hummingbirds spend more than 25% of their time foraging for arthropods, such as spiders.

You can attract hummingbirds and orioles to your feeders using slightly varying methods. Hummingbirds and Orioles enjoy a nectar solution of four parts water to one part white sugar.  Orioles also like fresh orange slices, grape jelly, suet and mealworms.

Watch Northern Migrations Online
Visit www.learner.org/jnorth/humm to monitor the northward migration of hummingbirds and www.learner.org/jnorth/oriole for an oriole migration map.

Source: http://www.wbu.com/education/

Category › Bird Basics

Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is patience. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A rhododendron bud lavender-tipped.

Soon a glory of blooms to clash

with the cardinals and gladden the hummingbirds!

 ~Dave Beard

Category › Friday Photo

New Black and White Bird

Hi Sarah! I saw where you reposted on your Facebook page a link to my sighting of the merganser duck and ducklings. It was a strange coincidence that it was exactly one year ago when I first saw them and I saw them again this past Saturday. The mother has 6 babies which are growing up and getting pretty big. I’m attaching a photo that I took of them when I saw them again today.

I also saw a new bird today that I don’t know the name of. It’s very pretty, black with a white belly. Can you please take a look and let me know what kind it is?

Thanks, and hope you’re having a great spring! -Angie in Monroe, NC

Hey, I'm so glad you wrote. A lot of people keep birding journals to help them remember what happens when. It seems funny but I like to look back to see what's coming.

The Merganser family looks like their doing well. Great family photo!

Image via Wikipedia

With the short beak, white belly, and black back, your new bird looks like a Tree Swallow. In bright spring sunshine, the iridescent back of the Tree Swallow appears dark blue and by fall migration it looks will turn dark green.

At the first signs of spring, they migrate from their wintering grounds in the southern states, Cuba and Guatemala to their breeding grounds from the middle and northern states in America to much of Canada.

They prefer open areas in the sun, pastures, fields and golf courses and nest in natural tree cavities, or man-made nest boxes, including those built for bluebirds. The bluebird and swallow are both native species and both desirable birds to have in your yard. One proven technique that allows both songbirds to nest together successfully is to set up pairs of boxes, no more than 10-20 feet apart. Since Tree Swallows will not allow another pair of swallows to nest within 20', the second box is free for bluebird use and the two species can co-exist, after some initial squabbling to sort out who gets which box.

Swallows make their nests from grass and weed stems and line them with feathers. They usually have 3-7 eggs. Their eggs are white and unmarked. Young usually fledge in 16 to 24 days

Tree swallows can often be seen perching in long rows on wires. They also spend much of their time in flight. To bathe, swallows swoop down over a body of water and lightly brush the water. To eat, swallows catch mostly winged insects while in flight, but can forage on the ground for insects, spiders, seeds, and berries.

More information can be found at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/id

Thanks for writing again. Sarah

Update:

Image via Wikipedia

http://twitter.com/cederdj thought your photo of the mystery bird looked like an Eastern Kingbird, a large flycatcher. They have a similar silhouette except for the longer bill. They also have dark gray to black backs, a white tipped tail, and a thin orange red crown that you rarely see.

More about the bird can be found at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Kingbird/id

They’re a country bird like the Tree Swallows and are insect eaters too. They don’t nest in a cavity however. They build a cup-shaped nest on a flat limb or tree stump.

The kingbird lives up to its scientific name Tyrannus tyrannus or tyrant by defending its territory aggressively, even against much larger birds. It can also spot cowbirds’ eggs and toss them out of their nest.

Thank you David for reading the post and helping out with our mystery bird!

Category › Bird of the week

Nesting Questions

I found a pile of female cardinal feathers in the yard last month. I had been watching the male and female bouncing around the evergreens feeding each other and then one day the male was all alone calling for a mate. It took him about a month to find a new female. Yesterday we watched the new female build a nest nearby with twigs from our honeysuckle bush while the male watched excitedly. Life is very fragile.

This is the time of year to have the number of a licensed rehabilitator handy. If you find a baby bird that is too young to fly, put it back in the nest. The mother will appreciate the help. However, if you find a baby bird that is old enough to fly, but isn't, chances are it is learning. If you look, you will see the mother nearby. Leave these older birds alone and let them learn to fly undisturbed.

If you're not sure call for help before you do anything. For a list of licensed rehabilitators click HERE. Or visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at: http://www.michigandnr.com/dlr/

Sarah, My question today: I have a nesting Killdeer out front of my house. The poor thing is sitting there in snow, rain, & wind with no protection from weather or critters. If I was to back the back end of my pickup over to straddle the nest, do you think that would upset her to the point she would abandon the nest? At least it would provide some protection from the rain & snow. And a dog would be kept away also. I could leave the truck there until I saw some little ones. I know God has this all figured out, but I thought I might help. Bill

To be honest I don’t know if they would appreciate that or not. Day after day the mother and father killdeer can take turns sitting on eggs no matter the weather. Killdeer are tolerant of humans and probably wouldn’t abandon the nest if you drove your truck over them, but I’d just leave them alone. If they have to abandon the nest they’ll start another one soon.

The parents don’t start sitting on the eggs to incubate them until all the eggs have been laid. So even though the first-laid egg spends a longer time in the shell than the last-laid, all the killdeer chicks have the same development period. It takes 24 to 28 days of incubating for the chicks to hatch, hopefully on a warm, sunny day! Sarah

Hi Bloubird, I have a question for you; a Mallard Female has made a nest outside of our home. We live in a small suburb of Detroit. What should I do about this? I have been giving her some wheat bread and I did look up that I should get some possible duck food or corn. Can you help? I am an animal lover and want to know what I should do. Thank you for your response. Harriet

Image via Wikipedia

The best thing to do is just let her forage on her own. She wouldn't appreciate any food near her nest that would call attention or bring predators near. Mallards eat a variety of things including insects and larvae, aquatic invertebrates, seeds, nuts, grasses, aquatic vegetation, and whole grains.

While the hen is incubating her eggs she usually leaves her nest for only about an hour in the morning and evening to feed. The rest of the time, she tries to remain invisible.

I wrote about the nesting habits of mallards in an earlier post at: http://sheabirdno1.blogspot.com/2011/03/mallard-nesting-behavior-can-i-move.html

A lot of ducks and geese feel safe nesting near humans. If everything goes according to plan, she’ll be there for about a month. Then within a 24 hour period the chicks will hatch and the hen will march her brood to the nearest wetland.

I hope that helps, Sarah

Thank you so much for your input. It does set my mind at ease. I did notice there are about 10 or 12 eggs. Do all of them hatch? This is so fascinating. I did put out some cut up lettuce, cucumber and some wheat bread but I will do as you said about just let nature take its course. Thanks again. Harriet

That is a very good question! An unhatched or dud egg left behind would be an unwelcome surprise in the summer.

After the mother duck has left with her hatchlings you can dispose of any unhatched eggs. The whole clutch may hatch but if one didn't, I would bury it in the garden. The calcium in the shell would be good for the plants. Thanks, Sarah

Category › Nature up close

Sad News: Female Eagle Struck By Plane

by Eagles at Norfolk Botanical Garden on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 3:34pm

NORFOLK, VA (April 26, 2011) – This morning an adult bald eagle was struck and killed by an incoming airplane at Norfolk International Airport. The bird was the female of the nesting pair from Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG).

The strike occurred sometime between 8:30 and 8:50 a.m. These eagles were well known through the Norfolk Botanical Garden Eagle Cam provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), Norfolk Botanical Garden, and WVEC, and have been at NBG since 2003.

This year the pair of eagles has produced three chicks at that nest site.

DGIF biologists have determined that it is in the best interest of the eaglets at Norfolk Botanical Garden to remove them from the nest and relocate them to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

Category ›

What Bird is Singing Outside My Window: How to identify birds' songs

@birdsunlimited Any good starting tips for identifying what is singing outside my window in the morning? Mason, MI

Identifying birds by ear is a skill that you can learn with a little practice.

1. There are a lot of learning devices. Wild Birds Unlimited has bird song CDs available including one that has Michigan birds only. And the Backyard Birdsong Guide is a very popular book that allows you to enjoy bird songs at the touch of a button while reading vivid descriptions of their songs, calls, and related behaviors. On the internet BirdJam.com and AllAboutBirds.com can also be good sources to investigate.

2. Look at the most likely suspects first. The dawn chorus in April and May is when some birds sing louder and more vigorously than they do at other times of the day to defend a breeding territory or attract a mate. The American Robin, Northern Cardinal, European Starling, Blue Jay and American Crow are some of the earliest risers in my neighborhood.

3. When you hear a bird's song, describe it to yourself. Most woodpeckers have a song that sounds like a laugh, ha, ha, ha. Starlings can mimic almost anything and usually have a long rambling variety of whistles, squawks and screeches. Cardinals usually think their pretty, pretty, pretty or sing wake-up, wake-up ... what, what, what, what. Robins’ cheery-up, cheerio is very loud in the morning but I find it very nice. With Blue Jays and crows it’s less about singing for a mate and more about communicating. You’ll hear one bird call out to another bird from their group using loud jay, jay, jay or caw, caw, caw to find out where the best breakfast is being served.

4. During the day, take time to look up when you hear a bird singing. If you can see the bird singing it is sometimes easier to recall later. Right now I see the House Sparrow chip, chip, chipping, a Black-capped Chickadee calling feeee-bee, a Chipping Sparrow is trilling away, and the Cedar Waxwings are squealing. This is along with all the traffic noise and ambulance sirens.

I hope you’re not too upset with the birds’ songs. The guys are just full of energy and enthusiasm for the coming breeding season!

"Birdwatching is a sanctioned voyeurism." Jonathan Rosen ~ The Life of the Skies

Category › Question of the week

Fun Facts on Red-winged Blackbirds

How does a female redwing blackbird look? ~ Wyandotte, Michigan
What do red winged blackbirds eat? ~ Mountain Iron, Minnesota

The Red-winged Blackbird male is unmistakable for most Michigan residents. The pure black bird with bright red shoulder patches edged in yellow is hard to miss. The female and juvenile are less obvious. They have heavily streaked under parts and mottled brown upperparts and can look like large sparrows.

During the breeding season, Red-winged Blackbirds eat mostly insects, including dragonflies, damselflies, beetles, butterflies and moths. They often use a feeding technique known as gaping. They expose insects that are hiding under sticks and stones or in the bases of leaves by forcibly spreading open their bills. If no bugs are available in early spring they may initially frequent your feeder. They enjoy suet, nuts, and sunflower seeds.

More Fun Facts:

•Red-wing Blackbirds will increase their feeding rate to match the other blackbirds around them, even if they are already well feed.
•Red-wing Blackbirds learn which new foods to try by carefully watching what the other blackbirds are eating.
•Red-winged Blackbirds often use a feeding technique known as gaping. They expose insects that are hiding under sticks and stones or in the bases of leaves by forcibly spreading open their bills.
•Red-winged Blackbirds are one of the most polygamous of all bird species. They have been observed to have as many as 15 females nesting in the territory of a single male. On average, a single male has roughly five females in its territory.
•Red-winged Blackbirds fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season. Over a quarter of the male’s time is spent vigorously defending his territory from other males and predators.
•Male Red-winged Blackbirds return north in the spring ahead of the females and migrate south in the fall after the females.
•Female Red-winged Blackbirds build their nest in four stages. Initially they weave together several supporting pieces of vegetation and then intertwine the walls of the nest onto these supports. The nest cup is then lined with mud, and the final step is to line the nest with a layer of fine grasses.

Category › Quick fun Facts

Late Winter & Early Spring

I took advantage of milder days during winter and early spring to teach new assistants the fine art of bird extraction from mist nets at my feeder. I hoped to capture some birds we never see in our nets on Wing Island, such as Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. On 2 March, 23 birds of 10 species were handled with just 1 1/2 nets open for 2 hours in late afternoon. Two chickadees were recaptures from last year and the rest were new birds. I was fortunate to capture 3 redpolls. What handsome birds!

 I had hoped for the possibility of a Hoary Redpoll to be in the flock but no such luck. The longer and more acutely angled bill shown below

and streaked undertail coverts

along with heavily streaked back pointed towards Common Redpoll. Bill lengths were long too compared to Hoary.

Five Downy Woodpeckers were banded this day, with 4 being SY (second year) birds.

The last Downy, however, appeared with 2 isolated juvenal looking primary coverts (first and third from the outside) indicating a possible 4Y (fourth year) bird, but I will likely age it as an ATY (after third year) bird for the banding lab.

Eastern Bluebirds have been busy chowing down on my 'birdy bread pudding' made from a mix of lard, chunky peanut butter, and cornmeal including this SY female. She had a molt limit in the greater coverts (those feathers in the middle of her wing), molting the inner 4 feathers and retaining the rest.

Another clue to her age as a SY bird is the retained juvenal outermost primary covert which presents  with wide white edging around the feather.

Pine Siskins were seen frequently during the winter at the feeders but I only captured one on 15 March.

Net lane maintenance and mist net installation occurred between 14 - 19 April. Many thanks to Judith Bruce, Suzanne Faith, Stew & Margo Goodwin, Carolyn Kennedy, and Gretchen Putonen for helping out. Our first day banding back on the island was 4/21 with 42 birds of 10 species handled. The majority of those were Black-capped Chickadees, 33 in all, and most banders would agree that chickadees can give us a run for our money being as feisty as they are! We banded another 13 chickadees the next day, the most we've ever banded in the course of two days. It must have been a small migrating group since 29 of them were full of fat.

Three of the chickadees presented with leucistic feathers, those lacking melanin, one with leucistic secondary flight feathers, one with the outermost tail feather on each side,  and one with half of the tail leucistic. This bird had lost half of the tail and may have undergone some stress as it's new feathers were growing in.

This Tufted Titmouse, in the same family as the chickadee, Paridae, looks quite innocent as I took the picture, but certainly didn't appreciate the banding process, squawking and biting me the whole time!

 One lonely junco showed up in the mix, a handsome ASY (after second year) male.

This beautiful ASY male Eastern Towhee with it's gorgeous red eyes, sung the whole time I banded it, what a treat for me!

Judith was so happy to capture her first Tree Swallow, a species we occasionally band. This bird was eager to get back to its mate, wings flapping repeatedly as I tried to take a picture, so I put him in the bander's grip and settled for a face pose.

Thanks to Judith Bruce, Stew and Margo Goodwin, and Ron Hunter for helping with the banding the past two days. Rain is coming in so hopefully I'll get back to the nets soon. Birds seen, heard, or captured on 21-22 April are shown below. Of the total birds handled, 14 were recaptures from previous years, the oldest being a 3 yr old chickadee and Blue Jay. Numbers reflect captured birds only.

Total Birds: 65                                      Total Species: 38

Total Banded Species: 10                     Birds/100 net-hours: 44

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Greater Yellowlegs
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-shafted Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow	1
Blue Jay	1
American Crow
Fish Crow
Black-capped Chickadee	46
Tufted Titmouse	4
White-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin	1
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal	3
Eastern Towhee	1
Song Sparrow	5
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco	1
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch	2
House Sparrow

 

Category ›

Sparrows Native to mid-Michigan

Image via Wikipedia

I woke up this morning to the song of the White-throated Sparrow. They have a high whistle that sounds like Oh-sweet-canada-canada or Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody. Click HERE to listen. 

I get excited when I see these birds because they are only in mid-Michigan from mid-April to late May. Then the birds move on to nest in upper Michigan and Canada and you won’t see them again until they migrate south in November.

White-throated Sparrows take off at dusk and fly all night when migrating. It was still dark when I heard him singing so I couldn’t see him, but I’m assuming he found my yard a suitable pit stop.

A White-throated sparrow is a medium sized sparrow with brown streaked back, plain gray belly, and black-and-white striped heads. They have a conspicuous white throat and yellow spots between eyes and bill.

Image via Wikipedia

When it got brighter outside I scanned the yard for the new resident. Maybe he was taking a nap because I didn’t see him. I did see a Song Sparrow. They look like fluttering leaves, but they make up for their less than dazzling plumage with their beautiful song.

Song Sparrows are medium-sized sparrows too. Their most distinctive features are the dark feathers under the bill that look like mutton chops and the dark brown spot of feathers over their heart. They also have heavily streaked gray-brown backs, a dull white belly and a chest that is streaked with brown feathers. Their head has a brown crown with paler median stripe, a pale gray eyebrow and a white chin.

These birds forage on the ground for insects and seeds. Just look for the bouncing brown leaves under the feeders or listen for their song. Click HERE to listen to a sample of their songs.

Image via Wikipedia

The Dark-eyed Juncos were also around in large numbers. But they are another bird that will be leaving in May to nest in the forests further north. Juncos have dark gray plumage on their heads, breast and back. This contrasts with their white belly. I’ll miss them and their flashing white outer tail feathers.

Birds are coming and going all the time in the spring. Now one sparrow I’m looking forward to is one of the cutest native sparrows, the Chipping Sparrow.

They are a very tiny, clean, crisp, energetic, sparrow about five inches long and weigh only a half ounce. It has a chestnut cap and a white stripe above the eye, and a black stripe through the eye. The female is the same but slightly duller.

The smallest and friendliest of the sparrows, they are always busy, busy running around on the yard looking for weed seeds or under the feeders.

Arriving in April and May to the Michigan area from their winter home in Mexico, Central America or the southern United States, they aren’t shy. When they arrive, they will perch high in a tree and sing a song to mark their territory. The loud, trilling songs of a chipping sparrow are one of the most common sounds of spring and easily identifiable. The song is often described as the sound of an electric sewing machine. To hear the chipping sparrow’s song, visit HERE.

Though some native sparrows look similar, these sparrows have distinct differences. So listen and look for new birds in the area. Or for a list of some New World sparrows go to AllAboutBirds.com.

Category › Bird of the week

How Birds Court

Birds court one another with dances, songs and building nests!

Image by linda yvonne via Flickr

Now is the time of year when male wild birds begin to draw the attention of females, and their courtship practices can be as fascinating as they are complex.

Originally scientists thought that many birds, such as geese, swans and eagles, mated for life only seeking a new mate when the original partner died. Recent research shows that some species are faithful to their pair-bonding only for a season, while others actually have multiple mates simultaneously. For example, after hummingbirds mate, the male will court another female. Male House Wrens build multiple nests and let the female choose the one she prefers. Then, the male may try to attract another female to occupy one of his other nests.

Image via Wikipedia

Bird courtship displays are integral to mating and raising young. Female birds often choose suitors based on appearance, the ability to provide food, evidence that the male can build the strongest and safest nest and other characteristics.

With some species, the male simply flies in front of the female to show off his luminous colors or unique markings. And some birds touch bills or groom each other during courtship.

Male jays and cardinals often present sunflower seeds to their potential mates while Mourning Doves and mockingbirds fluff up their feathers and “dance.” Some seabirds and waterfowl bob their heads, bow and flutter their wings to attract their mates. Cranes are well known for their fantastic dancing as they begin their courtship.

Image by Manjith Kainickara *manjithkaini.net* via Flickr

If you have woodpeckers in your yard, you probably already know one way these birds go after a partner – by rat-tat-tatting on your house or gutter downspouts. They can make quite a racket – the louder the better! Other birds use sound to attract their mates but do so with a song or repertoire of songs. The same rule applies – more is better! A male with a larger repertoire of songs may be considered more attractive than one with only a few songs.

From dancing to eating to nest building to singing, birds have many courtship rituals. And springtime is the most likely time for you spot some of these unique behaviors right in your own backyard!

Peek out the window and let us know what signs of spring’s renewal you spot!

Source: http://www.wbu.com/education/birdcourtship.html

Category › Bird Basics

Barn swallow and tree swallows at the Wetlands!

Sarah, Just thought you would like to know that Spring is in full swing at the Tollgate Wetlands near Groesbeck Golf Course.

I took this picture last night and really appreciated the beauty of these birds. I have not seen them at the wetlands before. It was really fun watching them swoop for insects just above the water. Just beautiful!

Thanks!
Laura M

Category › Friday Photo

Why are they called Lenten Roses?

Early Riser in the Garden

Lenten Roses announce the arrival of spring with their nodding green flowers, some with pink tinges.

Native to much of Europe, the Lenten Rose (Hellebore) has evergreen foliage with beautiful winter or early spring blossoms. The flower colors are provided by sepals, structures that resemble petals. The actual flowers are inconspicuous but the sepals remain months after pollination has occurred.

The common name Lenten is because some varieties bloom during Lent. Even the snow we had recently didn't deter the blooming.

The name hellebore comes from the Greek “elein” meaning to injure, and “bora” meaning food. This species and the other members of this genus Helleborus are highly toxic.

Category › Friday Photo

Tips to keep woodpecker from damaging your house

How do you stop woodpeckers from pecking on the house? ~ Littleton, Colorado

Woodpeckers can cause a great deal of property damage and sleepless mornings. In one study, the birds stopped drumming 50 percent of the time within two weeks or so whether the homeowners did anything or not. Hopefully I can suggest a solution that will work with your woodpecker.

Why Woodpeckers Peck Your Home

Woodpeckers damage structures for basically three reasons:

1. Searching for insects or hiding food (Some people find feeding suet distracts a woodpecker from their house.)
2. Creating cavities for nesting and shelter (Sometimes putting a woodpecker house helps deter damage.)
3. Drumming (Drumming is a means of communication between woodpeckers. Like some birds sing, woodpeckers drum. There are different drumming calls that they may use: mating; alarm; or territorial. This can be heard over long distances, if they use a surface with adequate acoustic properties.)

Laws
Woodpeckers are a federally protected bird under the North American Migratory Bird Act. So you can't use lethal control on woodpeckers without contacting your Federal Wildlife Officer.

Strategies to Control Woodpecker Damage
Unfortunately, there is no easy guaranteed solution. So with that being said, try the following strategies:

1. Check for insects. Woodpeckers feed on insects in wood.
2. Cover all damage as soon as possible. Place aluminum flashing over the areas where the woodpecker is pecking. The flashing will stop the pecking at that spot because: a) it is metal, b) it changes the sound, and c) woodpeckers don't like shiny objects. Just make sure that the woodpecker is not living in your home.
3. Scare the woodpecker away using one or more of the following:

• Mylar tape: Wild Birds Unlimited has some Mylar tape (1-inch-wide strips) flutter ribbon you can hang in the area. Woodpeckers don't like shiny objects. If you don't have Mylar, hang tinfoil, aluminum pie plates, or old CDs or DVDs.
• Mylar balloons: The dollar stores usually have shiny Mylar balloons you can hang in the area.
• Garden hose: One animal damage controller recommends placing a garden hose with a sprinkler set at an angle to reach where the bird is drumming. The woodpeckers leave after a few squirts because they don't like hanging on to wet structures.
• Attack spider: This is a relatively new (2003) technique. A large spider drops down at the first knock to scare woodpeckers through sight and motion. These can be found at party stores now. It also scares little trick or treaters. Bonus!
• Owl effigies: These are only effective if you are willing to move them around on a daily basis. I don’t really recommend these but we usually carry them at Wild Birds Unimited.
• Exclusion techniques: If woodpeckers are damaging your siding under an eave, hang some netting from the eave line down to the ground. If the net is extended away from the house wall, the woodpecker can't get close enough to damage the wood.

Also, as soon as you notice problems, take action quickly before the woodpecker decides your home is a nice place to live.

If the attack on windows is a regular occurrence and not just an accidental window strike, the likely behavior is a reaction to the bird seeing an intruder on its territory. A simple solution to this problem is to cover the window with screens or rub the window with a bar of soap to decrease the reflection. The Mylar tape or balloons also work to keep the birds away from your windows.

Good luck.

Source: MSU Extension- http://www.extension.org/faq/926

Category › Question of the week

Mysterious Regurgitated Nuggets Left Behind at Birdfeeder

I live in Arkansas with several acres and forest surrounding my land. I have feeders, platform and others out yearly. I have noticed this past week, several what appeared to be regurgitated balls in the platform feeder. I've never seen this before and it happened just over nite and there were lots of the balls in 2 different feeders. I have so many different varieties of birds, including Carinals, Jay, Titmouse, Hawks, Blue Birds, Finches, Doves, etc. What might this be?? Thank you in advance.

Oh a mystery!

I think what you have is no bird at all but an opossum. Called "Nature's Little Sanitation Engineer,” an opossum’s diet includes all types of bugs and insects as well as rodents, snails, frogs and carrion. The nocturnal opossum is also attracted to neighborhoods by the availability of water, pet food, fruit that has fallen from trees and birdseed.

When they forage at bird feeders for food, they tend to get a mouth full of seeds and chew and chew and chew. After awhile they’ll spit out a dry, compressed seed pellet about the size of an almond.

Image via Wikipedia

Opossums are fascinating creatures. They are the largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere. Like all marsupials, opossums give birth to tiny, undeveloped young. The embryos develop in the mother's womb for less than two weeks, and then the newborn opossums crawl from the birth canal to the mother's pouch, where they fasten tight to a nipple. They stay there nursing for up to 60 days.

Opossums are usually solitary and nomadic, staying in one area for a few days and then moving to the next. After the babies are weaned they leave the pouch and ride on the momma’s back to each new location.

For more information on opossums go to FAQ on Opossums.

AWWW. How interesting. Thank you so much for the info. I just learn something new everyday in my new country life.

Category › Nature up close