Home › Archives for June 2013

American Goldfinches nest in July

Many outdoor activities may fall prey to the “summer doldrums” during these warm and steamy months…but backyard bird feeding is not one of them.If you don't feed the birds in the summer, you will miss out on a growing cast of birds that are displaying their most dazzling plumage and interesting behaviors. High...
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Photo Share: Gray bird with a black bill and yellow belly

The Eastern Phoebe’s song is one of the first indications that spring is returning. They are among the first migrants to return to their breeding grounds, sometimes as early as March. Phoebes rarely occur in groups, and even mated pairs spend little time together. Males sing their two-parted, raspy "fee-bee” song throughout...
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There are two oriole species found in Michigan

I was telling my neighbor about my struggle to attract orioles. He says he has several species of orioles visiting his Wild Birds Unlimited feeders. How many species are there in Michigan? ~ St. Johns, MIThere are 9 oriole species in North America. The Baltimore Oriole and the Orchard Oriole are the 2 species that nest...
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Photo Share: Eastern Bluebirds feeding mealworms

Stopping at the local hangoutPicking up dinner for the family ...Hi Sarah,This will be the last baby bluebird photo. Our monitoring is done for this batch so we don’t have a early fledgling:) They allowed me to sit and take their pictures. Please use or don’t use whatever you like. I just love to share what we are...
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Wild Birds Unlimited has lots of Gifts Made in the USA

Almost everything in Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing, Michigan is Made in America. We are a little business and we support other little businesses. Most of our products are from small companies that don’t sell to big box stores: 1) Tube Feeders, Hummingbird Feeders, WindowFeeders- Aspects, Inc. out of Rhode Island...
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Blue daisy like flower on the side of the road

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Anyone traveling on the roadways in June is bound to see the sky-blue blossoms of chicory dancing in the wind. Common Chicory Cichorium intybus is also known as blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, blue weed, bunk, coffeeweed, cornflower,...
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Starling and sparrow nesting together

I saw the most interesting thing yesterday. A starling parent was being harassed by 5 baby starlings and one baby sparrow for food. I watched closely as he fed one starling baby then another and another and finally the baby sparrow. What do you think about that? By the way I LOVE your posts! ~ Holly, MichiganPhoto of juvenile...
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How to identify baby Mourning Doves

I see a lot of mourning doves at my feeder. How do I tell which ones are the babies? ~ Mason, MIjuvenile Mourning Dove at East Lansing, MI Wild Birds Unlimited storeMourning Doves can be found throughout most of North America and are considered among the top ten most abundant birds in the United States. While the average...
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Very Full Moon! Largest full moon of 2013

What’s going on? The last couple days our cats at the Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing store have been acting like LUNATICS! One customer said it was the full moon.On June 23, 2013, the moon is the closest and largest full moon of the year. The moon will not be so close again until August, 2014. At its fullest and closest,...
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Small gray bird with white belly at feeder

Are titmice year-round in Michigan? ~ East Lansing, MIMale and female titmice look alike to the human eye. Their feathers are all gray on the back, and the belly is a lighter gray or white. On the sides of their belly is a little blush of chestnut feathers. They also have unforgettable big black eyes and a black bill which...
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Photo Share: Rose-breasted Grosbeak male and female

Thank you for sharing the fabulous photos of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak male (top) and female (bottom) at the the seed cylinder feeder. If anyone would like to share a photograph of nature send it to bloubird@gmail.com and I'll put it on the Friday Photo posts. ...
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Treefrog in Bird House

hi, How do I discourage tree frogs from settling in my birdhouse?  Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tree frogs are notorious for birdhouse squatting.As their name implies, Gray Treefrogsspend much of their lives high off the ground, in the treetops. They are nocturnal amphibians that wake up to feed on moths,...
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Help baby birds with window decals

Right now there are still young birds around learning the ropes and unfortunately, many times it's the inexperienced birds that fall victim to window strikes. Birds also strike windows as they quickly try to escape predators, hitting glass in a moment of panic. And during spring and fall migration, window strikes...
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Northern Cardinal

 Northern CardinalFactsWeight : 1.25–2 oz.Length : 7.5–8.5"Wingspan : 10.25–12"Sexual Maturity : 1 yearBreeding Season : March–AugustNumber of Eggs : 2–5,usually 3–4Incubation Period : 12–13 daysFledging Period : 10–11 daysBreeding Interval : Up...
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When will the birds be done nesting in my grill?

Hello, I have a few questions. We noticed a blackbird flying in and out of a hole in the back of the grill a couple weeks ago. When I opened the lid I found a nest and four blue eggs. My boys have been so excited to peek every morning. Now that the eggs have hatched is it still OK to peek at the birds? Should I prop open...
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Chickadees all look pretty much the same to the human eye

I just saw some baby chickadees. They came out of the nest fully dressed in their brand new suits and hats. They were so cute! However I did notice, because of an earlier post you wrote called “Identify Younger Birds at Your Feeders” that they all had shorter tails then the parents. I love the blog and just wanted...
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Growing up to be just like dad

Most swans mate for life. Males are called cobs, females are called pens and young are called cygnets. Swans families stick together for about a year. The cygnets get adult plumage at about 15 months but can enter the water soon after hatching. To achieve flight, swans face the wind, run along the surface of the water...
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Some daddy birds feed their babies

This month, your yard will become home to a new generation of birds. But as you're watching fledglings chase their parents, beg for food and learn the necessary skills to survive their new world, look for the presence, or absence, of father birds.Adult male birds' roles in raising their young differ greatly from one...
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