Home › Archives for March 2012

Man builds wings to fly like the birds

A 31-year-old Dutch man has flown over a hundred meters using two Nintendo Wii controllers. Strapped to 55-foot wings, and using a GoPro-camera on his helmet to film the flight, Jarno Smeets became the first man to fly like a bird.Translation: "I was running...and...At one moment you see the ground moving away, and then suddenly you're free, a really...
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How does the Cold Weather Effect Hummingbird Migration

Everything in the bird world seemed to be placed hold when the freezing weather hit mid-Michigan. I don't hear the excited singing in the morning, my nest building material hasn't been touched in a few days, and the early migration of the hummingbirds has stopped. I was shocked last week when the migration maps showed...
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Wild Turkey grazing under feeders

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Enhance your garden with a touch of copper

Wild Birds Unlimited Copper Top Series has just arrived! These unique feeders are only ordered for the spring and fall so come in quick if you don't want to wait to add an elegant yet functional copper topped bird feeder or bird house to your garden.Made in the USA, these well designed feeders have curved sides to view...
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Why are the red and black beetles called ladybugs?

The warm window at the Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing store woke up a ladybug. Known to winter in small cracks around windows, these beneficial beetles are waking up all over and may need a little help finding an exit. (Why can they always find a way in but not out!) Over 300 types of ladybugs live in North America....
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Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary Revisited : Ch 1

Indian Gaur , the flagship animal of DebrigarhElated by taking a fair enough picture of Indian Nightjar and first recording of a Stone Curlew, we were driving back to Eco Tourism complex at Barkhandia in the evening. Sun had just set in and more Nightjars were getting active in front of the beaming lights of the Jeep....
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Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary revisited:Ch 2

Go to Chapter 1Last Days of Spring in DebrigarhRBTs have vanished from the forests of Debrigarh. Since last one decade there has not been any sighting of the big cat and I have also not come across any concrete evidence (any write up) of their presence in the region before that. Whatever information I could collect was...
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What is a brood patch on a bird?

A puff of  air on the belly of a Barn Swallowreveals an incubation patch.As the days lengthen, one physical change birds of nearly all species go through is the loss of feathers on their belly early in the breeding season. Nesting birds develop bare patches called incubation or brood patches just before the first...
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Examining The Hummingbird Tongue

Hummingbirds are very small birds with a high metabolism. A great deal of energy is expended when flying, so they must feed almost constantly. Hummingbirds can consume up to twice their body weight in nectar every day. They usually feed on nectar and insects. Hummingbirds actually have a long flexible tongue that is good...
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Do I leave dummy nests alone?

I have two bluebird boxes on my property. There have been lots of bluebirds around checking out both houses. It appears that they (or some bird) has built a dummy nest in one of the boxes. And some have been checking out the other box every day but have not started a nest it. Chickadees are now also checking out the one...
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Can birds become dependent on bird feeders?

Spring and Summertime is a great time to feed birds. You may see different birds at your feeders during summer than you do during winter. And many, such as finches and warblers, may sport their vibrant spring and summer plumage spreading color throughout your yard.For much of North America summertime is a great time...
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Dark-eyed Junco migration

The Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis is a medium-sized sparrow with dark gray plumage on its head, breast and upper parts which contrast with the white, outer tail and white belly. The female and immature juncos are less slate colored and tend to be browner than the adult male.In mid-Michigan, it's almost time to say good...
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Does the warm weather mean early migration?

Birds that winter in the south don’t exactly know that we are having an early spring. They generally leave the same time each year based on internal circadian rhythms and subtle changes in the sunlight. However once they begin their journey, the weather in the United States can play a big role in how quick they reach their...
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Red-tailed Hawk Nest

In the images above, the hawk with the band on the right leg is the female. The male has a band on his left leg. See live stream Cornell Lab eNews Flash LIVE: Red-tailed...
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How long does a house fly live?‎

I saw a house fly today. When the weather warms, flies come out of diapause, a process similar to hibernation. This process, which comes on gradually, can last for months, and take place at any point in a housefly's life cycle.The house fly (Musca domestica), is the most common of all domestic flies, accounting for about...
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Where are the orioles?

I live near Millersburg, Mi. which is 32 miles east of Indian River. The last two years we have had Orioles feed at our jelly feeder and nest in the area.  Both years in July, the young was feeding themselves when we had an electrical storm with high winds and the Orioles disappeared. Is this normal?I always say orioles...
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