Home › All posts

Lazy Days of Summer

26 June & 2 July



I returned recently from a wonderful trip to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. The beauty and expanse of this special placed really moved me and was a perfect place to renew your spirit! Gretchen banded on 26 June while I was away and we banded again on 2 July. She captured 3 new species for the year, one Barn Swallow, an Orchard Oriole, and an Eastern Phoebe. Most of the birds both days were first years and this will be the case for the remainder of summer and fall. The numbers of birds in nets increased dramatically by July 2nd with 95 birds processed. We typically see numbers like this towards the end of July as more birds fledge, not the beginning!





Here is a young Barn Swallow that was banded on the 26th.







We banded 7 more of them on July 2nd. Barn Swallows have rusty colored underparts compared with the bright white undersides of Tree Swallows.


                                    


They also have white spots on their tail feathers visible in the  photo below.


                                    


Juvenile outer tail feathers are rather short and rounded compared with adults. The adult male (shown below) has longer and more pointed outer tail feathers. Females are similar to males but their outer rectrices (tail feathers) are a bit shorter.     
                      
                                    


We captured two Orchard Orioles, one on each banding day. Juveniles of both sexes look similar but we can usually determine sex by the length of their wing. Both orioles banded were females. The picture below shows a female in the spring (SY or second year). Males look quite different and one of these days I hope to capture an adult male in breeding plumage.


                                     


We banded our first  hatch year Baltimore Oriole on the 2nd, also a female. 


Other baby birds from the two days include an Eastern Phoebe. Young phoebes have buffy edging to their median and secondary coverts as seen in the photo below. As adults this appears as grayish to whitish.


   


   Below is a baby robin who will soon replace the spots  on its breast  with rusty orange feathers when it begins its first prebasic molt.
                                   


We captured a very young Prairie Warbler on July 2nd. Occasionally very young birds are hard to identify! These birds are referred to as Local rather than Hatching Year because their feathers are growing in and can't sustain flight. As I mentioned in a previous post, all our young birds are taken right back to where they were found in case they are still dependent on parents.


                                    
We captured a second year (SY) male Common Yellowthroat who was without a full black mask as seen on most adult males (see previous post May-Banding Demonstration). Hopefully he'll develop a full gorgeous mask during his molt this summer.  Don't think he was too happy with being banded either as he was telling me what he thought of the whole process!


I'm not sure how much banding we'll do this summer. If it remains hot and humid as it has been the nets stay closed! Sometimes we can get a few hours in (5-8:30) before it heats up.


Thanks to Gretchen Putonen who manned the station on the Saturday in June while I was away and banded with me on Saturday July 2nd. We also had help from the Johnson family on the 2nd who come every summer, Sheryl and her daughter Lauren. The following birds were seen, heard, or captured.  Numbers reflect captured birds only:


Total birds: 124                            Total species: 37

Total banded species: 19             Birds/100 net-hours: 51



Osprey

Greater Yellowlegs

Willet

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Mourning Dove

Downy Woodpecker-6

Yellow-shafted Flicker

Eastern Phoebe-1

Tree Swallow-1

Barn Swallow-8

Blue Jay

American Crow

Fish Crow

Black-capped Chickadee- 19

Tufted Titmouse- 2

Carolina Wren-3

American Robin-1

Gray Catbird-20

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Yellow Warbler-10

Prairie Warbler-2

Ovenbird-1

Common Yellowthroat-13

Northern Cardinal-13

Eastern Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow-14

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Orchard Oriole-2

Baltimore Oriole-1

House Finch-1

American Goldfinch-1

House Sparrow





Category ›

Do you have feeders specifically for Squirrels?

I think squirrels believe most feeders are specifically made for them. But yes, Wild Birds Unlimited East Lansing, MI has a variety of squirrel feeders to choose from. There are a couple box styles that hold loose seed (Interactive Squirrel Feeder and Munch Box) and several that hold corn on the cob (Twirl-a-Squirrel, Squirrel Chair, Squirrel Bungee, and more).

If you are thinking about using a squirrel feeder to divert the little beasties away from your bird feeders, I get mixed feedback from customers on that tactic. Personally, I have one WBU hopper feeder in the middle of the yard for the squirrels and big birds to share and then Squirrel Proof, Hummingbird, Finch and Suet feeders in a different location. The squirrels go over to the bird feeding area occasionally, but tend to stick to their easy feeder.
Category ›

Defy the Doldrums with Goldfinches

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 on the list for entertainment value is of one of our most luminous backyard birds — the goldfinch.

During July, long after most birds have started their families, the American Goldfinch is just beginning its nesting process for the first and only time of the year. You do not want to miss this exciting time of vibrant song and fascinating courtship behavior.

Goldfinch nesting coincides with the availability of plant down for nest construction and the abundant supply of their preferred food to feed their young.

Young goldfinches are dependent on their parents for at least three weeks after fledging. Their energetic begging, chasing and harassment of their parents for food at your feeders are truly some of the biggest payoffs of participating in the bird feeding hobby.

Goldfinches love to eat fresh, dry Nyjer® (thistle), and they also enjoy sunflower chips. Make sure you have plenty on hand to take advantage of one of the most exciting times of year to feed birds…it’s a sure cure for the summer doldrums!

Source: WBU Nature News
Category ›

Who'd ever expect a bird to be poisonous?

The Hooded Pitohui is an orange and black songbird native to New Guinea that was first recorded in 1827, but held a secret that only began to be uncovered in 1989.

The video below explains how as a graduate student, Jack Dumbacher was scratched while handling the Hooded Pitohui. After he released them, he licked the wounds that the birds had caused, resulting in a swollen and numb mouth.

Confirmation from the locals and further investigation revealed the birds’ feathers and skin contained a toxin exactly the same as Colombia's poison dart frogs.

The Hooded Pitohui, Pitohui dichrous and its two close relatives, the Variable Pitohui and the Brown Pitohui, were the first documented poisonous birds. The birds are believed to aquire the neurotoxin by eating the Melyrid beetles (Choresine).

Hooded and Variable Pitohuis, close relatives of Old World Orioles, have evolved conspicuously orange-and-black plumage as a warning, similar to patterns of the colorful and poisonous Monarch butterflies.
You can view the video at: http://youtu.be/TjTOJ6zIbys

Category › ,

How is Business for Wild Birds Unlimited?

Thank you very much for your concern. We are doing OK. Times are tough everywhere, especially in mid-Michigan, but we're confident Wild Birds Unlimited can survive.

As long as we provide the best quality bird food, feeders and houses, as well as the best customer service possible, I think we can navigate this recession successfully and emerge stronger than before.

I also want to thank everyone for their loyalty to the East Lansing store. We appreciate your support of our local business and wish everyone a Happy Independence Day!
Category ›

Flashdance: The Fireflies Mating Ritual

.

In the animal kingdom, fireflies are somewhat unusual because they use their light-producing capability to find a mate in the dark. Also known as lightning bugs, fireflies are are actually beetles which hatch from eggs in the fall and spend the winter and early spring as larvae burrowed in the soil only to emerge as adults in late spring. The adult males usually flash while patrolling an area, while the females flash a response from a stationary perch.

You might see more than one type of firefly in your yard. There are several species of fireflies in Michigan. Photinus is the most common firefly in our area with about 15 species. Each is about one half inch in length, and it produces a yellow-green flash. In the dark, you may be able to tell them apart by the color of their flash or distinctive flash patterns.

Click HERE to see the Museum of Science’s virtual habitat.

Spotting fireflies is a special preshow to the fireworks on the Fourth of July in mid-Michigan, but lately the numbers seem to be declining. The Museum of Science is asking for help from volunteers to track these amazing insects. If you would like to collect data for further research Click HERE. No special scientific training is required.


Category ›

Frozen Woodpecker


Close call: A woodpecker clings on to a wooden pole as it hides from a preying sparrowhawk.
.
.
Read full story at: http://ning.it/dCydIa
Source: MailOnline
Category ›
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)