Home › All posts

Why do they call it Indian Summer?

Haven’t the last couple of days have been beautiful?  The squirrels and birds have certainly been taking advantage of the nice weather to fatten up at feeders.

According to Wikipedia: “An Indian summer is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs in autumn, in the Northern Hemisphere. It is characterized by a period of sunny, warm weather, after the leaves have turned following an onset of frost, but before the first snowfall.”

Why Indian? Well, no one knows. It first shows up in writing in 1778, in a letter from French-American farmer named St. John de Crevecoeur who wrote:

“Sometimes the rain is followed by an interval of calm and warmth which is called the Indian Summer; its characteristics are a tranquil atmosphere and general smokiness.”

Chances are we will never know the origin of the phrase but some theories are:

• When European settlers first came, Native Americans were the first to point out the pattern.
• The haziness of the Indian Summer weather was caused by prairie fires deliberately set by Native American tribes.
• It was the period when Native American peoples harvested their crops.
• The phenomenon was more common in what were then North American Indian territories.
• In a parallel with other 'Indian' terms it implied a belief in false promise by an Indian and that an Indian summer was a false copy of the real summer.
• It relates to the marine shipping trade in the Indian Ocean; trading ships used this good weather period to travel to the Indian Ocean. Several ships actually had an "I.S." mark on their hulls at the load level thought safe during the Indian Summer.

Read more in the article: Just What Is Indian Summer And Did Indians Really Have Anything To Do With It?  by William Deedler -National Weather Service Detroit office.
Category ›

How to Begin Bird Feeding

I'm totally new to birdwatching. What are some things I should know to begin bird feeding? ~ Diamondale, MI 

Feeders come in a wide variety styles. The best feeder to begin birdfeeding is the one that caters to the birds that already find your yard a suitable habitat. Birds are sometimes wary of new feeders and by targeting birds that are already in the area, the time it takes birds to utilize the new food source will be much shorter.

Things to remember:
• Make sure you can see the feeder from a comfortable spot in your home. The whole point of adding a feeder to your yard is so that you and your family can enjoy watching the activity.
• Place your feeder where it is visible. Birds generally find their food by sight.
• Sprinkle some seed on the ground to encourage the birds to a new feeding area.
• Use a seed type or seed blend based on the birds in your area.
• Keep your feeders clean and the seed fresh.

Don’t be disappointed if you only see little brown House Sparrows at first. Birds are attracted by activity. If a flock of sparrows deem your feeder good, other species will check out what all the fuss is about and the word will spread quickly.

It’s good to understand what kind of backyard habitat you have and what birds you might attract depending on the season. If you’re not sure, come in to Wild Birds Unlimited, East Lansing, MI to get answers to these and other issues from our Certified Bird Feeding Specialists. Good luck and enjoy your birds!

Related Articles:
Category ›

How are birds named?

I just saw a nuthatch and I have trouble remembering if it’s red-bellied or red breasted. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s a rose-breasted nuthatch. Can you clarify the name for me?

The American Ornithological Union (AOU) has long been the accepted authority for English bird names and scientific nomenclature. Founded in 1883, the AOU is the oldest organization in the New World devoted to the scientific study of birds. They establish an order and consistency across the continent which allows birders in different states to talk about a specific bird that may have several local names.

This is a very good thing to lessen confusion in bird discussions, but the official names chosen often seem a mystery to the average backyard birder. (This is true for many people I talk to that believe the Red-bellied Woodpecker is misnamed.) However these decisions were probably made in the 1800’s and aren’t likely to be changed now. That doesn’t mean you still can’t call birds by any nickname you want when you talk about birds with friends or family.

So what is the official name of the species of bird you spotted?
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis 
Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Nuthatches (Sittidae)

DescriptionAdult Red-breasted Nuthatches have gray backs with rust-colored breasts. They have black caps and white stripes above the eyes. Females are less colorful, with a more washed-out rust color on the belly. Some additional nicknames used for the Nuthatch you observed include Canada Nuthatch, Devil-down-head, and Topsy-turvy bird.

BehaviorAs they move along the trunks and branches of trees, Red-breasted Nuthatches glean bugs such as beetles, pine woodborers, and spiders. In winter, they like the seeds of fir, pine, and spruce trees. They are also common visitors at peanut, sunflower, mealworms, and suet feeders.

Unlike other nuthatches, Red-breasted Nuthatches do not always remain on their territories year round. We usually only see them in the winter in mid-Michigan but some may stay up north throughout the winter, depending on the state of the cone crop.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Sparrow bird with white head and black stripes

One of the fun aspects of bird feeding is that you never know who might show up in your yard. Every November in mid-Michigan I wait anxiously for the arrival of the White-crowned Sparrows. At 7 inches, these are some of the largest sparrows that come to our feeding areas.

Their size and the bold black and white racing stripes on their head make the White-crowned Sparrows a happy addition to the usual suspects in the yard. Mainly ground feeders, they scritch and scratch the dirt looking for leftover sunflower seeds and millet. They also eat weed seeds, berries, buds and moss.

Mid-Michigan isn’t a nesting territory for these birds. We only see them from late April to late May and sometime in September to November. White-crowned Sparrows have about 10 different calls. During migration you will usually hear their high thin seet or sharp pink call. They breed all along the upper parts of Canada and winter along the southern United States.

People sometimes confuse them with their close relative the White-throated Sparrow but they do not have the white throat markings.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Delicious Autumn!

"My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." -  George Eliot
Category ›

The best heated bird baths

Hello, is it too early for a heated bird bath? I was so happy when I received a Wild Birds Unlimited heated bath for Christmas last year! It is the best. We had bluebirds and robins and every bird you can think of taking a bath in the middle of the winter. Simply wonderful!! When is the proper time to set up the winter bath? ~ Holly, Michigan

I’m so happy you had plenty of winter guests at your heated bird bath. You can set it up at any time. The Wild Birds Unlimited durable, plastic heated bird bath is made in the USA and provides a reliable source of water when natural sources are frozen, even to temperatures below -20° F. It mounts easily to deck railings or can be placed on our stands. It features a built-in 150 watt, fully grounded heater that is thermostatically controlled to conserve energy. When the temperature is cold enough to freeze water, the bath will turn on automatically.

Water is one of the most important necessities that birds need year-round. Cold weather in northern areas can bring an additional challenge to a bird's survival due to natural water sources being frozen. Providing and maintaining a bird bath with clean water is just one small favor you can offer.

Most people understand the importance of water for drinking but many do not realize just how important it is in bathing for birds. Because feathers are critical for flight and insulation, birds keep them well-maintained. A good part of a bird's day is spent just cleaning and grooming its feathers by bathing, scratching, and preening. The feathers covering the body give the bird a water resistant, aerodynamic shape for efficient flight. The feathers also provide insulation by trapping body heat close to the skin.

Water sources in winter are an easy way to attract a variety of birds, as you noticed, including the American Robin and Eastern Bluebird, that don’t visit feeders normally.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Why do leaves change color in the fall

There is a tree across the street that has the most beautiful fall coloring every year. Is it the weather, the species, the soil; what makes trees change into a specific color in the fall?

It turns out that there are a lot of factors that determine the color of an autumn leaf. As days shorten and temperatures become crisp, the common green summer foliage is transformed into a vivid red, orange, yellow, or brown before it drops.

Three factors influence autumn leaf color: length of night, leaf pigments, and weather. As days grow shorter, and nights grow longer and cooler, biochemical processes in the leaf begin.

The leaf pigments involved in color change include chlorophyll and carotenoids which are present in the leaf cells throughout the growing season and anthocyanins which are produced mainly in the autumn.

During the growing season, chlorophyll is being produced continually and broken down to produce green leaves. As the days shorten in the fall, chlorophyll production slows down and then stops. That’s when the carotenoids and anthocyanins show their colors.

Certain colors are characteristic of particular species. Oaks turn red, or brown; hickories turn golden brown; aspen and yellow-poplar turn yellow; dogwoods turn purplish red; and beech a light tan. Maples differ species by species: red maples turn brilliant scarlet; sugar maples turn orange-red; and black maples are bright yellow.

How bright the colors are is determined by the temperature and moisture. A succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays.

During these days, lots of sugars are produced in the leaf and the cool nights result in a gradual closing of veins which prevents the sugars from moving out. When there is a lot of sugar and a lot of light, the brilliant reds, purples, and crimson develop. Because carotenoids are always present in leaves, the yellow and gold colors remain fairly constant from year to year.

The amount of moisture in the soil also affects autumn colors. A warm wet spring, favorable summer weather, and warm sunny fall days with cool nights should produce the most brilliant autumn colors.

Related Articles:
Category ›
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)