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White-throated Sparrows announce spring officially for gardeners

Is it spring on March 20th when the calendar says its spring? Is it spring when you hear the robins singing for a mate? Is it spring when the blackbirds return to Michigan? For some, yes. For gardeners it’s spring when the White-throated Sparrow arrives in mid-Michigan.When they show up you know the earth is warming, frost free days are here and it's time to get out in the garden.

It snowed on Saturday and I think a lot of people were wondering if warm weather would ever arrive. Then Sunday morning I woke up to the song of the White-throated Sparrow. They have a high warble-like call that sounds like Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada or Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody. 

I knew when I heard the white-throated singing that now it is spring! White-throated Sparrows only migrate through mid-Michigan in the spring and fall. You can look for them under the feeders from late April to late May and again sometime in September to November. They show up in mid-Michigan right after the last frost in the spring and right before the first snow in the fall. They breed all along the upper parts of Canada and winter along the southern United States.

White-throated Sparrows take off at dusk and fly all night when migrating. I just cleaned and filled all my feeders and assume they found my yard a suitable pit stop.

A White-throated Sparrow is a medium sized sparrow with brown streaked back, plain gray belly, striped head and a conspicuous white throat and yellow spots between eyes and bill. Male and female adults are similar and come in two variations: some have a white and black striped head and some have a tan and dark brown striped head.

Interestingly, white-striped forms of these sparrows are more aggressive than their tan-striped peers, particularly during breeding season. In nonbreeding months, the birds are more peace-loving and gather in large flocks.

Watch the video at: http://youtu.be/sL_YJC1SjHE

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Lucky sighting of a Rough-legged Hawk

Hello, this deer was killed by coyotes in our yard near Grayling a few nights ago.  I took it out to the woods and placed the game camera near it to see what came in to eat.  Besides the usual Ravens, Vultures, and Eagles this guy/girl came.  While I think it may be a red tailed hawk, it doesn't quite match. Any ideas what it may be? Thanks ~ Grayling, Michigan
Look at those gorgeous legs! The Rough-legged Hawks Buteo lagopus have feathers on their legs all the way to their toes to help them survive in cold climates.

They breed in the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia but can spend their winters with us in Michigan. Their population fluctuates like the Snowy Owl depending on the population of the voles and lemmings, their main diet.

Rough-legged hawks breed once a year, usually between April and June, but breeding has also been reported as late as July. The pair is monogamous. Male and female rough-legged hawks build a nest together after they have found a suitable site on a rocky cliff. Males carry most of the building supplies while females construct the nest of twigs, grass, molted feathers, and fur from prey.

They average 2 to 7 eggs per clutch that take a minimum of 31 days to hatch. Fledging usually takes more than 40 days and the young may leave the parents 2 to 4 weeks later. Sexual maturity of males and females is reached at 2 to 3 years.

Rough-legged hawks can live up to 18 years in the wild. However, the average life span is about 2 years, largely because most young birds do not survive. Once they survive their fledging stage and first year, rough-legged hawk annual survival improves.

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Do I need to change my bird seed when the seasons change?

I love, love, love the birds that come to the no-mess blend. I just started feed birds after I received a bird feeder for Christmas. I so enjoy the watching all the activity. Do I have to change my seed blend to something else as the weather gets warmer? ~ Lansing, MI

I'm so happy you are enjoying your new feeders! I use the Wild Birds Unlimited No-Mess blend year-round. It keeps all the birds happy and doesn't mess up my garden too much.

Best Bird Seed
For seed eating birds in Michigan studies indicate that Black-Oil Sunflower, Fine and Medium Sunflower Chips, Peanuts, White Proso Millet, Safflower, and Nyjer® Thistle are among the most preferred seed types. At the East Lansing  Wild Birds Unlimited store, customers’ and birds’ preference by far is WBU No-Mess Blend.

No-Mess Benefits
Our unique No-Mess Blend features seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left. No hulls on the seeds means no hulls on the ground and the seed won’t sprout either.

Price of No-Mess
Pound for pound, our No-Mess Blend offers the best value because you do not pay for the shells. The birds eat everything. One 20# bag of No-Mess contains at least twice as much seed as a bag with shells.

Unique Wild Birds Unlimited Seed Blends
Besides the No-mess we have several other blends that are regionally formulated to attract the birds that live in our area. We do not include cheap filler grains like oats, wheat and milo that decrease the price per pound of a mix and aren't eaten by the birds in Michigan. Wild Birds Unlimited blends actually end up costing less to use while attracting more of the birds that you want to watch.

Seed Freshness
Seed comes in every Tuesday. If you come early enough you can watch me load tons of seed into the store. And if you want to buy bags of seed right off the pallets, you are very welcome.

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Photo Share: Too Cute Squirrels and Splotchy Goldfinches

Hi Sarah, I wanted to share some of the pictures I’ve taken lately , you can pick whatever you like and can use:) I never can decide what to send.


We feed the squirrels and can’t resist taking photos. They are too cute.


It was fun watching the finches molt and change into their summer yellow. ~ Holly



Thank you for sharing your photos! If anyone else 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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Bird Watching is Going Green with Recycled Products

April 22 is the date designated as International Mother Earth Day by a consensus resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2009. It recognizes that the Earth and its ecosystems are our home and that it is necessary to promote harmony with nature and the Earth.

So in anticipation I thought I would highlight the Wild Birds Unlimited recycled bird feeders and houses that we offer. Traditionally cedar was the best way to go when you were choosing quality bird houses and feeders. Today people are going green with feeders and houses that are made from recycled milk jugs.

I am gradually switching all my feeders and houses to recycled plastic. People understand the importance of reusing available resources. We have a wide selection of feeders and houses that are constructed from up to 90% recycled plastic and made in the USA.

Why switch to recycled?
I’m personally switching because I like the looks, I like how easy they are to clean, I like that they last forever and I'm happy they are environmentally friendly.

Recycled products are strong, durable, and most come with a lifetime guarantee. The surface of these feeders is resistant to mold and mildew, making them safer for your birds and hassle-free to keep clean. Also, the densely compressed panels resist rain, wind and even snow, without having to re-stain or repair.

At Wild Birds Unlimited we believe recycled plastic is a great deal for you and Mother Earth.
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- Wild Birds Unlimited Huge Recycled Plastic Hopper Feeder http://goo.gl/BWJbh
- Wild Birds Unlimited EcoTough® Classic Hopper Feeders http://bit.ly/rpd6Cx
- Wild Birds Unlimited EcoTough® Tail Prop Suet Feeder http://bit.ly/s5cNe7
- Wild Birds Unlimited EcoTough® Upside Down Suet Feeder http://bit.ly/sbYFZn
- Wild Birds Unlimited Best Beginner Recycled Plastic Bird Feeders at http://bit.ly/rXr0JA
- Wild Birds Unlimited Best New Recycled Plastic Fly-thu Feeder http://bit.ly/rKj4en
- Wild Birds Unlimited Recycled Bluebird Houses http://goo.gl/IQVZW
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There’s a turkey in my yard!

My mom called me all excited, “Sarah there’s a turkey in the yard!”  Turkeys are very large birds that aren’t common in most suburbs, but as their population increases, so may our sightings of these beautiful birds.

Coincidentally, Holly, a regular shopper at the East Lansing Wild Birds Unlimited store shared some fabulous shots of the turkeys in her yard. Holly wrote, “We are blessed with two male turkeys this year we normally only get to see the female and then her young. They are fun to watch and their feathers are amazing in color.”

The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), the heaviest member of the Galliformes, is fairly common now. However due to habitat loss and over-hunting, turkeys were once on the way to extinction until conservation organizations were established to preserve and expand their populations. Today wild turkeys live across most of the U.S. and their numbers have risen to more than 7 million.
Wild Turkeys are omnivorous, foraging for nuts as well as various seeds, berries, roots, grasses and insects. Turkeys also occasionally consume amphibians and small reptiles like snakes.

If you want to feed Wild Turkeys, I would recommend our Wild Birds Unlimited Wildlife Blend. It’s a nice mixture of peanuts, sunflower seed and corn. We also have cracked or whole corn or the Choice Plus Blend has enough tree nuts, sunflower seeds, dried cherries, and suet nuggets to satisfy any turkey as well as a wide variety of other birds.

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- Why is a Turkey Is Called a Turkey? http://bit.ly/uKNZe5
- What do Turkeys Eat? http://bit.ly/uUiDsN
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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a real bird

I woke up this morning and saw a woodpecker pecking on the trunks of the back pines. Larger than a Downy, perhaps a Hairy, no… oh it’s a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Now two sapsuckers dancing in the trees!

If you grew up in my generation you may think that Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is just a funny name Yosemite Sam called Bugs Bunny in the old Looney Tunes cartoons. But sapsucker is the real name of a real bird that doesn’t really have a yellow belly or suck sap.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers arrive back in mid-Michigan in April from their wintering grounds in the southern U.S., Mexico, West Indies, and Central America.

I’ve seen evidence of their presence before on the trunks of the pine trees. Sapsuckers tap for sap as their main food source. On my trees the sapsucker seems to like to drill patches of several shallow rows across and several shallow rows down. These neatly organized patches of holes well up with sap that the sapsucker laps up with their brush-like tongue (not sucks). He also eats any bugs that happen to get trapped in the sticky stuff.

These predrilled sweet sap sources benefit hummingbirds, waxwings, and warblers as well when they need a quick, sweet bite while traveling.

hummingbird sipping sap
This morning I watched the two sapsuckers in what looked like playful pre-courtship behavior. One sapsucker chased the other around tree trunks and branches. Then they faced each other with feathers fluffed out, swinging their heads from side to side.

The breeding range of the yellow-bellied sapsucker extends from mid-Michigan up and across the northern United States from east of the Rocky Mountains to Maine and into Canada and Alaska.

Related Articles:
  -  Sapsucker Overwinters in Michigan http://bit.ly/nnidNh  
  -  Hummingbirds follow the sapsuckers during migration http://bit.ly/oqUDia  
  -  How many woodpeckers are in Michigan? http://bit.ly/obAc2U  
  -  Fall Trees Reveal Their Secrets http://bit.ly/nHeb9z
  -  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Vampire Bird http://goo.gl/ipdib
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