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Eastern Wild Turkeys Flock to Chelmsford Backyard

September 7, 2011

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September 7, 2011

A flock of Eastern Wild Turkeys

This summer, a flock of Eastern Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) routinely visited my Chelmsford, Massachusetts backyard. The turkeys regularly pecked their way around the yard each morning, spending most of their time scratching and grazing on spilled seed from our bird feeders.

The flock was usually comprised of about a dozen hens (females), jakes, and jennies (young male and female turkeys). The size and number of the birds, made them an imposing site in our suburan New England backyard.

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Tampa Mystery Monkey Raids Bird Feeder

April 12, 2010

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April 12, 2010

Tampa Mystery Monkey

There’s been a wild monkey in the Tampa Bay area for the past year – and he’s been caught on video visiting bird feeders.

Homeowner Rick Coffey spotted the monkey in his back yard in the Pinellas Point neighborhood at the southern tip of St. Petersburg, FL. He said the monkey appeared to be hungry and scooped mouthfuls of seed out of a bird feeder and came back 45 minutes later for more seed.

Officials believe the monkey is a young male rhesus macaque. No one is sure where it came from, but wildlife officials believe it could be an abandoned pet, or could have gotten separated from a group of wild monkeys in a state park near Ocala.

Officials with Florida Fish and Wildlife have been trying to catch the monkey for more than a year, and caution residents to be careful when near the monkey.

The monkey has become famous, with thousands of followers on Facebook and a mention on the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

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American Robins visit New England Backyard

February 9, 2010

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February 9, 2010

American Robin

According to traditional wisdom, they shouldn’t have been there at all. So much for traditional wisdom. They were there in droves.

Dozens of American robins visited my yard over the weekend. Their visits, unfortunately, were short-lived. First they gathered in the trees in the backyard. Then they dispersed, some going to the birdbath and others hopping along the garden or driveway.

It was nice to see the robins again, especially so many of them at once. Even in the summer when robins are commonplace, I never see that many together. Like many types of birds, robins form large flocks in the winter.
I was happy to see the robins in February, however I was not shocked or even the least bit surprised. Robins may be thought of as signs of spring, but each year many of them stay with us here in New England throughout the winter. In fact, some remain as far north as southern Canada.

They are often hard to find in the winter, but they are around somewhere — and usually in large groups.
With their feathers and down, robins are able to withstand bitter cold temperatures and extreme weather conditions, just like our other “winter” birds such as chickadees and kinglets.

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How to Attract Birds to Your Backyard

January 15, 2010

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January 15, 2010

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Create a backyard that will appeal to birds. Planting trees and shrubs of different heights will accommodate the preferences of different birds. Check with your local gardening center on which plantings work best to create a bird friendly yard in your area. And keep in mind chemically treated lawns will make a less healthy, and unattractive environment for birds.
THE FOUR BASICS – Water, food, shelter and a place to nest
Bird Baths

Bird baths are one of the easiest ways to bring birds up close, where you can get a really good look at them. They provide fresh clean water to drink and bathe in, which can sometimes be the hardest necessity for birds to come by.

When selecting a bird bath, choose one with a running water feature (or add a water moving feature) to help keep it free of algae and other contaminants, including mosquito larvae. The sound of moving water will also attract birds from afar. Another feature to consider is either a heated bird bath or a separate heater or deicer to put into the bathe. This will keep the water from freezing in winter, when open water is scarce. If electricity is not available to power a backyard bird bath, consider adding a solar powered bird bath.

Keep in mind, the water shouldn’t be more than a couple of inches in deep. If it’s too deep, birds won’t feel comfortable and will avoid the water feature. To limit the depth, add rocks for birds to perch on.
Bird Feeders and Feeding Stations
Platform Feeders

A platform feeder is a simple tray-like system that accommodates a wide variety of backyard feeder birds, both small and large, from sparrows to blue jays to mourning doves. To attract all sorts of birds, fill the tray with mixed seed. Varieties of platform feeders are also available as mealworm feeders – a backyard bird favorite!

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Choosing a Bird Watching Field Guide

January 11, 2010

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January 11, 2010

Evening Grosbeaks at Feeder

Identifying the diversity of birds migrating through your area is made easier with a bird identification field guide. A wide variety of field guides are available for the beginner to advanced birder, with drawings or photos so you can surely find a good fit for your needs.

Each field guide provides narrative details about the diagnostic features of each bird. Diagnostic features are a set of characteristics that are unique to each type of bird, and thus define it as that species.

Field guides also include range maps that indicate where the species occur and its seasonal status (summer, winter, spring/fall, year round resident). Most guides also include tips regarding the species’ preferred habitats and descriptions of their sounds.
Best Field Guides for Beginners & Intermediate Birding Enthusiasts

Stokes Beginners Guide to Eastern Birds
Stokes Beginners Guide to Eastern Birds

Sometimes beginners can get overwhelmed by too much information; therefore, an ideal solution is a guide that narrows it down to the birds you are likely to see in the birder’s area.

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Unique Backyard Birding Gifts For Any Budget

December 8, 2009

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December 8, 2009

The Augusta Clubhouse Birdhouse

We’ve compiled a list of this season’s coolest birding gifts for any budget. We’ve got the perfect unique gift, or stocking stuffer, to bring a smile to the backyard birder on your shopping list.
Unique Birding Gift Idea Under $150 – The Southern Plantation Birdhouse

The Augusta Clubhouse Birdhouse
The Augusta Clubhouse Birdhouse

The Augusta Clubhouse Birdhouse ($134.95) Free Shipping on this item
Beautiful Craftsmanship, Fully Functional & Bird Friendly

With the timeless look of an old Southern plantation home, this architectural replica birdhouse was inspired by one of the most prestigious sites in golf.

The Augusta Clubhouse Birdhouse has two stories, deep porches, wrap-around balconies and lots of windows. The design feature durable wood construction with all-weather paint and a pine shingled roof.

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Tips for Squirrel Proofing Bird Feeders – aka How to Frustrate a Squirrel

December 3, 2009

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December 3, 2009

Will Work for Food

Truth be told, squirrel proof is a misnomer. When on a mission, there is no stopping a squirrel – only frustrating them. Squirrels are brazen and cunning thieves, singularly focused on gorging their fuzzy bellies with pilfered bird seed.

Squirrels are tenacious, problem-solving acrobats who will jump through hoops, again and again to reach a nut (see squirrel obstacle course video). Squirrels can be a lot of fun to watch, becoming a much anticipated and welcomed backyard visitor. They also can become major nuisances, occupying soffit and attic interiors, chewing through wires, and digging up flower bulbs.

Deterring squirrels from raiding bird feeders requires placing barriers between them and the bird seed. Bird feeder placement is a big determinant of squirrel resistance.
Tip #1: Consider Bird Feeder Location

Place your bird feeder out of the squirrels reach. Squirrels can jump up to 4 feet high, and can launch themselves from a tree or roof to a target as far as six feet away. A bird feeder placed on a five foot or taller pole and at least 7-8 feet from any structure will provide the best chance of deterring squirrels.

Metal poles are difficult to grab onto, and will cause squirrels to slide down when they try to climb it. Wooden 4×4 posts are easy for squirrels to latch onto, and therefore not a good deterrent by themselves.

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Top 5 Unique Birding Gifts For The Backyard Birder Who Has It All

December 2, 2009

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December 2, 2009

Squirrel proof feeders can be fun to watch

With thousands of bird feeders, bird houses, bird baths and accessories to choose from, finding the perfect gift for someone who likes to attract birds to their backyard garden or patio can be a daunting task. Here is a top 5 list of gift ideas that are sure to be a hit with your backyard birder.

Squirrel proof feeders can be fun to watch
Squirrel proof feeders are fun to watch, and effective.

Unique Gift Idea #5: Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders

Squirrels can be a huge nuisance to a backyard birder. They can quickly destroy an average bird feeder as they gorge themselves on premium bird seed. Luckily, there are bird feeders designed especially to prevent squirrels from feeding from them, and that provide hours of entertainment as the spurned squirrels stubbornly try to get to the seed (see squirrel obstacle course video).

Our best-selling squirrel proof bird feeder is the Yankee Flipper. It has a motor driven, battery powered, weight activated perch ring that allows the birds to eat and twirls squirrels off. It holds 5 lbs of seed, and is durably constructed of stainless steel and non-yellowing polycarbonate. The Yankee Flipper link above includes a video of it in action.

Also, a squirrel proof baffle can be added to a favorite bird feeder. For an automated spin, our Twirl-A-Squirrel baffle sits above an existing feeder and uses a squirrel’s weight on the feeder to activate a motor which gently spins the squirrel to the ground.

Heated Bird Bath
Heated Bird Bath

Unique Gift Idea #4: Heated Bird Baths

If the fall migration has left your backyard birder’s garden devoid of birds, adding a heated bird bath is the perfect solution to draw in an amazing variety of winter birds looking for a source of unfrozen water.

There are a number of heated bird bath options available, including deck mounted bird baths and pedestal style bird baths. Some backyard birders choose to protect the pumps of their favorite fountains by storing the fountains over the winter, and placing a separate heated bird bath or basin close to a window or vantage point.

Also, if your backyard birder already has a fountain in their backyard, heating elements (some thermostatically controlled) can be added to deice the bird bath during the coldest winter months.

Bird-Song-Audio-From-New-England-BirdhouseUnique Gift Idea #3: Bird Song Audio Learning Devices

The enjoyment of watching birds in your backyard is dramatically increased, when you can identify bird songs and bird calls. Being able to identify a bird based on its song is now attainable through technology.

Devices such as the Identiflyer, store and playback a recording of wild birds’ calls and songs, and can even be used sparingly to attract birds to the area. Bird song scanning wands use bar codes that can be placed in bird watching field guides to scan and playback recordings of bird songs in the field. There is even a singing alarm clock that wakes a sleeping birder with the call of their favorite bird. The convenience and simplicity of these devices, make them a terrific resource for kids interested in backyard birding.

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Backyard Birding Invention! Hummingbird Mask Feeder

October 29, 2009

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October 29, 2009

hummingbird-mask-feeder

If your hummingbird feeder just doesn’t get you close enough to the action, Humboldt County Inventor Doyle has the solution – a wearable hummingbird feeder mask.

Doyle developed the hummingbird mask feeders in 2008 (see video below) and sells them at his website for $79.95. He also offers a great deal of production information that would be useful for anyone who wanted to build their own mask feeder.

Doyle has posted several videos of the mask feeder in action, including this one of his nephew using the mask.

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What Kind of Bird is it? Bird Identification Keys – Behavior

October 29, 2009

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October 29, 2009

American Woodcock

For bird watchers and backyard birders, recognizing and identifying wild birds is easier when focusing on the four keys to bird identification – Size & Shape, Color Pattern, Behavior and Habitat.
Bird Identification – Bird Behavior

The way a bird acts is a big clue to what kind of bird it is. Unlike it’s plumage, a bird’s behavior is consistent throughout the year. Recognizing how a bird moves, flies and forages will provide many clues to its identification. Notice the posture of the bird. Does it stand more upright or horizontal while perched in a tree? How does the bird forage for food? Does its’ body repeatedly bounce up and down as it hunts for food? Also, study the flight style of the bird. Does it have a quick wing beat? Does it hover or fly directly to its destination? Along with the other three keys to identification, these behaviors will help to identify the bird.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has created an excellent video series to help the beginning birder develop their wild bird identification skills. Below, is the fourth and last in the series – Recognizing Birds – Bird Behavior. Other videos in the series include – Size & Shape, Color Pattern and Habitat.

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