Snow Brings The Birds (and some other guests) - Part 2

"Snow" Birds of Green Lane, PA, USA

Our Most Common Winter Birds in the Bird Yard 

This is Part 2 for the most common winter birds in our "bird yard".  The scene outside is snowy and all the critters who are awake want to find food and water.  This makes for a wonderful mix; I can't even be annoyed at the Gray Squirrels that are EVERYWHERE!  When food is snow-covered, we get other visitors (like Whitetail Deer and raccoons) coming by for a fill up:>)  Even a chipmunk or two will be running around on warm days; they are not true hibernators.  

Another active mammal is the mouse.  I found chewed paper in my glove box so my husband set a mousetrap in my car.  Sadly, we caught one.  They can be terribly destructive in the wrong place, but that doesn't make me feel any better about the whole trap thing.

I'm going to begin this bird post with some of the other animals that are inviting themselves to dinner.

First and foremost are the Eastern Gray Squirrels.  These are acrobats of the highest degree, making death-defying leaps from one tree to another, chasing each other  madly in upward circles, and scolding me loudly when I go out to fill the feeders.  You'll see a bit of our bird bath in the background.  It remains on the ground so it doesn't get tipped and broken by the larger animals that come to drink.

More info here: 

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_gray_squirrel.htm

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

At night the masked bandits come out to play and eat - Raccoons are both adorable and pesky.  If I don't bring the suet into the house each night, it is GONE by morning.  They dirty the bird water because they stand in it and feel around looking for crayfish and other aquatic food.  They really don't wash their food, but in the morning the bird water sometimes looks like they've played in the mud and then washed their "hands".  More info here:

http://www.projectwildlife.org/animals.php?id=11

Raccoon stealing the suet

There was a snap of cold weather, then it warmed up into the high 30's (degrees F) and out popped a couple chipmunks.  They are industrious little critters, running around and stuffing their cheek pouches with seeds and corn.  This guy/gal was taking break from their hard labors.  More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Whitetail deer are common, too, and hungry!  They brave the humans that live here to come feast on corn, seed, and peanuts.  The picnic table is their favorite stop (makes sense), then they have a lovely dessert of English Ivy and they are welcome to that!  More info here:

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/whitetaileddeer.htm

Whitetail Deer - Buck

Young Whitetail Doe

Young Whitetail Doe

Young Whitetail Doe

Now that you've been introduced to the main players other than birds, we can go back to our main subjects:>)

 

Part 1 of this post has the Northern, or Yellow-shafted Flicker pictures.  I'm adding this image that shows the bright white rump that makes it easy to recognize this bird if its flying away from you. 

See the white patch on the lower back

 

Pileated Woodpeckers are shy giants.  They are about as large as the crows but extremely wary.  They come to the suet a couple times a day when their natural food is scarce, but even a tiny Downy Woodpecker - a little bird the size of a Titmouse - can chase these big birds away with the most minimal show of aggression.  If you remember the cartoon bird, Woody Woodpecker, you now know where the concept came from.  Pileated Woodpeckers were the model for "Woody" with his bright red crest and his loud, weird laugh.   More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/id

 

Pileated Woodpecker - Male - Note the red cheek patch

Pileated Woodpecker - Female - Note there is NO red cheek patch

Pileated Woodpecker - Female - Note the golden color on the front of her crest

 

At the other end of the size scale are the little wrens.  We have Carolina Wrens in our yard - haven't seen a House Wren in years.  If you like perky, active birds that make a lot of noise, these are your buddies!  Both males and females sing, and a pair often sing together, each with their own part of the song.  Last year one pair raised four broods under the roof that is over our kitchen window.  We never heard a peep from them until it was time for the young to fledge (fly and leave the nest), and then it was Dad, singing non-stop, who announced the graduation of the kids to an independent life.  Wrens love meal worms.  They do visit the suet and they jump into the feeding trays and grab pieces of peanut or sunflower seeds that aren't in their shell, but their diet is mainly bugs.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/id

 

Carolina Wren

Carolina Wren

Carolina Wren

One of the most numerous birds to grace our winters is the Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored).  They vary greatly in coloration from region to region, but every color iteration is lovely.  These birds are a kind of sparrow and are ground feeders, hopping and scratching to find fallen seeds; I wouldn't put it past them to snatch up a bug if the opportunity presented itself.  They are sometimes called "snow birds" in our area because they arrive just in time for winter and leave early in the spring.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/id

 

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Colored)

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Colored)

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Colored)

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Colored)

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate Colored)

The Red-bellied Woodpecker does, indeed, have a belly tinted red.  It isn't always easily seen, though, and since they have a red cap on their heads people will mistakenly call them Red-headed Woodpeckers.  Red-headed Woodpeckers are relatively rare and have their head completely hooded in bright red.  Red-bellied Woodpeckers are common and about the size of a Robin.   They are constantly at the suet and they love peanuts and sunflower seeds.  The picnic table in our yard is a regular stop for them and they often chase away blue jays and other birds while they pick the peanut they want and fly off to eat it.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Male

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Male

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Female - Note that her red cap doesn't come all the way to the front of her head.  She's digging for peanuts on the picnic table.

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Male

House Finches are pretty birds that travel in flocks.  Some days we have a few, some days they fill the feeders, but mostly we notice there are as many as in years past.  They LOVE black oil sunflower seeds. The Purple Finch is very like the House Finch and hard to tell apart.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/house_finch/id

House Finch - Female

House Finch - Male

Our American Goldfinch is another bird that travels in flocks, and they often appear at the feeders when the House Finches come.  I love the winter colors, muted and soft, compared to the dramatic yellow and black coloring of the males in breeding season.  They go to feeders, to the picnic table, and even forage on the ground.  One of these days I'll get a really good picture of these lovely birds.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_goldfinch/id

 

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch

White-throated Sparrows are medium sized, chunky birds that forage on the ground and in low shrubbery.  In the springtime they add to their diet by eating new buds on vegetation; in the winter they search for seeds and bugs.  Ours arrive in small groups, perhaps a family?, and spend an hour or so hopping and scratching.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/id

 

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Another winter sparrow that visits the bird yard is the Song Sparrow.  They, too, are ground feeders and look similar to to White-throated Sparrows except they have boldly streaked breasts and sides.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/song_sparrow/id

 

Song Sparrow - Note the bold stripes

 

The Hairy Woodpecker is slightly smaller than the Red-bellied Woodpecker and is mainly black and white.  The male has a little, red cap  the female has no red cap.  These have a smaller look-alike called the Downy Woodpecker which could be their identical twin except for size.  The Downy Woodpeckers are small, like the Titmouse.  The Downy has a shorter bill but that is hard to see and judge; size is the best indicator of identification (as compared to the larger Hairy Woodpecker).  Both of these woodpeckers LOVE suet, but they both also eat sunflower seeds and peanuts.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hairy_Woodpecker/id

 

Hairy Woodpecker - Female

 

 

Hairy Woodpecker - Male - NOTE THE RED ON THE HEAD

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/id

 

Downy Woodpecker - Male - Note the red cap

Downy Woodpecker - Female - Note she has NO red cap.

Red-tailed Hawks are ever-present.  We don't feed them, per se, but they aren't averse to taking a squirrel as it cavorts in and around the bird yard.  We've also seen them eating carrion, but they are superb hunters and will glide over fields and meadows watching for movement, like a mouse.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-tailed_hawk/id

 

Red-tailed Hawk

 

American Crows are very large, black, and imperious birds.   They congregate in groups and if there are more than 10 crows in a group the are called a "Murder" of crows.  They chase owls and hawks mercilessly.  They come to the bird yard for suet, seeds, peanuts (one got 3 whole peanuts in his beak at once), and if I throw out bones from supper, they eat those.  As birds go, they are extraordinarily intelligent. They are also extremely wary and will fly away if they see us in the window.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_crow/id

 

 

 

 

There is a constant presence of the large, graceful soaring bird, the Turkey Vulture.  They use thermal currents to carry them along as they sniff for fresh killed meat.  I include them here because they are part of the landscape and they are important to the environment.  They are nature's garbage men and they keep things clean.  The  picture was taken in late fall.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/turkey_vulture/id

 

Turkey Vultures

There are so many wonderful birds!  I haven't got pictures yet of common winter residents like Oven Birds.  I guess that's okay as it leaves me plenty more to do:>)

 

If you are thinking of feeding the birds, I recommend you offer them a brush pile.  We've been adding to ours for a few years and the birds love it.  A brush pile offers them protection form predators and a nice place to sit and wait their turn at the feeders.  Nature is not neat but is, rather, efficient.  A brush pile is an efficient way for birds to have shelter, rest, and piece of mind.  I'm putting a link to some good information on what birds like what food.   I hope the link works!

http://feederwatch.org/learn/common-feeder-birds/?__hstc=75100365.d4d6d6292607f6819b673e89c05d7721.1422411252215.1422411252215.1422411252215.1&__hssc=75100365.4.1422411252215&__hsfp=2450219962#_ga=1.252185545.13489699.1422411252

There are five birds in the brush pile.

Wishing you a gentle winter.  Enjoy your outside time and don't forget to look down, look around, and look up:>)

Thank you for visiting!

Snow Brings The Birds - Part 1

"Snow" Birds of Green Lane, PA, USA

Our Most Common Winter Birds in the Bird Yard 

 

With the exception of the group of wild turkeys shown below, these pictures are all in and around the area we call the "bird yard".  This is where we put various seed feeders, suet, and peanuts.  Feeders come in a universe of sizes, shapes, colors, and have all kinds of specific types, if you want them.  There are weight-sensitive feeders that close when a heavy critter (squirrel) steps on them; some feeders have battery operated perches that spin like mad when a heavy critter (squirrel) steps on them.  Some are made to feed thistle seed; some are flat to make birds happy that are ground-feeders.  My husband made me two feeders that are like trays with low sides and hang from a cable.  We have a couple round feeders for seed, a few that look like houses for seed (the birds don't care but they are cute to us humans), a picnic table that doubles in winter as a big space to spread seed and peanuts, and, of course, the ground.  Almost anything will work, and there are clever plans all over the internet for building bird feeders.  

 

 

Northern Cardinal male on picnic table - he was digging through the snow for black oil sunflower seeds.

 

Here are a few sites.

http://www.wayneofthewoods.com/bird-feeder-plans.html

http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/bird-feeder-plans.html

http://www.50birds.com/bird-feeders/castle-bird-feeder-plans.htm

http://www.bird-feeder-plans.org/

 

House Finch male eating black oil sunflower seeds

 

There are many winter birds not pictured here.  We live in a wooded locale.   The more urban places have some different kinds of birds although there are a lot of birds in common with us.

 

Different birds like different seeds and feed in different ways, but our feeding is geared to bringing in as many kinds of birds as possible.  I've been down that long, expensive road of trial and error when it comes to what to feed.  My plan is very basic and seems to please our feathered friends.

 

The one thing I don't put out, but probably could to get a fantastic response, is meal worms.  We looked into that and found they are not difficult to raise, and raising them is waaaayyyy cheaper than buying them all the time.  That may be something we try in the future.  These beetle larvae can be bought in most pet stores and are a favorite for wrens and blue birds - others, too.

 

I also don't put out orange slices for the orioles.  This is a springtime thing and by then most of the bad weather is gone.  Folks who feed birds year-round often tempt the orioles in with orange slices.

 

If you choose to put out a feeder or two, be patient as you wait for the feathered visitors.   It takes a day or more for the birds to find the feeder and then to make it a regular stop.  Once you've enticed them in, they'll count on you as a dependable food source, at least until weather conditions permit them to forage for more natural foods.

 

This is a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers that come to our suet during the harsh times.  The male has the red cheek stripe and all red crest, while the female (left side) has a little gold patch on the front of her red crest and she has no red cheek patch.

 

You'll find some differing opinions on how, when, and how much to feed wild birds.  I only feed during the late fall through early spring months when bugs and seeds are hard to find.  Birds do better on their natural foods, but we can help them survive the lean, mean months.

 

I feed black oil sunflower seeds, shelled corn (not cracked), peanuts (either in the shell or splits), and beef suet.  I've given up on safflower seeds and niger (thistle seed).  They are expensive and don't seem to draw any special birds.  All our birds still come to dine, even without those seeds available.  I gave up on those fancy, mixed blends long ago as being more attractive to the humans buying them than the birds eating them.  Our suet is bought in chunks from our local supermarket - not melted into squares and mixed with other things although that certainly does NOT hurt a bird's appetite!

 

Clean water is always appreciate by our feathered friends.  I use a heating element to keep water from freezing, and the water should be fresh every day.  Because we also have raccoons and other animals drinking the water, our bird bath is on the ground.  The critters can easily tip the bird bath.

 

 

Wild Turkeys in Snowy Field - not our bird yard - LOL

 

One of my favorite little songbirds is the White-breasted Nuthatch.  These guys like to be upside down and more often than not are walking down trees head first.  They eat suet and seeds.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/id

 All songbirds, in fact all birds, are favorites so I'll lay off the "one of my favorites" phrase from now on.  Northern Cardinals are common and may be almost as well-known as robins.  The male is a gorgeous, dramatic red while the female is (to me) an even more lovely subtle olive green, buff, and red-tinted color combo.  The female does sing, even while sitting on her nest, and this is not the norm for songbirds.  The cardinals come for the black oil sunflower seeds.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id

Northern Cardinal - Female

Northern Cardinal - Female

Northern Cardinal - Male

Northern Cardinal - Male

Northern Cardinal - Female

Northern Cardinal - Female

Northern Cardinal - Male

Next we have the Yellow-shafted or Northern Flicker.   They are large woodpeckers with beautiful patterns and colors.  They feed mostly on the ground, but they will eat ants (a favorite food) and other bugs out of trees.  They come to the suet all winter long, preferring to feed on the ground beneath the suet and pick up crumbs.  More info here:


http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id

Northern (or Yellow-shafted) Flicker

Northern (or Yellow-shafted) Flicker

Northern (or Yellow-shafted) Flicker

Northern (or Yellow-shafted) Flicker

Wild turkeys are not as common as they once were, and they tend to be shy.  They do love to come into the bird yard and vacuum up the corn and seeds, however, and they can eat volumes!  This turkey was chased away from the table but he knows I'm not really a threat and is waiting for me to go back in the house so he can resume his meal.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/wild_turkey/id

Wild turkey - these are BIG birds!

Brown Creepers are common birds but generally not noticed.  Their brown coloration and patterning camouflage them perfectly against tree bark.  They usually fly to the bottom of a tree then ascend in a spiral motion.  In our bird yard, they spiral upward on the old oak, gathering up crumbs of suet that cling to the bark.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown_creeper/id

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper

Brown Creeper - notice how difficult it is to see it on the tree

Mourning Doves are as gentle in their voice as they are soft in color.  They "coo" to each other and go around in large flocks.  When they descend on the picnic table, they can cover the whole thing and still have many on the ground.  Shelled corn is what they want and they gorge until full then fly up to sit, like leaves on the winter-bare trees, digesting their food.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/mourning_dove/id

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves resting with a Blue Jay

That gives me an excellent lead in to Blue Jays.  They are everywhere - loud, bouncy, biggish, very blue.  They arrive in the bird yard in what I think are family groups, gobbling up peanuts, and seeds - sometimes they go for a bit of suet.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/blue_jay/id

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

The Tufted Titmouse is a small songbird with a big personality.  The best word I can think of is "perky".  They fly in to the feeders, grab peanuts first (shelled or un-shelled makes no difference) and carry them off to a branch somewhere.  They also love black oil sunflower seeds and eat plenty of them.  Active and cheery, always talking and flitting about - gotta love these pretty little things:>)  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/tufted_titmouse/id

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Black-capped Chickadees are similar to the Tufted Titmouse.  They hang out together, kind of like cousins, and when one arrives at the feeders the other is only moments behind.    Chickadees are friendly and can be coaxed to eat from your hand if you have the time and patience to work with them.  They rarely sit at the feeders to eat; rather, they grab a seed or a peanut and fly off somewhere.  More info here:

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-capped_chickadee/id

 

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee

 

Another woodpecker that we see late fall and early spring is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  They travel through here and don't stay, and we don't officially "feed" them, but they like our old apple tree.  They poke holes into the trunk and branches and eat both the sap and the insects that get caught in the sap.  Their tongues are different, specially made with a brush-like tip to make sucking sap easy:>)  I think they look like the punk rockers of the woodpecker world.  More info here:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/yellow-bellied_sapsucker/id

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

This seems like a good place to end this post - Part 2 next time, same subject just more of it:>)

 

I'm so glad you stopped by to read about the birds.  Please come back next time when I finish up this subject.  I appreciate each and every one of you!  Thanks.

PS:

We do feed hummingbirds all summer long.  They arrive the end of April and hover at our living room window as if to say "HEY!  Where's our food?" We know then it's time to put out the hummingbird feeders.  My husband makes the food and uses only a 1 part sugar to 3 parts water as the ratio for the nectar.  Mix the sugar into the water and heat until all the sugar is absorbed.  Don't boil (or if you let it boil DO NOT let it go for long or you'll have syrup - ICK!)  WARNING:  NEVER ADD FOOD COLORING!!!!