May, 2010
Good Looking Relatives
I come from a large family. On my mother's side I had ten aunts and uncles. There are about 60 cousins and when you throw in their spouses and children we are a small hoard of Huns. For the most part we get along fine. I have some cousins that are doctors and lawyers, teachers and truck drivers. Some of our stock looks like they just walked out of a fashion or fitness magazine. Some of us look like we could stop a freight train and we may have more than enough extra poundage. You would never guess that we're all related.
Some of the bird families are like my family. The bird family I find most interesting are the Icteridae. The family name Icteridae comes from the Greek or Latin word meaning "jaundiced ones" because although they are primarily black, they have varying degrees of yellow feathers. We get many complaints this time of year about some of the family members because they are ravishing our feeders at this time. They are the Grackles, Red-Winged Blackbird and the Cow Bird. (Safflower will discourage them.) Other members of their family that we enjoy in many of our fields in the area are the Meadowlarks, Bobolinks and if we're really lucky the Yellow-headed Blackbird. The two that are really the good lookers of this family and we all want to see are the Baltimore and Orchard Orioles.
Yes, the Baltimore Oriole is the good looking cousin of that Grackle that's been cleaning up your sunflower seed.
The Orioles will be here this month and they will be hungry when they get here. Their usual diet is a nice juicy bug. But I'm sure you've noticed, there aren't many bugs out yet. You can attract them with orange halves and grape jelly. If you live in the right area, put out the oranges and jelly where they can see it. They are very high flyers so under a tree will not work very well.
Being insect eaters, they like habitat that will attract bugs. Our customers that live near the DesPlaines or Fox rivers tend to have the most success. They are also easy to find in wetland areas. Another feature that Orioles like are tall mature trees where they can weave their hanging nests in the tops of the trees.
Enjoy them if you get them to come to a feeder. They usually do not stay around once the bugs come out. They are also one of the first birds to start heading back to Central America usually by the end of August.
April, 2010
Happy Homes For All
Spring is here and all our friends are out and about. Here at the store we hear about the changes from many of our customers. We get the phone calls about extra activity at the feeders concerning many of our four legged friends and the Starlings, Grackles and the usual assortment of other black birds.
The Starlings, Grackles and Black Birds are the easiest of the group to deal with. They don’t eat Safflower. They may come in and check it out because they see the other birds at the feeder but 99% of the time they will eventually ignore it. Squirrel-proof feeders are also relatively effective with them because of their larger size. But as I like to say, nothing is guaranteed in this business. Eventually, as the insects come out, these birds will be less of a nuisance at your feeders.
The Raccoons, Skunk and Possum are a stripe of a different color. (No pun intended) These critters come out at night to take advantage of our feeders. Skunk and Possum will stay on the ground and eat what the birds knock out of the feeders. Except for occasionally stinking up the neighborhood, they will leave the feeder alone. The Raccoon on the other hand can climb to the feeders and prefers to drop it to the ground and either clean it out on the spot or carry it away. There are ways you can keep them off the feeder with large enough baffles or safety chains. But at times, the only alternative with them is to take the feeders in at night.
The problem with all the above critters for the most part is that we’ve created an ideal environment for them. There are more Skunk, Possum and Raccoon living in our suburbs than in a truly wild area. We create ideal habitat for them with our decks, crawl spaces, storm drains and other not so natural nooks and crannies. They literally live with us. They’ve worn a path from my neighbor’s deck, through the gate in my fence to my feeders. Starlings are great in taking over any cavity they can find. They take over woodpecker cavities and have no problem using dryer vents with broken covers. It doesn’t take much of a hole for them to discover a wonderful nesting cavity in your house. Seal off some of these areas any you will reduce your problem. Just remember that the Raccoon, Skunk and Possum are nocturnal and you don’t want to seal them in. There isn’t a smell that is much worse than a dead Skunk.
On the other hand, you may want to help create an environment that attracts the critters you want. Planting the right kind of flowers, shrubs and trees will eventually create a better environment for the birds. On a grander scale, there are groups that preserve and restore larger tracts of land in our area that are always looking for help or donations. A few that come to mind are Citizens for Conservation ( www.CitizensforConservation.org ) and Liberty Prairie Conservancy (www.libertyprairie.org). Through their efforts and the efforts of others, large areas of our environment have been restored or preserved to help our wild life and native plants. We now often see birds such as the Sandhill Crain, Meadowlarks and other critters that were extinct or endangered in this area.
March, 2010
What's for Dinner?
It's about time for some of our summer feathered friends to start making their way back to our neck of the woods. The question often arises when we see birds that we know are insect eaters at our feeders. or woodpeckers on finch feeders.
Birds do have their preferences. But when hunger strikes, something else will fill in the gap. Most birds are omnivorous and will eat a variety of things. Robins are a good example. As we all know, robins like worms and other bugs. But what are they eating here now when any self respecting bug or worm is dormant or well out of the way of the cold. They like fruit. All those cranberries, crab apples or service berries that are left over from last year.
Another good example is in a few weeks when the orioles start showing up about April 15th. They prefer a nice juicy bug. But since there are no bugs out yet, they live on nectar or the grape jelly and oranges you may put out for them.
We have a number of customers that only feed the birds in the winter. But when you stop and think about it, in the spring, when all those seed eating birds need energy, all they have left is the stuff that has been laying around since last fall. Pickings can get slim. Feeding now can be very helpful for the bird's well being.
A downside of the birds changing their diet is in the spring when there are no bugs yet, some birds we don't want will hang out at feeders and sometimes take over. The ones that are particularly obnoxious at times are the starlings, grackles and black birds. The black birds will eventually go back into the wetlands but the others will tend to hang around. A good solution is safflower. They will not eat it.
Follow the travels of the humming birds as they move north at www.hummingbirds.net . They should start arriving about April 15th.
On a sad note, Phoenix the red tail hawk that was rescued from the aftermath of the plane crash highlighted in our last news letter has succumbed to her injuries.
Life is for the Birds,
February, 2010
There's more than birds out there.
This past week, you've probably heard the news stories about coyotes attacking small dogs. We see them regularly in our neighborhoods now along with the deer, raccoon, possum, skunk, squirrel, rabbit and other assorted four footed critters. Many of these critters tend to like hanging out in your yard if you feed the birds.
We all know about squirrels so I won't get into them now. Raccoon is also another critter that regularly will visit our feeders at night. They have been blessed with front paws that resemble our hand. Like us they can easily grasp an object. Usually they are the guilty party if you find your feeder on the ground, empty, in the morning. Possum and skunk will visit at night. Occasionally a skunk will stink up your yard but will generally only eat the seed that is on the ground. Rabbit will feed on your spilled seed night or day. There are various methods to control these critters. If you have a specific issue with any of these, give us a call or stop in. We may be able to help you.
The bigger issue are the deer and possibly coyote.
Although we sell shell corn, and we know that most of it is going to feed deer, we do not encourage you to feed them. The deer have an overpopulation problem. They have no natural predators to help keep their numbers in check. The result is a degradation of their environment. As you walk through any forest preserve in the area, notice the lack of understory growth. In your yard, even if you feed them corn and they raid your bird feeders, you will notice them eating almost anything else that is green or tender. Ad the Chronic Wasting Disease problem and you can see why feeding these wonderful critters is not encouraged.
The coyote will quickly get anyone's attention. But the facts are that there are no incidents of these critters attacking humans. Yes we have to be cautious. If you live where they do, be mindful of your pets. (They prefer rabbit or mouse.) They are all over. I've had them in my yard in Lake Zurich. They can easily jump most fences. Their diet consists mostly of rodents but the rule in nature is that if it smaller than you, it is fair game. That is their problem with small dogs. Two years ago I was walking in a forest preserve that was posted warning us about an active coyote den with young. What amazed me was the lack of concern of most parents and their kids and pets to heed the warning to stay on the trail. Sometimes, we are our own worse enemy when it comes to respecting nature.
Life is for the Birds
January 2010
(Trying to) Keep all the other Critters out of your Bird Feeders
Winter tends to bring a few more unwanted visitors to our bird feeders. Many or our summer moochers are hibernating or sleeping off winter. Raccoons, opossum, chipmunks and skunk are all out of the way for now. But deer and our ever present friend the squirrel are out and about in numbers.
Squirrels remain active all year. When the snow is a foot or more deep under our feeder, especially if we've had some melting or an ice storm to solidify the snow, he suddenly has less distance to travel to get past your baffle. By raising your baffle, you can continue to thwart this willie wascle.
Deer on the other hand can become a real nuisance in our area. They will eat anything we put out for the birds and can empty your feeders over-night. There are a number of things you can do to discourage them.
Mono-filament fishing line strung about three feet off the ground between trees or stakes will work quite effectively. The deer walk into the line and can't see it so they back off. The Chicago Botanic Gardens uses this technique to help protect their bulb gardens. The line will get in the way of anything else that may be passing through the area so use caution.
Human hair will also act as a deterrent. I've seen it work for gardens and it will have some effect near bird feeders.
The most effective repellant tends to be soap based product. Some people swear by Irish Spring. We sell a soap based repellant from Cedar Creek Products of Arbor Vitae WI. Keep it up high enough to keep it away from your dog or any other dog that may wander by. For some reason dogs like the soap or the bone meal that is in the repellant and they will carry it away.
The most effective deterrant we've found over the years is to only put out enough seed for the birds to consume in a day. Then the deer have nothing to eat and will spend less time at your feeders.
Life is for the Birds
December, 2009
Winter Birds
Now that winter is upon us, we have a whole new cast of characters at our backyard feeders.
Some of these birds have been here all year. Because they eat insects in the summer, they may only be at your feeders in the winter. Woodpeckers are the most obvious. The Downy, Hairy, Red-Bellied and Northern Flicker will be visitors to your suet feeders. They will come to seed feeders if you have nuts or sunflower hearts for them. I've even seen Red-Bellied Woodpeckers come to a Safflower feeder. This big bird will pick out one seed at a time and fly up to a branch just like a little Chickadee will. Cedar Waxwings and Robins are two other birds that are here in the winter. Large flocks of Waxwings will come into any fruit bearing trees you may have and clean them out. You will see them regularly on winter walks. Listen for their high pitched squeaky call (not very loud). The Robins that are here for the winter are also fruit eaters. You can put out apple slices or soak those raisins that have been in your cabinet for years. But more than likely if you have a fruit bearing tree, they will be there.
Keep an eye on your finch feeders. Pine Siskins and Common Redpoll are occasional visitors. Some years are better than others. Last year was a good year for these birds. This year we're not expecting as many but you never know. Two other finches that may show up are the Purple Finch and if you have pine trees the possibility of the White-Winged Crossbill.
Two of our common winter visitors to our feeders are Juncos and Cardinals. Juncos are truly winter birds in our climate. They are primarily ground feeders but will use feeders on occasion. I mention the Cardinal even though they are here year round because in the winter they will flock together. Expect them at your feeders in numbers especially after a good snow. Nothing is prettier than a flock of Cardinals on a snow covered spruce.
From all of us at the Wild Bird Centers of Fox River Grove, Elsie, Kathy, Midge, Jaclyn, Dave and Don & Phil we wish you all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and Chanukah and a Happy New Year.
Life is for the Birds
November 2009
Stoking Up For The Cold
A very common question we get this time of year is 'What should I be feeding my birds for the winter?'. For the most part, keep doing the same as you've been doing all summer. Birds do need more energy in the winter to counter the effects of the cold. You will see them eating more at times. There are a few things you can do that can help. Black Oil Sunflower seed is a very high energy food that is contained in almost all of our blends. It has greater energy content than Striped Sunflower and is easier for most birds to handle. Peanuts are another high energy food for the birds. Peanuts are in many of our blends such as BirdWise, CritterWise and Nut & Berry Buffet. You can also feed straight peanuts. We have a number of feeders that are designed with peanuts in mind. Suet is another popular product for the winter. Although we sell no-melt suet year round, the regular suets and also pure suet can be fed throughout the cooler months. This is an especially valuable source of energy especially for the birds that primarily eat insects in the wormer months such as woodpeckers and nuthatches.
Water is another important part of the bird's diet. We have heaters available to keep your bird bath open all winter. Just be sure to change the water often and keep it filled. Open water does evaporate faster when the temperature and humidity are low.
Another inquiry we get often is where do the birds go when the weather gets really nasty or bitterly cold. They look for shelter wherever they can. Evergreens are great protection for them. My Blue Spruce becomes a giant bird house in the winter. Arbor Vitae, Yews and any other evergreen provides shelter. We also have convertible bird houses that serve as roosting boxes in the winter.
Finally, a number of customers are concerned each year about the bird's feet freezing on the metal perches of most bird feeders. Here again nature provides. A bird's toes are covered in a scale like material that is very similar to our finger nails. This material is a wonderful insulator and keeps the bird's toes from freezing.
Life is for the Birds
October 2009
And They're Off!!!
The Fall Migration is now getting into high gear. With each passing cold front expect to see more of our summer visitors heading south. In this area, the geese are the most obvious. Large flocks can be seen hanging out in almost any large open area. I've always found it interesting how one group of geese can fly over as silently as a soft breeze and the next group that you see can be as noisy as a group of third graders with no teacher in the room.
Sand Hill Cranes are also heading south now. You will hear them well before you see them as they wheel in large lazy circles seeking thermals to gain altitude. It is mesmerizing watching these big birds seemingly drifting south at high altitudes. You can follow their cousins the Whooping Cranes as the class of 2009 heads south behind their ultra-light surrogate by logging on to www.operationmigration.org .
And then there are all the little birds that are passing through. The Robin seems to be walking all the way to the south. If you see a large flock or Robins, check it out. There may be a thrush or two mixed in. Even the common Starlings and Grackles may have an occasional Red-Wing Blackbird or even possibly a Bobolink or Meadowlark mixed in. One of my favorite migrants are the Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. These little gems can usually be found in the low bushes on the side of the trails in our preserves.
Enjoy the parade.
Life is for the Birds
September, 2009
Seasonal Changes
With the start of September, our daily routine starts making some significant changes. For our children the change is from going to the pool or ball field to going off to school. For most of us, the thoughts of vacations have been replaced with work and last minute outdoor projects that have to be done before the weather really changes for the worse. We're already getting reminders of things to come with cooler mornings. My Burning Bushes have a few red leaves on them. Soon they will be bright red. The Sumac soon will be a glorious orange and the trees will be many shades from glowing yellows to dark browns.
Nature is also preparing for these changes. The ducks, geese and other migrating birds are starting to gather into flocks and are practicing their formation flying. All the young are as big as their parents and are learning to live on their own. The colorful birds of summer are changing into their drabber non-breeding plumage. Have you noticed how warn-out some of the male Goldfinch look lately? Your feeders may be busier but the birds are also finding seeds and other goodies out in the fields. I once heard a statistic that the average bird will only eat about 20% of their diet at backyard feeders. The rest of the time they are doing their bird thing the way they've always done before we started to feed them.
With the summer vacations over, this is also a time where we might think of getting involved with an activity within our communities. There are many groups within the birding and environmental world that are always looking for new and active members. On the national level you have groups such as The Audubon Society, the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy that also have active local chapters. Locally we have groups such as Citizens for Conservation, Liberty Prairie Conservancy, Lake Forest Open Lands, Stillman Nature Center and others. Getting involved can be fun, educational and good for you. To quote Studs Terkel, "I read somewhere that health improves when a person takes part in community action. Something happens to him or her biologically. It's like a tonic. When you become part of something, in some way you count. It could be a march, it could be a rally, even a brief one. You're part of something, and you suddenly realize you count. To count is very important. People say, “I’m helpless." Of course you feel that way, if you're alone. There are so many groups - environmental groups, other groups - but there is no one umbrella."
Enjoy the summer. Winter is less than six months away.
Life is for the Birds
August 2009
The "Dog Days" of Summer
We're into the hottest part of summer. We've all grown up hearing the term Dog Days of summer but most of us have no idea where the term comes from. Through the wonders of the Internet you can now get answers to almost anything (I haven't asked my computer yet what the meaning of life is).
It so happens that our ancient European ancestors thought that we not only received warmth from the sun but also from the stars. The brightest star in our sky is the star Sirius which is part of the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog). We see this star grouping in the winter sky. At this time of year Sirius and Canis Major rise and set with the sun. Because Our European ancestors thought the combined heat of the sun and Sirius caused the added warmth of this time of year, they were called the Dog Days after the constellation.
The Dog Days bring some changes to how we take care of our feathered friends. For all birds, water is important. Fountains and bird baths are one way that we can help. Be sure to keep your water fresh in a bird bath with either frequent changes or by using a dripper. A dripper will not only help keep your water fresh, it will also add motion to the water to help the birds find it and prevent mosquitoes. We also have safe additives that can be used in baths to prevent mosquitoes. We get many questions about the fountain in front of our store. It was installed by Frontier Ponds of Union, IL. They can be reached at www.frontierponds.com . If you feed hummingbirds, change their fluid frequently to prevent things from growing in the sugar in the heat of the season. Suet is also good this time of year provided you use a no-melt type and keep it in a shady spot.
One thing I like to watch this time of year are the adult birds showing their young how to eat. The young House Finch are especially adept at the begging routine. Watch the little ones flutter their wings and squawk at the adults to get their attention. Young Goldfinch are also active on the nyjer feeders with their parents now.
Enjoy the summer. Winter is less than six months away.
Life is for the Birds
July, 2009
Lots of Change
Well, it finally happened. We closed the Libertyville store on June 21st. It was a difficult decision but it was something that had to happen. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the customers that have supported us over the years in Libertyville. The customers are what make doing what we do really enjoyable. I will really miss seeing you all on a regular basis. We are not forgetting about all our loyal customers on the east side of Lake County. We will continue to offer free delivery to all our customers. At this time, I am planning to deliver on Thursdays. Call us before 5 PM Wednesday and we will deliver directly to your home. Call us if you have any questions at 847-639-6594.
Our seed program is also changing. Wild Bird Centers of America is in the process of introducing a new nationwide seed program. You will still have many of your old favorites. Good old BirdWise (aka Dr Geis) is still available along with the standards, Nyjer, Black Oil Sunflower, Safflower, etc. There are a number of new blends such as Cheepers, FeederWise, Patio Mix, Nut & Berry, WoodpeckerWise, CritterWise and FinchWise. As a special introductory offer, all of our new seed product will be on sale through August. Try it out and save 10%.
Speaking of change, pay attention to the sounds of the critters this month. By the end of July, most of the birds will no longer be singing as much. They will be finished with their breeding cycle and have no need to protect a territory or advertise for a mate. At this time, the bugs will start up their chorus. You guessed it, they're starting to get amorous. Love is a wonderful thing.
Life is for the Birds
June, 2009
Love is in the Air!
Our yards are alive with the sound of the birds. They start singing shortly after 4 AM these days.
Birds sing primarily for two reasons. One is that they are looking for a mate or trying to impress their girl friend. Watch your House Finch. He puts on quite a show and she will usually try to look like she's ignoring him. He must be fairly successful. There sure are a lot of House Finch. Another reason is to establish a territory. He's busy singing out to his rivals 'I'm the boss here, stay away.' It is usually the male of the species that does the singing. One exception is our Cardinal. They will sing year round and the female will also sing.
Keep your eyes open for other behavior. Great Blue Herons like to bring their mate a stick while on the nest. They have a ritual of bowing and bobbing while presenting the stick. You may be able to see this at a heron rookery such as Almond Marsh. Some birds have a feeding ritual. On one walk we saw pairs of Cedar Waxwings presenting bugs to each other. It was almost like they were kissing. Isn't love wonderful.
Did you notice - we have a new water feature in front of our store. This wonderful fountain is courtesy of Frontier Ponds of Union IL. If you like what you see and are interested in a water feature on your property check them out at www.frontierponds.com . Let them know you saw their work at our store.
We will be closed on both Father's Day and July 4th so all our employees can have an enjoyable holiday with their families. Please do take the time to celebrate these two wonderful holidays in your own way.
Please take some time and breath deeply the wonderful new spring.
Life is for the Birds