Backyard Birding

After posting the identification practice with a house finch that had an eye disease, the bird returned. This time, I had two house finches on the platform. I got the camera to be able to compare the two and turned out with something more interesting. It seems I know have two house finches infected with House Finch Conjunctivitis:

This disease first appeared in wild bird populations in the winter of 1993-94 among house finches on the East Coast. It has since spread rapidly. Although the disease does affect some other species, this is rare. Why it is so prevalent among house finches is unknown, but some speculate it is due to the lack of genetic diversity among house finches in the Eastern Region.

It is characterized by red, swollen or puffy eyes which produce mucous. It can also affect the upper respiratory system. Some birds do survive to become healthy again, but since it effects their vision, it seriously compromises their survival. As the disease progresses, they can become blinded. Affected birds will often be found alone at feeders and may remain near them, subsisting off the dropped seed. They may fly into windows, fall prey to cats and other raptors and may even allow you to get very close to them. Do not try to catch them. Unless you have a special license, it is illegal to handle native songbirds.

If you note evidence of house finch eye disease in the finches visiting your feeder and wish to help, you can sign up to contribute to a research study by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. You can also get more detailed information along with photos from their website.

The disease does appear to cause some discomfort since infected birds will often be seen rubbing their eyes on branches or the sides of feeders. This may help spread the disease. To help minimize the risk to your other birds, practice good sanitation measures.

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Mother Earth News has a good article on birdhouses posted on their website. The description of the birdhouse (complete with directions to make your own!) has everything I enjoy about backyard birding: it is simple and does not require an elaborate set up. Sure, you could purchase a birdhouse for $50 or more, paint it to match your house and complete with a welcome mat. If you are a serious woodworker, you can also find plans for a birdhouse which will challenge your skills and your tools. But if you want to use your saw and hammer to put something together with your children, the birds will not know the difference.

Why am I talking about nest boxes in the fall? While their main purpose may be fulfilled during the breeding season, nesting boxes can be important as roosting sites during harsh winter weather. These temporary shelters may then become a nest site in the spring.

If you are interested in making this addition to your backyard habitat, check out the article. The directions are about halfway through the article and there are some important housekeeping chores at the bottom.

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This is what three weeks of travel can do to your feeding station:

And this is what a lawn mower can do:

Initially, I wanted to weed the garden and preserve as much of what is supposed to be there as possible. As we got started, though, we noticed that there really was not much to salvage. The sunflowers had been picked pretty clean and everything else was weeds. There were some black-eyed Susans against the house, but it was too much easier to mow over everything than try to spare only a few plants.

So now my feeders are once again visible from the window of our sun room and are no longer a risk to the birds. Since it has been about three weeks since our feeders have been filled, I took my own advice about setting up. All except the part about being patient. I must have checked the feeders a dozen times, hoping one of the neighbor’s birds would notice that the cafeteria is open again.

The garden is a little bare. But I recently read that now is actually a good time to plant many types of flowers which bloom in the fall, so we may end up with some color, yet.

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Labor Day has long been a signal to Americans to begin preparing for fall. Many people are also seasonal bird feeders, and thus will be putting out feeders soon to help their feathered friends make it through the winter or prepare for migration. In the natural world, fall brings bounty. It can be difficult to attract birds in the fall because of the increased availability of natural food sources, but do not be discouraged. Birds are taking note of the food sources in their territories so that they know where to go when the weather turns harsh. Here are a few tips for those just setting up their feeders:

Start small

Putting out five pounds of seed in feeders which birds have not yet found makes little sense. As the seed sits, it is more likely to get wet from rain and dew and spoil. Birds may then find the food, but move on due to its poor condition. Particularly goldfinches are picky about the freshness of their food. Put a small amount of food in the feeders you have set up, and monitor it for moisture.

Be visible

Birds are curious and naturally explore every part of their territory. When we first set up our feeders, we enjoyed watching this curiosity in the birds new to our yard. They explored every tree, shrub and even the woodpile. This helps them take note of new food sources and find places to take shelter in inclement weather. You can help them along by making your bird feeding station more visible to them. Invest in a platform feeder or a ground feeder and scatter a handful of seed in it for the birds. This seed can be seen from a greater distance as birds are flying overhead. A small handful scattered on the ground can also work well. That is how we first attracted mourning doves. But be careful. The seed will mold even quicker if in contact with the ground.

Consider what is nearby

If your neighbors have pets or small children who frequent their yard, placing feeders near their property line will likely hinder birds from finding your feeders. Birds can get used to the commotion. We drew some birds into our yard with feeders in places we could not see very well. We then slowly moved them across the yard to our feeding station. Now the birds eat contentedly, even with a Great Dane barking at them. Even the squirrels eventually learned they are safe from this threat and just keep one wary eye on the dogs while they empty our feeders.

Birds also like to be where shelter is nearby. If possible, place feeders near a shrub or tree that will provide cover when birds are startled. Be careful of too much low-lying vegetation, however. This hinders their ability to see what is approaching the feeders and can be a good hiding place for cats.

Don’t forget water

Water is even more important to a bird’s survival than food. It is also needed by all species and may attract birds not normally attracted to feeders. Warblers, blue birds and wrens have all been regular visitors to our bird bath, especially in the fall. As natural water sources begin to freeze, birds are in danger of dehydration. They also need water to keep their feathers clean for flight and warmth. The sound of water will draw birds in even more quickly. You can suspend a bucket over your bath with a small hole in the bottom. The steady dripping is like a magnet for birds. There are also a number of commercial items available.

Be aware of the migrating schedule of your birds.

Hummingbirds will be moving south, soon, and may be entering territory where they are not normally seen. As the birds which summer in your area begin to move south, others will be coming from further north. Knowing who is traveling through and what they like will draw some new visitors to your yard and help them on their journey.

Provide some calories

Winter is harsh and food is scarce in much of North America. High energy sources such as fruits, nuts and insects are in particularly short supply. Even robins will occasionally come to feeders for some diced apples. Suet is a wonderful option for feeding woodpeckers, nuthatches and other insectivorous birds. If interested in offering fruit, however, wait until your feeders are getting some activity or until the weather turns cold.

Be patient

And keep checking your feeders. I think it took three weeks for us to begin attracting birds last fall. Most feeders are eventually found and they add hours of enjoyment to your yard as well as provide some needed sustenance to your local birds.

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After two weeks of traveling, we came back to a bird feeding station that is completely overgrown with weeds. This is how your bird feeding station should NOT look:

Not only is this garden unsightly, it poses a potential hazard to birds. I am glad that we chose to let our feeders run out of seed before we left. We were no longer attracting any birds to our feeders before we even left. It is a perfect hiding place for the neighborhood cats to stalk up on my birds. Last year, we had a cat which laid in a small patch of flowers and kept an eye on the birdbath. Early this year, I chased off another cat with a cowbird she had caught in a similar manner.

Birds appreciate nearby brush where they can find shelter when spooked. It is important, however, to provide a feeding area clear of undergrowth so that birds have a clear view of approaching predators so that they have a better chance at escape.

Needless to say, it will be another day or two before we set up our feeders. We have some serious weeding to do!

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I thought I’d take a moment to share our feeding station. You can see I am not much of a gardener! This area is now full of sunflowers, but it has been too dark and rainy recently to get another good picture.

We have two more suet feeders and a squirrel feeder in other areas of the yard, but this is where most of the birds come. The various feeders are not real clear in the picture, but over the next week, I’ll share some close ups of each feeder and talk about the birds they attract, and the advantages and disadvantages of each feeder.

Just off to the left is a large bush where the birds dart for cover or wait for their turn at the feeders. In the winter, we hang extra suet in it and the nuthatches love it. There is also a large pine tree that fills with goldfinches just before they descend, squabbling to the feeders. The backyard can get pretty loud when a flock arrives! After coming in only very small groups all summer, we are now getting larger groups, again. We have had up to fifteen at once. Are they forming their flocks again so early? Or is it just because they have recently nested? It is predominantly males that we are seeing.

I will share more about each of our feeders over the next several days.

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There are really only two things you need to enjoy the birds which frequent your backyard: birds and a place to view them. Providing food, water and shelter will help attract a greater variety of birds. But there are some things which are nice to have indoors, as well. The following is a list of what we keep near our viewing station to help us get the most out of the time we spend watching our birds:

1. Field Guide to North American Birds. Ours is put out by the Audubon Society. I like it because it groups birds together by color, making it easier to identify similar species. But what type of field guide you should have is largely a matter of personal preference. If you do not already own one, I would recommend checking several out from the library and seeing which one you like best. After doing this, I’m considering purchasing a second guide. Our library has one of sketches which aren’t quite as nice as the color photos of our guide, but it includes sketches of the different plumages you might find on males, females, juveniles and in different seasons.

2. Binoculars. These are especially nice if you plan to watch birds at local parks. We use them to watch the red-tailed hawks in the field behind our house and to watch the blue birds hawk for insects at the back of the property.

3. Notebook. I would not have thought of this, myself, but it is a nice way to keep track of what is happening at your feeders. It is interesting to note how many of our birds come at roughly the same time every day. It also showcases those unique visitors, such as our white crested sparrow who we only have seen three or four times. When a new bird shows up, I take notes and make a simple sketch to help me when I look through the field guide. Here are some more ideas to extend the use of the notebook to increase your children’s appreciation for nature.

4. Camera. I am not much of a photographer, but I enjoy trying to take pictures of our birds. They rarely stick around long enough to run for the camera, so it is good to keep it close.

Start with what you have and as you gain experience, you will be able to make more informed decisions about future purchases if you decide any are needed.

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After Sally asked for more clarification of my last entry, I decided it best to post a picture of our branch we have stationed outside our viewing window. A tornado went through our community several years ago and it broke off the top of one of our trees. The dead branch lay up there for two years before finally coming down this winter. We carelessly tossed it near the feeding station since that is close to where we keep our dumpster and the birds loved it so much we kept it there through the winter. When my clematis didn’t come up again out of its place in this old milk pail, we stuck the branch in there to make it easier to mow.

The milk pail is heavy and we filled it with dirt to make it more stable. This brings the birds up close to our window and provides them a measure of security while they wait for their turn at the feeders. It also seems to have cut down on the number of birds colliding with our windows.

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To bring birds a little closer to the window, my husband placed a large branch in an old milk pail. The plan worked perfectly. Birds congregate there waiting their turn at the feeders, preen their feathers and quarrel amongst themselves. Our blue jays have also found convenient places to wedge their sunflower seeds so that they may crack them open. We also get a chance to observe our visitors more closely, like this beautiful Northern Cardinal.

Because they feel safe, they also now tolerate more activity without flying off. While sitting outside eating watermelon, we got to see several birds up close. We were only about ten feet from them. The downy woodpecker was the only one brave enough to leave the cover of the branch to eat, and the others kept a wary eye on us. But we got a closer look than normal.

We have also not had any window collisions since putting this up, which is was a nice, unplanned benefit.

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When we were planning our feeding station, a patch of dead lawn never entered into consideration. We have a patch of dead lawn, to be sure, but all we have ever thought about in terms of using it for birds was what to plant there. Our birds, on the other hand, seem to like it just as it is. Just look at these two sparrows enjoying their dust bath!

Dust bathing and “anting,” however, are very important to the overall health of birds. It helps to rid them of parasites, realign feathers and soothe skin irritations. Anting, where birds place ants in their feathers or spread their wings out for ants to crawl on them, has been documented in over 200 species of birds.

The Post Gazette offers directions for building your own dust bath. And for the record, our birds frequently engage in this behavior on hot days, even though the bird bath is nearby and waiting with fresh water.

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An often overlooked tool of backyard birding is a simple notebook kept near where you view your feeders most. This gives family members an opportunity to record what is happening at the feeders. Kept much like a diary, it is an engaging way to learn about the birds which frequent your yard. When you sit down to watch your birds, take a moment to write down the date, the time and the weather conditions. Whatever you see…or don’t see…is worthy of describing further. We tend to be most diligent about recording new species, or those we do not see very often. But I try also to write about little things we observe, such as the way the fledged sparrows beg for food from the adults, or how the blue jay cracks his sunflower seeds on a branch near the window. We include sketches, and interesting information we found in the bird guide. This encourages you and your children to observe closely what you see at your feeders.

Suddenly, you don’t just see a mob of little birds pecking away. You begin recognizing individuals, note the unique ways each species feeds and begin to see a glimpse of the social structure of your visiting birds. Over time, you will likely also begin to know when to look for migratory birds to arrive at your feeders, when to expect to see their courtship behaviors and when the first fledglings are likely to appear in your yard.

This also gives you an opportunity to describe the birds and other wildlife that passes through your yard. My four year old son likes to watch the bluebirds hunt at the back of the property. They perch on a branch of one of the saplings, dive into the grass in the field and return to the same branch to eat their prize. He can watch them for half an hour, uninterrupted. We also have red tailed hawks who soar over the farmland off to the southwest of us. We watch them circle, dive and soar above the landscape. Sometimes they seem to swoop for the pure joy of flight. They have come in close, observing our feeders. Luckily, red tailed hawks are not usually interested in songbirds. More than likely, they are looking for one of those pesky squirrels.

My children enjoy participating as well, whether it is my younger son dictating what he sees or my oldest daughter writing and sketching what she sees. It is a wonderful way to keep track of your efforts to attract birds and what you have learned about them while observing them and reading about them.

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No matter where you choose to position your feeders, birds will eventually find them. They will also slowly become accustomed to your presence. A downy woodpecker once remained at the suet feeder, eying me cautiously as I filled the feeders. I was less than three feet from him! Still, there are a number of things to take into consideration before placing your feeders in your yard.

Proximity to windows

The whole point of adding a feeder to your yard is so that you and your family can enjoy watching the activity they bring about. Make sure to select a location easily visible from a comfortable spot within your home. Unfortunately, however, windows are also responsible for a large number of feeder birds each year. Startled birds take flight, see the reflection of open sky in your window and think they are flying to safety. There are two things you can do with regards to your feeders to limit this. First, you can try placing your feeders further from windows, giving startled birds a greater chance to fly away rather than into your window. Second, you can try placing the feeders closer to a window. This does not cut down on the number of birds hitting your window, but it does limit the speed at which they strike. We did this for awhile, and the birds did not even fall to the ground after hitting the windows; they simply flew on.

Proximity to safety

While you do not want trees and shrubs to obscure your view of your feeders, a nearby refuge is welcome to these backyard visitors. The feeders attract song birds, and the activity of the song birds eventually will attract predators, including cats and hawks. We have a pine tree and a bush each about 10 feet from where we have placed our feeders. This give the birds a welcome shelter to dive into when startled, and a safe place to wait when the feeders are full. Most of our birds fly first into the bush or tree, watch the feeders and check out the surroundings and then fly to the feeders. We have had flocks of up to 50 goldfinches flittering about our lilac bush, each waiting his turn to eat.

Low lying brush

As much as shrubbery and trees are appreciated near feeders, be careful of the height plants near your feeders can get. You want your birds to be able to have a good view of anything that can walk up to the feeders. Cats will use brush and thick plants to stalk the birds at your feeders. Before we took this into consideration, I would often find the neighbor’s cat lying in the garden, watching the bird bath.

Keep an eye on your birds, note how they use the feeders and be ready to make any necessary adjustments if you notice any problems.

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