Just Duckie

It's a beautiful, sunny day with temps in the 70s today. I've put the ducklings out on the front lawn to enjoy the sunshine and their own private swimming pool. They love being out in the grass with a natural heat lamp shining on them! Someday we'll think back to when they were small enough to fit in a bowl!
I have to work this weekend and then I'm off on a week's vacation. I'm going to relax and do the things I want to do. The weather is going to stay nice so I won't have to deal with the hot, humid conditions we've had up until today.

The boys have spent the past 2 nights sleeping in a tent in the yard. They are having fun and we're glad they can stay outside at night without us having to worry if anyone is messing with them.



I got some photos of the baby swallows yesterday. The nest is in the security light at the east end of the house. I can hear them from the office too. Mom and dad are very busy feeding them and they look to be just about ready to fledge. We welcome swallows here because they are such efficient insect eaters. They love the pond. They swoop down just over the surface to get a drink.

Discoveries

I discover something new and interesting each day on the Twelve Acres. I was looking at this red anenome today and wondered why they're called that. They don't look anything like the anenomes in the sea! Upon closer examination, however, I discovered that indeed they do. These anenomes were a freebie I got with one of my orders this winter. I hope there is a nice variety of colors in store for me.

It was a perfect day for a walk in the fence row. I wanted to check on the progress of my wildlife garden and just enjoy the trees with their fresh leaves growing. While I was out there I discovered what looked like a crime scene beneath one of the four nest boxes we installed this winter. I found cream colored egg shell the size of a small chicken egg. Wood duck perhaps? And what's with the nest material on the ground? Did a predator raid the nest in the night and eat the eggs?

I looked up at the nest box and saw what looked like dried blood on front. What happened here?

Less than 15 feet away was this large patch of downy feathers. It looked like the typical scene when a raccoon or hawk tears into a bird. There are feathers with tan bars in this mix. Raptor feathers? I have several Red-Tail Hawk feathers on my desk that are the same shade of brown. I could find no carcass anywhere near the nest box, so I assume the predator carried it off or ate the whole thing.

If you think you know what invaded the nest, please leave a comment. I wish I could have seen what was/is nesting in this box. It certainly laid a large enough egg to be a duck of some kind. The entrance hole to the nest box is 3" in diameter.

When I was hanging laundry yesterday, I looked down to discover this tiny nest on the ground beneath a spruce tree. It's made of very fine fibers and lined with what appears to be white cat hair. It might be too large for a hummingbird. What could it have belonged to? Let's hope it builds another nest to replace it.

Speaking of hummingbird nests, I'm convinced that there is a nest located in the Norway Maple out front. I see a female zip in and out of the tree to drink at the feeders. If any other hummingbirds try to feed, she chases them off with a sassy tongue lashing! I watched her cuss out a Robin this afternoon after it landed in "her" tree! Those little hummers sure do have their fair share of gumption!

Moonlit Pond

This is my one night off this week, and as per usual, I'm using it to relax and prepare my body for a 48 hour marathon at work. I do this every other week and the older I get, the harder it is to recover from it. Needless to say, Jim and I are pushing hard for an independent life through his new business and my desire to homestead.

As I look out the window I am enjoying this moonlit scene. The sparkling water is our pond. You can just make out the spruce and pine trees that make up our windbreak if you look at the center. And if you listen closely you can hear the sound of the wind blowing through the pine trees. My grandma enjoyed this sound too and it's one of the reasons I've chosen to name the Twelve Acres "Whispering Pines Farm". This is one of those nights when I'll wait till 2 a.m. when everyone else is deep asleep and wrap up in a quilt, go outside, and listen to the night while breathing in that sweet country air. Pure heaven!

We have a pair of Barn Swallows nesting in the security light above the east end of the house. They are welcome to raise a family of voracious, insect-eating youngsters. In fact, they can raise two broods as far as I'm concerned! It's a welcome sound to hear their alarm call when anything gets too close to the nest. It's funny to watch them dive-bomb the cats too! They chose a good location for their nest; it is the lowest foot traffic area on the property.

The chicks are fast asleep in their little coop. Derek and I spent time checking leg bands tonight, replacing any outgrown cable ties with permanent, 3/4" leg bands. The Australorp pullets are large enough to keep their leg bands on and Sweet Pea (Barred Rock) is just barely large enough. Little Betty will have to wait a bit longer--she's my smallest bird and the band slips right off her foot still. The next time I get chicks, I'm going to order some smaller leg bands to fit the awkward teenager phase so I don't have to use cable ties again. Roo, the Barred Rock rooster, is sporting his bright red leg band on his very large left shank. I hope his shanks don't get much larger or I'll have to either buy a goose sized band for him or let him go without one altogether. It'll be easy to tell him apart from the other chickens, so if I have to, I'll opt for plan B. He's a really large bird and I'd guess his weight at over a pound at 6 weeks old. Now that's a rooster! He's a sweet boy too, and doesn't harass the pullets like the Australorp roosters. I have to give Derek credit for working with Roo and taming him down. Roo owes his life to Derek. He was slated for butchering up until two weeks ago! But now, he's a sweet boy with a good temperament, so he gets to stay with Betty and Sweet Pea. Lucky Roo!

Recent Bird Activity

I worked this week but I've been able to record some of the avian activity I have seen around the house. The photo was taken during the most recent snowstorm.

• The Red-Winged Blackbirds have returned en masse. I have learned that the females look like large stripey sparrows. Not at all what I thought! Faaaaascinating! [Spock voice]



• There are more Bald Eagles in our area than you can shake a stick at. Last weekend we were lucky enough to get to watch a pair of them land in my cousin's field, face into the wind and soak up the warm sun. One would stretch its wings in the wind once in a while but didn't fly off. They stood on the ground for the longest time.



• I saw yet another Bald Eagle sitting in a tree along the road while on my way to work. Nice, big bird!



• A juvenile Bald Eagle flew over the house on his way toward Magee Marsh. Big bird, flying with a purpose.



• Bonnie and Clyde, our resident Red-Tailed Hawks are very active now. We get to see them regularly, soaring over the thermals created by the dark green windbreak. This means we can see them in their late afternoon routine as they make big circles in the sky.



• A group of four unknown swans flew over last night. They seemed to take an interest in the pond but were quickly followed by Bonnie and Clyde. The swans made a lazy U-turn and left. I could see a pale yellow neck band on one of them. Big, fast flyers!

Raptor migration is under way now and I am going to have to call the BSBO to set up some volunteer time so I can help count raptors. It's a sunny but cold day today. Maybe I can get out there today. One of the great things about living on the twelve acres is that I don't have to go anywhere to bird watch. I can just walk around in the yard or in the windbreak, or just step out on the back deck and look up! I'm amazed at the number of large birds that are flying over this time of the year.

Spring Raptor Migration Monitoring Workshop

Derek and I spent 4 hours at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory today learning how to identify 14 different raptors so we can help count them as they migrate through our area. We learned so much about hawks today that our heads are swimming as we try to keep them all straight! We didn't get to see any rehab birds, as I was hoping we would, but we did get to see 4 mounted raptors and compare them side by side. There was an American Kestrel, a Cooper's hawk, a Sharp-Shinned hawk and a Red-Tailed hawk and it really helped to look at them close up. Now we know for sure that our beloved "Cooper" is indeed a Cooper's hawk!

The migratory count begins March 1 and ends May 9. I plan to volunteer one day each of my weeks off and try to help out with data collection. I need to work with an experienced birder and practice IDing raptors before going it alone. I've only recently begun a more serious approach to birding so I have a lot to learn.

I told one of the volunteers there that they are welcome to come out and watch the birds out here on the twelve acres. She told me she would call me to arrange a time when they can bring the kids group out to walk around and birdwatch.

What's my favorite raptor? Well, Screech Owls of course! But today was all about hawks and out of all the hawks the Red-Tailed is my favorite. I've become fond of seeing our mated pair, Bonnie and Clyde, taking their daily wing-stretch over the field during our supper time. I can almost set my watch to them they are so regular.

Here's some falcon action. Ya gotta admire the speed and guts of the Peregrines!

Owls at Work?

By my records, I have trapped and dispatched 42 European starlings and 94 house sparrows since I got my sparrow trap last October. I love this trap because it attracts the non-natives and gives me the opportunity to kill them humanely without harming the native species in any way. The occasional Dark-Eyed Junco, House Finch or Tree Sparrow gets trapped but I can easily release them unharmed--and it's a great opportunity to see the native species up close.

Here's a photo from the seller's website showing a sparrow trap full of quarry:

I haven't killed all the starlings I've trapped. I have clipped the primaries on a dozen of them and released them during particularly harsh winter weather to give the raptors an easy meal. Apparently, it worked (see photo at bottom). I've found two dead starlings with clipped wings in the windbreak, both headless. My first thought upon finding them was that the screech owls caught them and only had the heads for a meal. I've read that, in good times, Saw-Whet owls will eat only the heads of mice, but I seriously doubt there are any Saw-Whets here. I hope other birders with more experience than me will chime in and offer their opinions.

To the uninitiated this practice of trapping invasives and killing them probably seems harsh. But it's a bird eat bird world out there and I feel that I'm helping the local cavity nesters by eliminating as much of their competition as I can. I cringe at the thought of finding starlings nesting in one of my owl or duck boxes! I read an article about managing bluebird trails that simply stated it is irresponsible on the part of the bluebird landlord to place nest boxes for them and not monitor them to prevent competition from non-natives. Trapping is legal since invasive species are not protected under federal laws and in some areas it is encouraged by wildlife authorities.

Double Raptor Sighting

It was a good day for raptor sightings here on the twelve acres. We were treated to a long-lasting Bald Eagle sighting first, at about 4:30 p.m. I had some pork sauteing on the stove and I glanced out the kitchen window to see what was going on out by the woods (as I am wont to do) and an enormous bird with long wing beats was just clearing the edge of the woods. It flapped a few times then glided, then flapped again. As it came closer the white tail and head stood out clear as day.

"Derek! Derek!" I called in the tone I use to indicate that a really cool bird is in view. He came running and slid on his stocking feet right up to the glass door to see what I was so frantically announcing. When he saw what it was he ran to the opposite side of the house to catch it heading north toward the lake shore. He got to watch it until it became a small dot in the distance. Cool.

The next sighting was just as cool--the mated pair of Red-Tailed Hawks that share the trees with us. At about 5:30 p.m. Derek and I were headed out to the orchard to get some apple wood for a friend, and as usual the Durango spooked up a big raptor from the windbreak. I was expecting to see our Cooper's Hawk but the tail was too short and the wings were different. Then I caught a flash of that famous red tail and knew who it was instantly. The really cool part was that it flew up to the gigantic willow tree near the end of the windbreak where its mate sat waiting on the highest branch. As it flew up to land, it reached out its right foot and seemed to affectionately or playfully grasp the other's right foot. It was almost a familiar gesture. Do raptors show affection? If so, I got to witness such a special moment between two fantastic birds of prey! How awesome!

Of course I didn't have my camera at hand for either sighting, which is usually the case. Damn! When the weather warms up I am going to take my camera and binocs and go sit in the trees and bird watch. We have so many bird species here that it's ridiculous that I still haven't dedicated the better part of one day to just watching birds. I'm going to do it, and that's final.

After getting the apple wood, we drove toward home and again the first bird took to the air and glided directly overhead, leading us down the road. I nearly drove off the road as we watched the hawk glancing at us side to side as if it was sizing us up in an irritated fashion. I suppose it was tired of being disturbed and wanted us to quit bothering them as they looked for dinner. How cool to watch the hawk...watching us.

We've had Red-Tails on our property ever since I can remember. We don't get to see them as often in the winter as we do in the warmer months, so it was a real treat to see them today. And it was a bonus to see them interacting in such an intimate way. I emailed the Black Swamp Bird Observatory to report the Bald Eagle sighting this evening. What a great raptor day!

How Many?

How many Goldfinches can fit on one sock? I counted 12. Not bad. If I used a shoe horn I bet I could get a few more on it.

There's also a female Downy Woodpecker on the suet feeder.

Brrrrrrrrrds!

These American Coldfinches Goldfinches are such fun to watch. I'm amazed that these tiny birds are able to survive the bitter cold we're experiencing right now.

When I interrupt them to fill the feeders they sit in the maple tree nearby and implore with their questioning call, "Bee-bee-bee-beeeee?"

The Goldfinches are the first to the feeders in the morning and the first to bed at night. I plan to feed them year-round so that I can enjoy their bright yellow plumage in the breeding season.

Hummers Revisited

On this gray rainy/snowy afternoon I thought it might be nice to look at the hummingbird videos I took this fall before they all migrated. They left for warmer climes on September 12, 2007. Since we had just moved in on August 1, I hadn't had much time to feed them before they left but I had two feeders going all the time and the action was jumpin' (or should I say buzzin'?)

We only have Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in our area. I had mostly juvenile males and females but once in a while a mature male would show up and dazzle us with his jeweled throat.

Hummingbirds are little miracles of nature. How can something so little be so feisty and tough? Rock on, little hummers...rock on.

Nest Boxes

We've been building nest boxes and bird houses in our spare time using scraps of wood I find at work. We've come up with some very nice designs I must say. They're all shapes and sizes for the various songbirds and raptors we have here on our twelve acres. We hope to get to watch a pair of Screech Owls raise their young in the owl nest box to the left. We can see the box from the house so we won't have to intrude on their privacy to watch the nest.

It's mounted about 18 feet off the ground in a mature white pine tree. The broken branches around the box can be used as perches. It's recommended that an owl nest box be mounted beneath a branch.

My cousin across the road gave me two wooden duck/owl nest boxes along with this fiberglass model, which Jim mounted on a pole right at the edge of the pond. It remains to be seen what bird species will be interested in nesting in such a habitat. I've read the wood ducks raise their young in wooded areas then lead them to water after they hatch. Mallards nest on the ground in grass, so I doubt they'll want to use it. Perhaps owls will? As soon as I find out I'll be sure to write about it.

Bald Cypress

Derek and I went to Black Swamp Bird Observatory at Magee Marsh today. It's only about 5 miles from our house and I'd been wanting to go out there to see the marsh area again. It was too cold to walk the bird trail but we got to see 5 white tail deer, a gaggle of Canada geese and Derek saw a Cooper's hawk which I missed.

What struck me more than the fauna was the flora. There are some outstanding oaks throughout the marsh. And then there's the row of Bald Cypress trees growing in the stream next to the observation deck at the head of the bird trail. I noticed their uniform branching and deeply furrowed trunks. For such a tough tree they have a very fine texture.

I have been considering planting some Bald Cypress in our windbreak and now that I've seen their beautiful, red trunks and lovely pyramidal shape, I have made up my mind that I must plant some. Who could turn down such nice looking trees? The bonus is they can handle all sorts of soil conditions from dry to knee-deep water. Perfect for our windbreak!

I think the one negative aspect of Bald Cypress trees is they are deciduous. That means little to no windbreak protection in the winter, something that makes spruces and Arborvitaes preferred plantings for windbreak areas. I think deciduous conifers are oddballs, but I grew up with evergreens and I'm not used to seeing a conifer drop its needles completely. Still, I'd like to have some beautiful Bald Cypress trees like the ones I saw today. Come next spring when the soil and water conservation district offers tree seedlings for sale, I'll be sure to order some Bald Cypress babies for the windbreak.

Cooper's Diner

Welcome to "Cooper's Diner". This Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) stops at the feeder occasionally to see if he can snatch an unwary songbird. I have yet to see him succeed in grabbing a light snack (pardon the pun). If I am watchful enough I know I'll someday get to see him catch a bird.

Cooper's Hawks have the nickname "chicken hawk" because one of their favorite meals is also one of our favorite meals...chicken. Birders don't always appreciate hawks attacking the songbirds they feed, but we must realize that all birds play an important role in the avian world-predator and prey alike.

I welcome all birds to my yard with the exception of two: House (European) Sparrows and European Starlings. Both are non-native species introduced in the last century. Since they are non-native, trapping and killing them is not only legal but in some localities, encouraged. If you think it's cruel, you should read up on how House Sparrows invade the nests of our native songbirds and kill the young, toss eggs out and even kill the adults if they are lucky enough to trap one inside a nest box. Starlings compete with our native owls, woodpeckers and flickers for nesting cavities. These two species are a perfect example of what can happen when we introduce exotic species into our habitats.

Fortunately, raptors like the Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, and American Kestrel are very adept at capturing small birds like House Sparrows and Starlings. It is best if mankind leaves nature alone to follow its natural course. Things go terribly awry when we interfere and try to manage nature.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

This tiny but bold species is a regular visitor to my feeders. I almost got one to land on my hand to take a sunflower seed but it changed its mind at the last second. They allow us to get very close to them.

They are so comical the way they hang upside down and sideways as they sort through the sunflower seeds. If a seed is not to their liking they promptly throw it out and choose another. I have to chuckle at their persnickety nature.

Nuthatches are able to cling to almost every surface at every angle. They circle around tree trunks and underneath branches in search of food. They also jam sunflower seeds into bark crevices then hammer them open with their bills to get to the heart. I often find sunflower hulls in the bark of the Norway Maple that holds my main feeder.


We also see the White-Breasted Nuthatch but I have yet to successfully capture one with my camera. They aren't very tolerant of me being close to them.

White-Throated Sparrow

This little fellow flew into the living room window this afternoon and nearly killed himself. I found him in the mulch, dazed and very disoriented. I brought him inside and had Derek hold him while I looked him up in my bird book. He/she is a White-Throated Sparrow. I've never seen one before so it was a real treat to be able to get a good look at one close up. I think the golden lores are charming. Derek was thrilled to be holding a live bird in his hand.

We gave the sparrow a few minutes to become oriented again then took him outside to release him. We walked over to the Arborvitaes on the north edge of the property and Derek opened his hand to let the bird go. The sparrow just sat there on his hand like he wasn't sure what to do next. My bird book said that this species will not fly from a threat but will run off instead. I picked him up from Derek's hand then let him go in the air and he flew to the top of an Arbor vitae and chirped at us a few times. It was hard to tell if he was cussing at us or thanking us. We wished him well then went back inside. It was a very interesting few minutes we got to spend with this cute little bird. I hope he survives his head injury without complications.

Let Snags Stand

Screech owls use the abandoned nests of other cavity nesters (woodpeckers, flickers, etc) to raise their young. Owls, and many other raptors (birds of prey) will perch at the top of trees to scan the area for prey.

If you have dead trees on your property, please consider allowing them to remain so that owls, hawks and falcons can benefit from them.

There's so much reward in hearing a pair of great horned owls calling to each other or a family of screech owls whinnying at night. It's very satisfying to know that the dead trees we've left on our property may be providing a nest site for babies or a hunting platform for the adults.