Our Wild Birds

Birds LOVE peanuts

2012-02-04T07:26:00.003-06:00

HOW FUN IS THIS !!??

Waiting for Spring

2012-02-02T10:39:00.002-06:00

I know we have not been very diligent about keeping this blog up to date... sometimes I actually believe that I have made a post, just to find out months later that I did not. I guess I formulate them, and even take the pictures, then do not follow though with the posting. Sigh....
This "Winter" has been a bit of a let down. No snow and very little cold weather to speak of. The birds, however, are taking full advantage of the warmer temps - as are the chipmunks - but I digress...

The activity around the feeders has been consistently pleasing for several months. A couple of days ago we counted 15 pair of Cardinals! Of course, this was right around 5pm; what we call "Cardinal Hour". They tend to come to the feeders early and late and not so much during the middle of the day - that is the time for the Goldfinch. Boy are we covered up with these guys - and they are already beginning their molt.

Another thing that we have noticed that seems to be early is the activities of the Carolina wrens. Already they are carrying materials into their favorite nest boxes (gourds at our house).

Ever so patiently we are awaiting the Barred Owls. The squirrels still have possession of the nest box, but it should be any day that these squatters are force-ably evicted.

Thanks for reading... we'll try to keep up a bit better. :)

Splish Splash She's Taking a Bath

2011-11-27T06:50:00.002-06:00

Blue Birds just love this little birdbath !!! You think they realize how fashionably color coordinated it is??? Probably not...but it sure makes fun photos !!

Blue Bird Roosting Time !!!

2011-10-21T06:44:00.004-05:00

Family roosting time...wonder how they decide who gets the top bunk????

Hummingbirds 2011

2011-09-29T13:07:00.002-05:00

Just can't seem to stop taking hummingbird photos !! :)

Juvenile Hummingbird

2011-09-11T16:23:00.004-05:00

This juvenile hummingbird is very protective of my window feeders. He sits in a weeping cherry tree nearby and attacks all that approach - including me!! HAHA Luckily I have many feeders scattered around the yard, so the other hummingbirds passing through still have a fighting chance to get some nectar.

Sure will miss you when you're gone in a few weeks little fellas...

Summer's End

2011-08-18T13:55:00.003-05:00

Well, it's mid-August and it's a good time to watch your feeders and take note of the changes that are ahead. The transition from summer to fall is in full swing. Over the next 30 days there should be some pretty drastic changes to the birds you will see. The Orioles and White-winged Doves are about to head south just as the Sharp-shinned Hawks and native sparrows are going to start showing up. As always let us know what you see.

We love hearing your bird stories! Happy birding!

Second Brood WBU Bluebird - UPDATE

2011-07-05T19:06:00.004-05:00

Okay...second brood of babies are 8 days old today. Looks like they're progressing nicely, but the nest is VERY shallow, so we won't be opening the box again, I think. There appear to be 3 nestlings - even though there were 4 eggs initially. Mom and Dad are feeding them constantly, so hopefully they will grow and fledge by Sunday or Monday.

Bluebird update

2011-06-21T06:33:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: Checked the eggs in the box on Monday, June 27...all but one had hatched out. Dad and 1st set of fledglings still coming to feeder for mealworms and Mom also comes and is feeding the new nestlings...Let the JOY and WORRY begin !!!

All four fledglings at the store in Nashville have been coming to the feeder - Mom & Dad are always very close by. The entire family has also been spotted in the birdbath together and Mom has built another nest and already has 4 more eggs in the box! We expect hatching to begin on the second brood sometime around the 26th or 27th of June. Standby for more.... :)

Martins!

2011-06-03T12:26:00.006-05:00

Ok, so maybe 10 years ago we decided to put up a Purple Martin Gourd System at the Goodlettsville location. We are right off of Rivergate Parkway, so certainly not an ideal location for attracting Martins; but not so far away - as the crow flies - there are some pretty full colonies, so we were game for the wait.

For the past two years, we have seen Martins checking out our system during migration, but never any takers. This year we got lucky! One pair of Martins decided to give our housing a shot, and today the babies were hanging WAY out of the hole watching for their next meal/s.

While watching the feeding, I noticed that there was some activity in the - too tall - grass directly below the Martin system.... ohhhhhhhh..... baby Martin. Silly, silly, chick must have fallen out of the gourd - or been pushed out by rambunctious siblings!

Quickly, I fashioned a Fall-Out Shelter from a box and hung it on the fence, and placed the chick into the box. I then left the premises in hopes that the adults would first, find the chick and second, feed the chick in its' new abode. I was pleased as punch to see one of the adults land on the box immediately after feeding the nestlings in the gourd -- but there was no food delivered to our wayward chick. I watched for several more food deliveries, and our chick was never serviced. Being visited is nice, but for a chick, food is far more important.

Ultimately, and after discussion with Kent, we decided that I just needed to get the bigger ladder out there and put the chick back in the gourd with its' siblings. This is always the best option for a wayward chick; but if doing so requires the use of a pretty tall ladder, we strongly recommend that you have someone there to assist! All is well now, the adults are being very successful with their hunting on the wing, and we expect these little guys to fledge any day now.

Bluebird Fledgling

2011-06-01T06:55:00.002-05:00

Three of the babies fledged on Monday evening...the last one was still in the box on Tuesday morning. Although he looked somewhat irritated that everyone had left him, Mom and Dad finally coxed him out of the box and we enjoyed trying to spot them up in the trees. Eventually, we did spot one of the babies sitting on the fence waiting for mealworms.

Cicadas

2011-05-31T06:44:00.003-05:00

Just had to post a couple of photos of the cicadas in my yard. The birds are really enjoying them, too...I have seen bluebirds, mockingbirds, robins and even house finches munching on them....YUM!!!

BlueBird Nest Box Update

2011-05-30T06:46:00.004-05:00

Bluebird babies were very active on Sunday at the store. I was there until 4:00 and they hadn't fledged, but it looks like they're ready to go anytime now. Good luck little fellas...

Eurasian Collared-Dove at WBU Nashville

2011-05-25T05:46:00.003-05:00

WBU in Nashville has had Eurasian Collared-Doves visiting the store for the past couple of years. Yesterday, we saw only one, but most times there are two or even three at a time. They are strikingly beautiful when compared to the mourning doves we normally see.

Blue Birds nesting at WBU Nashville

2011-05-25T05:26:00.005-05:00

First time in many years we've had bluebirds nesting at WBU in Nashville. There are literally dozens of house sparrows at the store, but our male bluebird - affectionately called "bruiser" - is MUCH more aggressive than any other bluebird I've ever witnessed. He guards the nest box and feeder with all his might...swooping and fighting off not only sparrows, but ANYONE who comes too close including finches, chicadees, robins, mocking birds, blue jays and even employees!

So far, so good...Mom and Dad have been feeding babies constantly this past week and hatchlings should fledge by Monday or Tuesday.

Butterbutts?!?

2011-02-14T07:02:00.002-06:00

Yup, that's right! We have been seeing Yellow-rumped Warblers for several weeks now.

I sure hope that they stay around for next week's Great Backyard Bird Count!

Whoop!!

2011-02-13T14:11:00.002-06:00

The Barred Owls have kicked out the squirrels and taken back their house for 2011!

Cornell is back at it

2010-11-16T07:50:00.006-06:00

Bird Songs Bible: A Must-Have for Birding Faithful
Blend of art, science, and sound makes a unique holiday gift

Ithaca, NY—There’s that old saw about a “bird in the hand.” Better use both hands for the Bird Songs Bible: The Complete Illustrated Reference for North American Birds, edited by Les Beletsky. This deluxe offering from Chronicle Books blends artwork, information, and sounds for all breeding bird species found in North America. The songs and calls for each species come from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library.

“Months of winter lie ahead, but there’s no reason to miss out on the lovely sounds of all our birds,” said Greg Budney, audio curator of the Macaulay Library. “The Bird Songs Bible has a built-in audio player so the songs and calls of nearly 750 bird species are just the push of a button away with beautiful images at every turn of the page. “

Each species account includes four-color illustrations and range maps, showing where the bird is likely to be found. Information about the bird’s habitat, behavior, and vocalizations is also included. But the most unique feature of the Bird Songs Bible is its sound player. The numbered recordings match up with the appropriate species. From the nasal honking of the Trumpeter Swan to the clucks, rattles, and whistles of the Yellow-breasted Chat—this is a great way to practice learning how to identify birds by sound before testing your ears in the great outdoors.

Editor Les Beletsky is a bird biologist and author of Bird Songs and Bird Songs from Around the World, also from Chronicle Books. He lives in Seattle, Washington. The Bird Songs Bible retails for $125.00.

Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, (607) 254-2137, pel27@cornell.edu

Cutie Hummer!

2010-09-13T18:28:00.005-05:00

We have 3 feeders that have been very busy lately. It has been hard to capture any photos of these zippy friends- they are so busy fighting each other off, it seems they hardly have time to enjoy themselves & eat! It has been fun having them so close to the windows- we can hear them squeaking and chirping at each other angrily... is it strange that it makes us smile? :)

Win an iPod Touch & Try the New BirdsEye "Lite" App

2010-08-10T15:07:00.004-05:00

Simply by entering checklists into the eBird online database (www.ebird.org) birders have a chance to win an iPod touch® and a free download of the BirdsEye bird-finding application.

BirdsEye is the revolutionary iPhone app that harnesses the power of eBird to help users find the birds they want to see. It's not a traditional field guide for identification. It does what a traditional field guide cannot do: guide users to the places where birders are seeing birds, using fresh eBird data that are frequently updated.

BirdsEye has information about 857 species in North America, including eBird sightings, sounds from the Macaulay Library, photographs from VIREO, and birding-finding tips from Kenn Kaufman.

And now BirdsEye has a little brother: BirdsEye Lite. Designed for beginning birders, BirdsEye Lite features information about 135 species that are easy to find in North America north of Mexico.

“It’s a fantastic tool for new birders especially,” says Cornell Lab of Ornithology director John Fitzpatrick. “It helps users actually find birds, which is something even the best field guide can’t do.”

Designed for use on the Apple iPhone® and iPod touch®, BirdsEye and BirdsEye Lite are available on the App Store℠. BirdsEye Lite sells for $1.99 and BirdsEye sells for $19.99.

The contest takes place from August 16 through September 6. Anyone who signs up at www.eBird.org (it’s free) and submits at least one checklist during this three-week period will be entered in a drawing for the touch device and a free BirdsEye download. Five runners-up will get a free app download. For those already participating in eBird, anyone who submits checklists during the contest period will be entered in a separate drawing for another iPod touch and BirdsEye download. An additional five will also receive the app for free.

The BirdsEye Lite and BirdsEye apps were developed by Birds in the Hand, LLC, of Virginia, and bring together content from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and author Kenn Kaufman.

Portions of BirdsEye and BirdsEye Lite sales go to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to help support its research, education, and citizen-science projects focused on birds, and to the Academy of Natural Sciences to support VIREO, the world’s largest collection of bird photographs.

Contacts:
Todd Koym, Birds in the Hand, (434) 327-8533, tkoym@birdsinthehand.com

Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, (607) 254-2137, pel27@cornell.edu

Apple, the Apple logo, iPod, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
______________________________________________________________________

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Cornell Lab’s web site at http://www.birds.cornell.edu.

Hummingbird CRAZY!

2010-08-09T17:29:00.001-05:00

Some folks are having GREAT success with their Hummingbirds!

Thank you Lynne Johnson for sending us this footage. AMAZING

Yummy Breakfast!

2010-07-07T08:51:00.002-05:00

Looks like one of our resident hawks took down a pigeon this morning. I certainly do not begrudge them that. I'm just happy to know that it was an extremely well fed pigeon! :)

Backyard Birds to be Impacted by Oil Disaster

2010-07-01T09:33:00.002-05:00

Will the Gulf Oil Spill Affect Birds That Nest in Our Backyards?

NestWatch Needs Your Help

We've seen images of oiled pelicans, plovers, and other shorebirds and wading birds from areas affected by the recent spill. Species that nest on beaches and in coastal marshes, like plovers and terns, are being monitored by state wildlife officials. But many birds that nest in backyards all across North America, such as Red-winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows, may winter in the coastal and marsh environments along the Gulf of Mexico where they could potentially be affected by the oil spill. We need your help to track nesting success of these birds in your own backyard and neighborhood.

Call for Data:

Birds passing through the Gulf region could carry contamination with them, creating an "oil shadow" of declines in bird reproduction hundreds of miles away from the coast. We need data for these key backyard bird species, all of which use the Gulf during some part of their annual cycle and could potentially be affected by the oil spill.

Click on the species name for additional life history information.

	Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinals are permanent residents in the coastal "cheniers," coastal ridge woodlands, in the Gulf region. Will the oil affecting the beaches and marshes impact birds of the coastal woodlands?
	Red-winged Blackbird Large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds winter in marsh habitats along the Gulf. Blackbirds spend several months in coastal marshes before heading back north to nest.
	Barn Swallow Barn Swallows migrate past the Gulf of Mexico. These swallows roost in large flocks in marsh habitats during their annual journeys to and from wintering areas in Central and South America.
	Purple Martin Migrating Purple Martins pass through the Gulf of Mexico. They roost in large flocks in marsh habitats during their annual journeys to and from wintering areas in Central and South America.
	Tree Swallow Tree Swallows winter along the Gulf, relying on insects from coastal marshes and wetland habitats. Flocks of thousands of Tree Swallows can be seen along the Gulf Coast in winter, foraging over marshes when food is scarce.

This year's nesting season is already in full swing; it is critical to collect nesting data for these species this year and in the years ahead. Follow the NestWatch Code of Conduct and Nest Monitoring Protocol to help us track nesting success of these key backyard bird populations that may be affected by the Gulf oil spill.

NestWatch Posters Available!

Support NestWatch

Cute as heck baby Mockingbird!

2010-05-21T14:14:00.003-05:00

Just found this little guy (along with a nestmate) back in the Holly bushes at the Goodlettsville store - couldn't for the life of me figure out why the parents were "CHACK"ing at me!

Tree Swallows

2010-05-07T06:56:00.003-05:00

Tree swallows loving the boxes at my mom's home in Sparta, TN

Very Wet Owlett

2010-05-06T18:30:00.004-05:00

As some of you may know, Nashville experienced a rain last weekend like we have not seen in this area in 70 some years. At our home in Hendersonville, we received more than 15" of rain within 48 hours - unheard of!! Luckily for us, we live well up the ridge and halfway up a hill in a hollow. This location protects us from high winds and also from most of the impacts of heavy rain. Our front yard (near the road) was a river by Saturday night, and we were unable to leave our home due to the flooded creek.

Because of our inability to leave, we were also lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the Owletts that fledged 3 days earlier. This is the first time that we have ever seen live chicks after they have left the nest. We did, however only see one. I fear the worst for the other...

Anyway, here is the chick that we saw on Sunday....
He was VERY wet! Cute, but wet. :)

If there is any way that you can help with the recovery, either with money or volunteer time, consider doing so. Here is a great place to start.

Flood waters behind Granbery Elementary

2010-05-04T05:39:00.003-05:00

Here are a couple of shots of the "pond" that used to be our walking trail and kids playground at Granbery school on Hill Rd. The geese seem to like it !!

Another Big Day

2010-04-30T19:18:00.004-05:00

Today was the Carolina Wrens' turn to get their babies out of the nest box -- well actually they used a plastic gourd for this nesting.

I was just minding my own business, leaving for work, backing the van out of the garage and noticed a lot of wren chatter. Looked in my side mirror and saw something more stout than a leaf drop down behind my car. I got out to find this little guy: I actually had to "chase" him around a bit in orde to get him out of the driveway. No sooner did I get him back with his sibs, I turned around and saw this!
Another little Wren that needed to be moved along. This one was a bit more fiesty and it took a couple more minutes. All was well though. I cornered him and got him up into the holly bush.

Happy little Wrens. They seemed a bit under-developed for fledging and I hope that they weather the coming weather ok.

FLEDGED!!

2010-04-28T19:13:00.010-05:00

OMG! I am sitting here at the foot of my bed and this is what I am seeing when I look out the window:
These little guys are a full 8 days earlier than last year. Generally, we look to Mother's Day for our Barred Owls to fledge... but the wonderful weather has allowed Mom and Dad to be able to provide very well for these chicks. We have seen them taking in LOTS of Chipmunks - and that is perfectly fine with us!
They actually hunt in our birdfeeding area - they are afterall birds. :)

They sit in this one tree and then off they go up the hill to catch some food for their babies.

Two days ago this is all I could see:
One little Owl peeking at me from the safety of his ~up to this point~ world. Occasionally, I would see some fluttering in the background or another little rounded head jumping up behind him... but for the most part - just the top of his head and eyes.

This morning there was a new surprise when I woke up. Little Owlett almost all the way out of the box:

And his sibling was adjacent to the box on a branch!! VERY BRAVE!! Look at the Carolina Wren in the forground of this picture -- talk about brave! She does not want this mean ol owl anywhere near her nest site.

So, here they are. Ready to hit the big wide world. Hard to believe that they have completed their nesting already. This year is already flying by.....

Not your "everyday" backyard bird

2010-04-07T07:08:00.007-05:00

I kept hearing rumors of an unusual visitor to Berry Hill over the last few months. Yesterday, I finally witnessed her...our resident wild turkey was at the store most of the afternoon and seemed perfectly at home there. The other birds, squirrels and even the resident chipmunk all did double takes, though, along with every customer who came in while she was there.

She is always by herself...very independent obviously. Loved the corn, peanuts and water provided. She is an inspiration to all the "single ladies" out there !! YOU GO GIRL !!

Nest Cam Time!

2010-02-05T10:48:00.003-06:00

Cornell Lab's Nestwatch is a great site to check out nesting birds from around the globe.

Barn Owls are back on the nest. Check it out! Nestcams - Barn Owl (Italy)

Bluebirds X 4

2010-02-04T17:38:00.003-06:00

This cute little picture belongs on a mug, in a picture frame or on the cover of a magazine! A Wild Birds Unlimited customer was nice enough to send this to me (wish I had taken it myself!). She apologized for the lack of focus, as it was a long range shot of the birds in her neighbor's yard. I don't think you could have asked the bluebirds to line up and pose any more perfectly. Though they were huddled together for warmth, they managed to show beauty in light of dreadful weather conditions. This makes me smile!

Apparently Spring has Arrived!

2010-02-04T13:37:00.006-06:00

Saw something very strange today... something that you only expect to be privvy to with the magic of the television. There was quite a fracas in the birdfeeding station this morning. It took awhile to figure out what exactly was happening. There was this brown ball rolling around, and kinda jumping here and there. When the ball slowed to a stop, we were able to determine that it was two Carolina wrens having the battle of the century! Right there on the ground! AMAZING! They had ahold of each other with their feet and were rolling and pecking and flapping. It was a once in a lifetime experience. An experience we would have missed had we not been watching our feeding area.

Keep your feeders full and your eyes open, and you too may get to see these rarely viewed behaviors!

Cardinals fighting for territory.

January 30, 2010

2010-01-30T11:32:00.003-06:00

I have seen them eating snow for moisture, but they also really love my fountain.

Winter visitors

2010-01-07T13:39:00.004-06:00

Just a couple of shots of the juncos and white throated sparrows in my yard. They were getting water by eating the snow (and snacking on thistle seed with the gold finches).

Flicker Visitor

2009-10-10T07:01:00.002-05:00

I've always spotted flickers in my yard - usually too far away or high in the trees for any good photo opportunities - but this one came right up to the patio the other day. He was really loving an ant hill out there...YUMMY !!!

Pineapple sage is a HIT !!

2009-09-30T15:59:00.004-05:00

Looks like everybody is enjoying the pineapple sage today ... especially me !!!

Enjoy them while you can...I know I am

2009-09-23T11:07:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to share a couple of shots I took on Sunday of this sweet little juvenile hummer at my window feeder. It looks like he is as fascinated by me as I am by him - I doubt it, though.

2009-09-19T09:01:00.002-05:00

Not a great picture, but fun to try and spot the fat, little hummingbird! With his tongue sticking out! Bittersweet time of year, when they're fattening up for their migration. They're slowing down and sitting still so it's a great opportunity to take pics. But it also means these summertime jewels will be leaving soon, and that really means the end of summer for me. And then I'll wait for their return next year...

Window Strike!!

2009-09-07T17:08:00.002-05:00

It is so distressing when a bird strikes the window. It happens to us on a too regular basis. Seems that it is always the nice birds, never a Grackle or Starling. One year it was a black throated blue warbler and a kinglet. This migratory season we are starting off with a black and white warbler. This one I believe will survive. The migrants sure do have it rough.

Hummingbird Booty

2009-08-28T18:46:00.001-05:00

I'm off to California on a Rescue Greyhound dog haul, and while the hounds are having a bit of a potty break, I am having a birding break!! This is the best I could do with my phone--some western variety hummingbird butt. :)

Late Nesters

2009-08-16T08:44:00.004-05:00

I never saw her building a nest in this box, but a couple days ago, I heard the babies "twittering" inside...seems they are almost ready to fledge! Isn't it awfully late for wrens to be nesting? I guess she doesn't think so.

Skin Theft... tsk tsk tsk

2009-08-13T11:02:00.004-05:00

Rare tropical birdskins similar to a selection stolen from the from the Natural History Museum's ornithological collection at Tring, Hertfordshire Photo: PA

Priceless tropical birds stolen from Natural History Museum

Thieves have stolen a priceless collection of tropical birds from the Natural History Museum collection in Tring, Hertfordshire. Curators said almost 300 brightly-coloured specimens were taken, some of which are more than a century old, and which are a priceless part of the world's ornithological heritage.

Detectives said the artefacts may have been stolen to order for a collector or for their valuable plumage. They fear the irreplaceable birds may be ripped apart for use as fishing lures, in dressmaking or costume jewellery. Detective Inspector Fraser Wylie, who is leading the inquiry, said the birds were clearly deliberately targeted, possibly by an expert. He said: ''This is a very unusual crime and we are keen to recover the bird skins, which are part of our national heritage.

''Some of these may be irreplaceable and have been part of our UK heritage for years. People have studied these for generations. ''We are appealing for anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity around the museum at the time of the break-in. Also, we would ask any collectors of such specimens to keep a watchful eye out in case they are offered anything resembling them.''

Professor Richard Lane, director of science at the Natural History Museum, said his staff were extremely upset by the theft. He said the birds play a key role in studying the history of their species and may prove impossible to replace. Prof Lane added: ''It is quite hard for us to express just how tragic this is to members of the museum. This is the nation's collection. These birds are extremely scarce: they are scarce in collections and even more scarce in the wild. Our utmost priority is working with the police to return these specimens to the national collections so that they can be used by future generations of scientists.''

========================
Humans never cease to amaze me with their inability to just "be good." These skins are not only valuable to the folks at the Hertfordshire Museum - they are valuable to all of us and deserve to be respected. Just shameful.

Second Family Photos

2009-08-07T14:00:00.004-05:00

I finally got an up close view of my 2nd group of bluebird fledglings. (Mom disappeared about three days before they fledged, but Dad remained ever vigilant in feeding and caring for them.)

Once they fledged, I only ever saw Dad at the feeder. He would go in, eat a few dried meal worms then take several back to the babies high in the trees.

About a week ago, they decided to be more social - at least long enough for me to get some photos of the little darlings !

See the Bigger Picture - The Contest

2009-07-16T09:47:00.004-05:00

See the Bigger Picture - The Contest: "See the Bigger Picture" Photo Contest Details: At Airbus they believe that biodiversity is a major issue with an endangered future. Protecting biodiversity is everyone's responsibility, from individuals and families to big companies and organisations. That's why at Airbus they are supporting The Green Wave project, which is making people smarter about the complex variety of life on Earth and helping us to build a more sustainable future. To celebrate the amazingly varied world around us They're asking you to grab your camera and show the world what biodiversity means to you by entering the "See the Bigger Picture" photo contest.

The contest is open to all kids around the world. In the US and Canada, it is open to 6 to 14 year-olds. In the rest of the world, it is open to kids aged between 6 and 16. Submit one colour image that you think captures the spirit or idea of biodiversity. It could be a favourite tree or a plant, an animal or an insect, even a whole ecosystem (from your own back yard to somewhere you've visited on vacation) — your image should show people why biodiversity is a good thing that we should try to preserve.

The submitted photographs should: *Show an understanding of biodiversity *Be of a good quality *Be original and creative

How to enter: Digital images as labelled jpegs files or mail-in submissions, including image on CD Begins: June 5, 2009Final submissions: September 8, 2009

My backyard groundhog

2009-07-06T21:01:00.004-05:00

Allow me to introduce my backyard "mascot", Fat Phil. I moved to Spring Hill about 5 years ago and never had a close, personal relationship with a groundhog (who has?). Unfortunately, you mainly see them dead on the side of the road. We moved here in the fall, about the time these critters hibernate. Imagine my surprise when I'm sitting outside the following May and out walks the fattest groundhog I've ever seen. He sized me up, decided I was OK and went about eating his clover. Well, I set about learning all I could about these guys, aka, woodchucks. Contrary to popular belief, he's not destructive (at least not in my yard) and seems concerned with eating, eating and eating. Currently, he devours all the leftover safflower seed under my feeder and he's crazy about vanilla wafers. I've found his burrow entrance and he sticks pretty close, but never going straight to it in case of danger...he doesn't want to give away his hiding place....smart dude. He brings smile to my face just about everyday!

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

2009-07-04T10:51:00.005-05:00

June 30, 2009

Play "tag" with the birds: Be a CamClickr!

Dear Birding Friend,

We need your keen eye and quick fingers! As you may know, we have live cameras positioned at active bird nests all around the country. Since 1999, we’ve archived more than eight million images from these from these NestCams . To help sort through the images, we developed CamClickr—an online tool you can use to view the images and sort them into albums, then tag each image by the type of behavior you see: preening, eating, feeding chicks, etc.

What’s in it for you? NestCams allow you to peek into the nests of Barn Owls, bluebirds, Wood Ducks, and other birds for an up-close look at fascinating bird behavior. CamClickr will appeal not only to bird lovers, but to people who enjoy testing their skills with online games. When you help sort and tag the camera images, you collect points and compete for prizes such as binoculars, DVDs, books, and posters. It's easy and fun!

Why do we need your help? By using CamClickr to help tag and sort the NestCam images, you help
scientists studying breeding bird behavior. The more we understand bird
behavior, the better equipped we will be to understand how birds are
responding to threats in their environment.

Just visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/NetCommunity/page.redir?target=http%3a%2f%2fwww.camclickr.org&srcid=1321&erid=0to create an account. This allows you to chat in the NestCam forums, tag photos, and track your stats in CamClickr anytime. You can check your rankings in “my sessions” to see how you stack up against other taggers. The redesigned CamClickr home page also provides the latest Twitter feeds. Educators will appreciate the newly developed lesson plan, appropriate for all ages, and easily modified for individualized instruction. You can watch videos of fascinating nesting behaviors from the Lab's Macaulay Library.

Make it your summer project to help science and the birds—be a CamClickr!

Thank you for helping us help the birds.

Sincerely,

Tina Phillips, project leader

NestWatch, NestCams, CamClickr

nestwatch@cornell.edu

P.S. I've attached a CamClickr PDF flier for you to use as you see fit--pass it along!

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution interpreting and conserving the earth's biodiversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit our website at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/NetCommunity/page.redir?target=http%3a%2f%2fwww.birds.cornell.edu&srcid=1321&erid=0.

Copyright © 2009 Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca NY 14850
Questions or Comments?
Call us toll-free at (800) 843-BIRD (2473)

They're Hatching!!

2009-06-22T16:35:00.001-05:00

In case you did not bookmark Spike Odell's nest cam... The eggs are in the process of hatching! They "should" all hatch today :)
Watch live video from Bluebird Box Nest Cam on Justin.tv

North American Bird Phenology Program

2009-06-17T13:34:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

The North American Bird Phenology Program (BPP) has continued to grow in office and online participants as well as cards scanned and transcriptions completed online. I am very proud to announce our current progress:

· Migration Cards Scanned in the BPP Office: 272,766
· Migration Cards Currently Available Online: 124,424
· Migration Cards Transcribed Online: 135,584
· Number of Online Transcribers: 1,329

To see a full list of the species that have been scanned in the office and how many cards have been scanned of that species, please visit: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bpp/DataAndStats.cfm.
The BPP team: Kevin Laurent, computer expert, and Kinard Boone, website designer, and Eric Tuner volunteer programmer, are continuing to make additions and revisions to both the data entry process and website. Please see below to check out what we are working on and email me at jzelt@usgs.gov with suggestions!
The Frequently Asked Questions page has recently been updated. Please look for changes and email me with any further suggestions.

What you can expect to see soon:
· Participants can choose which species or which locations he/she would like to transcribe.
· Updated website coming soon with new homepage layout and additional content

In an effort to showcase some of the hardworking online participants from around the world, I would like to ask you all to send in photos of you transcribing migration cards. Please email along with the picture, along with your name and location. A handful of the photos will be selected and highlighted on the “Featured Photos” webpage.
In some exciting news, the BPP will be featured in the July/August issue of Audubon Magazine which is expected be released at the end of June. Pick up a copy!
Thank you to the office volunteers who take time each week to scan migration cards! It has become a challenge to keep up with the feverish pace of the online transcribers and I appreciate their dedication to keeping everything running smoothly. We are, however, always in need of additional office volunteers. If you are in the Maryland/Washington D.C. area, and would like to help, please contact the BPP Office.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments and don’t forget to check out the BPP website for more information.

Sincerely,
Jessica Zelt

Bumble Bees

2009-06-14T09:49:00.000-05:00

I was happy to see the St John's Wort starting to bloom - It just cracks me up watching the bumble bees dancing around through the stamen! Just look at the pollen baskets on his legs!!

He is one Busy Bee.

Spike's Bluebirds

2009-06-13T09:24:00.003-05:00

Wild Birds Unlimited's good friend Spike Odell, installed a nestbox cam for your enjoyment! This live streaming video is a great way to get the "inside scoop" on the life of bluebirds.
Watch live video from Bluebird Box Nest Cam on Justin.tvCheck it out! The first egg (of this second nesting) was laid on June 7th. It looks like there will be only 4 eggs in this nesting.

Cornell Lab Contest

2009-06-13T06:45:00.001-05:00

Cornell's "Celebrate Urban Birds" is having a fun contest -- Funky Nests in Funky Places. Get out your pictures of nests in strange places or try your hand at some art project - making a nest and enter to win from a neat variety of things from bug repellent wrist bands to several books - even a NEW Leica Camera!!

Check this one out from Denise Robeson in Lincoln, Nebraska:
"The dove thought it was an ideal location, apparently (right next to a lantern, you'll notice)! In my opinion, this bird's feathers are so smooth and perfect you almost can't tell the bird is "real" (not stuffed, or fake...)....but she is! She was also indifferent to my presence....caring less that I was inches away from her, taking pictures. If only all my avian subjects were so helpful! (Barn swallow mothers dive bomb me, when I even approach their nests of babies...!) I think the location of the Baker's Rack nest is especially funny, since Baker's racks are often found in kitchens, with cookbooks on them (for instance). Ms. Mourning Dove decided to cook up a little recipe of her own (for babies)!"

Nature Center Resources

2009-06-12T07:53:00.005-05:00

Nashville has great resources for getting closer to nature. I have gone on many of the hikes at through Warner Park Nature Center, and was thoroughly pleased. If the new Shelby Bottoms Nature Center has as great a staff as Warner... watch out! Before today I didn't even realize that there is also Bells Bend Outdoor Center and Beaman Park Nature Center - both with their own full program schedules.

Tonight you have some great options for activities:

At Warner you can stop in listen to Bluegrass at the Full Moon Pickin' Party - or you can even join in for a jam session!!
7pm-11pm. Call 370-8053 for information.

At Shelby they are hosting a Bat Seminar and Bat Hike! "Bats eat bugs! Bats aren’t blind! Bats don’t even get caught in your hair. Learn all about these and other bat facts as well as a serious new threat to their health and how we can help. With luck, we will see a few of these mysterious winged mammals tonight!
7:30-9 pm. All ages Call 862-8539 to register.

Get out there and see something new!

Woody is HERE!

2009-06-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

It has become all to apparent that the woodpecker young have left the nest. Our numbers of all the woodpeckers is WAY UP! We are going through at least 12oz of suet every single day! It has not been uncommon to have four and five woodpeckers waiting to use the feeders - Amazing. Considering the amount of damage that the woodpeckers have inflicted on my home, you may be interested to know that this is my favorite family of birds.

Very exciting - though all of my new sightings are exciting for me - We had 4 Pileated woodpeckers just twenty feet behind the house! Clearly, two must have been juveniles along with two adults. I was unable to get all four in one pic and :::again::: the pictures leave something to be desired, but here they are, and we were pretty hyped seeing them together. Naturally, they did not visit my feeder - as many of our customers know: Pam's Pileateds never visit the feeder, sure they are around, but they never eat what we offer. We have left our woods very natural - when trees fall we do not pull them out; so, they have lots of dead wood to peck around on for bugs.

What's This?!?

2009-06-10T07:20:00.005-05:00

I've had such good luck with y'all... here you go:

What's This?!?

Crazy little bug is about 1cm long - quite small. It is living on the gate to my driveway. Oh, and it is a bit camera shy ;)

Answer: Wheel Bug Nymph

Kent's on Talk of the Town

2009-06-09T19:12:00.006-05:00

Today Kent was on Talk of the Town talking about hummingbirds. Usually he is interviewed by Lelan Statom, so this was a bit of a switch.

Sparrow Spooker

2009-06-05T11:56:00.009-05:00

My bluebirds are working on their second brood and as I did have some sparrow issues last time, I decided to see if I could somehow make the box less sparrow friendly this time...maybe dad wouldn't have to constantly be on guard and fighting off sparrows on a regular basis.

Anyway, I found plans for the "sparrow spooker" online at www.sialis.org/sparrowspooker.htm and decided to try it. Everything I read was very positive, but I was still skeptical. I put it together according the "design #4" (basically because I had everything I needed just laying around the house), checked the nest yesterday (2 eggs), placed it according to the info online and waited to see what happened.

I hadn't seen either bluebird go anywhere near the box after I installed the spooker (although I wasn't watching it constantly), but when I checked this morning, mom had laid a 3rd egg !! She slipped inside while I wasn't looking, obviously.

As I watched the box (with spooker flying in the wind) this morning, I shot this photo of mom inside the box - it obviously didn't bother her at all !! What a relief !! I'll keep you posted as to how well it actually keeps other birds away.

Quick, Hurry!

2009-06-05T07:36:00.000-05:00

There I was, quietly sitting, drinking my coffee and watching Morning Joe. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a quick moving furry being. At first I thought, "Cat!" but then the being ran past the sunroom door, and I determined it was a raccoon.... with something really weird in its' mouth.

Why would a raccoon be carrying around chipmunk? Oh, my, grab the camera!! She is carrying a baby raccoon!! Quick, Hurry! She was hauling her bulk as quickly as possible to the back of the sunroom. Then, up the corner of the house to the roof she went with her babe.

You see, we have this little roof over our front door. The roof is attached to the house just below the eve of the home proper. What this does is create a little space - just the perfect size for a critter, like a raccoon, to have a dry, safe place to have her young. We believe that they have been using this space for a good many years.

What must have happened is this. The baby fell off the porch roof, and momma shot down to the ground to retrieve her baby. Then the only way back up is to run around the house, go up the corner to the roof of the sunroom, climb from the roof of the sunroom to the roof of the house, go over the top of the house and drop down onto the roof of the porch. I can't wait for these little guys to make it back down here on their own - the pups are always so cute and frolicky.

Mystery Solved... Kinda...

2009-06-04T06:53:00.000-05:00

The "What's This" pics are closeups of this turtle's shell. My simple answer to my own question is "Turtle." What type of turtle, you ask? I have NO idea, but s/he sure was a bigg'un! Turtle measured a full 14", stem to stern. S/he was Very covered in algae, and heading across the road, towards the creek. We NEVER leave animals on the road if we can at all help it. Subsequently, this guy got a lift into the grass in hopes of allowing her/him to continue the journey.

Can you ID my mystery turtle??

What's This?!?

2009-06-03T10:50:00.000-05:00

Saw this driving down the road on the way to the store. Had to stop and take some pics. :)

Whoo Hooo!!! Purple Martins!!!!

2009-06-02T20:23:00.003-05:00

Kent and I hit the store early today to try to get the hanging basket brackets attached to the house. I must say, it looks great, but MAN was it a pain to get the brackets attached to the brick! Anyway, as we were discussing the proper placement of the brackets in relationship to each other, the window boxes, the windows, and the deck, Kent suddenly says, "Martins!" This is soooo typical of us. We are doing something... anything, and one of us will hear "X" bird, and give the ID on the call. It's kinda funny, as we tend to do it while other folks are around too & usually they just don't "get it."

So, Kent states, "Martins!" and we both flip around to look at the gourd system that is very strategically placed on the edge of the back parking lot, between our store, Wild Birds Unlimited, and Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant. There they were, in and out of the gourds - so I ran and grabbed the camera. Lucky for me, one of them came back and posed at the top of the pole. I promise, this is not a "decoy martin."
I am very hopeful that they will return, and decide to nest with us. There are several successful colonies in the area, so although we are SO close to the mall, we may have a chance at helping these wonderful birds out. We will keep our fingers crossed through June - as there is still a chance for a new colony to start that late.

There are many things that people do not understand about these birds - ideas that have been perpetuated by some less than ethical, or simply misinformed, folks. If you want the real poop on these guys visit the Purple Martin Conservation Association site. We really like good science, and try to keep with that information.

Things I Have Never Seen Before.

2009-05-31T11:28:00.000-05:00

When a "Birder" sees a new bird that they have never seen before, they write it on their "Life List." Listing is VERY popular with the Birding crowd. It is not uncommon for a die hard birder to have Day Lists, Location Lists, Life Lists... lists lists lists :) Well, I am not big on writing stuff down - well, I guess, until now. Anyway, Kent and I wanted to take the dogs for a good walk this morning, so we shot up to the White House Greenway. This is a wonderful greenway, not tooooo popular, nice and wide, good bridges, creekside, nicely paved, and VERY importantly, pretty well shaded.

I had not anticipated that I would find any fodder for this blogging enterprise, but expect things when you least expect it. I did see three things that I have never seen before - So, add these to my Life List. LOL!!

We generally carry a phone with us when we walk, just in case there is an emergency, so that is what I had to use to take these pictures - please excuse the poor quality.

I am sure that most of you have seen this before, but for me it was a first... Baby Donkey. He was very cute hanging out with his momma.

Then we saw this VERY weird bug. I will have to check one of my insect field guides for this one. It was easily four inches long and pretty quick moving. The dogs were curious, but I was not likely to let them sniff. It's abdomen looked like it had pincers, as did its' head. Strange to the "n"th degree. Anyone able to keep me from looking this one up? Know what it is?

Then finally, there was this wonderful patch of literally thousands of little mushrooms. They were growing under a huge Tulip Poplar. There was no way to capture the immensity of the patch - it was one of those things that you just have to remember.

The Ripeness of Spring

2009-05-30T06:58:00.001-05:00

Spring is rapidly coming to an end, and yesterday evening I realized it was now or never for picking our (human) share of the bounty on the Mulberry tree. This morning, up at 5:30am and out to the tree with the ladder and several bowls for collection. Last year we had to trim many dead, deformed and dying limbs -- the past couple of drought summers, combined with the past damage wrought by the female cicadas laying their eggs, caused some serious issues with our tree. Having to use a ladder to harvest berries is seriously difficult. The best berry is always just out of reach - ain't that the way it always is? :)

So, while we were picking - or rather, while Kent was picking, and I was playing with the dogs (remember, using ladder :::grin:::) - I noted several great birds competing with him for the sweet treats. In the hour that we were down there I saw a Gray Catbird, a juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downey Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Bluebird, Chickadee and Scarlet Tanager!! WOW!

Bluebird Babes

2009-05-29T06:40:00.000-05:00

I LOVE it!! More great input from our customers. This is the email that I received from our premier Bluebird Landlord, Spike Odell :

Hi Pam...
I had a nice surprise this morning when the Mom and Dad bluebird showed up at the window feeder with all the kids! Man....! They look healthy! Must be that WBU mealworm diet I put them on!

I had 5 birds fledge, but only see the 4 now. I'm getting ready for the second nest ..(hopefully). I have installed the camera in the top of the box and will put it online when (if) they begin to build again.

I enjoy your blog. You have a lot going on in your neck of the woods!
Spike
Be sure to check out Spike's website: http://www.bluebirdlovers.com. I am sure that we will be seeing some great action out of his website!

What's This?!?

2009-05-28T08:45:00.000-05:00

Any Ideas??

Nesting Complications

2009-05-27T07:24:00.001-05:00

Notice anything wrong here?
This is not an uncommon occurance, and I receive many calls and emails from folks that see this when they open their box for monitoring.

Early in the season, Mardy called and said that there was a Chickadee that had taken over occupancy of the box that we put up specifically for the Bluebirds. As usual, I asked her to please allow the Chickadees to continue their nesting and then, after she removes the spent nest, perhaps the Bluebirds would come and try again. Several days later, I received another call with the information that the Bluebirds were now there, having decided to use the nest, and they were "fighting" for the right to use this box.

It seemed all was well, as several days later, there was laid one egg. Yea, it seemed that the Bluebirds would prevail and have their nest.... Never speak too soon when trying to determine what will happen in nature. By this time, the House Wrens had arrived in the area, and they had a different idea for that nest box. It is now clear that the Wrens have prevailed.
When the Wrens have finished, Mardy may remove all the nesting material and then possibly get a nesting pair of Bluebirds to take up residency again. Lucky for us, Bluebirds will nest several times during the season.

Hungry Babies

2009-05-26T06:58:00.004-05:00

Got this nice little email from Janis Tomanek and the great pic of Momma Bluebird feeding one of her babies:

Thank you so much for educating me about Bluebirds.
I bought several bags of dried meal worms and put them in my feeder.
Mama Bluebird found them right away and is feeding them to her three baby Bluebirds (yum!).
I am sure she is very grateful to WBU!
What a great Picture! The mealworms that she is feeding are an easy substitute for the live mealworms that many people feed their bluebirds. The dried variety are reliably available; whereas, the live mealworms may be difficult to acquire during the heat of the summer.

Mulberry time!

2009-05-24T16:37:00.002-05:00

So the pics are not great, but you need to know that I was pretty far below these guys, and sure, my camera has "Image Stabilization" but still... It was hard to get them zoomed in without losing them entirely in the leaves. ANYWAY.... Kent and I LOVE this Mulberry tree!! It brings us so many great visitors, and we are also able to harvest some fruits for ourselves - - Either for use on top of Yogurt or in the making of adult beverages - -Yummy!

We first came into contact with a Mulberry tree when visiting Land Between The Lakes (LBL). We were hiking the Hematite Lake Trail, near the Nature Center, and came across this HUGE Mulberry tree. In that tree we counted more than 12 species partaking of the bounty. This, we thought, was something that we just HAD to have! That year we bought our own little Mulberry tree. We have not been disappointed either!

Today I managed to snap several Cedar Waxwings...

and Papa Bluebird chowing down. It is my sincerest hope to catch more visitors in this hot spot - AND I don't have to drive all the way to LBL to enjoy the diversity of bird life... too cool.

Clean Up Crew

2009-05-23T19:38:00.005-05:00

You just never know what you will see when driving down the road... Today I saw many different bird events; but, by far, this is the one that caught my interest - I know, kinda morbid...

Driving home from the Franklin Wild Birds Unlimited store, I stopped at a light right there in Grassland, and there were a good dozen Black Vultures fighting over the carcass of a White-tailed deer that must have met his demise last night trying to cross Hillsboro Rd. Very sad, but... The Vultures knew what their job was, and got right to work cleaning up.

Note their nearly featherless heads - this helps them stay clean when sticking their heads into carrion when feeding. Black Vultures are often more aggressive than Turkey Vultures and may take over a cadaver that the Turkey Vultures have located and chase them away from it. Unlike Turkey Vultures which have a keen sense of smell, Black Vultures can find carrion only by sight--or by following the Turkey Vultures.

Back to my interest in Names, and common Names: The scientific name comes from korax, the Greek word for raven; gyps, which means a vulture; and from the Latin word atratus, meaning to be clothed in black, as in mourning. The Black Vulture has also been known as a Carrion Crow, Black Buzzard, and Jim Crow.

Bluebird Nestlings

2009-05-16T14:41:00.008-05:00

Wow...looks like my bluebirds are about to leave the box (I estimate that they will fledge in the next couple of days). Mom and Dad are still busy feeding, but these little guys look like they are ready to take on the world for themselves. It's been a lot of fun !!

Swallow Tail

2009-05-16T11:23:00.001-05:00

Found this on the laptop and thought I would share it. This is some type of Swallowtail Butterfly, though I do not know what type. I had thought Tiger, but... it sure looks too white and the markings don't look exactly correct.If you have any idea what variety of Swallowtail this is.... please let me know.

Woodpeckers!

2009-05-14T22:54:00.001-05:00

This female Red-bellied Woodpecker likes to partake of the peanuts in our Choice Blend. A good mix will bring good birds :)

Cedar Waxwings

2009-05-13T12:12:00.003-05:00

This is a flock of cedar waxwings that frequented the Nashville store in late April/early May. Most of the time they were high in the trees - but a few times they came in to the birdbath - AWESOME!

Citizen Science

2009-05-12T23:00:00.002-05:00

Online Volunteers are Being Recruited to Support Climate Research

Volunteers can assist researchers to better understand historic and current life cycles of plants and animals, by participating in phenology.

There are six million personal observations about bird migrations written down on note cards and stored away in vintage government file cabinets. Collected as part of the North American Bird Phenology Program (BPP), the observations reflect ninety years of data on the migration paths and distribution of birds across North America for a better than ninety year period.

A Window into Climate Change
Researchers have come to recognize the value of the BPP data as a cornerstone in study of climate change and its effects on birds. The most immediate problem scientists have now is transcribing the data into a database that will be useful for research and they are looking for the public’s help.

In a press release announcing renewed interest in the historic data, Coordinator of the North American Bird Phenology Program at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center says, "These cards, once transcribed, will provide over 90 years of data, an unprecedented amount of information describing bird distributions, migration timing, and migration pathways and how they are changing. There is no other program that has the same historical depth of information that can help us understand the effect that global climate change has on bird populations across the country. When combined with current information, scientists will better understand how birds are responding to climate change and how to develop tools to help manage that change, especially for at-risk species."

The effort to document the historic movement of birds in North America was started by Wells W. Cooke in 1880 to better understand and expand the knowledge of their migrations. Renowned naturist C. Hart Merriam expanded the program throughout the United States and Canada through the use of volunteer observers. There were 3,000 volunteers working within the program during the late 1880s and the Federal government kept the program active until 1970. Scientific interest in the bird migration records caused the program to be reopened in 2008.

Researchers describe the collection of observation cards as a treasure trove of natural history. Concerned USGS employees kept track of the card’s locations while the program was extinguished. Fortunately they survived the period of disinterest with no apparent harm. Participants in the BPP recorded bird names, location and dates of arrival, departure and peaks of abundance. The cards often bear personal remarks about a significant sighting or event.

Get involved today!

I have been transcribing cards off and on since March, and I must say, it is VERY interesting to think about all these volunteers, from Boy Scouts, to Park Rangers, to Citizen Scientists like us, all putting pen to paper to note what they were seeing. As technology changes there is always the need to bring the old data into the next century. I would hate for these folks' work to be in vain.

Fringetree

2009-05-10T13:49:00.001-05:00

Native and fragrant, this beauty is a MUST HAVE ornamental!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

2009-05-09T07:41:00.000-05:00

These guys are great migratory birds. Nesting in the northern tier states, we only see them during spring and fall migration. Generally we see them in the weeks leading up to Mother's day, and a week or so afterwards. This year it seems that they came in earlier than usual. The Male is mostly black and white with the tell tale red breast... the female is far more criptically colored - looking much more like a large female Puple finch. LOVE these birds - they eat LOTS of seed.

Just had to share...

2009-05-09T07:17:00.004-05:00

I was mowing our lawn...mostly because it finally was NOT raining, and I had a sneaky suspicion that my hubby would have to work late... Anyhoo- as I was attempting to mow around one of our bushes, I suddenly saw a flash of yellow after pulling the mower backwards. I stopped the mower to check out what had caught my eye. This tiny baby Box turtle was the result! I'm so glad I didn't injure it- he/she was just too cute for words! I placed him in the forest just behind our house. I figure any baby turtle that survives a lawn mower should be able to make it in the wild just fine. :)

Update on "Our First Bluebird Family" by Roberta

2009-05-09T06:51:00.006-05:00

This is Day 10, there are still 6 chicks! Our Bluebird parents are still doing a great job. My husband and I enjoy observing how the female will fly off out of sight and search for food for her babies, and the male will demonstrate typical male laziness and just hop down from the birdhouse to the dried mealworm feeder we have for them, and then proceed to give those to the chicks! It always makes us laugh :)

I just LOVE this picture! They are so darling, and I was shocked when this little guy turned around and looked at me! It was the coolest experience! Thank you SO much Pam and Kent for our awesome Bluebird house! This picture was taken on Day 12, hopefully when they start coming out of the box soon, I'll have my camera handy & snap some great shots.

Window Hummingbird

2009-05-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

Feeding Hummingbirds is great, but having them right on the window is MUCH better! Why feed the birds if you can't see them? I just don't get it when folks have their feeders so far from the house that they need binoculars in order to see who is partaking of the bounty. :-/ Anyway, there is no reason for that when there are so many different devices available that can bring the birds to you.

Cardinal Nest Update

2009-05-07T19:08:00.004-05:00

Here are the two cardinal babies in the nest outside my kitchen window. I saw the male bringing a bug and then leaving with a poop sack. Looks like these are going to be good parents.

Hummers are here

2009-05-07T10:13:00.002-05:00

We have been seeing the Hummingbirds here at the house since April 13th - two days earlier than usual. There are finally enough here to assure the ability to take some pictures. This male was perched at the very top of a Sumac tree in our clearing. I was not able to get him on the feeder, but that will come :)

I also wanted to share a couple of plants that bloom just in time for the Hummingbird's spring migration. Except for the Locust, which is at the Nashville store, the rest of these plants are very numerous on our property. This may account for the early arrival of our birds and the lucky fact that we have them visiting continuously Spring into Fall.

Too Excited for Words!

2009-05-06T21:26:00.003-05:00

Ok, I can not contain myself!! Today I scooted home a bit early from the store so that I could watch a movie that I had never seen... "The Runaway" 1961 starring Caesar Romero - excellent movie, but it costars a Greyhound so I may be a bit biased. But I digress. I went upstairs and just happened to look out the window to see if there was any activity at the Barred Owl box. Lo and behold, there was a Barred Owl chick peaking out of the box. These first pics were taken through the window. Not great quality, but s/he sure is cute anyway.

I really wanted to get a bit higher quality pics for you all so cranked open the window, and s/he didn't seem to mind too much - though you can see the air of wariness in each of these pics.

The end of the movie came and I decided to take the dogs for a walk, and upon returning, it was apparent that this little Owlett was getting ready to experience their world more closely. I ran back upstairs to try to get some more pics. It was about 7:30pm here in the woods -- so a very low light situation for picture taking... oh and I have yet to read the manual that came with my camera so was unsure of the setting that I needed. I LOVE that you can see their little feet in the weirdly blue picture. CUTE!

I hope that this little Owlett will remain in the box tonight, as we saw two coyotes last Monday about 100' behind the house. Owletts, when they fledge, will climb out of the nesting box, and climb a bit up the tree. They will then flutter down to an adjecent tree and climb back up to continue to do this until they are into a safer place to hang out. Unfortunately, last year our little fledgling ended up on the ground (which is not uncommon) and all we found was a little piece of wing - it was very sad. :-( All that work by the parents, to come to that end....

Bird Feeder as House?

2009-05-06T09:18:00.004-05:00

This is a ceramic bird feeder that has been in my yard for 5 years. This is the first time any bird has attempted a nest. I think it is a house Wren who has been building fast and furious. I have never seen one like this before.

Rainy Day Clean-Up

2009-05-06T07:06:00.004-05:00

There is nothing like a rainy morning to motivate you to look to see what pics you have not posted, that you clearly intended to.... OK, that is a lie. A rainy morning does not motivate me to do really anything but go back to bed. :) I did, however, pick up the laptop and memory card to see what was there. I found a wealth of fun stuff. We will start with nesting, though it really looks like everyone is having pretty good success along these lines.

The Chickadees really got busy at the Nashville Wild Birds Unlimited store. I snapped these quick pictures a couple of weeks ago, but have not been back recently to see if they have fledged yet. Based upon this pic, I would say that the chicks were 2-3 days old that day. If that is the case, they should fledge any day now. This box is what is considered to be a Sparrow repellent box -- the theory is that it is not only smaller than the Sparrows desire, but also allows too much light into the interior. Whatever the reason, I have never had problems with Sparrows in this style nesting box. It is called a Kentucky Style Slot Box... this particular box was made by the professor that developed the style, Dr. Wayne Davis. The birds Thank You, as do we, Wayne!

This is the Bluebird Nest at my home. As of yesterday, the eggs had still not hatched.

In other NESTING NEWS... It has been confirmed that my Barred Owls have a nestling in the aforementioned Very Dangerous Nesting Box. Just Monday, we saw one of the parents taking a pretty good sized rodent into the box to feed their chick. All this rain concerns me, as I can not believe that that chick is at all dry. Kent reminds me constantly that if they had nested in a natural hole, it is unlikely that the conditions would be much better. For good or for bad, that is where they are. The chick should be fledging in the coming week.

Our First Blue Bird Family

2009-05-03T19:10:00.004-05:00

This is our first attempt at attracting Blue Birds. Two days after we put up our box, we had our first occupants! My husband and I were bursting with excitement when we saw our first egg laid! If you look close you will see that there are 6 Blue Bird eggs!

This is a picture of day 2 for the Blue Bird hatchlings.

Here is an updated picture of the little guys... this is day 7. More pictures to come soon! We are happy to report that our Blue Bird parents are very dutiful, and both can be seen feeding the chicks.

Skink

2009-04-30T09:59:00.002-05:00

First an "Art Shot" - I Love this pic... Thanks Ray!!

Some friends of mine in the Green Hills area shot these great pics of - what I believe - is a type of Skink. We see these guys on a pretty regular basis here in middle Tennessee. Theirs has taken to tormenting the dogs by sunning itself on the deck and, more picturesquely, the stump adjecent to the deck.

Busy Chickadees

2009-04-29T11:02:00.004-05:00

Believe it or not, there are 7 babies in here. This is a bluebird box in my front yard. I knew she laid 7 eggs, but I did not think they would all hatch. I have never had that many in my BB box before. Trust me...there are 2 more little yellow beaks under the dog hair.

Driveway Robins

2009-04-25T17:33:00.006-05:00

This is a Robin nest next to my driveway. They are so close that I could reach out and touch them. I was not aware that robins were such good moms. I had a new roof put on an out building close by. There were three days of hammering and sawing and the female robin never left. She does not fly off when I drive down the driveway. As far as I can tell, she has two babies. They seem to be doing great.

Cardinals

2009-04-25T17:28:00.006-05:00

This is a cardinal nest outside my kitchen window. I thought is was remarkable in it's construction. The female also has strategically placed a big leaf over the top. She has two beautiful eggs. I know that I will enjoy watching her raise her babies.

Bluebird Takeover

2009-04-24T17:33:00.003-05:00

I saw this bluebird nest in Bellevue where I take agility classes with my dog. We were sitting outside and saw the bluebird pair chase the chickadee away. About twenty minutes later the chickadee came back with more of her family and the chickadee and bluebirds chased each other around the nest box. The next week I found the bluebird nest on top of the moss. The following week there were 3 eggs. I can't wait until next week to see if she has added any more.

Wake Up Call!!

2009-04-19T08:26:00.004-05:00

We have entered the time of year that I just love. It is warm enough to sleep with the windows open, enabling the sweet scent of the spring wildflowers and earthy mustiness of the woods to permeate my slumber. Even better though, in my opinion, is the cacophony of song that greets you as the dawn breaks. This is commonly called Dawn Chorus. We only hear this abundance in the spring as the birds are frantically trying to find a mate. Every year I track the progress of our migrants by the Dawn Chorus.

Today the leading songster was a Scarlet Tanager closely followed by the Eastern Bluebird and Wood Thrush.

Currently, all the birds are continuing to eat through the rain... guess we will not be having much of a break today. Just as well, in my opinion. It will be a great day to watch our newly arrived Hummingbirds partake of the bounty of wildflowers... and feeders, of course.

Front Row Friday!

2009-04-17T17:55:00.004-05:00

Today, at the bank, I came across a beautiful Cooper's Hawk hunting the road. Using my car as a blind, I caught these pretty good pics. I am sure that the people in the drive through could NOT figure out what this weird woman was doing creeping her car slowly, slowly slowly around the parking area. In the end, I think the time spent paid off.

When I arrived home, again I saw the Owl - just hanging out, so I snapped these pics:

then went inside to write a quick entry... So here we are. I had just begun and crackle, crash... huh?? What's that!? The Barred Owl was in hot persuit of something... well... someone. When s/he got back up on a branch it was apparent that they were not successful. It is so hard for them to catch food - I am always amazed when they make a catch.

More Morels!!

2009-04-15T20:32:00.004-05:00

So we kept looking for more of the Black Morels that we had found earlier... Well, this is what we found! LOTS (30+) of "Morchella Semilibra" or Half-Free Morels. Again the common names are kinda funny and I am not sure that they should be shared here... but... hmmmm.... MushroomExpert.com says that they are commonly called "peckerheads" and a couple other questionable names. Whatever you call them, they are DELISH! This evening half of the pound that I picked ended up in a wonderful Wild Mushroom Risotto -- wonderful! Yes, I know that this is not a food blog, but these guys were wildlife. :) Oh, and you may notice that I DID harvest one Black Morel - he's the guy with the bigger black cap in the upper right-hand side of the picture.

Wake Up Call!!

2009-04-11T08:48:00.006-05:00

I was pleased to hear the song of the Wood Thrush this morning upon waking. This species has a tough row to hoe, being one of our neo tropical migrants. Their population is on a sharp decline due to loss of habitat both here and in their wintering grounds.

Another quick note.... Seems that the Barred Owls have chosen to nest in the "in very poor shape" owl box that they have nested in in the past. :-/ As stated earlier, I am very concerned about the condition of the box.

Severe Weather!?!

2009-04-10T18:15:00.003-05:00

When the sky started to get dark, Becky and I decided it would be good to get on the web and take a looksee at the radar. Well, the weather folks were saying that bad things were happening elsewhere, and the radar looked pretty bad for us up in the Goodlettsville store as well.

Looking around the store and perusing our options for cover, we came to the conclusion that there just was not a very good place to take cover; so, we hoped that we would be spared cramming into the tiny little space that we chose for our safe spot. I suggested to Becky that she just stand at the window and watch the birds. No, this was not a case of putting our heads in the sand, rather we put our trust in the birds... and they continued to chow down. :) They ate through the little down pours and continued eating right up until the sun came out again (very briefly). As usual, the birds were right! No Severe Weather for us.

Just a helpful hint though... never trust greyhounds to let you know if there will be adverse weather coming your way - - Well, don't trust my greyhounds at least - - they will always try to convince you that you should go home 'cuz the big one is coming! LOL

Never Know....

2009-04-09T12:26:00.003-05:00

Alan B. came in yesterday toting a picture that he asked for an ID on. These are the types of identification that I do not mind one bit! The IDs over the phone are virtually impossible - there is just no knowing what the bird could possibly be, which this case exemplifies... He had a Parakeet in his feeder.

Little Keet probably escaped his home, at least we hope that he was not merely released. He will likely survive throughout the temperate season if he does not become a part of the food chain. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have much in the way of defense skills for our indigenous wildlife.

For now, Alan and his family will just enjoy the pretty blue bird on the feeder. Thanks for the pix, Alan!!

New "Deliveries"

2009-04-09T10:00:00.005-05:00

It's always a big ordeal getting a concrete delivery, but 'ya gotta have a good selection of Bird Baths - and boy do we have that right now! So, upon arrival to the Franklin store (the only location that can easily receive a semi truck delivery) we were greeted by 4 huge pallets of Bird Baths. We sorted through them, all the while, commenting on the Killdeer that are SO vocal back behind the store. Upon finishing the split and pricing for the other two stores, we loaded up the stores' vans and started to clean up.

Well, let me tell you, the Killdeer had become so vocal it was clear that there was something wrong. We decided to take a good look around before moving the vans, for fear that there was a chick around. Sure enough, in the downspout splash guard there was a Killdeer chick! Poor little guy, his mom had built her nest on the roof of the shopping center and when he decided to get up and stretch his legs, he must have fallen down the downspout!

Here he is after we moved him to a safer spot. His mom was back in no time and she must have led him to safety.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

2009-04-08T09:39:00.003-05:00

Got this wonderful letter from Cornell and I just know that some of you would like to become Citizen Scientists!! Get involved, and we can help keep the birds here for your Grandkids.

Dear Friend,

Got Nest Boxes? If you do, you have a front-row seat on the miracle of birth and renewal in the bird world. If you don't, now is the time to put them up. You can also help scientists learn more about bird families and how they might be affected by climate change.

You're invited to register your nest box (or boxes) with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch program (www.RegisterYourNestbox.org). It won't cost you a thing but it does yield valuable information about breeding birds and how their natural rhythms may be changing.

NestWatch is easy and fun for adults and children. It helps all of us reconnect with nature, which is good for our health and well-being. NestWatch is a great activity to do on your own, in a classroom, or as a homeschool project.

Here's why it's so important to gather this information: Studies are showing that some birds are laying their eggs sooner than they used to—as much as nine days earlier in the case of Tree Swallows. That could spell trouble if the eggs hatch before a steady supply of insects is available for feeding the young. As a NestWatch participant, you'll visit nests once or twice a week and report what you see: Which kinds of birds are using your nest boxes? When were the first eggss laid? How many eggs were laid and how many actually hatched?

Everything you need to register your nest box and get started with NestWatch is available online, including directions on how you can monitor nest boxes without disturbing the birds.

Don't have a nest box yet? Find out how to provide the best and safest boxes for bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, and other cavity-nesting birds [at your local Wild Birds Unlimited Store]. If you like, you can also monitor the nests of backyard birds that don’t use nest boxes, such as phoebes, robins, and goldfinches.

By the way, the hugely popular NestCams are back in action—peek into nests and nest boxes across the country via live cameras focused on Eastern Bluebirds, Barred Owls, Wood Ducks, Barn Owls and more. Keep watching and see what hatches! The more NestWatchers we have the better the information we can gather about our bird friends. Feel free to download this NestWatch flyer (PDF) and post it anywhere you feel is appropriate. As a citizen scientist you have the power to really make a big difference.

Thank you!
Tina Phillips, Project Leader NestWatch

Time Marches On

2009-04-02T11:17:00.009-05:00

Comparing these pics from those in the earlier post, you can easily see how far the molt has continued. The Goldfinch are wasting NO time in getting ready for their nesting season - though they nest quite a bit later than our other common backyard birds.

I was THRILLED to find 2 Morel Mushrooms in the woods today! If anyone has any hints on either finding more, or encouraging a larger patch to develop, PLEASE let me know. I would really enjoy being able to harvest enough off of our land to be able to make a yummy Morel Sauce for Pasta! Here is a pic of one of the little beauties:

Wikipedia lists: "Dryland Fish", "Merkels", "Molly Moocher" and "Hickory Chickens" as the common names for this fungi. Don't you just LOVE common names!?!

A Turkey!!

2009-03-31T21:15:00.007-05:00

Look who came to visit our Birdfeeding station yesterday!! Yea, we haven't seen any of the turkeys for several months.

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January 30, 2010

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Just had to share...

Update on "Our First Bluebird Family" by Roberta

Bird Songs Bible: A Must-Have for Birding Faithful
Blend of art, science, and sound makes a unique holiday gift