The Winter Bottleneck...Spring Plans

When I was in college (sometime last century to be more specific) taking wildlife ecology courses, the professor referred to the "Winter Bottleneck". This is the time of year when all wildlife species are squeezed into ever smaller habitats that can sustain them. Previously abundant food sources in October are now either consumed, covered in snow, or being dominated by larger, or more aggressive species. It is the toughest time of year for most wildlife. Body fat reserves have dwindled, temperatures are still cold, and fur and feathers are worn and less insulating.

This month we are witnessing the "bottleneck" in full force. Supplies of natural berries and fruit are almost gone. Grains and seeds are covered by snow, or were consumed weeks ago. If you keep bird feeders this is the time when you will notice more birds vising than any other time in the winter. You will notice bird species that were absent earlier, but are now attracted to the activity at your feeder. You will also notice you have to frequent the store more often to buy more bird seed!

So keep those feeders filled on a regular basis. See what new species are arriving. Notice when new "early birds" are arriving from the south and looking for a way to make it 'til spring.

Speaking of spring...have you given any thought to bird nesting boxes? Perhaps you have some already. Are they in good repair? Do they need to be cleaned out and fresh shavings placed in them? How about adding one or two that might be different enough to attract new bird species?

Check out the Nest Watch web site for ideas on building bird nest boxes to attract specific types of birds - and to deter the unwanted species! Maybe even build a nest box to try and attract nesting owls, like this Flammulated Owl (yes, it is a real bird).  if you have property with lots of Ponderosa pine, mixed with open fields or pastures, you might have good habitat for this very cryptic and nocturnal bird. Flammulated Owl nest box design.


Photo courtesy the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

KEEP THOSE FEEDERS FILLED!

                              -Hawkeye

Great Backyard Bird Count - Today's Submission

Today's submission for the Great Backyard Bird Count in eBird.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

                                                     - Hawkeye

Join the Great backyard Bird Count!

February 15-18th is the time to count your backyard and feeder birds. You can post your results for all the world to see at the Great Backyard Bird Count web site, sponsored by the Cornell Lab Of Ornithology This is a great way to begin your interest in birding. The best way to become familiar with the local birds is to learn to identify the ones that visit you!

Common winter visitors to backyard feeders in Northeast Washington  include the House Finch, American Goldfinch, Oregon Dark-eyed Junco, California Quail, and Eurasian Collared Dove. Other common visitors to yards include the American Robin, European Starling and, if you're lucky, a Varied Thrush or the Bohemian Waxwing (or it's close cousin the Cedar Waxwing).

The things that attract birds to your yard are good cover, a regular supply of favorite foods that help them get through the winter months, and little to no disturbance. Birds are stressed during winter to keep warm and avoid predators. Being able to quickly move from cover to food, and quickly back again, is essential for their survival. So when they do pay a visit have the table set and enjoy the live entertainment.

Favorite foods include:#1 sunflower seeds, lots of sunflower seeds. You can buy the hulled naked seeds or whole seeds. I think the birds like the whole seeds best because it is natural for them to break open seeds in the wild and pluck out the seeds with their incredibly active tongues. The naturally high oil content of sunflower seeds provide essential calories for the birds to burn during the cold days of winter. A large oil-rich sunflower seed is like gold in the cold. Birds that love these seeds include the House Finch, Black capped chickadee, California Quail, Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves. These birds will also eat the wild bird seed mixes that you often see in the stores.

Another good source of calories are suet blocks. These mixes of seeds and berries are held together by fatty suet and hung in cages suspended form hooks on railings, posts, or roof overhangs. Nuthatches, woodpeckers and even the occasional Varied Thrush, can bee seen frequenting these dense blocks of nutrition.

Lastly, black nijer thistle seeds are the best for American Goldfinches, Oregon Dark-eyed Juncos and Common Redpolls. These are held in either long feeding cylinders or nylon netted socks. Nijer seeds are tiny, but packed with oil for a dense source of calories for these active birds. The goldfinches and redpolls like to feed on the cylinder perches or climb crazily on the netted socks. It's not uncommon to see 10-12 of these birds crawling all over the nijer seed feeders. To attract juncos, just spread a handful along your porch railing and watch them go nuts with their newly found goldmine.

So take a look out the window this weekend, and join the world wide Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend.   
                        - Hawkeye

            American Goldfinches on nijer thistle seed sock

           The Black-capped Chickadee is noisy and curious

 The stunning Bohemian Waxwing (note the rust red under the tail. The Cedar Waxwing is yellow in this region of the bird)

 The California Quail is fun to watch and listen to as the covey calls to each other to stay close.

 The Dark-eyed junco (Oregon) is a welcome visitor to porch railing scattered with nijer seeds.

 This is the Eurasian Collared Dove (note the black collar on the back of the neck). Mourning Doves are a little smaller and have black spots along their backs.

                            A female House Finch

                               A male House Finch

A Year Away And Restarting An Idea

It has been more than a year since my first and only post. They say that life is that thing that happens when you've made other plans.  Life happened. With a renewed interest in bird photography I hope to post some of my better images, and the brief stories behind the. 

My other goal this year is to start up a Facebook page for Northeast Washington Birders. A place to post links to other birding sites, local news and announcements, and to organize local birding trips.  Perhaps my most intriguing goal is to actively recruit and educate new birders in our local area of Northeast Washington. 

Perhaps images like these will inspire some to come along and participate, or learn, or contribute.

                                         Black-capped Chickadee along the Kettle River

                                  American Dipper at Meyers falls Dam on the Colville River

                                          Bald Eagle along Artman-Gibson Road

                                          Male House Finch at backyard feeder in Kettle Falls

                                          Pileated Woodpecker at Old Kettle swim area on Lake Roosevelt

                                          Pygmy Nuthatch at Marcus Island Campground


One of the functions of this blog will also be to highlight upcoming activities for birders to join. For example, the Great Backyard Bird Count, is coming up on February 15-18, 2019. The event is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants are encouraged to record their results on the eBird platform, sponsored by the Cornell lab Ornithology. 

the International Big Day is coming up on May 4, 2019.  This is a citizen science effort to have as many people, across the entire globe, get out and find, identify, and document as many different bird species as they can in one day - May 4th. Results from each birders efforts are recorded on the eBird platform, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

Well, that's enough for a start.  Good birding! - Hawkeye