winter bird activity

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Wood Thrush Notes.

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Open House Specials

Come on out to Westgate Center tomorrow and do a little Christmas shopping. The small businesses of Westgate are having an open house with some deals and special offers, and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Clause at G&G Interiors starting at 12:30.

We are featuring deals on our favorite A-T-Z Bluebird box, Squirrel Buster Classic feeder, Bird’s Choice hummingbird feeders, and the always popular JJ Potts handcrafted ceramic mushrooms.

And speaking of deals and discounts, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for flash offers on select items, like Wind River wind chimes, birdbaths, and Heartwood birdhouses. These will be sales that only last a day or two so stay tuned.

Sparrows

Sparrows? Who cares!? All too often the average backyard birder dismisses sparrows as just some generic little uninteresting bird and doesn’t take the time to properly identify. This is likely a result of the much maligned House Sparrow that tends to be a major problem for Bluebirds in nesting season. Sparrows are, in fact, a very interesting family of birds, and here in TN you may, according to The Annotated Checklist of Birds of Tennessee, see up to 22 species of sparrows, 10 of which breed here. Many are considered rare, to uncommon, to seasonal, with a few as year round residents. This time of year we see Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Chipping and Vesper Sparrow, and Juncos are included in the family, too. I must admit my skills at identifying some of these birds require a tune-up. I often birdwatch at Gossett Tract in Cheatam Co. where the open field dense growth habitat is excellent for sparrows but makes for very challenging birding. They don’t stay in one place very long and will dive down into heavy cover in a flash. Pics of Chipping and Field sparrow

At our feeders in the fall and winter months we see White-throated and White-crowned sparrows, and of course Juncos, with the Fox sparrow usually appearing only when snow falls. All three of these lovely little birds feed on the ground almost exclusively so don’t forget to train your eyes for ground movements. Look at these birds through binoculars and note the beautiful subtle markings. They often move about near feeders flipping leaves in search of bugs and seeds.

Wood Thrush Notes

Fall Birdhouse and Feeder Maintenance

It’s a great time to be outside now that the weather is cooling.  Mosquitos and no-see-ums are retreating.  There are several things you can do now to prepare your birdhouses for next spring and get your feeders up to snuff to attract birds this fall and winter.

Birdhouse Maintenance

  • Clean out old nests from nestboxes.  It is our opinion this is a must.  Leaving the old nest in the box will not deter a Bluebird or Chickadee from using the box next spring, they would build a new nest on top of the old, however, the old nest debris can create an environment attractive to ants and other insects that can and will actually consume newly hatched babies, and the adults are powerless to stop it. 

  • Move birdhouses that have been unproductive for a few years to a new location. Try to determine why this box has not been appealing to a bird, or why there have been multiple failed attempts. Perhaps the nestbox is uncomfortably close to birdfeeders. While some of you have had success with a birdhouse close to feeders we think this location will not typically yield good results year after year. Birds do not normally choose a nest location close to a lot of bird traffic. How far away should you place a nestbox? It’s impossible to be exact but I would suggest about 100’, or out of sight of the feeders if closer. Maybe the nestbox is too exposed to prevailing weather allowing lots of moisture to enter the box. Now is a great time to make some adjustments.

  • If you have experienced predation by raccoons or snakes now would be a good time to add a baffle to a pole mount birdhouse. If you have a birdhouse on a tree trunk and had predation issues it is a good time to pole mount and baffle the nestbox. Do not wait too long to make these changes. Time has a way of getting away and you really don’t want to make these changes when a bird has already built a nest and laid eggs next spring.

Feeder Maintenance

Clean up feeders and get ready for feeder activity to pick up significantly in November.  Warm soapy water and a feeder brush usually do an adequate job but for tougher jobs, a mild bleach solution may be necessary. 

It is recommended feeders be cleaned regularly.  Depending on conditions some feeders may need attention monthly.  The seed ports on tube feeders require regular attention but are quite simple to address.  Clorox wipes are a great way to disinfect the ports and perches.  It only takes a minute per feeder.  If any of your tube feeders have significant cracks or holes we may be able to provide you with a new replacement tube.  The tubes on brands like Droll Yankees and Aspects are covered under warranty and we make an effort to keep them in stock.  Bring your feeder in and we’ll see if we can repair it. 

Winters here are typically wet which presents challenges in bird feeding. Wet weather tends to cause seed to clump clogging seed flow and making a mess. Before you know it you have seed that is molding. A weather dome or hanging squirrel baffle provides excellent protection from rain and snow, particularly on feeders containing shelled sunflower, shelled blends and peanuts, and finch feeders.

Winter Birds to Be Looking For

Look for the arrivals of winter residents like Junco, White-throated and White-crowned sparrows, Purple finch, Pine siskin, Red-breasted nuthatch, and Yellow-bellied sapsucker.  And don’t forget to offer suet.  During cold, wet conditions birds such as Bluebirds, Kinglets, Brown Creeper, and Yellow-rumped warbler may visit a suet feeder often. 

Dark-eyed Junco.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Birds may find a water source even more appealing during winter months. Keep your birdbath free of ice with a submersible de-icer. They require an outlet and are thermostatically controlled. As always we have a couple of choices of heated baths in stock, too.