Wood Thrush Shop Notes

Recent Feeder Activity

With the recent wintery weather a lot more birds have decided to visit feeding stations.  This week my feeders were frequented by over 50 Goldfinch at a time, a dozen or so Pine Siskin, over 20 Juncos (overwhelmingly males), and lots of White-throated sparrow. A few Red-winged Blackbirds appeared as did a few Grackles, birds I rarely see in my yard.

In weather like this I always anticipate something more unusual to appear, like Orange-crowned warbler, Ruby or Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Brown creeper to name a few, typically at the suet feeders.  One customer reported a lone Indigo Bunting which is very unusual to be seen in January. 

White-throated sparrow

Dark-eyed junco

American Goldfinch (Nonbreeding plumage)

And with the freezing rain being forecast, which will likely have already occurred by the time you read this, birds that don’t normally visit feeding stations may recognize the bird activity at feeders and come in for a look.  My birdbaths, which have de-icer units in them, were extremely busy during the frigid temps.  Birds, of course need water sources even when it’s below freezing and will bathe to keep feathers clean and at their best insulating quality for survival. 

Many of you are surprised to see multiple Bluebirds visiting feeding stations and water sources.  Bluebirds are, of course, here year round and will travel about in small flocks in search of food and water. 

Seed Stock is Low for this Saturday

Because our seed supplier is located in Des Moines, IA sometimes weather will hold up our seed shipments as is the case this week.  Freight is backed up all across the U.S.   You may want to call first before you visit The Wood Thrush Shop on Saturday and Monday as we are low, or out of some choices of seed.  We are very well stocked with suet and live mealworms.  We anticipate receiving our load of seed early next week as temps rise to the 40’s. 

Next Week…The Great Backyard Bird Count

Wood Thrush Notes.

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

Chipping Sparrow

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.

White-throated Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Wood Thrush Notes

Winter Backyard Birds to Look For

A few weeks ago we mentioned Brown Creepers as one of the winter visitors to look for near feeding stations. Other more common visitors include White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Bluebirds get a mention because they are more likely to visit traditional feeding stations containing seed and suet during winter months.

White-throated Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

This is the time of year I begin ground feeding to attract the sparrows mentioned above. This is a simple strategy of broadcasting some feed on the ground or in a low platform feeder to attract sparrows and Juncos. This group of birds prefers feeding on the ground and enjoys millet and shelled sunflower. Some of you might think “why do I want to attract sparrows”? There isn’t just one type of sparrow and because of the introduced House sparrow, which are so problematic for Bluebirds; I think “sparrows” get a bad rap. These sparrows are beautiful and one should really look at them through binoculars to see the evidence. By the way, you will find Cardinals and even Goldfinches love to feed on the ground, too. I often incorporate a brush pile for cover and protection near the spot I present the feed. If you’ve never tried creating a brush pile for birds you should try it. They are a bird magnet.

The Red-breasted nuthatch is a regular winter visitor although their numbers can vary greatly from one year to the next. Smaller than the White-breasted nuthatch they’re often seen visiting sunflower seed, shelled peanut, and suet feeders.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Yellow-rumped warblers are one of just a few warblers that can be seen in TN year round and at feeders. Look for them at suet feeders on very cold days.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is also seen at suet feeders on very cold days. You better have your binoculars handy, though, because they are very small and their winter plumage is a dull olive which can make them difficult to see. Oh yeah, they are constantly on the move, too, further challenging your birdwatching skills. Look for the black and white wing bars to help identify one. The “ruby” crown is often not visible but from the right vantage point you may catch a glimpse.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Of course, Bluebirds are here year round but they are more likely to feed at suet feeders and even consume seed but only if it is out of the shell.  Bluebirds do not possess the ability to crack open shells of a seed.  Especially during snow falls that cover the ground Bluebirds will be inclined to eat seed for survival.

How Birds Survive Winter Conditions

Although winter hasn't really visited yet we've had enough cold to prompt some questions and concerns from customers regarding how birds survive winter conditions. First, winter conditions here in the upper south are nothing compared to what birds encounter in the northeast. Even chickadees and kinglets, two of the smallest songbirds, survive the cold of Maine where temperatures often remain below zero for extended periods of time. How do they do this? It is a combination of physiology and strategy.

Chickadees are prodigious gatherers of food, hiding, or caching tidbits of food in hundreds of locations with the ability to remember them all for use later. But how can such a small creature stay warm enough to survive even one night at -20 below zero? Chickadees (like most year-round northern birds) endure the winter in their uninsulated legs and feet. Yet their toes remain flexible and functional at all temperatures. Our exposed toes would freeze and literally drop off. Why do they not freeze? Here's where physiology comes in. It's actually a special adaptation that many birds possess. The temperature in their feet is regulated and will cool down to about 30 degrees while maintaining a body core temperature of around 105 degrees.

A chickadees feet are provided with continuous blood flow. The warm arterial blood headed toward their feet from the body runs next to veins of cooled blood returning from the feet to the body. As heat is transferred between the outgoing and incoming veins, the blood returning into the body recovers much of the heat that would be lost flowing out. So, chickadees feet don't freeze and that's because their foot temperature is regulated near the freezing point even as their body temp stays high. Many species of gulls and ducks that spend a lot of time standing on ice do the same thing.

When you see a bird that looks really fat on a cold day it's not because it overindulged at the feeder but has "puffed out" the feathers increasing the insulating properties. Keeping feathers clean is serious business for birds and this is why you will often see more bathing activity at a birdbath in winter than in summer. Clean feathers mean better weather protection, keeping body temps warm, and creating a barrier to rain.

At night, chickadees reduce heat loss by seeking shelter in tree holes or other crevices. By reducing their body temperature—the smaller the difference in temperature between the bird and its environment, the lower the rate of heat loss. Still, the bird may have to shiver all night and burn up most of its fat reserves, which then must be replenished the next day in order to survive the next night.

Much of the information shared in this blog is from nature author, Bernd Heinrich. If you are looking for some fascinating nature information, I would recommend a few of his books, "A year in the Maine Woods", "Mind of the Raven", and "The Homing Instinct".

Bird Bio: Orange Crowned Warbler

In the recent wintery weather did you see anything “different” at your feeders?  Just yesterday, Jan. 17, I noticed something different at a tube feeder with a variety of Wood Thrush Shop blends.  What caught my eye was a bird smaller than a Goldfinch that moved differently than the other birds.  It was quicker as it moved among the branches to the feeder, and it was by itself.  I then keyed in on the color which was more greenish-yellow than Goldfinches.  Looking through my binoculars that I keep by the window where I watch birds it became clear I had an Orange-crowned Warbler.  And it was the first recorded in my yard.  I got a little video to share with you although the quality isn’t great. 

The Orange-crowned warbler measures about 4 ½” in length and has no wing bars or distinctive marks.  It’s olive-green to gray above, and yellow-green below.  Looking through binoculars you may notice faint streaks on the breast.  The orange on the crown is barely visible and seldom seen.  They are primarily insect eaters but in this kind of weather they can adapt to small bits of seed and fruit. 

Other birds of note during the snowy weather are the Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Fox sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Bluebird (eating suet and mealworms), and Red-winged blackbirds.

Always be extra vigilante during winter weather for the more unusual birds.  They notice the additional bird traffic at feeders and follow in to investigate.