Wood Thrush Notes

Sandhill Crane Festival

The 32nd annual Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival will take place January 14-15 from 8 am to 4 pm daily, featuring over 20,000 Sandhill Cranes that stop over during their winter migration at the Hiwassee Refuge. The calls of these magnificent birds can be heard from over a mile away. You will see the mating dances of these 4-foot tall birds and their 6 to 7-foot wingspan on display. As always there will be entertainment, vendors, and activities for children. For information on the schedule of events visit www.tn.gov/twra

Sandhill Crane

Bald Eagle Festival

The 19th annual Bald eagle Festival at Reelfoot Lake will take place Feb. 3-5.

More than 40 nesting pairs of Bald eagles now reside at this unusual lake that was created by an earthquake in the winter of 1811-1812 causing the Mississippi River to flow backwards for as long as 24 hrs. Tours, educational programs, and activities are available. Tours and accommodations fill up pretty quickly so if you want to attend you may want to start planning now. Lots of different birds can be seen around the lake including White Pelicans.

CONTACT– 731-253-2007 or visit www.reelfoottourism.com for more information.

Bald Eagle

Christmas and New Years Shop Hours

The Wood Thrush Shop will maintain regular business hours this coming week, 10 am until 5:30 pm Monday thru Friday, and will be open on Saturday Dec. 24th from 10 am until 2 pm.

We will be closed Monday Dec. 26th and Monday Jan. 2nd

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.

Wood Thrush Notes

Brown Creepers and other Winter Migrants

This morning I had the pleasure of spotting one of my favorite birds of winter, the Brown Creeper. It is not a rare bird but is considered an uncommon winter resident statewide from October to April. It is an elusive bird for the backyard birder due to its camouflage plumage and habit of traveling on the trunks of trees. Every fall and winter I catch a few glimpses of a Brown Creeper heading up the trunk of a tree as it searches for insects in the bark. This is the only species we have that only goes up a tree and never down. It has a unique way of foraging for food by creeping up a tree and then fluttering down to the base of another tree climbing up in a spiral or zig zag path. It’s very interesting to watch. Brown Creepers are quite small, about 5” in length, and quite well camouflaged. They are brown above and whitish below, with a slender de-curved (downward curve) bill. Like a Carolina Wren they have a prominent white eye stripe.

Brown Creepers are primarily insect eaters but suet is its preferred food at feeders. As always we suggest watching your suet feeder a little more closely this time of year as many more unusual birds are seen at suet feeders. Birds seen at local suet feeders the last few winters include; Orange-crowned, Pine, and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, and Western Tanager

Wood Thrush Notes

Reminder: Important Store Hours Update

We are closing for a couple of days. On Saturday, October 15 we will close at 2 pm and re-open Wednesday, October 19.

Hummingbirds and other Migrant

A few weeks ago we mentioned BirdCast, a project by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University, and UMass Amherst, to track bird migration using radar. Click here to visit birdcast.info

Mid-October is peak time for songbird migration through middle TN as neo-tropical migrants’ are going back to Central and South America. BirdCast estimates that while you were sleeping 3,675,600 birds crossed Davidson County last night. Yes, that’s 3 million from just after sunset until Friday morning just before 7 am. The high traffic count of birds in flight was 570,000. Across the country billions of birds migrate at night in spring and fall. City lights are a very real threat to bird migration as they are attracted to the lights and collide with windows. Bird Safe Nashville has begun a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of city lights and to encourage businesses and homeowners to turn off exterior lighting during peak times of migration. For more information visit www.birdsafenashville.org

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are still being seen in small numbers. Even though you may not have seen any for a few weeks we suggest keeping a feeder up with small amounts of fresh nectar. My late date to observe a Ruby-throated hummingbird in my yard in Cheatham Co. is October 25. There is also a chance you may see a different species of hummer appear at your feeder. Practically every year we have a customer or two that gets a western U.S. hummer, like a Rufous or Anna’s at a feeder they have left out into the months of November and December. Maybe this year it will be you.

Adult Male Rufous Hummingbird

Adult Male Anna’s Hummingbird

Have a great weekend and wherever you go bring your binoculars.

Wood Thrush Notes

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Visiting Feeders

What a pleasant surprise to see 6 to 8 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks on my feeders this morning. They were really getting after the Woodland Blend in my platform feeder. And we have heard from a number of you that have Grosbeaks, too. Not one of them was an adult, however, but juveniles just born this past spring-summer. How do you tell? The adult male, of course, is very distinctive with black and white wings and back, a black hood, and white underneath with a blazing red v on the chest. The adult female plumage is less distinctive being primarily brown and white giving the appearance of a large female Purple finch. The most recognizable feature of the adult female is the prominent white eye brow. The juveniles are a mix of these plumages, especially the males. Juvenile males can look quite different from one another even as they may possess more or less of various adult male and female field marks.

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Adult Male RBG

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Adult Female RBG

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Juvenile RBG

It’s not every fall that Rose-breasted Grosbeaks take advantage of bird feeders. We know that they converge on feeders for roughly a month from mid-April to mid-May as they migrate to their breeding grounds from Central and South America, but in the fall they seem to be satisfied with seeds that have been produced by nature. It’s been a few years since I have seen them at my feeders in the fall. I can only surmise that the dry conditions this year did not produce an abundance of what they typically forage on, making the feeders more appealing. It’s nice to see them but I think I would rather have the rain.

Don’t forget we have begun distributing Rewards Cards in store. There’s no signing up or providing personal information. Just bring your card to be stamped with purchase and save. Easy.