Are birds flying up to and against your windows?

It’s called image fighting.

Every spring we frequently address the question “why is this cardinal (or some other bird) trying to get in my house?” Cardinals are the most common bird to image fight, but it can be any number of species including Eastern bluebird, American robin, Eastern towhee, and even Pileated woodpecker. Cardinals are the most common, likely because they often nest in shrubs around the foundation of a house putting windows and glass doors very close to their comings and goings.

Image fighting refers to the sometimes constant presence of a bird fluttering at and making contact with a window, or many different windows of a home. Sometimes it will be the side view mirror of a vehicle. During the breeding season a bird’s sense of territoriality is heightened. A bird will pass a window and detect the movement of a bird, that appears to be the same species, and it will fly up to the window seeing what appears to it to be a competitor. It’s the result of a very strong instinct that hasn’t been able to adapt to a man-made object. This activity can go on for months, and well beyond the breeding season if unaddressed. The bird rarely injures itself seriously but it becomes an incredible annoyance to you and keeps the bird extremely occupied with a futile activity when it could be doing something much more important.

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For your sake as well as the birds we recommend stopping this behavior as soon as possible so the bird can resume normal activities and keep you from getting very frustrated and contemplating doing harm to the bird. The best way to stop this activity is to block the source of the reflection for a period of no less than a week. This can be achieved by putting up a piece of cloth or cardboard cut to the size of the pane and affixing to the glass, thus removing any possibility of the birds seeing its reflection. It MUST be applied to the exterior. Putting it on the interior can actually make the reflection more pronounced. Other things like a couple of inflated balloons tied to a piece of string taped to the glass works very well, again, on the exterior. The balloon moves around with the slightest breeze keeping the bird from wanting to approach. Again, try this for no less than a week. Repeated applications may be necessary. Usually the behavior lessens or stops after the breeding season concludes.

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If you are having an issue with birds image fighting on the side view mirror of your vehicle try putting a bag or an old pillowcase over the mirrors while you’re not using your car. Try one of these methods to help your birds get back to the business of raising young.

Early Nesting Activity

Carolina Wrens Quirky Nest Locations

It is hard to believe given the recent winter weather but presently you may see evidence of certain birds beginning the nesting process. For weeks now I have been hearing Cardinals singing, as well as Chickadees, Titmice, Bluebirds, and Carolina Wrens.

The Carolina Wren is one of the earliest nesting birds you should be aware of and be prepared for its quirky choices of nesting locations around the house. Carolina Wrens are notorious for choosing to nest in what seems to us to be terrible and dangerous locations. But their beautifully crafted nest can be so well concealed that you only accidentally discover it while doing a little spring cleaning. Their nest is an expertly engineered “cave” made from long thin pieces of root, a little moss, and lots of lacey skeletonized leaves intertwined where the eggs will be laid deep within.

Hopefully, by pointing this out now you may be able to discourage one from nesting in a location that will be quite the inconvenience for you later.

Here is a list of actual nesting locations we have either experienced or encountered with customers: A wreath on the front door, open mailbox, on a shelf in the garage or garden shed, under the hood of an old vehicle that’s been sitting for a while, upside down canoe, bicycle helmet hanging on a wall, in a hanging plastic shopping bag, behind pillows on an outdoor couch, in a potted plant on the porch, on a hanging ladder, in a covered boat, in a gas or charcoal grill, and in the folds of a hammock to name a few.

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If you have experienced something like this in the past get ahead of it now to avoid the unpleasantness of having to relocate a nest, which rarely works. Avoid leaving a window or door open on your garage or shed because these inquisitive little birds will and do quite expertly find their way in and out of small places and openings. At the store during the spring months, we sometimes leave the backdoor open to let in the fresh air. We have seen in just a few hours a Carolina Wren discover an empty box on a shelf and promptly begin nest building. It can happen that fast. You may think to put up a birdhouse for them out in the yard somewhere but that usually does not work. Carolina Wrens want to be close to the cover and protection of your house, or some large object. I have had success with Carolina Wrens in a birdhouse, but it was placed on the wall of my covered porch just a few feet from my backdoor.

If you discover a Carolina Wren nest with eggs or babies in an unwanted place, please consider letting them finish and allow the babies to fledge. Wren babies leave the nest quickly, sometimes less than two weeks after hatching.

Bluebirds Searching for Nest Sites

Bluebirds are now singing and exhibiting courtship behaviors. Listen for the sweet call and the male wing waving as he sits on a nest box or near-by perch to court a female. Although bluebirds are going through the motions of courtship relatively few will get on nest in the month of March. Sure, there are always a few eager pairs, but the majority seem to wait until early to mid-April. There is plenty of time to still offer a nest box in your yard and attract Bluebirds this spring and summer. Bluebird numbers are great and its easier than ever to attract them with a nest box. Rather than duplicate our “Bluebird Handout” in the store with all the nest box placement tips and suggestions I would prefer to dispel a few myths instead. We frequently encounter customers who are under the impression one must have the perfect situation to attract Bluebirds. Bluebirds are quite good at adapting and the very fact they use nest boxes made by man illustrates this.

· Nest-boxes must face east. Not true. Facing it east is suggested only because the entrance hole would be away from prevailing weather patterns. Good idea but not necessary. My most successful box over the years has faced northwest.

· The nest box must be in a big clearing. Bluebirds are at times of the year a “field and meadow” type of bird which may be what led to this myth. The fact is fields and meadows never provided Bluebirds with nest sites so they would leave those areas in the spring to look for them in more wooded areas where secondary cavities (abandoned woodpecker holes) were available. Simply choose the most open space you have even if there are trees around. My yard is surrounded by forest, yet Bluebirds use one or two of the boxes I provide every year.

· You have to offer mealworms to attract Bluebirds. Absolutely not the case. The nest box is the most important part of the process in attracting Bluebirds. Feeding them is enjoyable and in periods of several days in a row of spring rains and very cool temperatures feeding them live mealworms can help them significantly, especially as the young grow and demand more food.

Announcement about Curbside Service

Curbside service is available Monday Through Friday ONLY. Saturday is our busiest day of the week with in-store customers requiring more help and consultation. Please understand we cannot efficiently attend to our in-store customers and fulfill orders being called in from the curb. You may still place an order by Friday for Saturday pick-up but we cannot process orders called in on Saturday. Thank you, we appreciate your cooperation.

Wood Thrush Notes

Who’s Knocking?

It started recently and maybe you’ve noticed, maybe not. There’s a very audible “knocking” sound that seems to go on and on sometimes for several minutes at a time. The sound may be very close by, it may be deep in the woods, sometimes from multiple locations. It sounds like two pieces of wood rhythmically making contact. I’m embarrassed to say it took me awhile to figure this little mystery out. My initial thought was it’s a bird. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a bird that I hear regularly throughout the summer, makes a clucking sound yet it is distinctly different than the knocking I was hearing. And as I was hearing this knocking well into October and November it did not make sense that it would be a Yellow-billed Cuckoo as they migrate back to S. America in the fall. One day as I was working in the yard the knocking began right in my backyard. I grabbed my binoculars that I keep close and stalked into position to catch the culprit making the sound. It was a chipmunk.

Most information I could find on this behavior referred to the sound as a warning to other chipmunks that danger is present, like a hawk for example. It may very well be the sound is also being used to stake claims on certain areas. In the fall as chipmunks begin to gather food for the long winter they become highly territorial. The work of gathering and storing food can mean life or death for them. Turf wars begin and it’s every chipmunk for him or herself. Chipmunks do not hibernate but may stay in their dens for long periods of time only coming out briefly when temperatures are conducive to gathering extra supplies. They may even go into torpor, a slowed-down state, to conserve energy.

So if you have heard and wondered about the knocking sound you hear this time of year it’s the eastern chipmunk.

Many of us still have hummingbirds although their numbers are dwindling. Remember, there is not a time that you should take your feeders down. Hummingbirds will continue to move through middle-Tn during the month of October. Keeping at least one feeder available can be of great help to these tiny travelers.

Keep your eyes on your birdbaths as weary warblers look for water sources during migration. You just may be treated to one of the many beautiful species of warblers bathing and drinking in your yard.

Summer Hummer Notes

This week’s blog addresses a few of the questions we get on a daily basis this time of year. Without a doubt the number one question asked is “where are the hummingbirds”, or “is there something wrong with the hummingbirds this year”? The answers are the hummingbirds are here, and no there is nothing wrong. As far as we are concerned this is business as usual when it comes to the timing of hummingbird activity. Rate of feeding activity can vary year to year based on factors like excess rain, or drought. In past years, during very dry weather, we would see hummingbirds visit feeders earlier and more often for lack of natural nectar producing choices. This year there has been ample rainfall producing plenty of natural nectar opportunities. And of course hummers consume insects for the protein in their diet. There’s never a lack of insects in TN summers.

Widespread, powerful spring storms, such as the straight line winds we experienced about 2 months ago, could possibly have destroyed many hummingbirds’ nests in progress causing them to start from the beginning. And we know from experience hummingbirds are typically not extremely interested in our nectar feeders until nesting is concluded. So these two factors could cause a delay in hummingbirds looking to take advantage of feeders in areas hit hard by spring storms.

But mostly the reason hummingbirds are not seen in early summer as much as they are in the latter half of July, August, and September, is because they are here to nest and sugar water is just not critical to their normal daily lives. Any day now, though, as nesting concludes, hummers will begin to look to feeders with more interest. This is when 1 or 2 broods of babies will have left the nest, parenting responsibilities of the adult females is done, and the process of fattening up for a couple of months to prepare for migration back to Central and South America begins.

Other voiced concerns in regard to hummingbird feeders include the presence of Downy woodpeckers and House finches, two species of birds that often take advantage of the sweet water in hummingbird feeders, but not to worry, they will not deter a hummingbird. Feisty and aggressive hummingbirds are not concerned with either of these birds and will harass them until they leave, or move over.

Bees and wasps on the other hand can be a problem, particularly Yellow jackets.  Hummers are no match for a feeder covered with this aggressive bee.  Strategies to reduce the impact of bees on hummingbird feeders include: 

• Take the feeder down for a few days, or move the feeder to a different location.  Hummingbirds seem to be better at discovering the new location easier than bees. 

• It is believed bees and wasps are most attracted to the color yellow. Since many hummingbird feeders have yellow plastic "flowers" or other parts, try removing such parts or painting them red - once bees learn where food is, they fly back to the hive to report their findings, so avoiding their attention works best.

• It may also help to rub a little vegetable oil or a clove of garlic around the feeding ports.

• The Aspects brand Hummzinger, or the Bird’s Choice Hummerfest are the best feeders of choice to deter bees.  It’s “dish” design never allows the nectar to touch the feeding ports like bottle type feeders.  Hummingbirds can easily reach the bottom of these feeders with their long tongues.

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Aspects Hummzinger High View available in 8, 12, 16 ounces.

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Birds Choice Hummerfest available in 8 and 12 ounces.

Make no mistake, though, the hummingbird activity at feeders is very close to being very busy. If you have been disappointed in the response to your feeders thus far and given up now is the time to make some new nectar, clean up the feeder, and get it back out. If the sugar solution in your feeder turns cloudy, it's spoiled and needs to be replaced. This can happen in as little as two days in the kind of heat we are experiencing this week.

And a reminder that the proper solution is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Do not add color or honey which can be harmful.

Have a nice weekend and we’ll see you soon.

Dealing with Raccoons

You step out in the morning to find your birdfeeder on the ground and squirrels are gathered around it munching away on your deluxe birdseed you just bought, and maybe even on the feeder, too. You cuss the squirrels like any normal person would, and chase the squirrels clapping your hands like a lunatic while your neighbors peer at you from a window with fear and concern. They think being quarantined has finally gotten to you. Admit it, you’ve done this. But hold on. Maybe you’ve cussed the wrong animal.

Finding your feeder on the ground in the morning is likely due to the activities of our TN state mammal, the Raccoon. They routinely work the night shift raiding bird feeders, hummingbird feeders, and trash cans. The squirrels are simply taking advantage of the leftovers. Perhaps Raccoons know if you see squirrels gathered around your feeder on the ground you will conclude they were responsible. Raccoons just may be that smart. Just because you never see a Raccoon doesn’t mean they aren’t coming around. Raccoons are extremely intelligent and resourceful, and can efficiently remove birdfeeders from hooks and hangers in trees, climb a ½” diameter pole with a squirrel baffle in the way, fidget with lids on seed containers until they get them off, and will eat all the cat or dog food you left out for Fluffy or Fido. They are likely the best example of a true omnivore. They are extremely adaptive and use their dexterous front paws and long fingers to find and feast on a wide variety of fare. And they are as at home in the forest as they are in urban areas.

The next few months are typically when we hear the most frequent and numerous complaints about damaged feeders. Why? Just like birds consuming more because of the breeding season Raccoons are also having young, cubs as they are called, and are out every night looking for easy food sources like your feeders.

Females have one to seven cubs in spring to early summer. The young raccoons often spend the first two months or so of their lives high in a tree hole. Later, mother and children move to the ground and the cubs begin to explore their surroundings.

Unfortunately, the list of solutions is limited. The first recommended remedy is to remove the feeder, or feeders, in the evenings leaving nothing for the raccoons to find when they visit at night. Yes, this is inconvenient but it isn’t permanent. Usually two weeks of this strategy is enough to cause the raccoons to change their search pattern. It is extremely effective and inexpensive.

The second choice involves hardware. Our heavy duty shepherds pole, or 1” diameter pole system, with a raccoon baffle will work to keep these fur bearing bandits from getting your birdfeeders. A Raccoon baffle is double the length of a squirrel baffle and larger in diameter, too. Ones that we stock are made to fit certain ½” diameter poles up to a 1 3/4”

Many of you have heard that feeding them will keep them away from your birdfeeders. This typically just encourages more raccoon traffic. They will eat what you intended for them to have and get your feeders too.

As for live traps to relocate the animal I am not an advocate, particularly this time of year when they have cubs. And there are always more Raccoons that will come along.

So, next time you see your feeder on the ground don’t be so quick to blame the squirrels.